What is the Balboa 20 good for

[Storm22292]

Just before this new site opened, there was a question and answer on the email net that is worthy of saving. In a message dated 7/22/2005 10:11:24 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, hankr@skillview.com writes: Our priorities (in order) are: 1. Reasonably easy (2-person) trailering / launch / rigging 2. Adequate day-sail space (topside) for 6 3. Adequate single-overnight (cabin) space for 3... (would 4 be just ridiculous?) 4. Adequate space for 2 for multi-nights  So the question for you current owners is: Given these criteria, would you recommend this boat? My biggest concern is the small cockpit... not providing enough space topside for up to 6 on a daysail. Second concern is the swing-keel mechanism... seems a bit complex. Hank, I cannot think of any 20 foot sailboat that meets all of your priorities and still sails well but I do believe that the Balboa 20 meets 3 out of 4. Your priorities: 1. Reasonably easy (2-person) trailering / launch / rigging - The Balboa 20 is very easy to rig and launch. To avoid the necessity of spreaders, Lyle Hess designed the boat with a heavier mast section than would normally be found on a 20 footer. Additionally, he gave the boat a fractional rig with shrouds aft of the mast step. The upper shrouds and forestay anchor to the mast in the same plane. Only the backstay is attached at the masthead. Since the main chainplates are abaft the mast step, the ONLY piece of the rigging that needs to be taken apart for launch and retrieve is the forestay. Consequently, launching involves only stepping the mast and tightening the forestay. That's it! On PSALTY TUNE, our Balboa 20 for 17 years, we kept the mainsail furled on the boom with a cover. We could launch, rig, and hoist sail in about 20 minutes. 2. Adequate day-sail space (topside) for 6. I do not know your sailing area but I do know that 6 adults on a 20 foot boat, all in the cockpit is probably not seaworthy, at least not where we sail. We have had five aboard PSALTY TUNE in the slot on San Francisco Bay with a double reefed main and a storm jib. If one person stayed below, the boat handled well. Put all five on deck, and she just had too much weight aft. The only solution to your second priority is to design a boat with enough buoyancy aft to support the weight. The only way to increase buoyancy aft on a boat the size of the Balboa 20 is to either harden up the chines, flatten the bottom and/or increase the width of the transom aft. These design ideas are all out there, but they create boats that have poor sailing characteristics. Hard chines means a flatter bottom. A flatter bottom means a boat that lifts out of the water as she heels. With an outboard spade rudder, you don't want a boat that lifts when she rolls (like the Catalina 22 does) thus causing the rudder to stall and the boat to round up. On a lake, that may be considered a "safety feature" since the boat rounds up into the wind (much too quickly) when she heels and stalls. On the ocean however, it is another matter. NOTHING could be worse than a rudder stall in a following sea. The scariest moments I ever had in the San Pedro Channel were on my Catalina 22 (#57) on a broad reach with 6-8 foot seas. The wind would heel the boat. The flat bottom and wide transom would lift the center of the boat along with the rudder. The rudder would stall as it was lifted out of the water and the boat would then turn beam to the sea and REALLY heel over, putting the cockpit seats in the water. THIS NEVER HAPPEND TO US EVER ON THE BALBOA 20. Even once in the Santa Rosa Passage between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Island when we were where we had no business being (plunging, breaking following seas under reefed main and storm jib), in conditions far worse than experienced in the San Pedro Channel, the Balboa 20 may have hinted that she was going to stall and broach but never did. The bottom line: On 20 feet you can have a fine sailing boat or a boat for six adults, but I doubt you can have both. 3. Adequate single-overnight (cabin) space for 3... (would 4 be just ridiculous?) We spent 11 days on our Balboa 20 in the San Juan Islands. We made numerous trips across "windy lane" to spend two or three days at Smuggle's Cove or Coches Prietos at Santa Cruz Island. We did this with our daughter, Sarah, until she was off to college. Once we even had another couple as guests (they invited themselves) on an overnight out to Smuggler's Cove. It was comical as three of us huddled in the cockpit as each one took their turn at the porta-pottie in the cabin before turning in. 4. Adequate space for 2 for multi-nights. See above. One other thought. Get the Balboa 20 and add a good cockpit awning with side curtains. Add spray dodgers to your lifelines and you have a semi weather tight area that will take lounging pressure off of the cabin. I believe I have answered all of your questions except to comment on the keel mechanism. The retracting keel is, of course, a compromise. The ideal 20 foot ballasted sailboat would have a fixed, ballasted keel. Now try to TRAIL the ideal 20 foot ballasted sailboat! Lyle designed a keel mechanism that gives you the benefits of a fixed keel, once the swing keel is locked down. Very few trailerable sailboats have such a positive lock-down mechanism. This is a very important safety feature and is the one thing that gave us confidence to sail our B20 where only much larger boats generally go. Keep in mind, however, that PSALTY TUNE is not a "stock" boat. She is properly outfitted for the tasks asked of her. She has double reefing, a storm jib, multiple anchors, adequate bilge pumps and many other items one generally never finds on a 20 foot trailerable boat. We sold PSALTY TUNE nearly 6 years ago now but she is still in the family. My sister and brother-in-law sail her now and my nephew announced that he was going to buy PSALTY TUNE from his parents when they finally sell. Would I recommend the Balboa 20? I believe I have but let me add one other bit of food for thought: As I write this, I am Catalina Harbor aboard FIRST DATE, our Bristol 24 diesel auxiliary. Yesterday, we sailed her here from Channel Islands Harbor, a distance of 61 nautical miles. We had calms in the morning a good 20 knot breezes in the afternoon. The whole trip we only saw one other boat, a 38 foot Catalina. For nearly all of the trip, we were at least 15 mile or more offshore. On the sail here, I mentioned to my wife, Melody, "you know, PSALTY TUNE could have easily made this trip." Melody agreed. Best regards, Cliff UnruhBristol 24 #693FIRST DATEOn the mooring, Cat Harbor, Catalina Island.   It would be difficult to do better than Cliffs's elegant answer. My two cent's worth:The cockpit was made small to maximize cabin space. I wouldn't want more than 4 in the cockpit for more than a short sail. 3 is more comfortable. My Balboa is the Coastal Recreation model with the molded fiberglas interior and a small sink on the starboard side. The starboard berth is too small for an adult. The port berth involves converting the dinette and is a comfortable bed. The forepeak area has a filler piece that makes a apacious bed for a couple. Unfortunately the filler piece covers the portapotty. My solution has been to put the portapotty in the cockpit when overnighting with more tha myself. Children could use the forepeak area without the filler piece. If you're a backpacker, you will find the Balboa a cozy little home for a few days for at most 3 people. 2 is more comfortable. If you have a motor home mentality you will find the Balboa unacceptable for even overnighting. No standing room, small space. Cliff's idea of enclosing the cockpit could be used to increase space, but whether that is worthwhile will depend on where you sail. Here in New England, sun protection is not usually needed. I have not figured out how to make a sleeping area in the cockpit.I love my Balboa and wouldn't trade it for any sailboat I've seen. Every boat is a compromise. She has the right balance for me. You may have other criteria important to you. Storm

 

[Ron]

B-20 a great balance

I agree with Cliff and Storm's comments. I have only had my B-20 a little over a year but have restored and sailed her a bit. I have spent weekends with my wife and girls (13 & 15). More than 2 nights proves too crowded with four folks who can share such a space. I spent a whole week with just my wife sailing the Pamlico Sound and the associated rivers inside the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We would stay on the hook one night and get out to stretch our legs in a different town's marina the next. We did over 150 miles that week in a wide variety of conditions including some 5 foot following and somewhat confused seas outside Oriental, NC at the 6 mile wide mouth of the Neuse River. Even loaded with all the gear and provisions, this boat handled with sure confidence. It also hits near hull speed in a variety of conditions. And if I get the sails set right, it will steer itself for short periods of time in moderate conditions.As for trailering and launching. It is indeed a user friendly set up. My wife and I take about an hour to step the mast, load gear, put on the motor, fuel tank, rudder, etc. and launch. One person with a good back and some strenth can raise the mast with a second pulling on the forestay to help. Teh foot placement is a little tricky. It is a light boat for her stability so towing to remote places (we always go 3-6+ hours away) is easy wear on the truck and trailer. The best comfort value investment to date has been a couple of those folding seats with padding (like for canoes). With the low cockpit coming, it gives some extra back support on an 8 hour sail. We love our B-20 and hope to haul to Annoplis (schedule permitting) for the boat show this year. We also raise the boom and have a tarp for sun/rain over the cockpit. That and our stanchion mounted grill make for a fine evening on the hook.Ron