Stadel Wins Etchells Fleet 4 Season Championship

Pat Stadel(c)and her crew Jim Hunt (l) and Jon Carey (r) won the 2006 Etchells Fleet 4 Championship (group picture)  According to Pat, she owes her success to the crew, who made it out for each race, no matter what the weather.  In addition to the nice “keeper trophies” shown in the group photo, Pat received the Robert A. Hastings Perpetual Trophy (individual picture).  This trophy was given to the Corinthian Yacht Club by Etchells Fleet 4 on September 9, 1973 in recognition of Bob Hasting’s efforts to establish the Etchells Class in Marblehead.  Etchells Fleet 4 was founded in 1971 but was blocked from racing by an MRA rule that stated that no class would be given a start without proving that it could produce a minimum of six yachts, not only registered on paper but also ready to race.  The fleet began to race in 1972, with such notables as Ben Smith, Joe Duplin, Paul Di Naploi, Kurt Pearson and Bill Douglass listed as the winners of the various series’.  By 1975 the Etchells had moved to the top of the starting line with 15 Etchells sailing out of CYC alone.  The Hastings Perpetual is on display in the Corinthian Yacht Club and Pat is delighted to be included amongst the list of winners.