Ensenada 20
Description
The Ensenada 20 is a compact, trailerable recreational sailboat designed by renowned American naval architect Lyle C. Hess as a raised-deck evolution of his 1967 Balboa 20, sharing the same hull mold for enhanced cabin space and seaworthiness. Built primarily by Coastal Recreation, Inc. in Newport Beach, California, from 1972 to 1976 (with ~100–200 units produced), it features a fractional sloop rig, raked stem, angled transom, transom-hung rudder with tiller, and a lifting keel for shallow-water access. An optional pop-top cabin adds headroom, making it ideal for weekend cruising, club racing, or family outings on lakes and coastal waters. Known for its stability in winds over 30 knots and surprisingly roomy interior (sleeps 4), it's a "high performer" with a SA/D ratio of ~18, blending accessibility with capable handling.
Construction Details
| Designer | Lyle Hess |
|---|---|
| Builder | Coastal Recreation |
| Length | 20.000 ft |
| LOA | 20.000 ft |
| LWL | 17.500 ft |
| Beam | 7.080 ft |
| Displacement | 1600 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.000 ft |
| Min Draft | 1.750 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 19.67 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.50 ft |
| p | 21 ft |
| e | 8.16 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.67 ft | 8.50 ft | 21 ft | 8.16 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 21 ft - (6401 mm) |
| Foot | * 8.16 ft - (2487 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.07 ft - (6727 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 22.26 ft - (6785 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | * 88.08 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 20.5 ft - (6248 mm) |
| Foot | 9.33 ft - (2844 mm) |
| Leech | 16.58 ft - (5054 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 87.18 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 7.41 ft - (2259 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 14.04 ° |
| Area | * 75.96 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 19.5 ft - (5944 mm) |
| Foot | 11.83 ft - (3606 mm) |
| Leech | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 120.47 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.24 ft - (3121 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.7 ° |
| Area | * 99.82 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 20.25 ft - (6172 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.34 ft - (4371 mm) |
| Leech | 18.5 ft - (5639 mm) |
| Percentage LP | 149 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.65 ft - (3856 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.72 ° |
| Area | * 128.09 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 20.5 ft - (6248 mm) |
| Foot | 14.58 ft - (4444 mm) |
| Leech | 18.42 ft - (5614 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.41 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.7 ft - (3871 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.04 ° |
| Area | * 130.19 ft² |
| Sail Type | DRIFTER |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 20.36 ft - (6206 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.1 ft - (4602 mm) |
| Leech | * 17.7 ft - (5395 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perp | * 12.75 ft - (3886 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 9.01 ° |
| Area | * 129.82 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 21 ft - (6401 mm) |
| Foot | 14.5 ft - (4420 mm) |
| Leech | 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 228 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 20.36 ft - (6206 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 265 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.