March/April 2021

President Hubbell outlines the Executive Committee's plans for restarting sailing activities safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee has established criteria for holding regattas, with the 75th Nationals tentatively planned for Cleveland Yachting Club in August 2021, contingent on pandemic improvements. Recommendations include staged approaches to regattas through the year, with consideration for vaccination requirements or negative testing.

Alison Gillum reflects on the special community bonds within the Thistle Class and offers practical suggestions for maintaining and growing this community during the pandemic when water time and in-person events are limited. She encourages members to engage through forums, share content, support fundraising, and reach out to fellow Thistlers to maintain the strong sense of family that defines the class.

The First VP provides guidance on qualification requirements and registration procedures for the 2021 Nationals at Cleveland Yachting Club. Due to canceled qualifying events from COVID-19, the Executive Committee recommends using the same qualification standards as 2020. The article outlines payment deadlines, cancellation policies, and special support available for skippers 26 and under, directing inquiries to the appropriate committee members.

Secretary Joy Martin encourages members to renew their 2021 memberships through the Clubspot platform and to join the new Thistle Class forums. She provides step-by-step instructions for both processes and highlights the benefits of participating in the online community. The article also includes a calendar of upcoming regattas and events throughout 2021, along with 2020 winners for reference.

Regatta Chairman Fred Hunger provides an update on planning for the 75th Thistle National Championship at Cleveland Yachting Club, July 31 - August 6, 2021. He outlines safety measures being implemented including potential vaccination or testing requirements, housing options, childcare considerations, and directs registrants to the championship website for ongoing information and updates as plans evolve.

Paige Myatt announces that the Thistle Class has been selected as a pilot program participant for Sailors for the Sea's Clean Class Initiative in 2021. The program encourages Thistle sailors to take the Green Boating Pledge and participate in Clean Regattas. The article details how members can get involved through volunteering as Clean Class Facilitators, taking the pledge, and accessing resources on environmental protection and sustainable boating practices.

Tommy Glenn reviews the 2020 Southeast Fall Series, which despite multiple challenges including COVID-19, Hurricane Sally, and venue changes, successfully completed four of six planned regattas. Greg Griffin dominated the series as both skipper and crew champion. The article highlights strong performances by young skippers Ian Hunter and Michael Reddaway, includes detailed race results from four regattas (Great Pumpkin, Wild Turkey, Jubilee), and praises the organizers and competitors for safely conducting the series.

Dan Fien argues that the Thistle Class needs a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee to actively address the lack of demographic diversity within the organization. He points out that approximately 95% of Thistle owners and skippers are non-Hispanic white males, despite this group representing only 30% of the US population. Fien proposes establishing a subcommittee to develop best practices and initiatives to overcome the sport's historic reputation of exclusivity and make opportunities more accessible to underrepresented populations.

Sarah Hunter pays tribute to John Arthur Krimmel, who died December 16, 2020, at age 101. Krimmel had a distinguished career as a research chemist and environmental scientist, and was an accomplished photographer whose work appears in San Diego's Civic Art Collection. He was an avid sailor who started on Lake Erie in his youth and continued racing Thistles in San Diego for many years, earning respect for his seamanship and his enthusiastic sharing of sailing photography with the Thistle community.

Betsy Yingling provides a comprehensive tribute to her father, Charlie Steigerwald, who passed away November 30, 2020, at age 89. Steigerwald was introduced to sailing as a youth near Lake Erie and became a dedicated Thistle sailor and competitor, winning the 1972 Nationals and the Midwinters East in the same year. He served as Thistle Class President in 1976 and received the Minton Trophy for service to the class in 1979. After moving to Columbus, he joined Hoover Sailing Club and competed extensively for decades, helping establish the "Columbus Commandos" racing fleet.

Mike Ingham offers comprehensive tactical guidance for Thistle racing by classifying weather conditions into distinct types (light wind, medium wind, heavy wind, random, and persistent shifts) and explaining optimal strategy for each. The article, reprinted from Sailing World, details how to categorize conditions and adjust tactics accordingly, with emphasis on finding pressure in light air, playing oscillations in medium wind, avoiding excessive maneuvers in heavy air, and maintaining flexibility when conditions are unpredictable.

Don Dexter offers creative solutions for repurposing the grating holes left vacant after upgrading from dual compass mounts to a digital compass. On the port side, he describes mounting a dry bag beneath the port grating hole with an inspection port on top, useful for storing small items like phones and snacks that need to stay dry. On the starboard side, he documents using a white plastic square as a navigation station where crews can write compass headings with a grease pencil, with a grease pencil holder attached via whipping line for convenience.

ROOKE SAILS advertises high-quality acrylic Thistle covers made with Sunbrella material and featuring a variety of options including custom colors, sail number installation, and UV-resistant thread. The company has been the Thistle cover maker for over 40 years and offers various cover styles at different price points.