December/January 2003

Finefrock reflects on his second term as TCA President, emphasizing the importance of encouraging class leadership at all levels. He outlines the strong slate of class officers, regional vice presidents, and emphasizes the critical role of local fleet captains and informal promoters in sustaining the Thistle community.

The Thistle Class Association published a list of new members from June-October 2002, organized by geographic district including Carolinas, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Long Island Sound, Michiana, Middle America, Niagara Frontier, Pacific Northwest, South Atlantic, Southern California, and other regions.

An advertisement for Coach-TCA, a seven-day sail-racing school that runs concurrently with Thistle Midwinters East. The program offers intensive daily coaching from top Thistle instructors, covering topics like sail trim, steering, strategy, mark roundings, and crew work. Registration is $50 per boat and includes coaching, a training manual, and numerous presentations.

Gesner outlines his role as the new Chief Measurer and references the Green Book as the primary resource for measurement questions. He explains the general responsibilities of the Chief Measurer position and advises sailors to reference the Green Book first, consult with experienced Thistlers, and contact him directly for ambiguous matters not covered by official specifications.

Dryden announces that regatta scheduling is underway using a cascading approach to maximize participation, with updates to be posted on the class website. He solicits article contributions for future issues, encouraging personal stories, rigging tips, regatta reports, and photos. Dryden also emphasizes the importance of reader feedback to help guide future editorial decisions.

Small shares a historical anecdote about a similar incident involving a throw preserver catching fire during a drive to the 1954 Nationals in Racine. He commends Dave Foster's article about burning up the van while returning from nationals and reminisces about early Thistle travel stories.

The Thistle Class Association recognized generous donors and supporting members for gifts beyond their regular dues in 2002. The honor roll listed Sustaining members ($100+), Contributing members ($50-99), and Thank You category ($49 and under) donors, acknowledging their support for class programs and services.

Christiansen describes how he modified his boat to accommodate his young son Peter as crew for the 2002 Nationals. The article details custom modifications including removable pole-reaching steps, a lighter carbon pole, specialized tweaker systems, and practical strategies for keeping a 9-year-old engaged and safe during racing. It demonstrates how family-oriented boat modifications can introduce children to competitive sailing.

Bee examines the evolution of electronic compasses in one-design sailing, comparing traditional analog models to digital alternatives. The article discusses cost, functionality, and learning curve advantages, noting that digital compasses under $350 bring technology benefits within reach of most competitive Thistle sailors while traditional models remain valuable alternatives.

Finefrock reports on the Pymatuning Yacht Club Independence Day Regatta, highlighting the unusually strong youth participation with 29 boats competing and nearly every boat carrying sailors 25 or under. Winners included Blair Dryden with Mary McNitt and Nicole Finefrock in first place, Jack Bauer second, and Jack Finefrock third. The article emphasizes the promising youth movement in Thistling.

The Glimmerglass Regatta on Otsego Lake near Cooperstown, NY featured friendly competition and relatively stable wind conditions compared to prior years. John Baker won the 19-boat regatta, followed by Doc Gates and Charlie Murphy. The race committee and shore organization ensured excellent racing and social events throughout the weekend.

The Old Goat Regatta at Lake Lanier Sailing Club in Georgia featured excellent facilities and strong competition with 29 Thistle boats and 39 Optimist boats. Greg Griffin won convincingly, with Mark Reddaway and Suzanne Griffin on his crew. The article details five races across Saturday and Sunday, highlighting wind conditions, key tactical moments, and the successful partnership with USODA to introduce young sailors to the class.

The Hoover YC Fall Regatta on September 7-8 in Westerville, Ohio was affected by a high-pressure system bringing light and variable winds. Despite inconsistent conditions, the race committee completed two races on Saturday. George Fisher, grandfather of skipper Greg Fisher, competed in his first Thistle and impressed observers, ultimately winning the regatta.

The Atwood Harvest Moon Regatta on September 7-8 in Delroy, Ohio features pre-placed buoys on the meandering Atwood Lake and a famous cocktail party. With three light-air races across Saturday and Sunday, Jack Finefrock and crew won, followed by the Bauer boat in second and Dave Bloomberg/Ben Craig in third.

The Pymatuning Dornin Memorial Regatta on September 14-15 near Jamestown, PA was hampered by threatening thunderstorms but the race committee managed three good races on Saturday. Jack Finefrock won the regatta and the sole Sunday race, ahead of Jack Bauer and others competing in variable wind conditions.

The Cleveland Fall Regatta on September 21 at Cleveland Yachting Club was the site of Thistling's 50th Anniversary regatta. Only nine boats participated in this intimate one-day event with light winds that faded as the afternoon progressed, leaving minimal breeze for the final races.

The Naptown Regatta on September 28-29 in Indianapolis was hosted by Indianapolis Sailing Club fleet 69 for the 45th year and marked the first inclusion in the Lake Erie Fall Series. Steve and Rachel Lavender dominated the 17-boat fleet winning every race, with Dave and Janet Valla finishing second overall.

The Icebreaker Regatta on October 5-6 at Crescent SC in Detroit featured strong 10-15 mph winds, perfect fall conditions for competitive racing. Blair Dryden finished first overall after two races, with Jack Finefrock and Ken Swetka battling for position. Sunday's conditions escalated with building winds that reached over 20 mph, creating challenging racing that emphasized boat handling skills.

The Wild Turkey Regatta on Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville, Georgia, hosted by Fleet 163 and Oconee Sailing and Yacht Club, drew thirteen Thistles from the Southeast. Greg Griffin and Mark Reddaway won convincingly again, continuing their success. Conditions were light and shifty, with special recognition for Sean Murphy's first bullet and Scott Griffin's birthday celebration.

The Michiana Districts Championships on June 29 at Michigan City Yacht Club marked the first Thistle regatta there in many years. Blair Dryden, Karl Felger and Nicole Finefrock won all four races convincingly. The well-organized event showcased MCYC's excellent facilities and signaled a resurgence of small boat sailing at the club.

The Fall Blowout on October 12 in LaSalle, Michigan featured three one-design fleets (Thistle, Lightning, Interlake). Despite light winds that kept attendance down, the race committee completed three races with variable conditions. Blair Dryden won overall, followed by Skip Dieball and Jack Finefrock.

The Atwood Fall Finale on October 30 near Delray, Ohio was a festive closing event for the season with four WLW races. Steve White and Warren Duckworth dominated the fleet, followed by Skip Dieball and Jack Finefrock. The event concluded with the annual awards ceremony, raffles, and North Sails donated items.

Steve Lavender won the Lake Erie Fall Series for the first time despite sailing only six of seven events, demonstrating consistency across the circuit. Jack Finefrock finished second after attending all seven regattas, and Jack Bauer placed third. The article thanks contributors to race coverage and key organizers for making the series successful.

This memorial honors Walt Stubner, a distinguished Thistle sailor and aeronautical engineer who passed away at 71. Stubner was known for his scientific approach to sailing, technical articles on weather patterns, research on telltale placement, and winning the Thistle Nationals in the late 1960s. He contributed significantly to sailing both on and off the water.

The classifieds section includes sail listings, miscellaneous boat parts, carbon fiber spinnaker poles, and classified ad submission instructions. Listings feature North/Proctor sails for sale and specialized boat equipment. Submission deadlines, rates ($8.00 per insertion), and word limits are detailed for future advertisers.