Privateer 20 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Privateer 20 is a GRP trailer-sailer built of solid fiberglass with a lifting keel set astonishingly far forward — indeed, ahead of the mast anchor. That forward placement drives much of her unusual behavior under sail. The original design was recognized by her own designer as too light, and later boats appear to have gained permanent built-in ballast beneath the cabin sole that the early ones lack. Owners loading for extended cruising report adding at least 160 kg of ballast aboard, bringing total displacement to around 1,500 kg with one person and gear, while the whole package on its trailer stays under 2 tonnes. Her displacement is roughly half that of a Cornish Shrimper or Cape Cutter 19, a striking lightness for her footprint. She sits almost upright when dried out on a falling tide thanks to her small skeg, a real comfort bonus at anchor or on the hards.

Rig and Handling

The gaff cutter rig is the soul of the boat. The wooden mast is surprisingly light and steps into a tabernacle, and the gaff mainsail's luff is controlled by parrel beads or mast hoops rather than a track. Because the total headsail area is split between two small sails, neither requires winches, and the boat balances very nicely on reefed main, staysail, and reefed jib. The lower center of effort of a gaff main compared with a Bermudian sail of equal area reduces heeling moment, and the main can be temporarily depowered by scandalising — dropping the peak halyard so the gaff sags away. Reefing the gaff main from the cockpit takes an owner report of 20 to 30 seconds once the topping lift is set, and heaving to is routine: furl the jib, drop the peak, back the staysail, and put the tiller down. A low-aspect Bermudian rig was also offered, but the gaff cutter is what distinguishes her.

The designer's brief was that the drop keel should be used partially lowered as a trim tab to balance the aft skeg, not dropped fully like a dinghy centerboard anchor. In practice, the aft skeg is too small, producing meaningful leeway to windward, while dropping the keel fully with all sails set brings on serious weather helm. Yet the fully lowered keel lets her sail to windward under headsails alone, a useful trick. A semi-balanced rudder blade refit reduces tiller loading, letting an owner tolerate a bit more helm than standard.

Accommodations

Below, the drop-keel case does not intrude too seriously into the cabin, and freeboard is small but adequate for the boat's size. As standard the boat has neither a sink nor any plumbed water, and its toilet is totally unscreened and awkward to use. This is a camping-style cruiser, not a creature-comfort weekender, and the buyer should understand that from the outset. On deck, a dedicated stowage space houses an anchor warp and chain bag — 50 m of warp and 15 m of chain in one owner's setup — though that bow weight can give her a bows-down and slightly lopsided attitude at a mooring.

Known Issues

The small aft skeg is the root of her windward weakness, generating leeway when beating. Fully lowering the keel with full sail invites heavy weather helm. The midships fairleads for the staysail are aligned fore-and-aft, creating right-angle sheet turns and excessive friction. Adding significant ballast — something the designer himself suggests for single-handing, beneath the cockpit sole — risks submerging the cockpit drain even when the boat lies empty at moorings, rendering it useless. These are design-level traits, not defects of age.

Refits and Ownership

Owners single-handing report about 2.5 hours from road arrival with boat in tow to launched and ready to sail, mast stepping included. The light tabernacled wooden mast makes this manageable. A semi-balanced rudder is a worthwhile owner upgrade for tiller relief. The boat's light towing mass and trailer-sailer nature keep launch and storage simple, and her drying-out posture eases shore maintenance.

The Verdict

The Privateer 20 is a quirky, light-displacement trailer-sailer whose gaff cutter rig rewards the hands-on sailor with easy reefing, balanced helm under reduced sail, and a windward capability under headsails alone. She is no offshore cruiser and her accommodations are bare, but for the sailor who values simplicity and character she is a distinctive small yacht.

Pros