August/September 1999

Class president Patty Lawrence encourages Thistlers to participate in two key association events: District competitions and the annual fleet meeting. She explains how Districts help build class pride and prepare sailors for Nationals, and how fleet meetings strengthen local community and allow members to elect leadership and set the sailing schedule.

Growth and promotion strategist Ron Schauble explains that building and maintaining a successful fleet requires consistent personal effort beyond typical administrative work. He uses Fleet 105 as an example of a historically struggling fleet that was revived through persistent recruitment and attention by dedicated individuals.

Editor John Hudson reports on the successful 1999 National Championship held at Edenton, noting excellent racing conditions and strong participation from both air-weather and light-air sailors. He highlights that Bryce Dryden won the National Championship and notes that the Bagpipe will publish detailed reports on both sailing and social activities.

Tom Hubbell reports on the third running of Coach-TCA at Midwinters East in St. Petersburg, which attracted 28 skippers with teams for an intensive coaching program. The course featured 12.5 hours of instruction including presentations, demonstrations, and most importantly, coach-in-the-boat sessions, with outstanding results in competitive sailing.

This discussion summarizes a web-based debate on the Thistle List-serv about whether to reinstate the quota system for National Championship qualification. The quota system, used prior to the 1980s, limited participation to maintain manageable field sizes, but was abandoned for more open access to the Nationals.

This technical article provides detailed sailing instructions for racing a Thistle with only two crew members instead of three. Authors Alan and Elizabeth Howell explain that it's easier to race short-handed and offer specific techniques for boat handling, weight distribution, and race preparation, including a photo with their boat Mais Oui.

This section contains multiple obituaries and memorials for deceased Thistlers, including Jim Slocumb, Peter Milnes, Pete Bordes, and Lilly Bergstrom Kaighin, celebrating their contributions to the class and their families.

Ken Swetka reports on the 1999 Michiana Districts held June 12-13, featuring fifteen Thistle boats in two days of racing with good weather conditions initially but challenging winds on Sunday. The event was held at Lake Saint Clair with tight competition throughout.

Chris Gedrose reports on the Memorial Day Regatta at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in California, which featured six races over Memorial Day weekend in light to moderate breezes. Ron Smith won overall with consistent performance throughout the weekend.

Gordon MacDowell reports on the LEE & LEW Districts held June 12-13 at Pymatuning Yacht Club on the Pennsylvania-Ohio border with 34 boats from Lake Erie East and Lake Erie West fleets. Matthew Sessions won overall, with excellent weather and competitive racing.

Don Dexter reports on the Atlantic Coast Championships held at Nyack Boat Club on the Hudson River, where class governors and numerous competitive sailors participated in challenging conditions with tricky currents and wind variations.

Margaret Cellucci reports on the 1999 Thistle Central Atlantic District Championship in Baltimore with 17 Thistles competing from Fleets representing Richmond, Annapolis, Washington D.C. and Baltimore on Middle River in June.

Dale Hinman reports on the Northern California District Championships held June 12-13 at Lake Almanar, hosted by Fleet 97. Twelve boats competed in variable wind conditions with Mike Gillum winning first place and organizing race chair leading to a successful event.

Nancy Molitor reports on the 1999 Dixie Regatta held over Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, where 49 Thistlers and crews participated in excellent sailing conditions with memorable social events, including races, parties, and awards celebrating the class community.

Matthew Sessions reports on the Great Lakes Championship held in conjunction with Cleveland Yacht Club's Bagatelle regatta with 47 teams from South Carolina to Chicago. Multiple race divisions tested sailors in varied wind and wave conditions over the weekend.

Marty Schilke reports on the Second Annual Lemonade Regatta held June 5-6 at Bloomington Yacht Club on Lake Lemon in Indiana with seven out-of-town guest boats joining local boats for seven races with good sailing and Italian food.

Larry Wagner reports on the Mid-America Districts held on June 5-6 at Lake Maumelle west of Little Rock, Arkansas with participants from the Little Rock, Memphis, and Kansas City fleets. Participants experienced strong southerly winds and challenging racing conditions.

Joy Martin reports on the Niagara Frontier District Championship, which featured 19 boats competing at Seneca Thistle fleet with excellent food, trophies, and memorable social events. The racing showcased various sailing skills and team dynamics.

This section contains classified advertisements and boat listings for Thistle Class boats, parts, and sailing-related merchandise, plus a classified ad insertion form for buyers and sellers.