Great Lakes Region
Regional Vice President
Craig Koschalk
thistle3994 at yahoo.com
Major events:
- Great Lakes Championship (rotates location)
- District Championship for each district (rotates location, sometimes combined)
- Lake Erie Fall Series (approximately 8 regattas through the fall)
Districts in the Region:
- Lake Erie (Central and Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania)
- Lake Michigan (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin)
- Michiana (Indiana, Western Kentucky, Michigan, Southwest Ohio)
Need information from a district governor?
You’ll find contact info on the Class Officers page.
Unique to this region:
- Open water sailing on the Great Lakes and “pond” sailing on inland lakes
- Many camping regattas
- A Lake Erie Fall Series regatta hosted out of someone’s backyard with a tractor to launch boats (Chautauqua)
- When Thistle Nationals are hosted in the Great Lakes region, we regularly have 100+ boats attend
Upcoming Regional Events
Want to start a fleet in this region?
If you have three or more Thistles in your area, you’re in luck!
Here are the basic steps to starting a Thistle fleet:
- Get your 3(+) boats measured, registered and dues-paid. Each boat must have a distinct owner, and that owner must be a member of the TCA.
- Make sure there’s not already a fleet in your area.
- Contact the regional vice president to talk through the details (such as what district you’ll be in) and get help where needed.
- Decide who will be the fleet secretary.
- Contact the TCA National Secretary to request a new fleet charter!