Design Brief & Cabin Layout
The primary mission of the Comet 20 was to deliver a safe, trailerable, and low-maintenance cruising platform for families navigating the shallow lakes, rivers, and coastal bays of Australia. Measuring 19.58 feet overall with a beam of 7.25 feet, it went head-to-head with iconic contemporary pocket cruisers of the era such as the Compass Careel 18, the Sunmaid 20, and the heavy-keeled Investigator 563. Unlike some of its competitors which featured fixed-shoal keels or compact swing centerboards, the Comet 20 utilized a substantial steel centerboard that retreated into a centerboard trunk.
This design choice allowed for a highly versatile draft—ranging from just one foot with the board up to over four feet when fully extended—making it exceptionally easy to launch from a trailer and navigate skinny water. However, the mechanical trade-off was felt directly inside the cabin. The massive fiberglass centerboard trunk stands right in the middle of the small cabin floor, acting as a structural divider. This trunk can make moving about below a bit of an obstacle course. Despite this, the raised cabin profile introduced by Bardo Sales created surprisingly decent sitting headroom. The accommodation layout maximizes the compact envelope, offering four berths: two v-berths forward and two quarter berths running alongside the centerboard trunk. Joinery and finish are minimalist, relying heavily on a low-maintenance, molded fiberglass inner liner with modest wood trim. A compact, slide-out galley block was originally fitted on the starboard side, though over the decades, many owners have modified or simplified this area to reclaim precious floor space.
Sailing Performance & Handling
On the water, the Comet 20 is characterized by its lively, highly responsive behavior. With a displacement of just 1,600 pounds and a sail area of 194 square feet, its sail-area-to-displacement ratio sits at an impressive 22.69. This generous fractional sloop rig makes the boat remarkably quick to power up in light air, enabling it to easily outpace heavier or more under-canvased pocket cruisers of its era.
The ballast-to-displacement ratio of 31.25 percent (accounting for 500 pounds of steel ballast) provides moderate initial stability. However, because much of this weight is concentrated within a swinging steel centerboard and the hull itself carries a relatively flat-bottomed profile, the Comet 20 behaves more like a large, stable dinghy than a traditional keelboat. It reacts quickly to crew weight shifts and requires active mainsail trimming and early reefing as the breeze builds.
The capsize screening ratio of 2.48 underscores the vessel's engineering limits. This high number indicates a boat vulnerable to rolling and capsize in severe offshore conditions. The Comet 20 is strictly a protected-waters craft, finding its comfort zone in inland lakes, protected sounds, and coastal estuaries where its shoal-draft capability can be exploited to seek shelter in shallow anchorages. At the helm, the transom-hung rudder is highly sensitive, providing immediate feedback, though a heavy helm can develop if the boat is over-canvased and allowed to heel excessively.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Decades after production ceased in 1979, the Comet 20 occupies a quiet, value-driven niche on the used boat market. It is a relatively rare find due to its limited production run, but those that do change hands do so at highly accessible, entry-level valuations. Rather than commanding a collector's premium, the Comet 20 trades primarily on its utility as a budget-friendly weekend cruiser.
The true economics of purchasing a Comet 20 depend heavily on the condition of its auxiliary systems, specifically the trailer and the outboard motor. Because these boats are almost exclusively trailer-sailed, an unroadworthy trailer with rusted leaf springs, dry-rotted tires, or seized brakes can easily double the true cost of acquisition. Similarly, because the boat relies on a small outboard motor for auxiliary power, the condition of the transom-mounted engine is paramount. Prospective buyers should view the vessel not as a financial investment expected to appreciate, but as a low-cost gateway to sailing where the key is minimizing immediate refit liabilities.
Known Issues & Triage
Maintaining a vintage fiberglass trailer sailer from the 1970s requires a keen eye for age-related structural degradation. In the Comet 20, several specific areas demand careful inspection and triage:
- Centerboard and Pivot Assembly: The heavy steel centerboard is vulnerable to corrosion. When submerged in saltwater and neglected, the steel plate will rust and swell, frequently binding inside the narrow fiberglass trunk. The pivot pin, which passes through the trunk to support the board, is a high-load failure point prone to wear and leakage. Furthermore, the wire cable and winch assembly used to raise the board must be inspected; a snapped cable can leave the board permanently dropped, preventing trailering, or retracted, leaving the boat dangerously unstable.
- Mast Step and Deck Delamination: Stepping the fractional aluminum mast is a physical challenge because the spar is surprisingly heavy for a twenty-foot boat. Over the years, repeated attempts to raise the mast without adequate lateral support can twist and stress the deck-mounted tabernacle. Furthermore, the deck is plywood-cored; any unsealed deck hardware, loose chainplates, or cracked gelcoat near the mast step can allow freshwater to rot the underlying wood core, leading to soft, spongy decks.
- Transom Flex and Motor Mounts: The transom was structurally engineered for light, vintage two-stroke outboards in the four-to-six horsepower range. Many owners have since replaced these with modern, much heavier four-stroke outboards. The added weight and torque can cause the fiberglass transom to flex. Check for spiderweb cracking around the motor bracket and ensure that adequate backing plates have been installed to distribute the loads.
Modernization & Upgrades
For owners looking to bring a Comet 20 into the modern era, several standardized upgrades can drastically improve safety and ease of use:
- Rigging and Mast-Raising Systems: To address the physical challenge of stepping the heavy mast, many veteran owners fabricate gin-pole or A-frame mast-raising kits. Incorporating temporary baby stays running from the chainplates to the mast helps stabilize the spar during the lift, allowing a single person to step the rig safely at the boat ramp. Upgrading old wire-to-rope halyards to modern, low-stretch composite lines like Dyneema also reduces friction and masthead weight.
- Electrical and Solar Retrofits: The original 12-volt wiring in these boats is almost universally corroded and inadequate. Modernization typically involves stripping the old wiring and installing a simplified DC panel, marine-grade tinned wire, and high-efficiency LED cabin and navigation lights. Because power demands are low, a small, lightweight lithium-iron-phosphate battery paired with a flexible 50-watt solar panel on the hatch cover or deck can easily run a depth sounder, VHF radio, and charging ports indefinitely.
- Synthetic Centerboard Lines: Replacing the traditional stainless steel centerboard cable with high-tensile Dyneema line is a highly effective modification. Dyneema eliminates the risk of rust, does not burr or fray like wire, and reduces friction within the turning blocks, making the heavy centerboard significantly easier to hoist.
The Verdict
The Comet 20 is an honest, uncomplicated, and sprightly trailer sailer that delivers genuine pocket-cruising utility on a modest budget. While it lacks the interior refinement of modern trailer yachts and demands careful attention to its centerboard and mast-raising mechanics, its lively sailing performance and shallow-draft versatility make it a rewarding project for the hands-on sailor who values exploring protected shorelines.
Pros:
- Excellent light-air performance thanks to a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
- Shallow draft with centerboard retracted makes beaching and ramp launching effortless
- Raised cabin profile provides good sitting headroom and a dry, secure interior
- Simple, low-maintenance fiberglass construction with minimal exterior wood to maintain
Cons:
- The large, central centerboard trunk heavily intrudes on cabin floor space and legroom
- Fractional aluminum mast is heavy and physically demanding to raise without a dedicated system
- High capsize screening ratio limits safe operation to protected and coastal waters only
- Steel centerboard and pivot bolt are highly susceptible to rust, swelling, and mechanical failure
