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Draft Governing Board Minutes MWE July 14, 2026

Draft Governing Board Minutes MWE

On Zoom

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

  1. Meeting called to order at 8:05 PM (EST)
  2. Roll Call: 23/26 voting members present – Quorum is made (17 members); (2/3 per Constitutional Article XII.3.h)
    1. ExCom: Aaron Holland, Chris Murphy, Paul Cone, Wheeler Sutton, Dave Hudson, and Warren Duckworth (6 votes)

Treasurer: Sarah Paisley

Secretary: Dianne Duckworth

  1. RVPs: Tommy Glenn (SE), Pat Flinn (AC); Corinne Sackett, proxy, Tim Vining (GL), Blair Dryden (CS), Phil Gordon (PC) (5 votes)
  2. DG’s: Phil Christman (LM), Bobby Sessions (LE), Paul Abdullah (FLA), Stan Smith (SCAL), Scott Meyer (NF), Mark Udell (MICH), Tom Lawton (LIS) Douglas Kitchin (NJ), Ted Lischer (MA), Jon Doyle (C), Kevin Crandall (PNW), Scott Vogel (NE), (12 votes). 

Absent: Adam Young (SA), John Gilmour (CA), Brian Bauman (NCAL)

  1. Minutes: GB meeting for Thursday March 5, 2026, at MWE: Aaron moved to accept, seconded, and approved
  2. Officer’s Report
    1. Secretary, Dianne Duckworth
      1. Memberships July 1, 2026: 566. Memberships are up for July, In July 2025-489; July 2024-481
      2. Associate memberships are up since the new $30 membership fee. Associate as of July 2026 is 52; July 2025-37 and July 2024-46
    2. Treasurer, Sarah Paisley
      1. Operating Account Balance $ 25,807.64, G&P Account Balance $33,168, Endowment $102,000
    3. First Vice President, Chris Murphy
      1. 2026 Nationals at Eugene Yacht Club is going well with an increase of participants
      2. 2027 Nationals sites North Cape YC and Chautauqua fell through.
  • New proposal: Fairhope Yacht Club in Mobile, Alabama
    1. 4-day Nationals, Wednesday, July 14, 2027, to Saturday, July 17, 2027, Tuesday, July 13th for measuring.
  1. Discussion-vote to take place in New Business
  1. Second Vice President, Paul Cone
    1. Website is running smoother with the host
    2. Builder Committee
      1. There were 2 possible builders, one in the west and one in the east.
        1. The west possibility has decided against building Thistles
        2. The east possibility is still talking with committee on logistics and coast
      2. Dave Hudson reported that the Saratoga Yacht Club will carry insurance on the molds they are storing for $10,000. TCA purchase price.
    3. Third Vice President, Wheeler Sutton
      1. U26 Program Highlights
        1. Targeted outreach campaign to TCA Youth members (43 total for 2026) to boost participation in regattas
        2. Reimbursed entry fees for 6 individuals this year across Midwinters West and Southeast Championship
  • Expecting to reimburse 3 more individuals for Nationals in Eugene
  1. 9 youth sailors participated in either a Gold, Silver, or Blue Chevron event in 2026 which is a 80% increase over 2025
  1. Re-defined Growth and Promotion strategic priorities with goal of maximizing our return on investment
    1. Youth Engagement: Continuing to fund the U26 program and outreach to youth sailors
    2. Marketing & Outreach: Promoting the class and engaging prospective sailors
  • Education & Development: Supporting training initiatives like Coach TCA and creating educational resources for new owners and crew
  1. Upcoming for rest of 2026 and 2027: continue to expand regional growth and promotion by creating G&P representative roles in each region
  1. Chief Measurer, Dave Hudson
    1. Measuring Check at 2026 Nationals
      1. Weighing Masts. Some lead will be available, but competitors should strive to ensure their masts meet the weight requirement of 30 lbs. If you have rope halyards, you may be light.
      2. Thickness of centerboard and other items.
  • Investigation of the tolerance value of the “B” dimension on the Official Measurement Certificate.
  1. ExCom has temporarily approved Allen Boat Co. as the TCA spar builder to be voted on the GB tonight.
  2. DRMC is working on language. Committee agrees on new language for Article 10 paragraph 10 and continues to work on the language for Article XIII Electronics.
  1. Past President, Warren Duckworth
    1. Endowment Committee
      1. Thanks to Jess Murphy for chairing the Endowment Committee, along with Blair Dryden, Sarah Paisley, and Mike Ingham for their continued work on the Endowment.
      2. The committee has continued meeting regularly and developing the long-term purpose, priorities responsibilities, and organizational structure of the fund.
  • The committee has continued developing its long-term purpose, responsibilities, and organizational structure.
  1. We have confirmed there is no apparent IRS requirement to distribute Endowment funds annually, although the committee recognizes the class’s expectation that Endowment provides meaningful support for class initiatives.
  2. The committee has begun discussing future funding priorities and requested Executive Committee feedback to help guide future Endowment distributions.
  3. Blair and Sarah have been working through the requirements necessary to place the Endowment assets under professional investment management.
  • Priorities for the committee:
    1. place the Endowment under professional investment management.
    2. Define a clear three- to five-year vision for the Endowment.
    3. Establish a sustainable process for evaluating and funding projects that strengthen the Thistle Class.
  1. Thistle Next Generation-Boat Grant Program
    1. Thanks to Noah Craciun for chairing the Thistle Next Generation Committee, along with Mike Ingham, Phil Christman, and Jerry Pignolet for their work developing the Boat Grant Program.
    2. The committee continues to develop the program as a recruiting and retention initiative designed to help experienced sailors transition into Thistle ownership.
  • Progress for the committee:
    1. Thistle #3517 was sailed at the Great Lakes Championship by Evan Graves, a long-time Thistle crew member. Evan has since purchased Thistle #1394, demonstrating the type of progression the program is intended to encourage.
    2. Thistle #3846 is now based in the New York area and was sailed at the Niagara Frontier Districts by Andrew Zuber, another long-time Thistle crew member.
    3. The committee recommended that the Growth & Promotion Fund pay the first year of class membership for qualified Boat Grant recipients, with recipients responsible for their own regatta entry fees. This was accepted by the ExCom.
    4. Work has begun on developing an annual operating budget for the Boat Grant Program.
  • Membership Outreach has focused on fleets that were in danger of falling below the minimum membership required to maintain their fleet charters.
    1. Approximately 15-20 fleet captains have been contacted.
    2. Responses have been uniformly positive, with fleet leaders appreciating personal contact.
  • At the beginning of the calling campaign, eight fleets were at risk of suspension due to low membership. Based on current renewals, that number has been reduced to three.
  1. The outreach has also helped identify fleets that may require additional long-term support, including Fleet 34 (Severn Sailing Association), which may face charter challenges over the next several years.
  1. Nomination Committee
    1. Thanks to Nicole Shedden for leading the Nominating Committee and Joy Martin for serving on the committee. Their efforts have resulted in the following slate of officers to be presented for election at the Annual Meeting on July 16, 2026.
    2. TCA Officer Slate
      1. Past President- Aaron Holland
      2. President- Chris Murphy
      3. First Vice President- Paul Cone
      4. Second Vice President- Carrie Ruppen
      5. Third Vice President- Wheeler Sutton
      6. Chief Measurer- Dave Hudson
    3. President, Aaron Holland
      1. Strategies to grow the class have been working, like the Associate Membership
      2. The budget has been balanced
  • Strategic Initiative Review
    1. Creating a plan for the initiatives to have more consistency, the key to success
    2. Fund model??
    3. Produce options to pursue growth for the class
  1. Old Business- No old business
  2. New Business
    1. Chris Murphy motioned to set the dates for the 2027 Nationals a 4-day Nationals, Wednesday, July 14, 2027, to Saturday, July 17, 2027, Tuesday, July 13th for measuring.
      1. The motion was seconded and discussion held.
      2. Motion was approved with 1 abstention
    2. Aaron Holland motioned to approve the TCA Document Retention and Destruction Policy as laid out by the treasurer, Sarah Paisley. (see below).
  • Dave Hudson motion to approve Allen Boat Co. as the TCA spar builder
    1. The motion was seconded and discussion held.
    2. Motion was approved
  1. Sarah Paisley highlighted the policy
  2. The motion was seconded and a discussion was held
  3. Motion was approved with 1 abstention
  1. Extend the exception for Digital Race Management
    1. Tommy Glenn motioned to extend the temporary exception to the existing CMR 78.
      1. Extend for regattas sailed through the 2027 Thistle Class National Championship and Women’s and Youth Championships sailed at Fairhope Yacht Club, Mobile, AL., the use of Digital OCS detection/notification technology can be permitted if stipulated in the NOR and Sailing Instructions.
      2. The motion was seconded and a discussion was held
      3. The motion was approved
  1.  Adjourned at 9:39 PM EST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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