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Picture of the Day |
This article is taken from the International Etchells Class Yearbook
In 1965 Yachting Magazine sponsored a design competition based on the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) specifications for a new three-man Olympic keelboat. Skip Etchells, yacht designer and boat builder from Greenwich, Connecticut, USA, followed the results of this competition with interest, but not until trials were set for the fall of 1966 in Kiel, Germany, did he decided to design and build a contender. The result of Skip's effort was SHILLALAH, which was taken to Kiel and sailed by Skip. Entries in the competition, including SOLING, CONQUEROR, THRICE, ANDER and KOBOLD, sailed ten races, eight of which were won by SHILLALAH.
Because they could not agree, the judges decided to try again in 1967 at Travemunde, Germany, and invited 5.5 Meter and DRAGON as well. Skip re-built his boat in fiberglass, using the wood SHILLALAH for the mould plug. The second selection regatta involved 13 races ten of which were won by Skip; an eleventh win was missed by only one second. Although the uncontested racing winner was SHILLALAH II, the SOLING was inexplicably picked as the Olympic boat. One of the most interesting facts that came out of this competition was the vastly superior sailing performance of most of the new creations over the old standby keelboat classes. The brand new 5.5 Metre was soundly beaten by Skip's design and the Dragon came in last to everyone in point scoring.
By the time SHILLALAH II came home to Connecticut in fall 1967, her performance had already attracted a following. George Cane, James Fulton and David Larr from the Long Island Sound area actively demonstrated the prototype to friends and sailors in the area. In a few weeks time, enough interest was generated to begin production.
An initial order of 12 boats was placed with Skip's yard, Old Greenwich Boat Company, for 1968 delivery. A class organization formed immediately and the boat was named E 22 because the design is 22 feet on the waterline. Contrary to rumor, the name is not a sly dig at Skip's Star Class pals who frequently called his wonderfully built Stars - "Etchells 22s." Strict One-Design measurement rules were firmed up and a racing schedule was set up for that year. Skip and the Old Greenwich Boat Company built the first 36 Etchells from 1967 to 1969, and continued to finish boats moulded for him by Tillotson-Pearson through the early seventies.
In 1972, the IYRU formally recognized the E 22, as a first step towards granting International status. The Class Rules, Measurement Form and Rules Pertaining to One-Design Control were subsequently accepted by the IYRU and the Class was officially recognized as an International Class effective July 1, 1974. In 1990, the yacht and the Class officially revised their names, dropping the "22" to become "International Etchells" and "International Etchells Class Association" respectively. A new logo, eliminating the "22", was designed and accepted by the Class in 1996.
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