December / January 1988

President Robinson discusses the importance of leadership and participation throughout the Thistle Class organization. She emphasizes the need for improved communication and coordination between regional leadership and fleet officers to strengthen the organization and encourage participation.

Finefrock announces that Lake Nockamixon Thistle Fleet was named winner of the Growth and Promotion Award for 1987. He explains the fleet's success in attracting new members through creative programming and describes the fleet's structure and approach to growing participation in the class.

Barbehenn reports on the committee's work to identify and evaluate new hull materials that could be used in Thistle construction. He discusses criteria for candidate materials including stiffness, durability, and builder impact, and describes testing plans for several specimens including fatigue testing.

Glover shares a personal sailing story about his wife Nina learning to handle a sailboat and the challenges they faced while cruising, including seasickness and adjusting to different responsibilities. He reflects on how equal partnership and shared skills made them better sailors together.

Details and schedule for the 33rd Mid-Winters East Regatta to be held at St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Includes information on housing, camping, race schedule, entry procedures, crew requirements, and launching facilities.

Hubbell presents results of a survey of Thistle sailors in the Great Lakes region, examining attitudes about the class, demographics, and factors affecting participation. Results show most sailors want to learn more and feel the class should be promoted as a family boat.

Multiple top Thistle skippers from the 1987 Nationals comment on their tuning and sailing approaches for the challenging Sandusky conditions. Comments cover general success factors, starting tactics, boat speed, teamwork, and conservative tactics.

Laber provides a comprehensive guide to replacing Thistle rails, covering considerations for deciding whether to replace, factors to consider including skill level, time and manpower requirements, tools needed, and detailed instructions for the rail replacement process.

Photo essay showing various sail control configurations on fiberglass Thistle hulls used at the 1987 Nationals at Sandusky. Images and captions describe differences in jib cleating systems, boom vang controls, and centerboard configurations between different boats.

Comprehensive technical data table for the top ten boats at the 1987 Thistle Nationals, including hull and centerboard specifications, rigging dimensions, sail information, and crew weight/distribution data.

Information on how to list boats for sale through the Thistle Class Used Boat Clearinghouse service, which helps buyers and sellers connect.

Contact information and addresses for district governors throughout the Thistle Class regions, organized by geographical district.

Advertisements and listings for new Thistle boats available for purchase, including various hull types, construction materials, and pricing.

Race report from the Seattle Rendezvous 1987 regatta held at Fort Worden near Port Townsend, featuring strong winds and challenging conditions. Millen won with consistent early finishes while Tucker's boat had difficulty after strong starts, and Slattery also performed well.

Report on the NCAL District Fleet Challenge competition held at San Luis Reservoir in October, where teams from different Northern California fleets competed. The hosting Monterey Bay Fleet #67 had the best turnout percentage, and San Jose Sailing Club managed the event successfully despite light winds.

Report on the Lake Almanor regatta where Thistle skippers competed in light air conditions. The regatta featured varied wind conditions and challenging sailing with Smith taking first place, followed by Sevedy and others.

List of newly registered Thistle owners and skippers organized by regional district, welcoming them to the class.

Report on the 17th annual International Old Goat Regatta held at Lake Monroe near Bloomington, Indiana. Old Goats (skippers over 50) sailed Thistles and provided results and commentary on this special competition.

Report on the Cotton Pickin' Regatta held in Memphis where Mahan won, with results and commentary on the event.

Report on the NCAL District Roadrunner Event at Clear Lake, California in June 1987, with wind conditions and race results.

Classified advertisements for used Thistle boats, sails, and sailing equipment, organized by boat number and type of vessel or gear.

Advertisement for North Sails East featuring new North Cross Cut Spinnaker design for 1988 season, with promotional information.