RK 20

RK 20

ЯK
Development
Designer	Lyle C. Hess
Location	United States
Year	1972
Builder(s)	RK Industries
Role	Cruiser
Name	RK 20
Boat
Displacement	1,950 lb (885 kg)
Draft	4.00 ft (1.22 m) with swing keel down
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	20.00 ft (6.10 m)
LWL	17.50 ft (5.33 m)
Beam	7.08 ft (2.16 m)
Engine type	outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	swing keel
Ballast	550 lb (249 kg)
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	23.50 ft (7.16 m)
J foretriangle base	8.80 ft (2.68 m)
P mainsail luff	21.00 ft (6.40 m)
E mainsail foot	8.20 ft (2.50 m)
Sails
Sailplan	masthead sloop
Mainsail area	103.40 sq ft (9.606 m2)
Jib/genoa area	86.10 sq ft (7.999 m2)
Total sail area	189.50 sq ft (17.605 m2)
Racing
PHRF	264

The RK 20 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Lyle C. Hess as a cruiser and first built in 1972. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

The RK 20 is a development of the Hess-designed Balboa 20, as is the Ensenada 20. ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]}

Production

The design was built by RK Industries, a subsidiary of Coastal Recreation, in the United States. It was built between 1972 and 1981, but it is now out of production. ^{[1] [3] [6]}

Design

The RK 20 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig; a spooned, raked stem; an angled transom; a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a swing keel or fixed fin keel. The swing keel version displaces 1,950 lb (885 kg) and carries 550 lb (249 kg) of ballast, while the fin keel version displaces 2,220 lb (1,007 kg) and carries 820 lb (372 kg) of ballast. ^{[1] [3]}

Two cabin designs were available, a trunk cabin and a raised deck version. ^[3]

The fin keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of 3.25 ft (0.99 m), while the swing keel-equipped version has a draft of 4.00 ft (1.22 m) with the keel extended and 1.75 ft (0.53 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 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. ^{[1] [3]}

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. Cabin headroom is 45 in (114 cm). The fresh water tank has a capacity of 7 U.S. gallons (26 L; 5.8 imp gal). ^{[1] [3]}

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 264 and a hull speed of 5.6 kn (10.4 km/h). ^[3]

Operational history

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel noted, "the RK20 fixed-keel version would seem preferable, since it eliminates the mechanical problems some owners have experienced with the swing keel." ^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

Related development

• Balboa 20
• Ensenada 20

References

1. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "RK 20". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Lyle C. Hess 1912 - 2002". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
3. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 126. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN   978-0-07-163652-0
4. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Balboa 20 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
5. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Ensenada 20". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
6. McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Coastal Recreation Inc. 1968 - 1981". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2021.

External links

• Photo of an RK 20