May-July 2025

President Duckworth advocates for class-supported childcare at Thistle regattas as a way to enable both parents to participate in racing. By providing organized childcare, the class can increase participation and competition while fostering the next generation of junior sailors and crews. The 2025 Nationals will offer childcare, and the class encourages sailors to support the Growth and Promotion Fund.

Second VP Paul Cone describes his experience joining the Executive Committee and discusses his work maintaining the Thistle Class website. He has been battling spam, fixing integrations with Facebook and Instagram, and working to ensure regatta and events listings are complete. The committee is developing evergreen content by gleaning articles from past Bagpipes to make sailing knowledge more accessible to new and experienced sailors.

Third VP Lloyd Kitchin shares two lessons on building Thistle fleets and developing young sailors. Lesson 1 recommends introducing children to Thistle racing at ages 6-8, organizing Saturday morning fleet races with multiple children per boat and flexible positioning to keep racing competitive and fun. Lesson 2 describes a pairing system that matches previous year winners with last-place finishers to provide instruction and improve skill levels, with opportunities for everyone to earn trophies.

A comprehensive regatta calendar for May through November 2025, listing all major Thistle Class events including district championships, interdistrict championships, and regional championships. The schedule includes previous year winners for each event and provides contact information for regatta organizers across all regions.

Five articles report on the 2025 Midwinters West regatta held at Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego February 5-9. The multi-day event featured ocean racing with nine races over three days in varying conditions from sunny to foggy. Grant Gridley, Claire Siegel-Wilson, and Casey Pruitt won the Championship Division, while Michael Gillum's team won the Presidents Division. Race-by-race accounts highlight different tactics and conditions, including encounters with dolphins and challenging fog.

Complete results table from the 2025 Midwinters West regatta with 28 boats competing in the championship and presidents divisions over nine races. Grant Gridley's team won the championship with 28 points. The Larry Klein Memorial Match Race results show Michael Gillum as champion with match race bracket results.

Two past Thistle Class presidents were honored at the US Sailing Leadership Forum in February 2025. Carol Robinson (TCA president 1988) received the Community Sailing Award for Volunteer of the Year, recognizing her dedication to community sailing programs. John Howell (TCA president 2022-2023) received the John H. Gardiner Jr. Trophy for One Design Service and Leadership for his exceptional management of the Thistle Class.

Extended article detailing John Howell's exceptional leadership of the Thistle Class from 2018-2024. His major contributions include developing a 10-year strategic plan with 12 projects, launching a boat grant program and fleet boat program, managing a website redesign, creating a youth regatta reimbursement program, establishing financial stability through fundraising, creating the Thistle Class Endowment Fund, and preserving historic wooden Thistles. The article lauds his comprehensive approach to class growth, financial security, and boat availability.

This article describes the Thistle Class's Youth Member Regatta Reimbursement Program, which helps offset regatta costs for TCA members under 26 years old. The program reimburses registration fees for Nationals, Midwinters, and Interdistrict Championship regattas. Eligibility requirements, application procedures, and reimbursement details are provided, with contact information for the 3rd VP.

Brent Barbehenn's humorous account of the Orange Peel Regatta at the Florida Yacht Club (March 14-15) uses Eagles song references throughout. The regatta attracted 33 boats, more than Midwinters East. Paul Abdullah and crew won decisively, with Greg Griffin's team taking second. The event featured accomplished sailors and new blood, with excellent conditions and hospitality from FYC. Current issues included tidal effects and starting line management.

Complete results from the Orange Peel Regatta at the Florida Yacht Club. Paul Abdullah's team won with 13 points total, followed by Greg Griffin in second place (20 points) and Brent Barbehenn in third place (31 points). Thirty-three teams competed across five races.

Bill Crawford presents a photo-essay account of the 2025 Midwinters East held at Fort Walton Yacht Club (March 8-12). The regatta featured 25 competing teams sailing in varying conditions from calm to champaign conditions to high winds and waves. Coach TCA sessions led by Greg Fisher and Mike Ingham provided valuable instruction. Paul Abdullah's Crime Scene team won decisively, Greg Griffin took second place, and Brent Barbehenn finished third.

Complete results from the 2025 Midwinters East regatta at Fort Walton Yacht Club. Paul Abdullah's Crime Scene team won with 20 points, Greg Griffin's Rediscovered team took second place with 40 points, and Brent Barbehenn's Come at Me Bro finished third with 42 points. Twenty-five teams competed in eight races.

The National Women's Sailing Association expanded its 2025 conference to three days (June 6-8) at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg. The event welcomes women sailors of all skill levels and includes the popular Take the Helm® track for sailing newcomers, industry facility tours, keynote speakers Tracy Edwards and Doris Colgate, 30+ concurrent classes, and scholarships for girls sailing programs. Early bird registration discounts run through April 14.

The 2024 Oyster Roast regatta (October 12-13) at Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis featured 15 Thistles racing in fickle westerly and southerly breezes. Brent Barbehenn's team won with three bullets, followed by Jon Duffett taking three bullets on Sunday. The renowned after-party featured 400 steamed and raw oysters, oyster stew, and a catered barbecue dinner. The regatta was registered as a Platinum Level Clean Regatta with Sailors for the Sea.

Complete results from the 2024 Oyster Roast Regatta with 16 teams competing over 7 races. Brent Barbehenn, Adam Gesner, and Ben Yannelli won with 12 points. Jon Duffett, Chris Murphy, and Arden Murphy finished second with 16 points. The regatta included results across seven races and various race management features.

Advertisement for Rooke Sails, a Thistle cover maker for over 40 years located in Memphis, Tennessee. They offer acrylic Thistle covers made with Sunbrella material, featuring various styles and customization options with UV-proof thread and warranty coverage.

Comprehensive announcement for the 2025 Thistle National Championship held August 2-8 at Sandusky Sailing Club in Ohio. Details include racing schedule, housing options (RV camping, tent camping, hotels, Airbnbs), meals and social events, childcare availability, registration information, apparel ordering, and activities in the Sandusky area including Cedar Point amusement park.

Gerry Christman describes how Clinton Lake Sailing Association (CLSA) grew their fleet from 3 active Thistles in 2017 to 18 in 2024 through their Fleet Boat program. Key objectives include enabling discovery, keeping experiences fun, developing crew, keeping costs low, creating pipelines for growth, and providing ready-to-sail boats. The program uses weekly Thursday development nights with rotating crews, formal communication, and boat maintenance responsibility systems to introduce new and returning sailors.

Mike Ingham reports on the Thistle Class's partnership with Sailors for the Sea's Clean Class Initiative, now in its fourth year. The program achieved 100% certification of 22 regattas in 2024, with growth in Chevron events. The report includes metrics on certification levels, team recognition, and 2025 initiatives including a new Clean Fleet Initiative to expand environmental programs beyond regattas to local fleet level.

Official minutes from the Thistle Class Governing Board meeting held March 10, 2025 via teleconference. Key items include: 20 of 26 voting members present, 2024 membership at 580 members with 380 paid as of February 28, 2025 budget approval showing $4500 deficit, approval of Nationals qualification change to allow racing at any district, discussion of new boat builder search, strategic projects progress, and approval of Vakaros RaceSense trial at 2025 Nationals.

The Thistle Class will trial Vakaros RaceSense digital race management system at the 2025 Nationals to improve race efficiency and reduce OCS calls and delays. The trial will not be permanent and sailors without a device can rent one for $105. The system provides real-time OCS notifications, allowing sailors to immediately clear themselves without waiting for radio calls. Questions and FAQs address concerns about functionality, device mounting, costs, and practice opportunities.

Fleet #21 proposes to amend the Official Plans and Specifications to allow larger reinforcing patches for clew and tack grommets used in slab reefing, and to permit up to three gathering grommets per reef instead of two. The changes align with current sailmaker standards to ensure durability with modern sail materials and provide no speed advantage.

Information on joining the Thistle Class Association with membership categories and dues levels for 2025. Categories include Active ($55), Family ($65), Youth (free for 2025), Associate ($40), Contributing ($80), Sustaining ($200), and Sandy Douglass Club Member ($500+). Membership application requires basic contact and boat ownership information.