Thistle (dinghy)


The Thistle is a high-performance one-design racing dinghy, also used for day sailing, popular in the United States. The Thistle was designed by Gordon K. Douglass who later designed the Highlander and Flying Scot. Starting in 1945, 4040+ boats have now been built. Their construction originally used molded plywood. The builders started using Glass-reinforced polyester or "fibreglass" in the late 1950s. The current hull configuration uses a glass-reinforced polyester molded boat with wooden rails, centre board trunk, thwart, fore grating, and aft grating. The spars were once made from spruce, but are now of entirely extruded aluminum construction.
The Thistle Class Association, with fleets across the United States, holds local, regional, and national regattas throughout the year. All Thistles are built to the same lines by authorized builders. Class rules limit innovations in rigging, restrict sail purchases, and prohibit electronic navigation gear. Old and new boats are evenly matched, with the owner of Thistle number 1 winning the national championship in 1990. Newer fibreglass hulls tend to "soften" over a period of 20 years, depending on use. "Softer" boats are still fast, but not competitive at the very highest level.
Thistle hulls are relatively light for their size; they have no decking or spray protection, which saves weight. The sail plan is large for a boat of this size, consisting of a marconi rig with a main, jib, and symmetrical spinnaker. The sail plan is larger for the boat’s weight than in many other dinghies, which makes Thistles perform extremely well in light wind. Their hulls have wide, rounded bottoms, allowing the boats to plane in winds as low as. It is not uncommon to see Thistles efficiently making their way, while other dinghys of similar design are becalmed.
Thistles are generally raced with a three-person crew: a skipper, a middle, and a forward person. The optimal total crew weight is generally depending on wind. The crew weight, however, is generally not the deciding factor in determining the outcome of the races. In fact, class rules do not limit crew weight. In all but the strongest winds, an experienced two-person crew can manage the boat. Hiking straps are permitted for either droop or straight leg hiking, but a trapeze is not. The class is generally family friendly, though experienced sailors will still be challenged at the higher levels of competition.
The Thistle is used as the baseline for the U.S. version of the Portsmouth yardstick system for handicapping small boats in mixed-class fleets.

National Championships

Source: Thistleclass.com
YearCarron 1stSeneca Bowl 2ndFairhope 3rdSt Pete Trophy 4thRichmond 5th
1946Gordon Sandy Douglass
1947J. Lovett
1948Gordon Douglass
1949W. Lawson
1950F. Marquardt
1951Gordon Douglass
1952J. Hendricksen
1953R. Brainard
1954H. Boston
1955Gordon Douglass
1956Gordon Douglass
1957J. HendricksenSamuel Merrick
1958J. JenningsHoward W. Mead
1959J. JenkinsJ. JenningsCharles MorganW.D. Mangold
1960Bruce GoldsmithHoward L. BostonJerry JenkinsEd Walsh
1961Ed WalshBruce GoldsmithJames HendricksenJohn Proctor
1962P. BordesA. Walter StubnerJames MillerElmer RichardsLee Sutton 510
1963E. WalshJack WanenmacherDennis PoseyBob DuffJon Carriel 821
1964P. BordesJon CarrielDennis PoseyWalt StubnerBruno Markeliunas 1234
1965P. BordesDennis PoseyNils DaileyJim FaircloughJohn Proctor 1222
1966W. StubnerTom WilsonCharles WileyP. BordesNils Dailey 1399
1967P. BordesBill AlexanderTom WilsonWilliam PooleEd Fracker 1109
1968D. ClarkEd FrackerTom WilsonWilliam AlexanderChuck Steigerwald 1619
1969J. MillerBob WhiteLewis WakeNed LockwoodDennis Clark
1970K. FosterDennis ClarkCharles SteigerwaldBob WhiteCharlie Pollak 1708
1971R. MeissnerJames MillerTed FontelieuCharlie PollakGene Wood 3003
1972Charles SteigerwaldBob WhiteDennis ClarkRod GloverFuller Moore 3152
1973J. FosterChristopher PollakMark GillilandJames MillerRon Meissner 3170
1974T. DykstraRon RostoferChris PollakFuller MooreSteve Klotz 1
1975T. DykstraCliff SeighWalt StubnerRon RostorferJerry Pignolet 2830
1976Mark GillilandLarry KleinAndy BarnesJack BauerBob White 124
1977Rorbert WhiteMark GillilandJack BauerJim MoyerDave Ullman 3485
1978Andy BarnesChamp CloverMark GillilandJack F. BauerMark Laura
1979Christopher PollakBrent BarbehennGreg FisherSandy RappMark Gilliland 2995
1980Dave UllmanLarry KleinGreg FisherMark LauraKen Van Wagnen 3574
1981Christopher PollakAndy FoxBrent BarbehennSandy RappChed Proctor 3428
1982Brent BarbehennAndy FoxChed ProctorLarry KleinGreg Fisher 3748
1983Greg FisherMark GillilandChamp GloverFred HungerBrent Barbehenn 3731
1984Brent BarbehennGreg FisherChris PollakJack BauerChed Proctor 1049
1985David DellenbaughWayne PignoletChris KlotzBill EhrhornJack Bauer 3743
1986B. EhrhornGreg FisherChris KlotzChris PollakJohn Lovett 3608
1987Greg FisherDavid DellenbaughJohn LovettFred HungerBrent Barbehenn
1988Greg FisherJohn LovettMark LauraKelson ElamFred Hunger
1989David DellenbaughChed ProctorAnnie MacLeanBrent BarbehennJohn Wallace
1990Chris KlotzBrent BarbehennChris PollakGreg FisherDave Dellenbaugh
1991David DellenbaughChed ProctorChris KlotzPeter BreamChris Pollak
1992David DellenbaughAlex SmigelskiChris KlotzBill DraheimFred Hunger
1993Bill DraheimBill WilsonDave DellenbaughMarty SeeligAlex Smigelski
1994David DellenbaughChed ProctorMarty SeeligSjoerd-Jan VanderhorstChirs Klotz
1995Jack FrancoBryce DrydenBill DraheimJohn LovettChirs Klotz
1996David DellenbaughMike InghamBryce DrydenChed ProctorBrad Thompson
1997Mike InghamChed ProctorGeorge SzaboSkip DieballChris Klotz
1998Bryce DrydenMike InghamJoe BurcarChed ProctorEric Gesner
1999Bryce DrydenBrad ThomsonJack FinefrockTerry LettenmaierEric Gesner
2000Mike InghamDoug KaukeinenBruce KingEric GesnerBryce Dryden
2001Bruce KingMike InghamChris MurphyJack FinefrockErik Goethert
2002Mike InghamBruce KingBlair DrydenEric GesnerTerry Lettenmaier
2003Brent BarbehennMike InghamEric GesnerBlair DrydenCraig Koschalk
2004Eric GesnerBruce KingSkip DieballMike InghamCraig Koschalk
2005Mike InghamBruce KingD. DellenbaughC. KoschalkPaul Abdullah
2006Greg FisherSkip DieballPaul AbdullahKyle FinefrockChris Murphy
2007Mike InghamScott GriffinTerry LettenmaierGreg FisherLloyd Kitchin
2008Greg FisherMike InghamPaul AbdullahBrad ThompsonGreg Griffin
2009Dave DellenbaughBrain KitchenMike InghamBrent BarbehennCharles Kreitler
2010Mike InghamGreg GriffinGreg FisherBrent BarbehennGreg Griffin
2011Skip DieballMike InghamAllan TerhuneChris MurphyPaul Abdullah
2012Allan TerhuneSkip DieballMike InghamDavid TillsonBrent Barbehenn
2013Allan TerhuneSkip DieballSteve WhiteChris MurphySam Ingham
2014Lloyd KitchinJohn BakerSkip DieballMike InghamScott Griffin
2015Mike InghamPaul AbdullahSam InghamGreg GriffinJohn Baker
2016Mike InghamPaul AbdullahKyle FinefrockJohn BakerMike Gillum
2017Mike InghamPaul AbdullahBrent BarbehennBen FranceSamuel Ingham
2018Brad RussellDave DellenbaughDan HessePaul AbdullahMatt Fisher
2019Greg GriffinScott MeyerPaul AbdullahJesse SheddenDoug Kaukeinen
2020Possibly Covid-19