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Holder 20
Designer: Ron Holder/Dave Ulmann  ·  Builder: Vagabond Sailboats/Hobie  ·  First built: 1980
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About the Holder 20

Designed by Ron Holder and Dave Ulmann in 1980, this compact 20-footer represents an interesting chapter in small boat sailing history. Built by Vagabond Sailboats and later Hobie through 1987, with 265 hulls produced, the Holder 20 carved out a niche as a versatile daysailer and weekend cruiser. The boat's most distinctive feature is its lifting keel design, which retracts from a full 3.58-foot draft to allow shallow water exploration and easy trailer launching. This flexibility makes it particularly appealing for coastal cruising, lake sailing, and exploring shallow anchorages that deeper-draft boats cannot access. The fractional sloop rig provides good sail handling characteristics, while the 194 square feet of sail area delivers respectable performance for such a compact package. With a displacement of just 1,160 pounds and 260 pounds of ballast, this fiberglass boat emphasizes portability over heavy-weather capability. The relatively light displacement and lifting keel configuration suggest it's best suited for protected waters rather than offshore passages. The moderate beam of 7.83 feet provides decent stability while maintaining trailerable dimensions, making it an attractive option for sailors seeking adventure without marina slip fees.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 20.33 ft / 6.20 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 18.42 ft / 5.61 m
Beam 7.83 ft / 2.39 m
Max Draft 3.58 ft / 1.09 m
Min Draft 1.00 ft / 0.30 m
Displacement 1,160.00 lb / 526 kg
Ballast 260.00 lb / 118 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 194.00 ft² / 18.02 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Lifting Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Ron Holder/Dave Ulmann
Builder Vagabond Sailboats/Hobie
First Built 1980
Last Built 1987
Number Built 265
Associations Holder 20 Association
Related Sailboats ["Santana 20" · "Cal 21" · "Buccaneer 200" · "San Juan 21" · "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
 186
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
 28.17
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
 22.41
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
 82.86
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
 6.08
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
 2.98
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. 5.75 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
 6.4
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. 515.34 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. 28.18
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 22.60 ft / 6.89 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 7.25 ft / 2.21 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 24.04 ft / 7.33 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 9.33 ft / 2.84 m
SA Fore 81.93 ft² / 7.61 m²
SA Main 112.15 ft² / 10.42 m²
SA Total (100%) 194.08 ft² / 18.03 m²
Est. Forestay Length 23.73 ft / 7.23 m
How It Compares

vs. Buccaneer 200, Cal 21, San Juan 21

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Holder 20 ★
20.3 ft
Buccaneer 200
20.4 ft
Cal 21
20.5 ft
San Juan 21
20.5 ft
LWL
Holder 20 ★
18.4 ft
Buccaneer 200
17.8 ft
Cal 21
16.7 ft
San Juan 21
17.0 ft
Beam
Holder 20 ★
7.8 ft
Buccaneer 200
8.0 ft
Cal 21
6.7 ft
San Juan 21
7.0 ft
Displacement
Holder 20 ★
1 lbs
Buccaneer 200
2 lbs
Cal 21
1 lbs
San Juan 21
1 lbs
Ballast
Holder 20 ★
260 lbs
Buccaneer 200
750 lbs
Cal 21
360 lbs
San Juan 21
400 lbs
Sail Area
Holder 20 ★
194 sq ft
Buccaneer 200
191 sq ft
Cal 21
196 sq ft
San Juan 21
190 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Holder 20 ★
186 s/nm
Buccaneer 200
—
Cal 21
261 s/nm
San Juan 21
258 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Holder 20 ★
28.2
Buccaneer 200
18.7
Cal 21
29.5
San Juan 21
26.3
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Holder 20 ★
22.4 %
Buccaneer 200
—
Cal 21
32.7 %
San Juan 21
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Holder 20 ★
6.1
Buccaneer 200
11.0
Cal 21
7.6
San Juan 21
8.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Holder 20 ★
2.98
Buccaneer 200
2.50
Cal 21
2.59
San Juan 21
2.60
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Holder 20 ★
82
Buccaneer 200
—
Cal 21
106
San Juan 21
—
Hull Speed
Holder 20 ★
5.8 kts
Buccaneer 200
5.7 kts
Cal 21
5.5 kts
San Juan 21
5.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Holder 20 ★
6.4
Buccaneer 200
3.4
Cal 21
6.0
San Juan 21
5.4
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