Don’t let them go to the chainsaw

Published on October 23rd, 2023

The Cal 20 is an iconic Southern California one design class, and was an early design by Bill Lapworth who will be inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023. The boat was designed to please:

• the yachtsman who want a spacious, seaworthy, low maintenance boat
• the man who races
• the family that day sails
• the family that likes a weekend cruise
• the sunbather who will enjoy the wide flat surface
• the man who would rather sail than maintain a boat
• the discriminating yachtsman who demands more boat for less money

The Cal 20 Class organization remains eager to encourage participation, which includes Class President Richard Welsh giving away free boats:


We have two boats available for free and each has participated in several past class championship regattas so both boats have been measured and are with thickened, faired keels. They are both in rough condition but if one is willing to put some work in, they will make great boats.

Hull #386 with its original stock blue decks & hull stripe, sits at King Harbor Yacht Club (Redondo Beach, CA) and belongs to Tony Gudish. It has been out sailing in the last year but needs some rigging updates, paint, and for the keel to have rust areas ground out and patched up along with some fiberglass work. Tony no longer uses the boat but would like to see it go to a new home for free. If interested please contact Paul Zambriski at pzambriski@gmail.com.

Hull #254 is also in Redondo Beach although it sits across the way at the AES power plant parking lot. This boat was owned in the 80s and 90s by Robin and Gail Hoeven out of Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club and they raced the boat quite extensively. Robin was going through a refit on the boat but after a while lost interest and then sold it to an individual in Redondo Beach. The keel and keel/hull fairing is in great shape and no rust appears. Robin used an air foil template to get the desired shape and if you had to have a professional do this it would be quite expensive. This boat is missing its mast but has most everything else. If interested, please contact Brian Lindquist at 310-920-2453.

Both these boats are diamonds in the rough and are fast according to several individuals who raced them in the past. Let’s not let them go to the chainsaw please!

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