55th Cal 20 Champs at Long Beach

Published on August 17th, 2016

Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (Long Beach, CA) will be hosting the 55th running of the Cal 20 Class Championships starting on Friday, August 19 and concluding on Sunday, August 21, 2016. 39 Cal 20’s are presently registered making this one of the largest keel boat championships on the West Coast this season. Despite the boat being out of production for over 40 years, the Cal 20 Class continues to thrive thanks to a loyal following of sailors who live the class motto of “one design sailing for everyone.”

Cal 20’s have long been a fixture on the West Coast with active fleets in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, and an active fleet in Hawaii. This year’s championship has five previous Cal 20 champions returning, including Keith Ives, Chuck Clay, Ron Wood (crew), Mark Gaudio (crew) and Chris Raab (crew). Friday’s elimination series will determine which boats qualify for the weekend 23 boat Gold Fleet which determines the annual Class Champion.

The Silver Fleet will feature approximately 10 boats on the line for intermediate level sailors. And a Bronze fleet will include an opportunity for the more casual or newcomer sailor to participate in a championship regatta.

Racing will be held in Long Beach Harbor which features Long Beach infamous sea breeze coupled with relatively smooth waters. Cal 20’s are a tactical one design class and feature either two or three crew. Many boats have been retrofitted with modern sail controls and faired paint jobs that have helped keep the boats current with the times. A large cockpit with no hiking makes the boat comfortable and fun to sail.