Go with fast gear. All hulls are virtually the same as terms of quality and boatspeed. Keep the deck layout simple but effective. Go with proven equipment like Proctor Spars and North Sails. It does make a difference.
Downwind legs are just as important as upwind legs.
Charlie Pitcher has been involved with keelboats for many years and currently crews aboard one of the fastest boats in the UK fleet, Mike Law's Intruder , GBR123. Together they finished fourth at last year's North American championship, were third overall at the world qualifiers and won this summer's RYS Etchells Pre-worlds regatta. Charlie is the Managing Director of Pitcher One Design Racing, a company based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The company is dedicated to the Etchells 22, encompassing all aspects of Etchells service from fitting out new boats to restoring older boats, with everything in between. A small company, started in 1994, we service not only the Cowes fleet, but boats from all the United Kingdom fleets.