February-March 2009

This section includes various advertisements and classified listings from service providers and vendors serving the Thistle sailing community, including North Sails, sailmakers, boat insurance, sailing apparel and merchandise, boat covers, hardware suppliers, and boat repair and restoration services.

A comprehensive guide for new Thistle owners on immediate actions to take, including joining a fleet, becoming a TCA member, measuring the boat, checking sail numbers, reading the class rules, watching instructional DVDs, contacting Great Midwest Yacht Company, watching online crew training videos, signing on as crew, and reviewing historical Bagpipes. Smith emphasizes that the class's strength comes from its people and community.

The secretary discusses fleet growth and membership trends, noting the class has 64 fleets, down from 69 five years ago. She challenges each fleet to add one boat in 2009 and emphasizes that fleets are the core of the Thistle Class Association. The article includes membership statistics by fleet and district, housekeeping reminders about paying dues, and fleet roster information.

Chris Pollak explains the technical aspects and history of mast shims in Thistle racing, including the rules that govern their use. He traces the practice back to the late 1970s when North Sails began experimenting with mast bend control, and outlines the specific limits and restrictions under which shims can be used. Key points include that shims cannot exceed 3/16" total thickness and cannot be changed during racing.

Fleet 99 and Cedar Point Yacht Club invite Thistlers to the 2009 National Championship from August 1-7, 2009 in Westport, CT, one hour north of New York City. The announcement emphasizes family-focused, budget-conscious planning with housing, dinners, seminars, and evening activities planned throughout the week. Contact information is provided for housing coordination and general inquiries.

An interview with Tom Hubbell about Coach-TCA for 2009, now in its 13th year. The program will offer a recession edition with reduced costs and frills but added comfort. New features include on-board coaching for the first 20 non-top-20 Nationals boats at $25, live teaching models, and morning coffee. The article discusses the program's coaching staff (Greg Fisher, Skip Dieball, Greg Griffin), registration procedures, and schedule changes.

Craig Smith lists 12 reasons why the Thistle Class is exceptional, based on observations from the 2008 Pensacola Nationals. These include awesome competition with exciting lead changes, exceptional sportsmanship with no boat-on-boat protests in 59 boats and 14 starts, heritage with six wooden boats and 29 third-generation sailors competing, and a strong sense of community and patriotism among members.

A comprehensive calendar of Thistle Class regattas scheduled for February through April 2009, organized chronologically with dates, locations, contacts, and 2008 champions where available. Includes events from California to Florida, with both fleet-specific and invitational competitions. Also lists Bagpipe contribution deadlines for future issues.

Jillian Moritz, age 26 and the current forward crew on Thistle #1285, profiles the boat's co-owners Ron Smith and Jim Moyer, both experienced sailors and engineers. She chronicles her first meeting with them at the 2006 Nationals and their development as a winning team, including seven bullets and a second place in their first year together. The article highlights their engineering precision, teamwork, attention to detail, and beautiful wooden boat.

The 10th annual Lumberjack Thistle Regatta on Tupper Lake (August 23-24, 2008) attracted 14 skippers in ideal racing conditions. The event, run by volunteers including PRO Allen Faurot, featured five races with courses ranging from five miles to a full circumnavigation of nearby islands. Awards, festive activities including Friday night and Saturday evening dinners, and special maple wood medallions recognized participants. David Hansen won with his crew Anne Hansen and Scot Meyer.

Richard May reports on the October 18-19 Great Pumpkin regatta at Birmingham Sailing Club, where 34 boats competed in strong, shifty winds. Paul Abdullah took first place with Scott Griffin and Buddy Wainwright rounding out the trophy winners. The regatta featured exciting racing conditions with winds gusting to 20+ knots that resulted in one de-mast and multiple capsizes. Strong social activities included pumpkin carving, burn-your-own dinner, live music, fireworks, and a bonfire.

The 2008 Lake Erie Fall Series consisted of six regattas across the late summer and fall, with over 20 boats competing. Nicole Finefrock dominated the skipper standings while Sarah Paisley earned the crew champion trophy. The report includes detailed coverage of five individual regattas (Vermillion, Atwood Harvest Moon, Dornin Memorial at Pymatuning, Cleveland Yacht Club, Johnson Memorial at Lake Chautauqua, Detroit Ice Breaker, North Cape Fall Blowout, and Buckeye Lake Fall Finale) with race conditions and individual race results.

Patty Lawrence reports on the 2008 One-Design Sailing Symposium (ODSS) held in Atlanta in November, which attracted sailors from 23 states. The symposium featured keynote speaker Dave Perry on winning tactics and 2009 racing rule changes, expanded "Sail-Fast" racing instruction tracks, networking opportunities, and various seminars covering topics from fleet building to insurance. Attendees praised the event's combination of educational programming and social activities.

Craig Koschalk, known as "Horseshack," shares his detailed organizational system for managing Thistle regatta travel and preparation. The guide covers pre-regatta planning, boat preparation and maintenance, crew selection, packing strategies, and personal equipment checklists. Koschalk demonstrates his methodical approach through custom storage boxes for boat equipment and supplies, trailer setup, and a comprehensive checklist he uses one week before departure.

Steve Lavender humorously reports on the 2008 Blow Hard Regatta at Cowan Lake, framing the event as a quiz about why it was excellent. The regatta featured perfect sailing conditions in light to moderate wind, excellent hospitality including a chili cook-off, live music, inflatable waterslide for kids, and camping facilities. Steve Lavender dominated the series with 8 points, followed by Doug Fisher in second. The article emphasizes the event's social elements as much as the racing.

This column contains miscellaneous reader submissions. Joy Yingling, a 15-year-old junior sailor, reports on her experience racing a Thistle for the first time at the Pymatuning 4th of July regatta, comparing it to her usual 420 boat. Stu Cartwright reports on Thistle activity at Northern Lake George Yacht Club, featuring a photo of his family sailing. Two postcards from a traveling sailor named Vince are also included, describing Caribbean vacation stops.