What is similar to a Thistle - but easier to come by?

Kaiser

Member
I hate to admit that I let my C-15 go to pieces... it's just been sitting in the sun too long to be salvageable.

I think i'd like something like a Thistle - nice and open - able to fit several people - and easy to repair if it gets damaged - because there is so much easy access from the inside.

Are Thistles generally available? Is there another boat out there that's similar that I could pick up for a couple grand?

Thanks!
 
I think i'd like something like a Thistle - nice and open - able to fit several people - and easy to repair if it gets damaged - because there is so much easy access from the inside.

Are Thistles generally available? Is there another boat out there that's similar that I could pick up for a couple grand?
I don't know Thistle availability. I'd have to go to their website(s) same as you. Other boats that come to mind are 420, 470, 505, Finn, basically anything with a racing class popularity is more likely to have a strong used boat market. I'm thinking the 470 is closest to your C15 in characteristics.

There's always that threshold, below which any money you don't spend on the initial purchase has to be spent in re-fitting.
 
There's a Thistle listserve (it's closed and you have to apply) on Yahoo, as well as the class website: www.thistleclass.com Sometimes I crew on Thistles, which are a fast, but famously uncomfortable boat.

I hate to admit that I let my C-15 go to pieces... it's just been sitting in the sun too long to be salvageable.

I think i'd like something like a Thistle - nice and open - able to fit several people - and easy to repair if it gets damaged - because there is so much easy access from the inside.

Are Thistles generally available? Is there another boat out there that's similar that I could pick up for a couple grand?

Thanks!
 
There's a Thistle listserve (it's closed and you have to apply) on Yahoo, as well as the class website: www.thistleclass.com Sometimes I crew on Thistles, which are a fast, but famously uncomfortable boat.

I was thinking the same thing but biting my tongue.

I would encourage you to look at the lightning class. Very similar sail plan to the thistle, but much more pleasant to sail. The lightning class website has boats for sale at many different price ranges and geographical areas. There is a lot of flexibility in how they can be rigged, and the old boats can be surprisingly competitive.

Locally, the thistles and lightnings have a very similar fleet turnout, with perhaps a few more lightnings on the line, and at least once a year the two fleets compete against each other on the same line for bragging rights. I'm a bit nostalgic, but I have fond memories of hours/days/seasons/years spent racing lightnings.
 
I have sailed/raced Thistles and Lightnings and at 17' and 19'. they are going to sail much differently than your former C-15. The Thistle is a great Sandy Douglas design, fast and responsive but a real handful in a stiff breeze. They are amazing in light air, maybe the best light air one-design built. They are not comfortable to sail as the narrow rails are tough on the crew's behinds.

The Lightning is a larger, heavier but more stable boat and a lot more comfortable to day-sail and race. I crewed on them in college and they are great racers and day sailers.

Both classes have very active Associations that help maintain the class and the value of the boats.

Have you considered a Vanguard 15? It is somewhat similar to your former 15 footer and very one-design with a simple, well thought out sail plan and rig. A lot of yacht and sailing clubs use the Vanguard 15 as their club racer.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Reading between the lines here, I gather you want something for recreation sailing with some performance but not necessarily to race. A Thistle might be too much of a handful, but a Flying Scot would be too boring. Keeping in the Sandy Douglas family, maybe a Highlander would be a good compromise?

I don't think they are as actively raced any more as Thistles and Scots. You'd have to look around the country, but I would bet there are some good ones available.
 

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Hm - the lightning looks nice. I was also thinking about the flying scot - why are they boring? Just slow?

I'm just looking for something I can put a friend or two on and have some fun - performance isn't really a big concern.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!
 
Hm - the lightning looks nice. I was also thinking about the flying scot - why are they boring? Just slow?

I'm just looking for something I can put a friend or two on and have some fun - performance isn't really a big concern.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

The Scot has a ton of room and is very comfortable to sail. There's a fleet on White Rock Lake in Dallas, (near you I think?). That may be a better pick than the other boats mentioned and less expensive than a Lightning.
 
yeah, I saw that one... tempting! There's also a flying scot near new orleans for less than 1k.

I think I'll hold out for a nicer one, though. I learned with my Laser that it's worth spending a little more and getting one that's in half decent shape.

I'm also not in a hurry.... I just bought a new canoe and I'm picking up a complete homebrew setup with small kegerator from a friend of mine next weekend, so I've got enough toys to keep me occupied for awhile - or at least I should ;)
 
Flying Scot. I take my 8 and 12 year olds out on it as I am new to sailing and it's fairly low stress. Except when I discovered the jib, placed on halyard by my 12 year old, upside down out on the lake. We have Thistles, Highlanders, and Flying Scots and FScots are most common here.
 
have you looked into flying juniors?

they are the most amazing boat to sail,

or you can look into a taser. they can plane upwind.
 
Seeing as you are in Austin, I am responding as though you are in Austin. My answer would be different if you were someplace else.

There are Flying Scots available around here. They do the things you described. You can also race your Scot locally and against the best in the world in Dallas and all along the Gulf Coast.

resale on a Scot is great as they last forever and there are others around...you will not be stuck with an orphan.

The local Centerboard fleet has a Facebook Page. Charlie will bust his butt trying to get you into a Scot and ...no matter how beginner you might think you are...You cannot be far behind the local fleet's sailors.

There is a local event this weekend.

There is the Wurstfest at lcyc in a few weeks.

I call them Floating Sidewalks for a reason...They are not thrilling rides like a laser...but their Portsmouth number is exactly the same as a laser.

There's an old blue one on a trailer in the AYC drysail area. Charlie tried to buy it a couple years ago and the guy was asking too much. maybe the owner has lowered his expectations by now.
 
Thanks Fred - but you missed the update! I bought a '65 Lightning last weekend. I had to drive to Tulsa for it, but it's all mine.

It needs some glass work and a lot of prettying up, but the rigging is in good shape and it has a nearly new set of sails.

lightning_1.jpg


lightning_2.jpg
 
I sailed a Rebel for many years before selling it to get my Laser. The Rebel is a 16 ft open cockpit one design with an active class association. It is designed to be raced by a crew of 2 people but has a large cockipit which can accomodate about 4 or 5 people. The most I had out were three adults plus 2 children. It has 164 sqft of sail so it can move pretty well when properly crewed, but also makes an exellant casual day sailor. The class slogan is "Race or Relax in a Rebel. The boat is very sturdy.

I've attached a document with pics and the sailplan that I used when I was selling mine.
 

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