CAL 20 Fleet 13
Victoria, British Columbia

The members of Cal 20 Fleet 13 send greetings and a friendly hello to all Cal 20 owners and sailors in the South Vancouver Island area. We in Fleet 13 would be pleased to hear from you or about you. Possibly, too, there are sailors who don’t have a Cal 20 but may be interested in getting one or crewing on one. First, for the new owners, just a few words about the boat which provides the focus of our sailing activities.

The Cal 20 (full name California 20) was designed by C. William Lapworth, a marine architect, in 1960 specifically for the heavy weather conditions of San Francisco. It was planned as a racing sailboat for couples, to be rugged, safe and affordable. As it turns out it still is all of that today, nearly forty years later. The product turned our to be a twenty foot sloop with a heavy duty fibreglass hull, a large iron keel (plate and torpedo bulb) weighing 900 lbs., a moderate sail plan of 196 square feet, main and 110% jib on a 7/8 fractional rig. These features combine to form a boat which comes alive in 15-25 knots and is easily handled by a crew of two. In a word, the boat is fun!

Fleet 13 has an active calendar of events including Round the Buoys Races, Long distance races and social  events.  Members come from various clubs and marinas in the region including the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, The Oak Bay Marina, Shawnigan Lake and San Juan Island in Washington State

The Round the Buoy races take place every Wednesday night during the spring and summer and every second Sunday during the fall and winter

Fleet 13 has been based out of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club since receiving it’s charter in 1966, although you don’t have to be a member of RVYC to be a member of Fleet 13. As a matter of fact to be a member of Fleet 13 it will set you back $10/year and while this may seem prohibitive at first it more than pays for itself in terms of camaraderie and competition. Fleet 13 is the largest one design Fleet on Vancouver Island and sometimes we get ten or more boats on the racecourse for a fun day of around the buoys sailing and we regularly see 10 plus boats for major regattas. We have sailing year round, weather permitting and half the fun is getting together after the race for beverages and tall tales in the lounge at RVYC, non-members more than welcome as guests.