August-September 1995

President Valla reflects on the first 50 years of Thistling and the upcoming 50th anniversary event. He encourages members to attend the fall regatta circuits and maintain momentum from the recent 50th anniversary celebration and Nationals.

Results from the 1995 Nationals sailing championship showing top finishers in the Championship Division and Presidents Division, with 128 boats attending the 50th celebration regatta and 186 at the 50th Celebration.

Column highlighting fleet growth across districts, with 11 districts showing growth and total 8% growth for 1995. Recognition given to fleets showing significant growth including Fleet 105 and others for promoting the Thistle class.

List of newly registered Thistle boat owners joining the class across multiple fleets in the Carolinas, Delta, Florida, Lake regions, New England, Niagara Frontier, Pacific Northwest, and Southern California.

Tom Gregory responds to Loren Hoffman's Growth and Promotion column by opening a discussion on the possibility of allowing wooden kit boats in the Thistle class. He advocates for wooden boats as a way to attract new members and maintain the class heritage.

Jon Seestrom thanks the Thistle community and network of people on the internet who helped him as a newcomer to the class.

Editor Mike Gillum explains his difficulty in attending the 50th Anniversary and Nationals due to expanded business duties, but looks forward to future issues featuring regatta reports and stories from newcomers to the class.

Brief news item about Bill Draheim finishing 7th out of 70 boats at the O'Neil/22 Worlds held at Port Zelande, Netherlands, with him being the second highest finishing American present.

Editor's notes directing readers to an article by Dave Dellenbaugh in Sailing World magazine with observations about the Thistle class and changes to the boat design.

Continuation of Tod Mills' logbook account from August 1992 describing the sailing adventures of the Steadfast in Georgian Bay with colorful descriptions of harbors, weather, and encounters with other boats and wildlife.

Personal account of how Dave Adams discovered and purchased an abandoned wooden Thistle sailboat in Louisiana and began a multi-year restoration project, eventually joining the Thistle community and learning to sail competitively.

Humorous account of a young sailor's initial sailing experience with a Sunfish during summer camp, progressing through different boat types, taking sailing classes, and eventually becoming a Thistle owner and racer.

Report of the Lake Monroe sailing regatta held May 20-21 featuring high water conditions that made for challenging sailing, with McDonald winning the event after dominant first-place finishes on both days.

Report of the 15th Annual Separation Day Regatta held June 3, 1995 at New Castle Sailing Club in Delaware, featuring 8 Thistles and details on the winning boat and regatta organization.

Race report of the "Bottoms Up" Regatta held June 10-11, 1995 at Lake Murray Sailing Club in South Carolina, featuring 35 Thistles from the southeast competing in challenging conditions.

Enthusiastic account of the Dixie Regatta held at Lake Allatoona on Memorial Day weekend with 75 Thistles competing, featuring party atmosphere alongside competitive racing and unique trophies.

Report of the Lake Michigan Districts regatta held June 24-25 at Winneka Yacht Club featuring high winds and challenging sailing conditions with Doug Slater winning the event.

Report of the Central Southern Interdistricts regatta held May 13-14 at Arkabutla Lake, featuring thirty-eighth anniversary sailing with 72 boats hosted competing across multiple classes.

Report of the Fourth-of-July Regatta held at Otsego Sailing Club in Cooperstown, NY featuring 17 Thistles competing with strong racing and tie-breakers determining placement.

Educational article explaining the importance of clear crew communication during tacking maneuvers, with example crew positions and responsibilities before, during, and after tacks.

Special photographic retrospective section celebrating 50 years of Thistling history, featuring vintage photographs from various decades with captions identifying people, locations, and events spanning from the 1960s through 1980s.

Classified advertisements section featuring boat sales, miscellaneous equipment, sailing services, and cover/sail/trailer listings from various Thistle enthusiasts and vendors.