I have sailed a couple of twilight and Wednesday RPESC races on a couple of these converted Etchells.
The basic Etchell are around for $3-4-5-6k in ok condition.
i am pondering a poor man's conversion. Teak decks and coamings etc seem heavy and unnecessary.
remove pedestal, add seats, get rid of the endless tweakers.
A super simple sail plan, simple furller possible self tracker and execution of controls set up for short hand and even solo ( I have no friends) / ( doesn't play well with others).
Any collective thoughts?

Pretty sure I remember from the dim dark past people converting them so that a small cabin can be isolated so that presumably they can't sink if they take a wave offshore.

Probably the added weight ruins the sailing characteristics but I guess it depends upon how you intend to use the yacht.

julesmoto said..
Pretty sure I remember from the dim dark past people converting them so that a small cabin can be isolated so that presumably they can't sink if they take a wave offshore.

Probably the added weight ruins the sailing characteristics but I guess it depends upon how you intend to use the yacht.

Hilweh III had a self draining cockpit, runners and a tiny cabin top and went very well for a while, winning a JOG championship. She did slam upwind so was eventually fitted with a deeper and uglier bow.

There were also Solings fitted with a much prettier lid that gave them more room down below, although they were still not exactly huge. One of them (Longshot) won a JOG nationals and I sailed it a bit in its dotage.

Modified YW Diamond for offshore.......

www.yachtingworld.com/extraordinary-boats/extraordinary-boats-the-yachting-world-diamond-from-design-to-deck-150892

www.sail-world.com/Australia/Saltash-II-freak-and-most-famous-Diamond-ever/-42527?source=google

Although it's adding a lot of weight, I just love the stern extension and cockpit they did to this Etchells to make it a bit more traditional looking!


afloat.ie/sail/sailing-classes/etchells/item/35869-etchells-22-super-de-luxe-heads-for-crosshaven

Heres another one. I renovated this Gentlemans Etchells from bow to stern for the owner. It has a cuddy cabin without ports and also an outboard well in the cockpit - you can see the top of an aluminium frame used to lower the motor through the hull. Both were professionally fitted. The owner uses an electric outboard that regenerates power back to its battery when in neutral. The pedestal was removed, and lines run to cabintop or cockpit.

Jethrow said..
Although it's adding a lot of weight, I just love the stern extension and cockpit they did to this Etchells to make it a bit more traditional looking!


afloat.ie/sail/sailing-classes/etchells/item/35869-etchells-22-super-de-luxe-heads-for-crosshaven

I've seen this, but the weight and the build cost, probably not useful around the cans. Very nice rendition of a Gentleman's yatch.

I could never understand why more people don't sail Swanson Darts! Most of us would just be better off if we sailed Darts. Ideal boats for Sydney Harbour, Jervis Bay and Lake Illawarra etc.
boatgen.com.au/Ron%20Swanson