Independent 20
Description
The Independent 20 is a compact 20-foot (approximately 6.1 meters) trailerable monohull sailboat designed by British naval architect Peter Stevenson and built by Independent Yachts Ltd. in the United Kingdom starting in 1978. It features a fractional sloop rig and was produced as a versatile daysailer and racer, with a later variant, the Independent 20-2 (introduced around 1980), incorporating a fixed fin keel for improved stability over the original's centerboard or swing keel option. Aimed at recreational sailors seeking an affordable, high-performance pocket cruiser suitable for solo or small crew use in coastal waters, lakes, or club racing, it emphasizes speed, ease of trailering, and responsive handling. Production ceased in the early 1980s after about 100 units, but its lightweight design and performance have maintained a niche following among vintage boat enthusiasts.
Construction Details
| Designer | Peter Stevenson |
|---|---|
| Builder | Independent Yachts Limited |
| Length | 20.000 ft |
| LOA | 20.000 ft |
| LWL | 18.000 ft |
| Beam | 6.800 ft |
| Displacement | 2000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 27.80 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.50 ft |
| p | 23.50 ft |
| e | 8.60 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.80 ft | 8.50 ft | 23.50 ft | 8.60 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 23.5 ft - (7163 mm) |
| Foot | * 8.6 ft - (2621 mm) |
| Leech | * 24.56 ft - (7486 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 24.74 ft - (7541 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area | * 104.45 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 23.26 ft - (7090 mm) |
| Foot | * 11.18 ft - (3408 mm) |
| Leech | * 20.35 ft - (6203 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.06 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.78 ft - (2981 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.97 ° |
| Area | * 113.76 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 27.62 ft - (8419 mm) |
| Foot | * 13.66 ft - (4164 mm) |
| Leech | * 26.05 ft - (7940 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.75 ft - (3886 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.03 ° |
| Area | * 176.07 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 26.25 ft - (8001 mm) |
| Foot | 11 ft - (3353 mm) |
| Leech | 24.5 ft - (7468 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 120.59 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.25 ft - (3124 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.3 ° |
| Area | * 134.51 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Foot | 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Leech | 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 321 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.