The Sea Shell
racing fleet was incorporated in 1955 as a non-profit public benefit
corporation, organized for the specific purpose of fostering healthy
child development and close family units by teaching, developing and
encouraging youth sailing skills.
Each racing
season begins in the Spring with the introduction of thefundamentals
of sailing to new skippers and families. Races are held every Sunday
(except August, the month Sea Shells reserves for family vacations),
and skippers are divided into four divisions according to their
experience.
The wooden Sea
Shells were typically built by a few local craftsmen. In 1990,
following the death of long-time builder-craftsman Charlie Eldridge,
the Association searched for a commercially available sailboat,
similar to the Sea Shell, that could assure the availability of
boats for the youth sailing program. In 1991 the Association
selected the US Sabot as an additional one-design class racer to be
raced by Sea Shell Skippers.
