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Flying Dutchman

Sunbeam Yachts · designed by Uus van Essen · 1951

centerboarderBermuda rigNetherlands

The Flying Dutchman is a 20-foot bermuda rig sailboat designed by Uus van Essen and built by Sunbeam Yachts, first launched in 1951.

Flying Dutchman sailboat
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

General

Builder Sunbeam Yachts
Designer Uus van Essen
Years built 1951
Hull type centerboarder
Rig type Bermuda rig
Construction fiberglass
Origin Netherlands

Dimensions

LOA19.88 ft6.06 m
LWL18.04 ft5.50 m
Beam5.84 ft1.78 m
Draft (max)3.67 ft1.12 m
Displacement364 lb165 kg
Ballast
Sail Area183 ft²17.0 m²

Design ratios

Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.

SA / Displacement 57.43 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 28 Ultralight
Comfort Ratio 2.9 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 3.27 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 5.7 kn Theoretical max displacement speed
How these numbers are calculated
SA / Displacement
SA ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(2/3) — Power-to-weight. < 16 under-canvassed, 16–20 cruiser, > 20 racer.
Ballast / Displacement
Ballast ÷ Disp × 100 — Stability/stiffness. Higher carries sail better.
Displacement / Length
Disp(lt) ÷ (0.01 · LWL)³ — < 100 ultralight, 100–200 light, 200–300 moderate, > 300 heavy.
Comfort Ratio (Brewer)
Disp ÷ (0.65 · (0.7·LWL + 0.3·LOA) · Beam^1.33) — Motion in a seaway. Higher = more comfortable offshore.
Capsize Screening
Beam ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(1/3) — ≤ 2.0 favored for offshore; > 2.0 better for coastal use.
Hull Speed
1.34 · √LWL — Theoretical max displacement speed in knots.

Estimated price

$9,500 typical range $7,500 – $11,500

⚠ Rough estimate only — not market data. Derived from a simple model based on length and hull age; actual asking prices vary widely with condition, equipment, engine hours and location.

Data sources: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA)