Thistle Specifications:

LOA: 17' 0"
LWL: 17' 0"
Beam: 6' 0"
Draft: 6" (up), 4' 6" (down)
Displacement: 515 lbs. (all-up weight)
Rig: Sloop
Sail Area: Main, 136 sq. ft.; Jib, 55 sq. ft.; Spinnaker, 220 sq. ft.

Thistle Construction:
Hull: FRP (originally cold-molded plywood). Round bilge, planing hull.
Keel: Centerboard
Spars: Aluminum (originally wooden).
Mast Height: 24' 6"

Designed and Built:
Designer: Gordon K. "Sandy" Douglass
First Built: 1945
Number of Hulls Built: 3800+

Characteristics:
Thistle has a plumb bow, straight sheer, thin rails and no decking. A favorite since 1945, she carries a lot of sail for her size and can fly so fast she'll plane. At the same time, Thistle is stable enough to be beginner-friendly - which is why these boats are often found in the same family, one generation after the next.