Welcome, Harbor 20 Sailors

[GaryT]

Dear Harbor 20 Sailor,
Welcome to our own forum where we can ask questions and share information with other sailors!

I'm interested to know how Harbor 20 sailors use your boats. I use my boat for racing and daysailing in Newport Beach, CA. There's no better way to introduce family and friends to the harbor than to sail the length of the bay and dock at a harborside restaurant for lunch.

 

[LennyR]

I have only owned my H20, #305 RHAPSODY in Blue, since last August and got to sail it a few times in Rockland Harbor on the west coast of Penobscot Bay, Maine, before Hurricane Lee came barreling up the coast and led to most of the boats in the harbor being hauled, including mine. The few times I did get it under sail, however, were quite impressive and led me to think that it would make good on its New England PHRF rating of 225 if the crew knew how to get the best out of the boat. (No Harbor 20 one-design racing up here; the closest fleet is 500 miles away in Annapolis.)

RiB is currently on its trailer in my driveway, where I've sanded its rough bottom paint job, caulked the leaking seam between the keel and hull, and taken out and repaired the manual bilge pump. Oddly, someone had a installed the pump's intake valve backwards, so it barely worked. Getting the pump out and back in was the hardest part of the fix. Once the boat's bottom is painted, it's off to launch in Rockland and some racing with the Rockland Yacht Club. Can't wait!

I should mention that RiB's Ullman mainsail is in very nice shape, but its jib had seen better days. Having looked at lots of photos of H20s racing in the Hilton Head fleet, I especially liked the tri-radial jibs by Evolution, and had one made over last winter at a very good price.

I've been sailing in all manner of craft between 8' and 42' for over 60 years. Now, I just have to learn to make this rather unusual rig sail its best.