New BC20

[Ron]

Hi there
Despite never having seen one "in the flesh" (or wood!) I have ordered a Bay Cruiser 20 for delivery in Q1 next year.  I would love to meet up with any owners to have a look at their boat and maybe chat through any ideas / suggestions they have for fitting out.
I am based on the Firth of Forth in Scotland but am also regularly in Bristol.
Many thanks
Ron

[Wave Sweeper]

Ron, I don't know of a BC20 - do you mean a BRE or a BC23?

[Jonathan Stuart]

There's definitely a BC20...

http://swallowyachts.com/bespoke/bay-cruiser-20/

[Andy Dingle]

I thought Aenbharr's post may rattle a few cages! I did expect to see Peter, Julian and maybe others leap to the defence of the BC20!

She is a lovely boat Ron and you won't be disappointed..  tho' you may like to look (again?) at the BC23... beautiful boat, strong and capable. Someone who was watching me sailing last weekend told me he had never seen a boat sail so beautifully, he described her as 'like an arrow over the water'..

But then I would say that..!

Andy
Baycruiser 23 'Equinox'

[Ron]

Thanks Andy
I did look long and hard at the BC23 but she is just too big for where I will keep her - 20' is the max I will get away with.  Having said that, I like the idea of the twin masts and as I will be sailing solo most of the time don't really need the extra space.
They are both lovely boats though, cannot wait until Spring next year to take delivery.  I currently sail a Jeanneau Sun 2000, so a very different experience...
Ron

[Peter Taylor]

Hi Ron, you can read about my BC20 on my blog http://www.seatern.org.uk/ where the first two years (2013 - 2014) will probably be of most interest to you since I talk about the "non-standard" features of Seatern and also about fitting her out, also how my choice of gear worked out once I actually sailed her. I too sail almost always single handed and when it starts being "force 6 gusting force 7" being able to sail with just jib and mizzen going both down wind and beating does make life much more relaxing!

I'm in Southampton and you are very welcome to visit and look at Seatern, even have a sail if time and tide allows. However Southampton is not very near the Firth of Forth, or Bristol come to that! I'll be at the Swallow Raid at the start of July but not with my BC20 - I'm on one of the safety boats.

The other BC20 blog I know of is Julian Swindell's ( https://jegsboat.wordpress.com ) - his BC20, No. 1, Daisy Grace is in Poole Harbour. I copied some build details from Julian including the boom gallows, and the internal bulkhead; I'm very pleased with both! However whereas Julian added his himself, I had them added during the build.

Other non-standard features I have include 3 wave-boards for the companionway, electric pump to both empty and fill the ballast tanks, a tiller pilot, and a detachable boom, sail-bag, and mast track section which, together with lower shrouds, helps me in shooting an inconveniently low bridge!  But by all means come back to me with any questions you have about the BC20, I'll be happy to  (try to) answer them!

...and congratulations on a great choice of boat!
Cheers, Peter

[Ron]

Thanks Peter
Your blog looks great, as does Julian's - lots of evening reading ahead for me!  Interestingly, when I ordered the boat at the London boat in January, Matt told me that the internal bulkhead is standard.  I'm going to be launching off the beach quite a lot and anything that means getting rigged and off sailing quicker will be very welcome so your modifications to the boom, gallows etc. sound very helpful.
I used to live on the IoW and am keen to take the new boat "Round the Island" next year - have you done that with Seatern?
Cheers
Ron

[Peter Taylor]

That's interesting that the bulkhead is now standard; I know the BC10 built after Seatern also had it installed. I think it makes the interior seem larger by making two compartments. In Seatern it came with a self draining sink and cupboard - basically a small galley area - I assume that is also standard.

The detachable sail track with sail bag and boom was pioneered by Seatern but now I believe that a flashier version is used on BC26's, possibly other Swallow Yachts. If you have similar fitted to your BC20 I'll be interested to see how it's designed. I'll ask Matt about it in a week or so at the Raid!

I haven't sailed round the IoW - I suppose I should! But it means being in the right place at the right time given the winds and currents and there's a distinct lack of ports of refuge on the southern side. On various day sails from Southampton I've got as far as just round the Bembridge corner and also a little way round the Needles corner - but no further! But doing it over two or three days would be a possibility given the right weather. With a crew then I might even consider doing it non-stop - but not during the Round the Island race!

Peter

[Wave Sweeper]

Apologies for my error earlier in this thread and thanks for correcting me so politely.  I thought I had checked I was right, before making my posting, by looking at the Swallow Yachts website. If you click on the "Range" button at the top it shows the BR20, BRE , BC23 and BC26 with no mention of a BC20. The BC20 link which I missed, appears under the "Bespoke tab", with BR17 and Storm 23.