Winner 11.20 Sailboats for Sale

The boat was designed to satisfy Lloyd's and Germanischer Lloyd certification requirements, and that pedigree shows in the construction: hand laid-up fibreglass hull reinforced with woven roving, foam-sandwich deck, hull-to-deck joint bonded through roving and chopped mat, and a watertight forepeak compartment. A cast-iron bulb keel mounted on a steel grid and fastened with stainless steel bolts gives the boat a ballast-to-displacement ratio that rewards offshore passages, and the JEFA needle-bearing rudder arrangement was a step above what most production builders of the era installed. None of that changes as the hull ages, so a well-kept example still has the bones to take you somewhere serious.

Layouts on the Used Market

The 11.20 was offered with two keel configurations — a shallow-draft option and a deeper race keel — and both turn up on the secondary market. The interior follows a conventional cruising arrangement that Winner favoured across their range: a proper forecabin, centreline heads compartment, a generous saloon with settees on both sides, and a galley aft to port with a nav station opposite. The companionway feeds directly into a deep, well-protected cockpit. Variations between boats tend to reflect owner customisation rather than builder-specified interior packages, so expect minor differences in upholstery, trim finish, and chart-table configuration rather than fundamentally different floorplans.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Used examples routinely carry an autopilot and chartplotter as baseline electronics — both have become so essential on boats this size that sellers without them tend to re-fit before listing. Heating systems, AIS receivers, asymmetric spinnakers, and life rafts are frequently found aboard, reflecting the offshore ambitions of the owners who have kept these boats. A Furlex furling genoa was part of the standard specification from new, so the headsail furling infrastructure is already in place.

Beyond those common fittings, gennakers and conventional spinnakers, hot water systems, radar, and EPIRBs are sometimes found as owner upgrades. The Raymarine ST60 instrument package was standard from the builder, though many owners have since upgraded to more current electronics. Lewmar self-tailing winches were fitted as standard and hold up well; assess their condition but do not assume they need replacing.

What to Inspect

Because production ran from the early 1990s onward and boats can be well into their third decade of service, the inspection priorities are those typical of a mature fibreglass cruiser with particular attention to the Winner's specific construction choices.

The stainless steel keel bolts and the steel keel grid deserve close attention. Inspect for rust weeping around the keel stub and probe the grid fastenings from inside the bilge; the iron bulb itself should be assessed for surface rust, but bulb condition is generally easy to read visually. The hull-to-deck joint, bonded rather than mechanically fastened alone, should be checked for delamination or cracking along the toe-rail. The foam-sandwich deck is durable, but any history of deck hardware installation or replacement without proper bedding can introduce water into the core — sound the deck methodically, particularly around chainplates, stanchion bases, and cleats.

The JEFA needle-bearing rudder, while a quality fitting, should be assessed for play; bearings wear over time and replacement is manageable but not trivial. The Yanmar saildrive installation — the 3-cylinder unit was standard — requires the same diligence any saildrive demands: inspect the rubber membrane around the leg annually and confirm it has been replaced on schedule, as a failed membrane allows water into the bilge without warning. The folding propeller should turn freely and show no corrosion on the blade hinges.

Electrically, the separation of starter and service batteries was correct from new, but wiring added by subsequent owners may not follow that discipline. Trace the bilge pump, shore power, and navigation light circuits before assuming all is tidy.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Winner 11.20 circulates most actively through the Netherlands and France, which is consistent with its Dutch origins and the Continental cruising routes where it built its reputation. Boats also appear in the wider Mediterranean market and, less commonly, across the Atlantic in smaller numbers.

For a buyer willing to look in European brokerage, inventory is reliable rather than abundant — this is not a mass-produced boat, and that relative scarcity tends to keep examples in reasonable condition because owners who care about them have sought them out specifically.

Before making an offer, confirm:

• Keel bolt condition and any evidence of rust weeping at the stub
• Saildrive membrane age and replacement history
• Deck core integrity around all hardware penetrations
• JEFA rudder bearing play
• Wiring provenance and battery bank organisation
• Furlex furling system operation (foil condition, drum bearings)
• Standing rigging age and lower terminal condition
• Life raft service date and any safety equipment certifications
• Keel configuration (shallow vs race) matches your intended sailing grounds