An Interview with Tommy Glenn and Suzie Domagala about the Thistle Midwinters East Championship
by David Schmidt 2 Mar 08:00 PST
March 4-8, 2026
Racecourse action at the 2025 Thistle Midwinters East Championship © William Crawford; Harbor Pictures Company (
www.instagram.com/harborpictures)
Some sailboat designs just look right, and in ways that sometimes portend future trends in yacht design. Such is the case with the Thistle, a 17-foot centerboard dinghy that was designed by Gorden "Sandy" Douglass in 1945. The two- or three-person dinghy carries an attractive-looking sheer line, a plumb bow and stern, a fractional rig, a symmetrical kite, a big mainsail, and rounded bilges. The performance-minded boat entered production in 1945, the Thistle Class Association (TCA) was formed that same year, and the class held its first championship regatta in 1946.
Today there are roughly 4,000 of these graceful ladies plying lakes and saline waters across the country, and the class continues to enjoy great racing.
Better still, the TCA also believes in supporting its newer members, and those who wish to improve their on-the-water game, by sharing information, techniques, and encouragement.
Take the Thistle Midwinters East Championship (March 4-8), which is being organized by the TCA and the hosting Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC), and which involves a day (Wednesday, March 4) of coaching and on-the-water tuning, followed by four days (March 5-8) of racing on the waters off of Pensacola, Florida.
I checked in with Tommy Glenn, who is the regatta's organizer, and Suzie Domagala, who is the PYC's vice commodore and the regatta's chair, to learn more about this championship-level one-design regatta.
How would you describe the TCA's Midwinters East Championship to someone who has not raced in this event?
Thistle Midwinters East is an opportunity for Thistle sailors to head south to warm weather, enjoy sailing in an awesome venue, and renew old friendships and make new ones! Midwinters East is a "silver chevron" event, which is one level below our Nationals. We also have a Midwinters West regatta in San Diego that occurs in late January.
Also, the Thistle Class is well known for openly sharing best practices from boat to boat, as well as a high-level of boat-to-boat support and camaraderie. In fact, the event will have organized coaching baked into the schedule to elevate the performance of all sailors.
Are most entrants local, or are you getting a lot of out-of-town boats and teams who might be seeking a reprieve from the cold? Could you give me a rough breakdown of local boats versus visiting teams?
Most entrants are from out of town. We have several competitors who live in Florida, and some from the southeast region of the U.S. that participate, but for the most part Midwinters East competitors are from the Northeast and the Lake Erie or Ohio Valley areas, with the occasional entrant from the West Coast.
Most are from regions that have long cold winters with a lot of snow!
Generally speaking, what kinds of conditions can sailors expect to encounter on the waters off of Pensacola in early March?
March in Pensacola offers excellent, varied sailing conditions with reliable breezes, making it a popular spot for both casual sailing and high-performance racing. Expect average wind speeds around 11-12 knots, with temperatures typically ranging from the mid-50°s to low 70°s Fahrenheit.
March is the beginning of our first "shoulder season", offering spectacular weather, but we may also get a front bringing in cooler temperatures and heavier breeze.
The beauty of Pensacola Bay is that it is generally protected by land, protecting it from rollers or chop. The sea state is generally flat compared to many other coastal environments.
If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) sailors, what would it be?
You asked for one piece of advice, but here's three: Make sure your [trailer's] tires and bearings are in good shape before leaving home! It's a long haul, and problems on the road are no fun.
And, if there is a heavy rain prior to the event, watch for current coming out of the riverbeds that empty into Pensacola Bay. Our current is fairly light, unless there's been a recent rain!
Also, if the wind is coming from the North, expect a shiftier course with varying velocity.
I noticed in the NOR that the TCA's Bylaws allow for the substitution of skippers. Can you please tell us how that works? Also, is this a common practice at this event?
Interestingly, this is the only regatta of the year where substitution of skippers is allowed.
The idea is to give different folks the opportunity to get some tiller time, especially if you have an experienced skipper sailing with someone who is less experienced in the boat. It's a great chance for mentoring someone who might end up skippering their own Thistle someday. Plus, it reinforces the fact that Midwinters East puts an emphasis on the fun factor—even though we're all trying to win the regatta, we're also there to have a good time and learn something about sailing.
Has the TCA's Midwinters East Championship used Vakaros equipment before? Also, can you please tell me about the decision to use this equipment this year, and the benefits that you and the other event organizers expect it to deliver for competitors?
The Thistle Class has not previously used Vakaros devices at the Midwinters East. Position-sensing devices are not currently legal per our bylaws, but the Class is conducting a test of the technology, and may make it legal later this year.
The technology was well received at 2025 Nationals. We had 74 boats, and no general recalls! That is one of the main attractions of using this technology for the Thistle Class.
With no general recalls, that means your race committee can be more efficient, meaning more racing and less hanging out by the start line. And the automated countdown feature is very helpful - you don't miss hearing horns or seeing flags, which is very likely in a big fleet.
What's the scene onshore like? Also, what kind of evening entertainment do you and the other event organizers have planned, once each day's racing concludes?
One of the traditions at Midwinters East is the Coach TCA program. Tom Hubbell, past president of US Sailing and a longtime Thistle sailor, has headed up the Coach TCA program for almost 30 years.
This program consists of help with tuning in the parking lot, practice sailing, and racing on the day before the regatta begins, with expert coaches like Greg Fisher, Greg Griffin, and Paul Abdullah providing on the water tips to help bring everyone up to speed, and then daily weather briefs before sailing begins and post-race debriefs with folks who did well that day.
One of the great things about the Thistle Class is that top sailors are always ready to share information with everyone—the goal is to get everyone sailing as fast as possible!
The Pensacola Yacht Club is one of the premier clubs in the Southeastern U.S. and is well known for its southern hospitality and welcoming atmosphere! Onshore activities will include a welcome party, kegs by the rigging area, and lots of Bushwackers! We have dedicated the Watson Sailing Center as our "Regatta Headquarters", and sailors will also have access to our amazing clubhouse for full restaurant and bar access.
For those that don't know, we remodeled and expanded our bar and member dining area in November 2023, so there is plenty of room for après sailing collaboration around the bar or on the patio. It's a great location and opportunity to revisit the wins (and losses) around the course.
Is there anything else about the TCA's 2026 Midwinters East Championship that you'd like to add, for the record?
One of the great things about Thistle sailing is the traditions, and Midwinters East is a tradition like no other. And this year we're excited to be hosted by the Pensacola Yacht Club! PYC is called "The South's Finest Yacht Club" for good reason. We offer the best in competitive racing, the finest facilities built by sailors for sailors, and all the food and beverages desired to facilitate enhanced story telling around the bar. We are offering regattas in 2026 numerous classes and are committed to providing an excellent experience to all visiting sailors!