Sailart 20: Popular small cruiser from the Rhineland undergoes a used boat test
Alexander Worms
· 10.10.2024
A nice wind is blowing up the Heeger Meer from the south-west, as it usually does. Wonderful conditions for a test. And things get even better when, quite by chance, as owner Andreas Delfosse assures us, a sister ship joins them. Naturally, a certain ambition soon sets in and the two twenty-somethings show what they can do. At the helm, the Sailart wants to be steered with concentration; the smallest deflections are immediately converted into ship movements. The small self-tacking focus is good, but collapses immediately if you overstimulate it at the wind edge. Logical. So: pay attention to the lines, read the water surface and immerse yourself in the moment.
Also interesting:
And suddenly your opponent stays astern. Sailing is great fun. Simple, direct and pure. Squall - pressure - speed. So wonderfully simple. Small-cruiser feeling, but paired with the certainty that there is enough righting momentum if the gust of wind is stronger than initially thought. The Sailart then radiates an astonishing aplomb. It's almost dinghy-like sailing with a ballast airbag that keeps the ship, which is only six metres long, upright if necessary, so to speak. The best of both worlds.
Used boat profile Sailart 20
- Designer: Marc Oliver von Ahlen
- Dimensions: 6.30 x 2.50 m
- Built: 2002 until today
- Quantity: 217
- New price 2002: 20.000 €
- Used price: 25.000-30.000 €
- New price today: 42.500 €
Status 2024
No wonder the Zwanziger is so popular. Construction number 217 was recently delivered from the shipyard in Erftstadt, which has been offering the boat since 2002. The shipbuilders, under the direction of Frank Störck, have been constructing the boats by hand with NPG gelcoat and Divinycell foam cores to a very high standard for many years. This makes the boats light yet robust. This brings with it a whole range of advantages. With trailer, the Sailart weighs 1200 kilograms. That's enough to pull any mid-range car to your holiday destination.
The mast can be lighter so that it can be set quickly by one person and the volume of foam required for unsinkability can be smaller, as it only has to correspond to the weight of the ship in terms of buoyancy. As a positive side effect, the foam also insulates well. Coupled with the timeless design, the ship still looks fresh today. Owner Delfosse's "Momo" looks like new after 14 years. He has of course maintained her well and had her regularly checked by the shipyard.
Safe family cruiser
However, the condition also speaks in favour of solid construction. This is also evident in the fittings: high quality everywhere and always sufficiently dimensioned. This makes the boat really fun. Nothing is a hassle, everything is where it should be. So you don't need to be afraid of a little more wind. Reefed and off you go. It also gets a bit gusty during the test. In order to maintain control, the powerful, flared main must be parried. Only the mainsheet and a small downhaul are available for this.
There is no traveller or backstay. But that doesn't matter, because the simplicity is also fun. Tiller and sheet, and thanks to the self-tacking focus, you don't have to operate a fore sheet permanently and you're done. This is the ultimate in simple sailing fun. And the performance is quite impressive. In 12 to 14 knots of wind, the small cruiser delivers around five knots at a tacking angle of less than 90 degrees. That's solid. With a large, colourful headsail, the Sailart is probably also a lot of fun. But that's not on board. So we return with the mainsail.
The good seating options in the cockpit are also striking. Whether on the dikes or on the coaming, the Sailart can be steered anywhere thanks to the tiller jib. You can hide away from the weather behind the superstructure, and a sprayhood is also possible, under which there would also be headroom in the companionway. The shipyard rightly calls the Sailart 20 a "safe family cruiser". The sailing characteristics certainly confirm this.
And the family cruiser? There is actually sleeping accommodation for four people. And they are quite large: two people can sleep on the two metre long and 1.83 metre (!) wide berth in the foredeck. At the foremost end, however, the width is only 44 centimetres. A 2.45 metre long and 75 centimetre wide berth is fitted aft on the starboard side. On the port side, the counterpart is just as wide, but 50 centimetres shorter. The reason for this is the small kitchen cupboard. The "Momo" has cooking utensils, a small cooker, sink with mini water tank and even a cool box.
Sailart 20 is still being built today
There would be space under the companionway for a Porta Potti or similar. But there is no privacy. There are very neatly finished storage compartments under the berths. The luggage for the family can be stowed easily. The living space is further increased with a cake stand. Of course, you shouldn't expect the comfort of a large yacht on a 20-footer, but it's enough for a long weekend. Even longer for two. Owner Delfosse has already spent several weeks on his "Momo".
Just like on deck, the interior also shows how well thought out everything is. Everything is where it should be and simply works well. The same applies to the storage spaces in the cockpit. The open stern is of course not to everyone's taste, but it is certainly practical, as the boat does not need a cockpit bilge pump and the outboard motor is easily accessible. Bathing stops are also fun thanks to the bathing ladder and low entry.
Anyone interested in a Sailart 20 can still order it new. This costs from 42,500 euros. Used boats are available for between 20,000 and 30,000 euros, depending on their age and equipment. However, the market is very tight. Shipyard boss Störck reports that there is a list of interested parties and that most of the ships are sold within a day. As many Sailarts also spend the winter in the shipyard, he is the first port of call for anyone interested in second-hand boats.
The ships are very carefully built, so there are hardly any known problems. The halyard for the swivelling keel, whose tackle runs in the mast support, used to have a wire leader. This sometimes caused the tackle to twist and become stiff. However, the shipyard had a solution for this. Another point is the mast foot. It is reinforced with wood. It had to be reworked on the "Momo" because moisture had penetrated. But this is said to be an isolated case.
Alternatives to the Sailart are the First 210 or later First 20, a small backdecker that was built in large numbers. However, the Beneteau is several hundred kilograms heavier. A Jantar 21 or the Mariner 20 from Poland are also comparable, at least in terms of length and layout. What the Sailart has in its favour, however, is its timeless shape; the design of the other ships is subject to the zeitgeist of the years in which they were built. What is rare is the exquisite build quality paired with consistent lightweight construction. This and the good sailing characteristics as well as the well thought-out layout below deck together generate an overall package that justifies the high used boat prices.
Incidentally, if you believe the information provided by the shipyard on the achievable rates for second-hand ships, then at least owner Delfosse has sailed a real investment for 14 years. Another very pleasant side effect for a small cruiser that already does a lot of things right.
Model history and design
The Sailart 20 has been built almost unchanged since 2002. There is a version with one window on each side and one with two windows in the superstructure, one of which can be opened. A premium version has teak in the cockpit and a mahogany interior. The boat is built by hand with a Divinycell foam core. This is light, rigid and durable.
Market situation
The Sailart 20 is difficult to find second-hand. If you are looking for one, it is best to contact the shipyard. Many ships come there for maintenance. If a customer wants to sell, shipyard owner Störck usually knows and can act as an intermediary.
Pay attention to this
Moisture can penetrate the base of the mast if screws are loose or plugs have been fitted incorrectly, for example. A reinforcement is laminated into the deck, which can then become soft, as happened with owner Delfosse. The repair is not difficult, but it is important. If the keel halyard is stiff, this is due to the wire lead at the end of the tackle in the mast support. The repair is simple: just replace the wire leader with Dyneema.
The measured values for testing the Sailart 20
The Sailart 20 in detail
Technical data of the Sailart 20
- Designer: Marc Oliver von Ahlen
- CE design category: C
- Torso length: 6,00 m
- Total length: 6,30 m
- Waterline length: 5,80 m
- Width: 2,50 m
- Draught/alternative: 1,30/0,60 m
- Mast height above WL: 9,00 m
- Theor. torso speed: 5.9 kn
- Weight: 820 kg
- Ballast/proportion: 180 Kg/22 %
- Mainsail: 12,2 m2
- SW-Fock: 5,8 m2
- Machine: Outboard motor
- Fuel tank: 10 l
- Fresh water tank: 10 l
- Holding tank: Chemical WC
Price and shipyard
- Base price 2002: 20.000 €
- Used price: 25.000-30.000 €
- New price 2024: 25.000-42.500 €
Shipyard
Sailart, Erftstadt, www.sailart.de
YACHT rating of the Sailart 20
Solid sailing characteristics and plenty of comfort for the size. A great small cruiser package
Design and concept
- + Lightweight and solidly built
- + Unsinkable
Sailing performance and trim
- - Mainsail trimming equipment
Living and finishing quality
- + Spacious berth dimensions
Equipment and technology
- + Very high-quality fittings
