We continue to hope that all are safe and largely unaffected by the Covid pandemic. Our best wishes to all for an easy next several weeks through this struggle.
 
As Westchester and Long Island enter Phase 3 & $ re-opening, we re getting back on the water!
 
Thanks to Larchmont Yacht Club's successful Race Week and American Yacht Club's hosting of the YRA Championship, the season is underway.

Some Diversion When You Can't Sail

Certainly, we've never had more time to optimize systems and look at rigging! North Sails ran another great Etchells seminar recently, following their first seminar on older and newer sail models in the North Sails webinar. Check out Fleet News for more details and what was discussed.

And if you can't get enough, Andrew "Dog" Palfrey ran a seminar at  RORC where he was giving his thoughts. While the early part had some good content, but the most interesting meat really comes out after 0:40, or really 0:48. Couple of the notes:

-  On mode changes, make only small changes in anticipation of wind changes.

-  Lulls are more important to call out and to make changes than gusts (just hike first, then look to make changes: traveler, backstay, jib f/t, tack, etc).

-  In point mode, need more power aft in the main to balance the boat (traveler, sheet, backstay)

-  Routine is good for starts: make notes of where transits are for 2 minutes, 1:30, 1 min etc on stbd tack

Lastly, this article on rudder angle from Sailing World was reposted and might be interesting to test out when you are checking out your boat.

Etchells -- It's the One to Sail!

We're not far from New York City in Western Long Island Sound, and we have close racing, reasonable breeze, and super sailors.

To get a taste of what the sailing can be like with us, take a look at the video produced by Tim Wilkes Photography of the Atlantic Cost Championship held in May, 2018. (Usually, it isn't that hairy as Day 1 and more like Day 2!)

Final Wrapup video Atlantic Coast Championship 2018, held at American Yacht Club.

A more complete local Fleet 1 calendar for the year, and including upcoming national and international events, can be found at Fleet 1 Sailing Season Calendar for 2020.

The Fleet is very competitive and always welcomes new sailors, experienced and less experienced. If you enjoy close racing of One Design, it's time to sail Etchells. Click Contact Us (under the Fleet 1 tab) and send a message to learn more...! We're always ready and willing to help get you started or to improve your game!

Want some quick tips on getting yourself going faster? Learn from the best sailors in the fleet who contributed ideas!

Whether it's setting up your boat in the Spring, figuring out what's best in class, or learning some new tricks, try taking a peak at our newest section, Tips from the Top. The page can be found under the Useful Stuff tab above, or you can click here. There you'll be able to find pictures, videos, new ideas, etc to stimulate your sailing mind and get you going. If you're one of the top sailors, please feel free to send us your ideas to keep raising the bar. That's the only way to help improve the game is by getting everyone sailing faster. If you're new to Etchells, take a look at the The Boat page, where you'll some great information and a link to a video on the class.

Dennis Conner said, “Simply, the world’s best fleet”

From its inception, 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 class attracts some of the best-known names in yacht racing, including Dennis Conner, John Bertrand and Ken Read, who embrace the boat's handling characteristics as well as tactical nature of the pure one-design racing.

The Etchells is a fun, fast, simple, stable, and sleek racing sloop that can be sailed competitively and in comfort by three or four average-sized sailors. She 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, well-established and fully-administered class association. Control of the yacht's construction by the class association and ISAF ensure quality and uniformity of older boats as well as newer ones. It's trailerable, easy to maintain and light enough to dry sail; and Etchells hold exceptional resale value.

Fleet 1 in Western Long Island Sound is where this international class began. Skip Etchells, an enterprising boat builder from Greenwich, designed and built the boat in a yacht design competition sponsored by Yachting Magazine in 1965 to replace the Dragon as a three-man keelboat in the Olympics. His long and slender ‘Shillahah’ dominated her trial races! Despite the success of this sleek new design that performed like a dancer in heavy weather, the Soling was selected as the Dragon’s replacement.

In many ways, we owe a debt of gratitude for the boat not achieving her first goal. The class attracts some of the world’s best sailors, including many from American and Larchmont Yacht Clubs. It's time to join the fun!