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Etchells

It's the boat, it's the fleet

From the International Etchells Association

For thirty years the Etchells class has enjoyed solid and steady growth with over fifty active fleets worldwide. Etchells sailors are enthusiastic and loyal supporters of their boat and class association. The Etchells is a big, fast, simple, stable, and sleek racing sloop that can be sailed competitively and in comfort by three or four average sailors. It can tack in 70 degrees and has a low wetted surface hull form that keeps moving in the slightest breeze. In 20+ knots it absolutely flies. The strict one-design principle of the class was established from the outset and is controlled by a strong, established and well-administered class association. Control of construction by the class association and the ISAF ensures quality and uniformity. It's trailerable, easy to maintain and light enough to dry sail; and Etchells hold exceptional resale value.

Etchells History

International Etchells Association

www.etchells.org/class/the-man-the-boat 

Etchells Class in Australia

From the Australian Etchells Website

The Etchells was designed in 1966 by Skip Etchells, a yacht designer and boat builder from Greenwich, Connecticut, USA following a competition sponsored by Yachting Magazine the previous year. The International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU now ISAF) was looking for a new three man Olympic keelboat.

The Etchells won the trials but was not selected. Nevertheless, the Etchells class was born, a class organization was formed and the boat was named E22 because the design is 22 feet on the waterline.

In 1972, the IYRU formally recognized the E22 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 1 July 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.

The E22 Class Association of Australia was formed on 6 February 1973. The foundation office bearers were: President, Kevin McCann; Vice President, Roger Dane; Secretary, Alex Milledge; and Treasurer, Rea Franklin.

The Association decided to purchase and import from the USA moulds to build hulls and also agreed to procure dies to make spars. Savage Fibreglass Industries in Melbourne was appointed the first official builder of Etchells yachts in Australia.

The moulds arrived in October 1973, and the first Etchells in Australia, KA1, "Chardonnay", was shipped here from USA inside the moulds. The boat was owned by the late Roger Dane after whom the perpetual trophy, awarded to the winner of the Masters Division in the Australian Championship, is named. The wooden barney post from "Chardonnay" is a feature of the trophy.

In June 1975 the Australian Association adopted a new constitution to enable it to be fully recognized by the IYRU sanctioned International E22 Association. The intention was to allow the class to develop in the boat owners' best interests. The structure of the new Association provided for fleets to make up the Australian Association, a principle which still exists today.

The office bearers were: President, Rea Franklin; Vice President, Harry Sutton; Secretary, David Bebb; and Treasurer, Mal Jones. At the time there were three fleets; Melbourne, Pittwater and Sydney Harbour - today there are 16 fleets around the country and the Association still owns the moulds and dies.

Within a year of receiving the moulds from the USA, Savage Fibreglass Industries had built 30 boats, and continued to build Etchells until 1980 by which time 127 boats had been built. In 1981, Pamcraft was granted the Etchells licence in Australia and during the next 10 years built 200 Etchells. From 1991 until 1996 Bashford Boat Builders built 111 boats and since 1996 Pacesetter Etchells Pty Ltd has been the Australian builder.

An Australian Championship is held every year and is rotated around the States in which there are established Etchells fleets. The Australian Etchells Class Association has contributed strong Class leadership and has been host to nine World Championships.

World Champion

International World Champion Archives

The complete list of the Etchells World Champions can be found on the International Etchells Association website www.etchells.org/racing/champions

1977 World Championships (held in Jan 1978)

World Etchells 22 Championships off Palm Beach (Newport) 1978. 

Buster Brown on Kintama for World Etchells
Buster Brown on Kintama for World Etchells
Buster John Brown, Freida Tolhurst and Alan Kemmis
Buster John Brown, Freida Tolhurst and Alan Kemmis
1977 World Etchells Championships
1977 World Etchells Championships
1977 World Etchells Championships - Alan Kemmis
1977 World Etchells Championships - Alan Kemmis
Harold Cudmore (Ireland)
Harold Cudmore (Ireland)
Mike Cuddy (USA)
Mike Cuddy (USA)

Farmer Reaps world E22 Sail Title

Farmer Reaps world E22 Sail Title
Farmer Reaps world E22 Sail Title
The winning crew of Arunga II - John Staley (left), skipper Frank Tolhurst and Norm Hyett
The winning crew of Arunga II - John Staley (left), skipper Frank Tolhurst and Norm Hyett

Newly crowned world sailing champion Frank Tolhurst is rolling up his sleeves to chase another title - this time on land.

In a few weeks he'll be lining up his prize Hereford bulls in the Royal Easter Show ring for the first time.

"We have high expectations of their chances," he said yesterday ' amid celebrations of yet another sailing triumph.

This time it was the E22 world championship sailed off Palm Beach over the past six days.

Tolhurst defeated crews from all over the world, including an American contingent of 17 boats.

Aided by his crew of Norm Hyett and John Stanley, Tolhurst sailed Arunga II into fifth place in yesterday's final heat behind Pod O'Donnell. O'Donnell, another Pittwater entrant would have won the world title had Tolhurst finished sixth.

"We kept a close watch on Poddy all the way and we were both third or fourth for most of the race," Tolhurst said.

"He got through the leading boats near the finish but it really didn't matter. We were always well ahead of the sixth boat in fact we were only a couple of seconds behind fourth."

Yesterday's triumph completes another chapter in the Tolhurst story - probably one of the most intriguing sagas in Australian sailing.

At 52 years of age the E22 title is his second world championship. He was 5.5 metre champion in 1976 - the year he and his crew made a clear sweep of the world's major races.

They won the Australian championship, the world title and King Olaf race in Norway and the Scandinavian Gold Cup.

Yet the closest Tolhurst gets to water for most of the year is watching his prize Herefords drink from a dam on his 800ha stud property in the New England district.

"We probably only sail about half a dozen times a year," Tolhurst said.

"We took delivery of the E22 last May but it has just been sitting there because there was not time to race."

Tolhurst finally blew the dust off Arunga last November to qualify for the world titles.

Their next start was two months later when they took the series by storm.

In six races they finished third, first, first, fifth, seventh and fifth.

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