The approach to the 2018 Thistle National Championship is unique. This year this competition is currently ongoing, from July 30th to August 3rd. There is a healthy turnout, about 66 teams participating and they are all lined up to sail at Westport, CT where a 70 year old boat design awaits them. This boat has all the lacking and an absence of modern features.

The entry list reveals that most entrants are sailing with their family members. Most of the crews have the same last names. Thistle class is known to be associated with certain known families and their fondness for this kind of sailing. This competition is different not because of the age old boat that they sail, but the kind of people who are associated with it.
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