Welcome to the final edition of our newsletter 2023, bringing you all the information you need about Etchells regattas and global events in the last quarter of the year and beyond.
The full calendar of events for the remainder of the year is available here. Please feel free to add your own events if they are not already listed or submit them to the office.
We will continuously update the classified ads for boats, sails, and equipment for sale around the world, and you will find the relevant links at the end of this newsletter.
Please do remember to post your photos and videos to our Drop Box Folder. This will help us to see what is happening across the fleets and we will be featuring selected content from this folder in our newsletter, on our website, and across our various social media accounts.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media and tag us @etchellsclass in your posts to stay connected. To collaborate or provide content, please contact office@etchells.org.
Chairman’s Message
Etchells Sailors,
It is hard to believe that 2024 is almost here. 2023 was an active year for the International Etchells Class Association. Here are some of the highlights:
- M11 remediation project continues in Australia. Most of the original M11 hulls have been remediated and are actively participating in Australia. The reports are generally positive.
- Mould 12 has been built and is in the process of being validated. Class Measurer Bill Abbott has been to Australia to see the mould and reports that all is progressing as expected. M12 is owned by the IECA. Plug 2, which had some restoration work done by Ontario Yachts prior to being shipped to Australia is now on its way back to Canada for storage.
- Innovation Composites is our new provisionally licensed builder in Australia and is currently completing remaining requirements to finalize their license.
- We had a successful World Championship in Miami and are looking forward to returning to Australia after COVID shutdowns led to the cancellation of the 2020 Worlds. As a reminder, here is the multi-year Worlds schedule:
- 2024 Worlds in Fremantle, to be held this coming March
- 2025 Worlds in Melbourne, to be held in January 2025
- 2026 Worlds in San Diego
- 2027 Worlds in Hong Kong
- In response to an anonymous letter submitted to Scuttlebutt, we have issued the IECA’s Code of Conduct. Thank you to the members around the world who helped draft and think through implementation.
I’m halfway through my tenure as your IGC Chairman and am looking forward to another successful year in 2024.
Fair winds and see you on the water,
Jim Cunningham
Proposed Rule Change Announcement
On the advice of the ODTC, the IGC is recommending a class rule change. This change must be voted on by the class. This serves as the eight-week notice. Voting will begin on 13 Feb 2024.
The proposed change will revise Class Rules C.9.1(b)(3) and F.3.5(b) to allow for spreader adjuster mechanisms, with limitations. A full description of the proposed change is available here.
All Owner and Life members who are current members of the class at the beginning of the voting period will be eligible to vote. Please note that in the northern hemisphere, a membership is valid from January 1 – December 30. In the Southern Hemisphere, memberships are valid from July 1- June 30. The proposed change must pass with a two-thirds approval of all votes submitted.
Etchells Training: Online Videos
- Professional sailor and top trimmer Simon Fry, guides us through the process of Etchells training in the above video.
- The sail trim master class from Andrew Palfrey “Dog” is now available on YouTube.
2024 World Championships
- Not long to go now before the 2024 Etchells World Championships take place in Fremantle between 15th-22nd March 2024.
- For the Notice of Race, please click here.
- To register your entry, please click here.
2025, 2026 & 2027 World Championships
- The 2025 Worlds will be hosted by the Melbourne Fleet in January 2025, on the waters of Port Phillip, Melbourne Australia. More details will be provided by their organising committees over the coming months.
- The 2026 Worlds will be hosted by Fleet 13 in San Diego.
- The 2027 Worlds will be hosted by the Hong Kong fleet at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.
Racing and events from around the world
What’s happening in Australia
- The 2023 International Etchells Class Queensland Championships was won by Grant Hudson (AUS1278). For a full list of results, click here.
- The Etchells Australian Championship 2024 will be held on Sydney Harbour from the 6th to the 11th of January. Please register here.
- The NSW State Titles in Pittwater hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Sailing Club was sailed in lively conditions and won by Racer CC from Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (Mark Thornburrow, Malcolm Page, Nathan Wilmot, and Julian Plante). Here is a link to a report and make sure not to miss the incredible video made by Terry Calley from Hippodrone.
- It was a successful Syd Corsair regatta in WA for Michael Manford and his crew of Dean McAullay and Nick Gray aboard “The Croc”. A great weekend of sailing for the Etchells Fleet as they gear up for the World Championships in March 2024. Michael and crew are looking forward to competing against some of the world’s best.
- Next up is the Nationals in NSW at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and the VIC States at Metung. Both regattas will be a good leadup to the Bill Steele regatta in WA followed by the Worlds. Here is a link to the 2024 Worlds website.
- The Australian Etchells website offers a comprehensive calendar listing all the regattas taking place in Australia.
What’s happening in The UK
- Congratulations to No Dramas, captained by Andrew Lawson won the 2023 South Coast Championship. For full results, click here.
- The National Championships 2023, which took place from the 22nd to the 24th of September was won by Andrew Lawson, and his crew (Graham Vials and Billy Russel). To access the full list of results, click here.
- Congratulations to the Audrey teams for their outstanding performance in the Ice Bucket, the closing regatta of the Cowes Etchells fleet which took place the weekend of 7th and 8th of October 2023. For full results, click here.
- For comprehensive information on the Royal London Yacht Club’s Etchells Youth Academy 2024, including details and training dates, please click here.
- To explore the details of the 2024 Cowes Fleet Etchells Program, click here.
- Keep up to date with all other UK Fleet news via the UK Facebook page
What’s happening in North America
- The 2023 Canadian Championships were hosted by the Oakville Yacht Squadron September 15-17. Congratulations to Andrew Cumming, Erin Sauder, John Millen, and Chloe Congourdeau for their overall and Corinthian win.
- Corinthian Yacht Club hosted the New England Championship October 6-8. Congratulations to Andrew Macrae and crew for their win and to top Corinthian Ramsay Key and crew.
- The Biscayne Bay series kicked off on 9th December with the Louis Piana Cup. Congratulations to winners Chris Larson, Andrew Palfrey, and Mark Mendelblatt and Top Corinthians Andrew Lawson, Graham Vials, and Billy Russell.
- The second event in the Biscayne Bay Series is the Sid Doren Memorial January 13-14.
- The West Coast Spring Series kicks off in San Diego with the Bill Bennett Cup March 16-17.
- The NOR for the 2024 North American Championship to be hosted by Corinthian Yacht Club October 11-13 has been posted.
- Check out the latest NA newsletter here.
What’s happening in New Zealand
- The Coast National Championships 2024 happening from 16th to 17th March. Stay informed and get more details by visiting the website.
What’s happening in Hong Kong
- The Lipton Trophy, the second event in the Top Dog Trophy Series 2023-2024, took place on 4th November. This series consists of four events, and the sailor with the best-combined results will be determined after the next two pursuit races, which are the HKRNVR Memorial Vase and the Tomes Cup.
- The Etchells Class Championships 2023 took place from 8th to 10th December 2023 at The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. Congratulations to Mark Thornburrow! To view the results, click here. For the race reports here and the event photos here.
- You now can see the updated Skip & Ladder standings here and the Attendance & Average points here.
- The complete sailing calendar, showing our 2024 events, can be found on the Etchells HK website.
