Design and Construction
The Sun Fast 20 was produced exclusively with a shoal 25 cm draught and a high centreboard, a configuration that makes it perfectly suited to closed-water sailing and easy to transport with a dismasting kit. Its rounded transom recalls the last IOR regatta sailors, and the hull carries an imposing transom skirt that permits that appendage. Construction is solid fiberglass with an iron ballast slab fastened by bolts to the hull exterior — a detail that keeps the boat’s 595 lb ballast low but exposes it to corrosion and demands periodic hull-to-ballast joint revision. The yard built the boat without interior bulkheads, accepting the small volume as given rather than subdividing it.
Rig and Handling
Under rig the boat flies an asymmetrical 25 m² spinnaker that gives it real wings reaching from full to full. A fractional sloop, it lacks stiffness to the canvas and will heel relatively in the breeze, yet remains manageable even with a small crew. The external rudder is controlled by a huge tiller, and the self-steering solent is not easy to adjust — a minor friction point against an otherwise tractable small boat. The hull is sensitive to chop and the daggerboard would have deserved 40 or 50 kg more weight for better balance, but the boat offers performance at all speeds and genuine ease of implementation for a short-handed owner.
Accommodations
Below, the Sun Fast 20 is limited to four berths: a double spike in the bow and two side benches that double as the saloon. Maximum headroom is 1.38 m, enough to sit but not stand, and the absence of bulkheads leaves the space open and uncluttered. A mini galley block is fitted, and a chemical toilet was available as an option from the yard. The cockpit extends almost halfway across the deck plan, generous for the length, though the engine sitting well away from the helmsman makes moving aft to swim or step down to the sand a little awkward.
Known Issues
Overall the Sun Fast 20 ages well, but several points deserve a buyer’s attention. The bolted ballast cake is vulnerable to rust and the hull-to-ballast seam frequently requires rework, so that junction should be inspected closely. A few fitting and rigging points such as the halyard sheave will be due for change on older boats. If the sail set is original it was already of poor quality and will have to be replaced. The fittings throughout are basic.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership is straightforward given the boat’s light weight and trailering draught. The most consequential refit is a new sail wardrobe if originals remain, plus renewal of the halyard sheave and any corroded ballast-bolt hardware. The external tiller and simple systems mean little to go wrong, and the open plan makes interior work easy.
The Verdict
The Sun Fast 20 is a thoughtfully conceived pocket racer-cruiser that trades bulk for lightness and a dinghy’s responsiveness. It shines on lakes and sheltered water where its centreboard and trailerability matter, and it ages without drama if its ballast joint and original sails are addressed.
Pros
- Light displacement and shoal draught make it easy to trailer and suited to closed water
- Generous cockpit and open, bulkhead-free interior for the size
- Manageable under breeze with a small crew despite lively heel
Cons
- Original sails poor and daggerboard underweighted
- Ballast cake corrosion and hull joint revision are recurring needs
- Sensitive to chop and lacks stiffness to the canvas
