Kingfisher 20+ - owners association or advice?

[EddBee]

Hello,
I am (hopefully) close to coming into the possession of a K20+, in tatty but seaworthy condition. I have tried to contact the owners association with no luck and wondered if they were active on here? No criticism implied as I know fielding random emails is a chore!
If anyone has experience of the K20+ and can offer some information re: known weaknesses or things to watch out for when looking over one, that would be great. Seems to me the only weaknesses are leaky windows, scratched gelcoat and crackly interior paint but I'm sure I could be missing something.

This is my first boat so any advice appreciated really... I am operating on the sail now, fix later principle, but queuing up jobs for winter in my head.

Thanks.

 

[billmacfarlane]

There's à Kingfisher presence on Facebook. Try a search to find it. I'm a member but no longer own one. The group is called Kingfisher Sail Boats.

 

[EddBee]

Thanks! I have joined that, and actually someone form the owners association has got back to me which is great.

 

[sniffyjenkins]

My first boat was a Kingfisher 20+!

My husband and I bought her many years ago as our first, at a time I knew nothing about sailing or boats. And I mean nothing. What we wanted was a study, safe, comfortable and affordable bilge keeler to potter around in and get up creeks and that sort of thing. The K20+ was basically perfect for this. It is small yet perfectly formed: proper cabins, with doors, even for the head (I don't know why, if a 20' boat can have a proper head, other much larger boats can't manage it, but that's for another thread). It's just really thoughtfully and well layed out inside.

It's not going to be the fastest or best pointing boat ever, but I really loved my Kingfisher. I always felt safe, and if you bang into a harbour wall with one, the harbour wall is going to come off worse. True fact. They are pretty bomb-proof.

With your 70cm draft you will be able to virtually crawl up onto land - one of my favourite things to do was to ram Santa Teresa up onto East Head beach.

All the things you mention about scratched gelcoat etc. can be true, but I don't think it's specific to Kingfishers.

And one has even sailed to the North Pole.

The association used to be (this was about 10 years ago) very active, andI know for a fact the rally is going ahead this year to Cowes, as it always did. Think it's mid-August, up to The Folly.

Hope that helps!

 

[EddBee]

Thanks so much! that is pretty much my situation- I am looking for something that will bounce off objects, sail stably and safely and I won't die of regret should I bump into something solid!
The loo is amazing- it is part of the reason I am so keen as it means my G/F will be happier to spend time on board. It is a very well designed cabin.

I'm in Liverpool so there are a few beaches I can ram around here & North Wales which is great, although I think I probably wont get her down to Cowes this year!

Thanks for the info, rally nice to hear.