October/November 2010

Collection of advertisements and classifieds from throughout the issue, including sailmakers, boat services, apparel, equipment vendors, and other Thistle-related businesses offering products and services.

Outgoing TCA President Mike Gillum reflects on his year of service and thanks the officers, volunteers, family members, and business partners who supported him. He highlights the accomplishments and transitions of various class officers and emphasizes the importance of family involvement in the Thistle fleet.

New TCA President Lloyd Kitchin introduces himself as a second-generation Thistler with fifty years of sailing experience. He recounts his family's sailing history and makes the case that investing in youth participation is critical for the class's future, using his own multi-generation sailing family as an example.

3rd Vice President Kyle Finefrock reflects on the importance of creating memorable moments in the Thistle class. He shares a personal story of his first sailing experience with his wife Jackie at Atwood Lake's Harvest Moon Fall Series, emphasizing how these moments bond couples and families to the class.

After a 20-year absence, Thistles returned to Muscle Shoals Sailing Club for the 2010 South Atlantic Districts. The fleet of twelve boats enjoyed shifty winds and camaraderie, with Eduardo Cordero taking first place. The report highlights the new clubhouse facilities and the strong hosting efforts of the local fleet.

Comprehensive listing of upcoming Thistle regattas and events for October through December 2010 and into 2011, including East Coast, Great Lakes, Pacific Coast, and South Eastern fleet events. Features locations, dates, contact information, and 2009 winners.

The Michiana District hosted its fifth regatta of 2010 at Cowan Lake on September 11-12. Despite poor weather forecasts, perfect conditions and strong race management produced 8 races across two days for 15 enthusiastic teams, including a Canadian team. Steve Lavender won overall with three bullets on Sunday.

Comprehensive recap of the 2010 Thistle National Championships at North Cape Yacht Club in Monroe, Michigan, July 22-30. With 102 boats competing, the regatta was expertly managed by Skip and Laurie Dieball and volunteers. The report covers the excellent registration process, challenging racing conditions, social events, awards ceremony, and the unique culture of community that makes the Nationals special.

Final championship division standings from the 2010 Thistle Nationals with complete race results for 45 competing boats. Mike Ingham #3969 with crew Delia Ingham and Sam Ingham won the championship with 25 points.

Final standings for the President's Division at the 2010 Thistle Nationals with race results for 56 competing boats. Ron Smith #1285 with crew Kevin Shockey and Jillian Moritz won first place with 19 points.

Results tables for the Women's and Junior's National Championships at the 2010 Nationals. Nicole Shedden with Joy Martin and Sarah Paisley won the Women's championship, while Andy Gunkier with Ryan Kyle and Kate Gladieux won the Junior's championship.

Detailed race-by-race narratives of the championship division races at the 2010 Nationals. Mike Ingham describes races 1-3, Doug Kaukeinen details races 4-5 including a memorable incident with a fishhook, and Greg Griffin recounts race 6 with dramatic lead changes and competitive battles among the top boats.

Detailed recounts of the President's Division races. Dan Reasoner narrates Race 1 and the start of Race 2, focusing on starting line tactics and wind play. Kevin Arrow continues Race 2 and provides Race 3 narrative, which featured chaotic starts, confused thermals, and dramatic shifts in fleet composition.

Report on the Late Days Regatta in Seattle, WA, which served as the Pacific Northwest District Championship. Susannah Carr dominated with strong performance in the final three races to win the championship, while Chris Gedrose and longtime crew Moni Lampe won the Larry Hanson Family Trophy for the fifth time.

Photo gallery of trophy winners from the 2010 Thistle National Championships, including the championship division, president's division, women's, and junior's divisions. Mike Ingham won the overall championship.

Minutes from the TCA Governing Board meeting held July 28, 2010 at North Cape Yacht Club during the Nationals. Topics included officer reports, measurement issues, safety equipment, and planning for future Nationals venues.

Minutes from the TCA Annual Meeting held July 28, 2010 at North Cape Yacht Club. Topics included officer reports, upcoming Nationals venues, election of new slate of officers, and membership statistics. Lloyd Kitchin was elected new TCA President.

Postell describes his hobby of building detailed scale models of sailboats he owns, culminating in his ambitious project to build a remote-control Thistle sailboat from scratch. He details the construction process including fiberglass hulls, wooden trim, carbon fiber rigging, and custom-made sails.

Announcement of an online survey to gather data on Thistle mast failures. The survey asks respondents about conditions, actions, and setup details surrounding mast failure events to help the class understand what causes mast failures and make informed decisions.