July 1949

The THISTLE National Championships have been moved up one day and will be held August 25-27 at Baltimore Y.C. Owners must ensure their boats are registered, measured, and their association dues are paid to be eligible.

Reports on newly organized or reorganized Thistle fleets including Fleet #27 in Barnegat Bay, the split of Fleet #17 into the Washington and Chesapeake fleets, and the charter of Fleet #29 at Seneca Lake in New York.

Edgewater Y.C. in Northport hosted an Invitation Regatta on July 1st with four Thistles competing in light air. Ronny Small won in LYLII #221 with Dick Hutton's ROWDY #372 placing second. Discussion of potential team racing events.

The Fourth Annual Regatta of the Ohio Inter-Club Yachting Association held June 18-19 was the largest ever held in Ohio. Eighteen Thistles participated in light wind conditions with H.H. Hanson's #103 from Sharon, Pa. winning overall.

Fourth Annual Cleveland Lakefront Regatta held June 25-26 with Edgewater Y.C. Columbus taking honors through Harvey Busch and Emery Kamps. Saturday's race featured strong winds and the youth crew of Nancy Wilson received special recognition.

The Baltimore Y.C. Annual Sail Regatta on July 2-4 featured eighty boats of various classes. In the Thistle class, Frank Marquardt's WHITE SHADOW #336 took first, Dr. Walter Lawson #338 placed second, and George Geil's WAVE #88 finished third.

John Lovett won the Williams Trophy Series at Cleveland Yachting Club over Independence Day weekend, reclaiming the trophy he won in 1947. Fred Best's JADE #104 placed second and Bill Irwin's PIPE DREAM #133 took third.

Humorously describing Tom and Jane Thurlow's mysterious success at the Onondaga Regatta as possible 'JATO' (jet assist take-off) technology. The Thurlows consistently appear at the start line and then are found ashore waiting at the finish. Also mentions Al Cummins and Dex Edgarton's close calls.

Reports on the competitive rivalry between Harvey Busch's NAN TOO #57 and Emory Kamps' NATURE BOY #180 continuing from last season. Kamps won by a quarter point last year but Busch appears to have the current advantage.

Roger W. Brett's LADY ANNE #191 has arrived in Kansas City, Missouri after an extended journey from Bridgeport, Connecticut. The boat is being prepared for racing on a local L-shaped lake among C class scows and snipes.

A humorous overheard comment at Cleveland Y.C. describing the club's social factions and the Thistlers' reputation for enjoying themselves.

Reports from Mission Bay Y.C. in San Diego including Spring Series results with Herb Sinnhoffer's CLASSY LASSIE winning, and coverage of the Coronado Y.C. Regatta where Sinnhoffer also took first place.

An article celebrating Thistlers who have tested their boats' capabilities under bare poles. Features stories of Jack Snell and Stan Bassett's THIS'LL DO #56 in 1946 and Ronnie Small's LYLII #221 caught in a July 4th squall, both handling bare-pole conditions successfully.

Charlie Angle's RIGHT ANGLE #320 is thoroughly equipped for cruising with removable features for racing. Secretary Erwin McGuire made local news with an unusual incident involving his mast tangling with a high tension wire on a trailer.