Based in Western Long Island Sound, Etchells Fleet One was formed in 1969 and today many fleet members sail out of Larchmont Yacht Club and American Yacht Club, with a boat or two from the North Shore of Long Island. We race a focused schedule of local races on Saturday afternoons from Memorial Day until Columbus Day. 

The fleet has about 6-8 actively raced boats for most Saturdays, and 10-15 turning out for larger regattas in the season.

Much of the racing takes place in the middle of the Sound between Larchmont on the north shore of the Sound and Oyster Bay on the south side.

Fleet 1 Racing Area (not for Navigation)
  Source: NOAA.

Fleet 1 History

Following Skip Etchells' return from the IYRU trials in 1967, George Cane, James Fulton and David Larr from the Long Island Sound area actively demonstrated the prototype Etchells 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 was 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 molded for him by Tillotson-Pearson through the early seventies.Today, three builders are designated: Ontario Yachts in Burlington, Ontario; Heritage Racing Yachts in Cowes, England; and Smidmore Yacht Services in Newport, NSW, Australia.

Fleet 1 still thrives today with its main bases at the American and Larchmont Yacht Clubs.