Thistle Summer Series, July 17-18, 2021

For their Summer Series Regatta, five Thistles were treated to two days of brisk summer breeze more characteristic of the Jersey shore or New England than the Chesapeake Bay in mid-July. Saturday brought a southerly breeze, starting in the 10-12 kt range and building. After two races, the fleet decided they had had enough and headed for shore. 

Overnight, a cold front came through dropping the temperature from the sweltering 100+ heat index on Saturday. The northwest breeze was brisk in the morning but scheduled to moderate so a one hour on-shore postponement was issued by PRO Barbara Vosbury. As we prepared to start in the shifty northwesterly wind, the breeze piped up to the 15 -18 kt range, giving the fleet a good workout. Given that Solings, Thistles, and Lasers were sharing the same course, Barbara set two weather marks so the Lasers could get in multiple races, 9 in this case, while the Solings and Thistles had a longer beat. 

Charlie Krafft, sailing with his wife Cairn and Molly Ratz, took the weekend with five bullets. Ed John with crew Sam Maddox and Cody Richardson sailed to a second-place finish while Bill Krafft with crew Louis Andors and Stephanie Gajar recovered from a DNF in race 2, sailing all three races Sunday to take third. Rosemary Foltis with Doug Freeman and first time Thistler Todd Barrett retired after the first race on Sunday, finishing fourth and John Majane with Griffin Richardson and a junior crew only sailed Saturday to finish fifth. 

Five SSA member Thistlers are headed to Cleveland for the 75th Thistle National Championship, which was postponed from last year due to covid. Bill Lawson, Ed John, Charlie Krafft, and SSA non-resident member Brent Barbehenn will be competing in the 100-boat fleet. Eileen Gladd will be sailing with Cairn Krafft and one other crew in the Women’s Championship, which will be held ahead of the Nationals. The 75th Anniversary race will be held Sunday, July 31st in lieu of the practice race with 100+ Thistles on one starting line.