thistle sailboat

The Thistle Class: Great Sailing, Great Friends

New to the thistle class, already part of the thistle family, looking for a welcoming community of sailors.

Try sailing a Thistle with us. You’ll enjoy being in the boat – it’s fun and fast – and you’ll be welcomed by a great community of people.

Discover How You Can Get Into A Thistle

Find A Thistle Fleet Near You

How about some stiff, friendly competition?

You’ll love the speed and responsiveness of this great one design boat.

Race At An Upcoming Regatta

Check Out Recent Regatta Results

See the “Sailing Tips” page for go-fast pointers

Buy or sell boats, sails and parts

Want to get into a Thistle? These boats are really affordable for such a competitive one-design class. Plus, they hold their value thanks to the class rules.

See what’s for sale (or post yours) on the Thistle Marketplace

Already have a boat? Get it registered so you can sail with us!

Find official Thistle Class resources

Looking for the measurement certificate, bylaws, amendment proposals or anything else? You’ll find it in the Class Resources section.

Get the latest Bagpipe (the class magazine)

Take a look at the latest TCA news

Follow Us on Social Media

Thistleclasssailing.

Regatta Calendar

Governors cup regatta, recent blog posts.

Executive Meeting Minutes September 17, 2024

Executive meeting minutes august 20, 2024, executive meeting minutes july 30, 2024, executive meeting minutes july 9, 2024, more about the class.

THE COMPETITION

Three sailors around a Thistle sailboat on shore

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About The Class
Find A Fleet
People Of The Class
Class Officers
Class History
About The Thistle
Thistle Marketplace
Boat Setup & Maintenance
Sailing Tips
How To Measure
Register Your Thistle

The Competition

About The Competition
Regattas & Events
Regatta Results
Class Trophy History
Thistling by Region

Get Involved

How To Get Involved
What To Expect
Become A Member
Thistle Gear

Class Resources

Official Rules of TCA
Measurement Certificate
Eligibility Lists
Bagpipe Archives
Privacy Policy

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Sailboat Guide

Thistle is a 16 ′ 11 ″ / 5.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Gordon K. (Sandy) Douglass and built by Schock W.D., Douglass & McLeod, and Clark Boat Company starting in 1945.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Spin area: 220 sq ft.

Other builders:

Northwest One Design

Great Midwest Yacht Company Doug Laber Box 364 140 E Granville Street Sunbury, OH 43074 740-965-4511

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Thistle Class Association

Class contact information.

Click below

Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 900+

Photo Credit:Saint Petersburg Yacht Club Media Team

Photo Credit: Saint Petersburg Yacht Club Media Team

Photo Credit: Sarah Bonner

About Thistle Class Association

Looking for fun people to sail with and against? We’d love to meet you and get you in a Thistle. You’ll be part of a welcoming community, and you’ll love the speed and responsiveness of the boat.

The Thistle is a high-performance one-design racing sailboat that is generally sailed with a three-person crew. Thistles have a main, jib and symmetrical spinnaker sail plan. They’re: • Consistently fast due to the high sail area to weight ratio • Quick to plane thanks to the wide, flat stern • Built to slice through waves with the plumb bow It’s a fun, fast, responsive boat that does well in a wide variety of conditions. Thistles plane easily in 10-12 knots of breeze and glide effortlessly in light air.

There are more than 50 active Thistle fleets across the US. Thistles age extremely well, so well cared-for older boats can be just as fast as new boats. Our one-design rules make sure that racing proves the quality of the sailor rather than the money invested in the boat. Thistles sail as a Corinthian class, which means you won’t be sailing against boats with paid crew members (or a paid driver).

The Thistle Class is a community of people who love the Thistle and get a thrill out of sailing it with our friends – new and old. The Thistle Class has been around since 1945 and is still growing and active; you can find Thistles – and Thistlers (that’s what we call ourselves) – all across the country.

We have as much fun on shore together as we do racing. You might see group yoga on the grass, a camping chair circle (always room for more!) or an impromptu training session at someone’s boat. We love sharing knowledge and getting people up to speed. Walk up to anyone in the parking lot and ask about their strategy, rigging, mast tune, anything! We’re glad to help.

Want to give the Thistle Class a try? Find a fleet near you with our interactive map: https://www.thistleclass.com/find-a-fleet/. If there’s no fleet nearby, give our class secretary a shout at [email protected]; there’s probably a Thistle owner or two close by.

Boats Produced: 4056

Class boat builder(s):

Beacon Composites Great Midwest Yachts

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 3800

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

Find a fleet near you with our interactive map: https://www.thistleclass.com/find-a-fleet/. States with active fleets: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington.

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm? 3

Ideal combined weight of range of crew: 3-person teams typically range from 425-500 lbs. Thistles can be double-handed in light or medium wind at approximately 300+ lbs.

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating: 83

Boat Designed in 1945

Length (feet/inches): 17’0”

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 515 lbs.

Draft: board up: 0′ 6″; board down: 4′ 6″

Mast Height: 24’6″

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About the Thistle

The Thistle is a high performance one design racing sailboat that is generally sailed with a three person crew. The Thistle Class Association is recognized as one of the largest and best one-design classes in the country.

Thistle fleets are located throughout the US and welcome new and experienced sailors. Fleet members are happy to take new Thistle sailors out sailing and help get new boat owners up to speed. Joining a fleet and crewing is an excellent way to get started in the Thistle. Instructional DVD’s also help sailors get up to speed.

The TCA publishes a top-notch magazine, the Bagpipe, which not only reports on all the class news, but often includes rigging and go-fast tips.

The class culture makes this Thistle unique. The competitive design and caliber of sailors attracts top sailors. The class also enjoys family camaraderie and often teams are comprised of family members. The Thistle is ideal for junior sailors and many regattas encourage youth participation with reduced fees for junior members.

Designed by Sandy Douglass, the Thistle debuted in 1945. The sail plan consists of a main, jib, and spinnaker. The boat planes easily in 10-12 knots of breeze yet will also glide effortlessly in light air. The class firmly believes in the one-design principles thus keeping all boats competitive.

New boats are available from the class-approved builder, Great Midwest Yacht Company. Used boats can be found at a variety of price points. The best places to find used boats include the “Classifieds” page here .

The Thistle Class Association is a proud member of US SAILING.

Class Information:

Class Contact: Joy Martin

Class Contact Email: [email protected]

Class Contact Phone: 315-945-4571

Class Website: ThistleClass.com

Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

Class Specs

LOA: 17 ft.

Beam: 6 ft.

Draft (up/dn): 6 ft. / 4 ft. 6 in.

Weight: 515 lbs.

Sail Area (main/jib): 191 sq. ft.

Sail Area (spib): 220 sq. ft.

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Beam: 5'11' Draft: 4.5'

Beam: 6' Draft: 3'

Beam: 6'

Beam: 6.6' Draft: 5.6'

Beam: 6'6' Draft: 4.5'

Beam: 6' Draft: 12'

Beam: 5' 11'

Beam: 5' Draft: 1'

Beam: 6' Draft: 4.5'

Beam: 4' Draft: 3'

COMMENTS

About the Thistle - Thistle Class Association
Learn about the Thistle, a high-performance one-design racing sailboat that is fast, fun and affordable. Find out how to buy, sail and join the Thistle community.
Thistle (dinghy) - Wikipedia
The Thistle is a recreational sailboat, with the earlier production models made from molded plywood and the more recent models built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood structural members and trim. The seats are a fiberglass-sandwich construction, and provide built-in flotation.
THISTLE - sailboatdata
Learn about the THISTLE, a fractional sloop centerboard dinghy designed by Sandy Douglass and built since 1945. Find sailboat specifications, calculations, links, associations and forum topics for this class.
Thistle Marketplace - Thistle Class Association
For Sale: Pristine 1959 Wooden Thistle Sailboat 🌊 Step aboard a piece of sailing history! This stunning all-wooden Thistle, crafted in 1959, is not just a boat; it’s a masterpiece.
Thistle Class Association – Thistle Sailing
Buy or sell boats, sails and parts. Want to get into a Thistle? These boats are really affordable for such a competitive one-design class. Plus, they hold their value thanks to the class rules. See what’s for sale (or post yours) on the Thistle Marketplace. Already have a boat? Get it registered so you can sail with us!
Thistle — Sailboat Guide
Thistle is a classic centerboard sloop built by several companies since 1945. Learn about its design, dimensions, performance, and calculations based on sail area, displacement, and ballast ratios.
Thistle Class Association - US Sailing
The Thistle is a high-performance one-design racing sailboat that is generally sailed with a three-person crew. Thistles have a main, jib and symmetrical spinnaker sail plan. They’re: • Consistently fast due to the high sail area to weight ratio. • Quick to plane thanks to the wide, flat stern. • Built to slice through waves with the plumb bow.
Thistle - Sailing World
Learn about the Thistle, a high performance one design sailboat that is sailed with a three person crew. Find out how to join a fleet, get instructional tips, and see class specifications and contact information.
Thistle — Severn Sailing Association
The strength of the Fleet lies, of course, with the Thistle itself. This large lightweight planing dinghy out-performs most in drifters, and is a real experience planing flat-out, with spinnaker flying, on a heavy-air reach. This makes the boat an almost ideal choice for the Chesapeake region.
Thistle sailboats for sale by owner. - Sailboat Listings
Thistle. Length: 17' Beam: 6'. Type: daysailer. Hull: fiberglass monohull. Location: Buffalo, New York.