Cal 20 Class Championship and the August Cover
The first Cal 20 was built in 1961, and almost 2,000 were built before the model was discontinued. The boats are still popular on San Francisco Bay, though most of the fleet activity remains in the land of their birth in Southern California. This month’s Latitude 38 cover shot was taken by Volker Corel during the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club‘s Wednesday night races on their home waters in San Pedro. Volker also let us know that the club’s 2021 class championship will be raced this coming weekend.
The Cal 20 was also one of Latitude 38‘s very first ‘Boat of the Month’ stories, with its brief history described in the magazine’s fifth issue, which came out in August 1977. At that time the boat had already been around for 16 years, and the design’s national championship on San Francisco Bay was attracting 60 boats.
There are 30 boats signed up for the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club’s class championship, which starts this coming ‘lucky’ Friday the 13th. You can see the entry list and upcoming results here. And if you’re interested in a Cal 20 they’re around. Our friend and writer, Michelle Slade, just posted hers for sale in our Classy Clasifieds.
In late 2000, I responded to a Latitude 38 classified ad for a 1961 Cal 20, #14. I paid $1000 for the boat. The best investment I ever made! Over the years I have made some modifications to her which has dropped her from a Cal 20 one-design class, but has given us the ability to do great things. Her name is Black Feathers and we competed in the 2008 Singlehanded TransPac Race, where she performed very well. This $1000 investment is going strong and continues to provide some of my life’s most meaningful memories. Any picture showing a Cal 20 simply opens a floodgate of thoughts and excitement. Thank you for showing us my Southern California sisterships in action.
Cabrillo yc .. has a permanent cal 20 trophy
1st winner Jack Jensen
Cal boats founder..