Holder 20

Holder 20

Development
Designer	Ron Holder and Dave Ulmann
Location	United States
Year	1980
No. built	265
Builder(s)	Vagabond Sailboats Hobie Cat
Role	One-design racer
Name	Holder 20
Boat
Crew	three
Displacement	1,160 lb (526 kg)
Draft	3.38 ft (1.03 m) with the keel down
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	20.33 ft (6.20 m)
LWL	18.42 ft (5.61 m)
Beam	7.83 ft (2.39 m)
Engine type	outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	lifting keel
Ballast	260 lb (118 kg)
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	22.60 ft (6.89 m)
J foretriangle base	7.25 ft (2.21 m)
P mainsail luff	24.04 ft (7.33 m)
E mainsail foot	9.33 ft (2.84 m)
Sails
Sailplan	fractional rigged sloop
Mainsail area	112.15 sq ft (10.419 m2)
Jib/genoa area	81.93 sq ft (7.612 m2)
Total sail area	194.07 sq ft (18.030 m2)
Racing
PHRF	185

The Holder 20 is an American trailerable planing sailboat that was designed by Ron Holder, in collaboration with sailmaker Dave Ulmann, as a one design racer and first built in 1980. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Production

The first 128 boats were built by Vagabond Sailboats in the United States starting in 1980. The molds were later sold to Hobie Cat (Coast Catamaran Corporation) who built 127 boats. Hobie continued production until 1987, with a total of 265 boats completed by both builders. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

Design

The Holder 20 is a racing keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass. It has a fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, a slightly reverse transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and an L-shaped lifting keel. It displaces 1,160 lb (526 kg) and carries 260 lb (118 kg) of ballast. ^{[1] [3]}

The boat has a draft of 3.58 ft (1.09 m) with the keel extended and 1.00 ft (0.30 m) with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water or ground transportation on a trailer. ^{[1] [3]}

The boat is normally fitted with a small 2 to 4 hp (1 to 3 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. ^{[1] [3]}

The design is normally raced with a crew of three and has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. There are no provisions for a galley or head. Cabin headroom is 41 in (104 cm). ^{[1] [3]}

For sailing downwind the design may be equipped with a symmetrical spinnaker. ^{[1] [3]}

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 185 and a hull speed of 5.8 kn (10.7 km/h). ^[3]

Operational history

The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the Holder 20 One Design Class. ^[5]

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "best features: The Holder 20 is light enough to plane in a modest breeze. A long, wide cockpit offers plenty of room for crew in optimizing weight position and sail handling. A 'drop' keel (fixed but retractable for trailering) makes launching relatively easy. The boat has an active class association with a presence on the Internet ... Worst features: Crew weight is crucial for stability on a boat this small and light. Hence the Holder 20 is not recommended for carefree family daysailing. The hull can't deal with rough water; owners say you can feel the hull flex and the drop keel begin to move around in a chop. The boat can be—and has been—capsized when sailed aggressively. Despite the pretense of cruising accommodations, we'd shy away from spending even one night aboard such a confined space. As one owner put it: 'The cabin is strictly for storage.'" ^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

References

1. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Holder 20 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
2. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Ron Holder". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
3. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 103. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN   978-0-07-163652-0
4. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Hobie Cat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
5. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Holder 20 Association". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.

External links

• No Holds Barred in the Holder 20s By Stuart Streuli, Sailing World 20 March 2005