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Ds 20

Designer: Diller & Schwill  ·  Builder: Schwill Yachts Inc. (Can)  ·  First built: 1972
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About the Ds 20

Built by Schwill Yachts in Canada from 1972 to 1983, this compact cruiser represents thoughtful design work by Diller & Schwill for sailors seeking versatility in a trailerable package. The swing keel configuration stands as the boat's defining feature, allowing draft reduction from 4 feet to just inches for shallow water exploration and easy launching. With its fractional sloop rig and fiberglass construction, the DS 20 delivers respectable performance for coastal cruising and weekend adventures. The 170 square feet of sail area provides adequate power for its 1,850-pound displacement, while the 650-pound ballast ensures stability when the keel is deployed. The boat's 18.09 sail area-to-displacement ratio suggests lively sailing characteristics in moderate conditions. The DS 20 excels as a versatile coastal cruiser, equally at home exploring shallow bays or sailing open waters. Its swing keel design makes it particularly appealing for sailors who value the ability to beach the boat or navigate waters where fixed-keel boats cannot venture. The 20-foot length offers genuine cruising accommodations while remaining within trailerable limits, making it an excellent choice for sailors seeking adventure without marina dependencies. This combination of shallow draft capability and seaworthy design created a practical small cruiser well-suited for exploring diverse coastal waters.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 20.42 ft / 6.22 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 18.07 ft / 5.51 m
Beam 7.58 ft / 2.31 m
Max Draft 4.00 ft / 1.22 m
Min Draft 1.83 ft / 0.56 m
Displacement 1,850.00 lb / 839 kg
Ballast 650.00 lb / 295 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 170.00 ft² / 15.79 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Diller & Schwill
Builder Schwill Yachts Inc. (CAN)
First Built 1972
Last Built 1983
Related Sailboats San Juan 21 · Holder 20 · Cal 21 · Santana 20 · Newport 20
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 282
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 18.09
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 35.14
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 139.97
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 10.25
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.47
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 5.70 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.68
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 489.41 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 18.05
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 17.80 ft / 5.43 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 8.30 ft / 2.53 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 20.60 ft / 6.28 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 9.30 ft / 2.83 m
SA Fore 73.87 ft² / 6.86 m²
SA Main 95.79 ft² / 8.90 m²
SA Total (100%) 169.66 ft² / 15.76 m²
Est. Forestay Length 19.64 ft / 5.99 m
Mast Height (DWL) 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
Engine & Accommodations
Water Capacity 20 gals / 76 L
How It Compares

vs. Cal 21, Holder 20, Newport 20, San Juan 21, Santana 20

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Ds 20 ★
20.4 ft
Cal 21
20.5 ft
Holder 20
20.3 ft
Newport 20
20.5 ft
San Juan 21
20.5 ft
Santana 20
20.2 ft
LWL
Ds 20 ★
18.1 ft
Cal 21
16.7 ft
Holder 20
18.4 ft
Newport 20
18.0 ft
San Juan 21
17.0 ft
Santana 20
16.0 ft
Beam
Ds 20 ★
7.6 ft
Cal 21
6.7 ft
Holder 20
7.8 ft
Newport 20
7.0 ft
San Juan 21
7.0 ft
Santana 20
8.0 ft
Displacement
Ds 20 ★
1 lbs
Cal 21
1 lbs
Holder 20
1 lbs
Newport 20
2 lbs
San Juan 21
1 lbs
Santana 20
1 lbs
Ballast
Ds 20 ★
650 lbs
Cal 21
360 lbs
Holder 20
260 lbs
Newport 20
900 lbs
San Juan 21
400 lbs
Santana 20
550 lbs
Sail Area
Ds 20 ★
170 sq ft
Cal 21
196 sq ft
Holder 20
194 sq ft
Newport 20
196 sq ft
San Juan 21
190 sq ft
Santana 20
204 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Ds 20 ★
282 s/nm
Cal 21
261 s/nm
Holder 20
186 s/nm
Newport 20
267 s/nm
San Juan 21
258 s/nm
Santana 20
228 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Ds 20 ★
18.1
Cal 21
29.5
Holder 20
28.2
Newport 20
17.1
San Juan 21
26.3
Santana 20
26.8
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Ds 20 ★
35.1 %
Cal 21
32.7 %
Holder 20
22.4 %
Newport 20
—
San Juan 21
—
Santana 20
40.7 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Ds 20 ★
10.3
Cal 21
7.6
Holder 20
6.1
Newport 20
15.4
San Juan 21
8.0
Santana 20
7.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Ds 20 ★
2.47
Cal 21
2.59
Holder 20
2.98
Newport 20
2.07
San Juan 21
2.60
Santana 20
2.90
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Ds 20 ★
139
Cal 21
106
Holder 20
82
Newport 20
—
San Juan 21
—
Santana 20
147
Hull Speed
Ds 20 ★
5.7 kts
Cal 21
5.5 kts
Holder 20
5.8 kts
Newport 20
5.7 kts
San Juan 21
5.5 kts
Santana 20
5.4 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Ds 20 ★
3.7
Cal 21
6.0
Holder 20
6.4
Newport 20
2.8
San Juan 21
5.4
Santana 20
4.4
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