Helsen 20

{{short description|Sailboat class}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox sailboat specifications

|name = Helsen 20

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|designer = Johannes "Jopie" Helsen

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|location = United States

|year = 1974

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|builder = Helsen Yacht Corporation

|role = Cruiser

|boats =

|crew =

|trapeze =

|draft = {{convert|1.17|ft|m|abbr=on}} with swing keel up

|air draft =

|displacement = {{convert|2000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|hulls =

|hull type = monohull

|construction = fiberglass

|loa = {{convert|20.08|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|loh =

|lwl = {{convert|17.33|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|beam = {{convert|7.33|ft|m|abbr=on}}

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|engine = outboard motor

|appendages =

|keel type = swing keel

|ballast = {{convert|400|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|rudder type = transom-mounted rudder

|rigs =

|rig type = Bermuda rig

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|sailplan = masthead sloop

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|sailarea total = {{convert|181.00|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

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The Helsen 20 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Johannes "Jopie" Helsen as a cruiser and first built in 1974.{{cite web|url= https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/helsen-20|title= Helsen 20 sailboat|access-date= 14 August 2021|last= McArthur|first= Bruce|work= sailboatdata.com|year= 2020|archive-url= https://archive.today/20210814004957/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/helsen-20|archive-date= 14 August 2021|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboatdata.com/designer/helsen-johannes-jopie|title= Johannes "Jopie" Helsen|access-date = 14 August 2021|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2021|archive-url= https://archive.today/20210811203732/https://sailboatdata.com/designer/helsen-johannes-jopie|archive-date= 11 August 2021|url-status= live}}

Production

The design was built by Helsen Yachts in Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States, starting in 1974, but it is now out of production.{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/builder/universal-marine-corp-usa|title = Universal Marine Corp. (USA)|access-date = 13 August 2021|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2021|archive-url= https://archive.today/20210811203739/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/universal-marine-corp-usa|archive-date= 11 August 2021|url-status= live}}

Design

Designed as a more compact version of the Helsen 22, the Helsen 20 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig with aluminum spars, a raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable swing keel. It displaces {{convert|2000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and carries {{convert|400|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of lead ballast.{{cite web|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=EZ00_GxsP_QC&dq=Helsen+22&pg=PA102|title= Helsen 20|access-date= 14 August 2021|last= Davis|first= Murray|work= Cruising World Annual|year= 1975}}

The boat has a draft of {{convert|1.17|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the keel retracted, allowing beaching, operational in shallow water or ground transportation on a trailer.

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two berths in the main cabin. The head is located in the bow cabin between the "V"-berths. A forward-hinged cabin top increases the cabin headroom from {{convert|4.25|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} with it closed to {{convert|5.33|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} with it open.

See also

References

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