August/September 2016

President Scott Griffin reflects on his spring sailing season, sharing experiences of competing at multiple regattas with family and fellow sailors. He describes sailing with his wife Nerissa and daughter Elizabeth, introducing his mother-in-law to Thistle sailing, and crewing with various teammates including Sean Adams and Mark Reddaway. Griffin expresses gratitude for the opportunities to sail and share the experience with loved ones.

Editor John Duckworth discusses the challenges of weather forecasting for sailing events and low participation due to inaccurate forecasts. He shares personal experiences of regattas with unexpectedly manageable conditions and suggests ways to make events more enjoyable, including diversifying forecasting resources, adapting with smaller sails, and adding shore-based activities to build camaraderie.

The Admiral Farragut Regatta was held at Concord Yacht Club in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 14-15, 2016. Saturday featured strong and shifty winds requiring boats to wash out after races, with Scott and Nerissa Griffin leading after three races. Sunday brought lighter, steadier conditions, and the Griffins won the overall regatta by 5 points over Brad Russell and Doug Toney, with Tanner Schultz sailing with his children placing third.

The Thistle Southeastern Championships were held at Lake Norman Yacht Club on April 9-10, 2016, with 16 boats competing despite initially concerning wind forecasts. Saturday brought strong winds and a panel discussion on heavy air sailing; Sunday had lighter conditions. Scott Griffin won his 7th Southeastern Championship, with Mark Gise, Brad Russell, David Reddaway, and Kyle Finefrock rounding out the top five.

The Bayou Dixie Regatta at Atlanta Yacht Club on May 28-29, 2016, was a massive, themed event with 60 Thistlers from a dozen states. The weekend featured a Cajun/swamp theme with colorful costumes, themed food, and entertainment. A junior fleet of five boats competed, and the main fleet was split into Purple and Green divisions with four sub-fleets. Brad Russell won the overall championship for the second consecutive year, while Brook Hamilton won the Green Fleet. The event emphasized camaraderie and fun alongside competitive racing.

The Lake Erie District Championships were held at Mentor Harbor Yachting Club on June 4-5, 2016, with 20 teams competing. Saturday featured cool temperatures, cloudy skies, and 8-14 knot winds with Lake Erie chop. Kyle Finefrock won the championship with consistent top finishes across all races. The event featured an ugly collared shirt contest, grilled food, and challenging conditions as a storm delayed a Cleveland Indians game and affected Cedar Point.

Berlin Yacht Club hosted 38 boats at their annual regatta on Father's Day weekend (June 18-19, 2016), including 9 Thistles from as far as western Michigan and Illinois. Saturday featured light and variable wind with a single shortened race. Sunday provided better conditions for three races. Kyle Finefrock dominated the regatta with consistent finishes, narrowly beating his father Jack Finefrock in each race.

The Sandusky Sailing Club hosted their Annual One-Design Regatta on June 11, 2016, with a fleet of 12 Thistles and Interlakes competing in varied weather conditions. Jack Finefrock and his crew sailed the boat #3945 to victory with two first-place finishes, followed by Warren, Eddie, & John Duckworth. The event concluded with a shore meal and beverages.