Etchells

The Etchells was designed in 1966 by "Skip" Etchells, a builder and trophy-winning sailor of the Star class. Known as the E22 until 1990, the Etchells was designed in response to a search by the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) for a new a three-person keelboat. Although IYRU chose the Soling, the Etchells attained its class only a few months later. The boat can tack in 70 degrees and features a conventional spinnaker along with its main and jib. The boat responds well to light winds because of its small wetted surface area. The Etchells is a strict one-design class that is raced in more than fifty fleets worldwide, and many of the top names in the sport have raced the Etchells. The Etchells is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) International Keelboat Class Association. For more information, read the Etchells Wikipedia article.