Design and Construction
The Sun Fast 20 was produced exclusively with a shoal 25 cm draught and a high centreboard. This configuration suits closed-water sailing and makes the boat easy to transport with a dismasting kit.
Its rounded transom recalls the last IOR regatta sailors, while the hull carries an imposing transom skirt that permits that appendage. Construction is solid fiberglass, with a 595 lb iron ballast slab bolted to the hull exterior. That arrangement keeps the ballast low but leaves it exposed to corrosion, so the hull-to-ballast joint needs periodic revision.
The yard built the boat without interior bulkheads, accepting its small volume as given rather than subdividing it.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The fractional-sloop rig carries a 25 m² asymmetrical spinnaker, which gives the boat real wings reaching from full to full. The Sun Fast 20 lacks stiffness to the canvas and will heel relatively in a breeze, but it remains manageable even with a small crew.
The hull is sensitive to chop, and the daggerboard would have benefited from another 40 or 50 kg of weight for better balance. Even so, the boat offers performance at all speeds and is genuinely easy for a short-handed owner to set up and sail.
An external rudder is controlled by a huge tiller. The self-steering solent isn’t easy to adjust, a minor source of friction on an otherwise tractable small boat.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit extends across almost half the deck plan, making it generous for a boat of this length. However, the engine sits well away from the helmsman, so moving aft to swim or step down onto the sand can be a little awkward.
Below, accommodation is limited to four berths: a double spike in the bow and two side benches that also serve as the saloon. Maximum headroom is 1.38 m—enough for sitting, but not standing. With no bulkheads, the interior feels open and uncluttered.
A mini galley block is fitted, and the yard offered a chemical toilet as an option.
Known Issues
The Sun Fast 20 generally ages well, but several areas deserve a buyer’s attention. The bolted ballast cake is vulnerable to rust, and the hull-to-ballast seam frequently requires rework. That junction should therefore be inspected closely.
On older boats, some fittings and rigging components, including the halyard sheave, may be due for replacement. The fittings throughout are basic. If the sail set is original, it was already of poor quality and will need replacing.
Refits and Ownership
The boat’s light weight and shallow trailering draught make ownership straightforward. If the original sails remain, the most consequential refit will be a new sail wardrobe. Other work includes renewing the halyard sheave and replacing any corroded ballast-bolt hardware.
The external tiller and simple systems leave little to go wrong, while the open interior plan makes work below easier.
The Verdict
The Sun Fast 20 is a thoughtfully conceived pocket racer-cruiser that trades bulk for lightness and dinghy-like responsiveness. It’s at its best on lakes and sheltered water, where its centreboard and trailerability count for most. It also ages without much drama, provided the ballast joint and original sails are addressed.
Pros
- Light displacement and shoal draught make it easy to trailer and well suited to closed water
- Generous cockpit and open, bulkhead-free interior for its size
- Manageable in a breeze with a small crew, despite its lively heel
Cons
- Poor original sails and an underweighted daggerboard
- Ballast-cake corrosion and recurring hull-joint revision
- Sensitive to chop and lacking stiffness to the canvas
