Kingfisher 20+ junk rig

Bajansailor

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I was sorting out some old magazines and came across an interesting 3 page article with photos from Yachting World (May 1976) about sailing the junk rigged Kingfisher 20+.
The boat in the photos is 'Clover Louise', and she was registered in Poole then.
If anybody would like a copy I can scan it and email it to you, no worries.
 
Thanks Bajansailor

We also featured a junk-rigged Kingfisher in PBO in 2006 when we tested the Sea Feather self steering system. The Kingfisher has a surprising amount of room below ( especially when compared to my fractionally longer Corribee) and sails very well. Out of the water, with it's dumpy keels and strangely blunt appearance, it doesn't look as though it should.

But then, one did come second on the Jester Atlantic, didn't it....!!
 
Some pals of mine used to have a Kingfisher 20 (sloop rig) 20 years ago in England, and I used to go on cruises with them - Kingfishers are wonderful wee boats for sure.

And yes, lots of room down below - five of us went on a summer pub crawl (sorry, cruise) one year - during the first week we got as far as Poole (from Southampton) and then I had to catch the train back (work beckoned...), but the other four got as far as Weymouth I think.
My bunk was on the floor in the saloon, as everybody else was bigger than me..... but it was still comfortable, and we had a blast.
The boat cost them 2k, minimal maintenance costs, and they sold her about 5 years later for 2k. Cant argue with that.

I also have a Builder's catalogue from the mid 70's re the Kingfisher if anybody would like a scanned copy.

Jake, PBO also had an article by Keith Diggle in the March 1976 issue called 'Two keels, one sail' about the junk rigged Kingfisher - I have a copy of this as well.
 
The really interesting article (Y/Monthly or PBO,mid 80s -mid 90s....) if someone can find it (Jake ?) was written by the late Blondie Hasler describing a trip in a Kingfisher round one of the Scottish islands-probably Jura cos he lived right by there-in appalling weather.
He discovered bad weather foibles with the junk rig that he had not previously encountered ever.

It was on the basis of that article that I decided to make a trysail for my own junk/r Corribee which attached to the mast with a simple lacing and sheeted to a cockpit cleat,and which I reckoned would sustain a knockdown without busting the mast or normal sail's battens,yard and boom. I used it but was never knocked down.
Unfortunately I have lost the article some time back.
 
Kingfisher 20 - Builder`s catalogue

Hi,

I writte you from Portugal, my birth Country. I want to buy a 20 feet yatcht and my main proposal is the Kingfisher k 20. I woull like very much if yo can send me a scanned copy. I would appreciate very much indeed...
I pretend the kingfisher for long cruises. I`m 6 feet and two inches tall, do you think it will be possible to live frindly in the sallon?

Cheers

Rui Vieira


Some pals of mine used to have a Kingfisher 20 (sloop rig) 20 years ago in England, and I used to go on cruises with them - Kingfishers are wonderful wee boats for sure.

And yes, lots of room down below - five of us went on a summer pub crawl (sorry, cruise) one year - during the first week we got as far as Poole (from Southampton) and then I had to catch the train back (work beckoned...), but the other four got as far as Weymouth I think.
My bunk was on the floor in the saloon, as everybody else was bigger than me..... but it was still comfortable, and we had a blast.
The boat cost them 2k, minimal maintenance costs, and they sold her about 5 years later for 2k. Cant argue with that.

I also have a Builder's catalogue from the mid 70's re the Kingfisher if anybody would like a scanned copy.

Jake, PBO also had an article by Keith Diggle in the March 1976 issue called 'Two keels, one sail' about the junk rigged Kingfisher - I have a copy of this as well.
 
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