2021 Central Atlantic Thistle District Championship

The 2021 Central Atlantic Thistle District Championship was hosted by SSA’s Thistle Fleet #34 on July 10-11, 2021.  Twelve teams were treated to a weekend of the best the Chesapeake has to offer in terms of wind and Thistle Fleet #34 hospitality.  

Arriving at SSA, the participants were treated to a continental breakfast, including delectable homemade breakfast treats, orchestrated by regatta co-chairs Cairn Krafft and Mary Pat McNulty.  Fleet captain and regatta co-chair Bill Krafft coordinated getting the regatta organized and working on all aspects of making the regatta the success that it was. On the water, PRO Henry Thomas, VC Andrew Cole, and the entire RC team worked with a tricky northwest wind on Saturday. The wind was forecast to die and shift south, but instead kept oscillating around 340 degrees, with plus or minus 25-degree shifts.  A strong outgoing tide made getting down-current of the mark a challenge for those on that side of the course.  

Sunday brought a traditional southerly in the 8 to 14 knot range.  After some onshore discussion, it was decided that two races on Sunday would be enough, so the series was concluded with two hearty windward leeward races that left most crews tired but invigorated by the great sailing conditions. 

Back on shore, Botanas Fajardo provided welcome refreshments and their always-delicious appetizers and dinners.

We had 8 SSA boats competing, with the regatta going to non-resident member Brent Barbehenn and his crew Greg Love and Pete McKenna (Saturday) and Kaitlyn Norton (Sunday).  The District Championship went to Charlie Krafft sailing with his wife Cairn and Molly Ratz.  Eileen Fahrmeier Gladd sailing with KT Wallin and Jack Roesner had no finishes worse than 4th to take 3rd overall and second in the Districts. Bill Lawson sailing with Bob Tan and Ryan Barone finished fourth overall but third in the Districts.  Other SSA members competing included Rosemary Foltis, Doug Freeman, Ed John, Bill Krafft, John Majane, and SSA past Commodore and longtime Thistler John Quay.  

This was a gold-level Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta. Cairn and Mary Pat have been heavily involved in a national-level Thistle Class effort, led by Mike Ingham and in partnership with Sailors for the Sea, to lead the way in promoting Clean Regattas for sailboat racing activities. This year’s Thistle Nationals, which will be a celebration of 75 years of Thistle racing (a year late due to Covid), is going for a platinum level Clean Regatta designation, which is the highest level. Part of their Clean Regatta efforts include collecting used sails to be recycled in partnership with Sea Bags. If you have any used sails you would like to donate (they don’t have to be Thistle sails), please contact Cairn Krafft (cairnkrafft@comcast.net) for more information.

Complete regatta results are posted on the SSA website.