As a regular reader, and admirer of WindCheck, a former owner of Atlantic Class #91, and a former Secretary of the Atlantic Class, I feel I must advise you of errors in Tom Darling’s article [“A Tale of Two Sixes”; July, 2015].
The first paragraph describes the IOD as the oldest one-design keelboat still racing, the queen of Long Island Sound elite racers beginning in the late 1930s. The Atlantic Class is 10 years older, was designed by Starling Burgess, and held its first nationals in 1929. Corny Shields himself was a national champion in the Atlantic in 1931, sailing out of Larchmont.
The Atlantic Class list of national champions arguably makes the Atlantic the king of elite racers, with the likes of Bob Mosbacher, a two-time Atlantic champion, and Briggs Cunningham, a five-time champion.
I’d like to refer you to “History of the Class” at the Atlantic Class website, atlanticclass.org, which includes a list of national champions. Thanks for looking into this.
Ron Breault, Old Lyme, CT
Ron – Thanks for the clarification. We are lucky to have such beautiful and enduring designs still actively sailing in our region.
