Designer Posted February 5, 2022 Report Share Posted February 5, 2022 In spite of a below average cold January/ February I have had 3 good sails so far. Last but not least was last Wednesday when Craig brought his brand new SR20 to the shop to test sail. As the weather was light there was no point in filling the ballast tanks. The breeze did fill in some after we got out of camera range. Her performance unsurprisingly felt like a CS20 but also different with her self draining cockpit and no trunk filling in the forward half of the cockpit and the motor in a well. We got to try the helm balance which gave just the amount of weather helm that I like. I could have easily tuned it out with the centerboard if I wanted. The propane outboard was fired up and tested. As it was new we could not run it hard but I liked everything that I saw, perhaps a bit noisier than I expected. I really liked the motor well. I did not initially like the tiller being that high as it has to be to clear the motor, both up and down (we all worked hard to try and squeeze it down) but after a while I did not notice it. Of course if the breeze was up I would be holding the tiller extension. Bias aside, I think that she is our best open cruiser. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Tim Posted February 5, 2022 Report Share Posted February 5, 2022 I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger ride today. That's a sweet looking ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted February 6, 2022 Report Share Posted February 6, 2022 I loved what I saw in this design when you B&B guys described it on a thread started by Andy B. Here’s the link: (Whoa… I didn’t expect to see this photo of my family pop up like this when I pasted the link above — it’s my family’s first sailing of my just-finished Norma T, a CS15. Maybe the photo came up because it’s the first photo on the thread.) Andy B had posed questions that immediately caught my attention. Then, seeing Graham’s and Alan’s responses and their descriptions of their emerging SR20 design, together with the excellent photo gallery depicting the building of hull #1… oh WOW!! Here’s the link for photos of the SR20 hull #1 build: https://photos.app.goo.gl/74WXsZVnrM9mAXkv9 The photo series begins with the “Kit in a Crate”… love it… and great work was done in this build, it’s worth going through the photo series. I know that I chose the right boat for my first build, the CS15 from a full kit that I named Norma T. I’m now finishing my 2nd retirement build: a ski boat to be named Joe that I’ve wanted to build since my high school years. I’m so very satisfied and have substantial attachment to both boats. But, the SR20 turned my head last fall. “Boy… should I?” And I hear, “You really should… you KNOW you want it.” Must… resist… musssst……. resist… (I used my parents’ names for my two builds… I’m out of parents for a third build… Hey! I could use Norma 2!!!) What a tempting design. I love my CS15… and the SR20 has a lot of compelling additional features. I did decide I would at least buy the SR20 plans when they become available. I’m glad to see Graham’s responses to trying out hull #1. Will I build an SR20? The future is always open… one never knows for sure. Perhaps my attraction to the SR20 helped to push me into purchasing Avocet (CS17 Mk3 hull #6) a couple months after seeing the SR20 in Andy B’s thread. Avocet has been in winter storage since I bought it, so I’m looking forward to NOT building anything next summer and concentrating on enjoying my three boats. Future build? We’ll see. A set of plans for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy B Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 On 2/5/2022 at 10:32 PM, PadrePoint said: Future build? We’ll see. A set of plans for now Just tell your wife some dude in Michigan bought the kit, it showed up at your garage, and so you really should build it and sail it over the lake to return it to him. It's the neighborly thing to do! You can paint her name on the back if you need to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted February 8, 2022 Report Share Posted February 8, 2022 Hmmmmm…. That could be a plan. I’ve seen your wheels turning before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted May 9, 2022 Report Share Posted May 9, 2022 I posted on the Dinghy Cruising Association Facebook page and they picked it up for their recent journal. Perhaps it will generate a bit of new interest in B&B offerings. Dang, just realized “B&B Yacht Designs” isn’t referred to… the second paragraph and more was not included… Oh well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viktor Steimle Posted June 15, 2022 Report Share Posted June 15, 2022 On 2/5/2022 at 12:51 PM, Designer said: In spite of a below average cold January/ February I have had 3 good sails so far. Last but not least was last Wednesday when Craig brought his brand new SR20 to the shop to test sail. As the weather was light there was no point in filling the ballast tanks. The breeze did fill in some after we got out of camera range. Her performance unsurprisingly felt like a CS20 but also different with her self draining cockpit and no trunk filling in the forward half of the cockpit and the motor in a well. We got to try the helm balance which gave just the amount of weather helm that I like. I could have easily tuned it out with the centerboard if I wanted. The propane outboard was fired up and tested. As it was new we could not run it hard but I liked everything that I saw, perhaps a bit noisier than I expected. I really liked the motor well. I did not initially like the tiller being that high as it has to be to clear the motor, both up and down (we all worked hard to try and squeeze it down) but after a while I did not notice it. Of course if the breeze was up I would be holding the tiller extension. Bias aside, I think that she is our best open cruiser. Looks very nice! Will there be plans/kit for a CS17 SR also? A 20-footer would not fit in my workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer Posted June 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2022 Hi Viktor, It was always my intention to do a CS17 mk2. In fact I started designing the CS17 mk2 first when we got the order for the 20 mk2. My experience with the 20 mk2 confirmed the validity of the concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy B Posted June 16, 2022 Report Share Posted June 16, 2022 This design is still interesting to me. Here is my summary of the differences with the MK1 models based your prior comments: Self bailing Water ballast prevents, or makes very rare, risk of capsizing and turtling Higher tiller to get over motor Higher freeboard Less storage Sails the same but cannot be rowed Did I miss anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted June 17, 2022 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 Andy, I can’t think of a witty, humorous, sly comment for ya on this. I really like this Core Sound version for a number of reasons… which you cite. A kit has been made and successfully built into a great sounding open cockpit sailboat in a 20’ version… and perhaps soon a 17’. It takes some time and effort (maybe even contributed by family members??) to assemble a kit but it could be worth it for the end result. Just sayin’. (And yeah, the “Lake Charlevoix cruise to pick up skis” idea in August before the Traverse Bay Messabout just might happen… Shaggy’s annual ski sale is receiving orders for the next couple weeks. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy B Posted June 17, 2022 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 Point taken, PadrePoint. My problem is that building something comes in far below sailing in terms of enjoyment, and in winter far below family skiing time. But we'll see. My realistic option would be to find some young construction workers around here to do most of the work and I can help. I've got some guys I think would do that with me, but to pay them fairly I bet I'm turning this into a $30,000 project. That's steep. What I'm trying to figure out is whether the differences in the SR20 would be worth the lots of extra time and cost compared to a regular ol' used CS 17 or CS 20. And, given my recent car purchase and school bill this might all be a hypothetical discussion for a few years, but dreaming and hypothetical discussions are what boat forums are made of, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer Posted June 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 Hi Andy B. You are mostly right. There is no reason why the SR cannot be rowed. Alan and the Chief just rowed a 17 mk3 through the Harlow canal, you just have to set up the rowing station. I have not tried it yet but I believe I could fit a sliding seat in her if wanted. There is more stowage in the SR than the original because the seat lockers and under the foredeck are deeper but I never did use up all the stowage space on the mk1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted June 20, 2022 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 Andy, more to ponder… You might consider going to (or riding with me) to the October 21-23 Messabout in North Carolina to see boats first hand, see the B&B business, and chat with the B&B people. A good number of builders will be there with their boats. Just an idea. Ted Oh, and I’ll order some skis soon from Shaggy’s. ⛷ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oyster Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 I saw this SR 20 this weekend. I agree with Graham, she ranks right up there with the best open cruiser model in these style boats. The outboard does not look out of place at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadrePoint Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 I am still really attracted to this SR20 design, although I continue appreciating my CS15 and CS17.3 more all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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