vivacity 20 sailboat review

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Vivacity 20 Yacht

• Thread starter AlistairM
• Start date 15 Sep 2004
• 15 Sep 2004

Has anyone any info on these boats. Are they suitable for small coast hopping trips and weekend sailing. What are the pitfalls (other than age) of these. Any thoughts greatfully received. Alistair <hr width=100% size=1>  

Well-known member

I once owned an Alacrity which is virtually identical but only 18 feet long and made by the same company.I also sailed on a Vivacity 20 belonging to someone else. Both are very strongly built and seaworthy yachts.They are not fast but sail better than you would imagine considering the shallow draught and stubby bilge keels. They have 3 or 4 full size comfortable berths but the cabins have only sitting headroom and not much stowage space.Really for more than a weekend I would say there is room for 2 adults and a child.More than that and you will be cramped. They can be dried out on hard sand or soft mud .One thing to watch is that the rudder can lift off the pintles as it dries out so ship it or secure it somehow. Yes they can be used for coastal cruising and should not have a problem up to about a force 5 to 6 if well equiped and in the right hands.(Im sure there are stories of them surviving much heavier weather at sea .) <hr width=100% size=1>  

Had one for 11yrs, sailed on the Bristol channel and used overnight. Never a worrying moment, super little boat. Changed to a Centaur because I am over 6ft and fancied an inboard and going further afield. I honestly cant remember any real problems peculiar to this boat that you wouldnt get with any other. My first boat and a delight. <hr width=100% size=1>  

Thanks all some encouraging replies. I am also looking to drop in the bristol channel on the welsh side <hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1> Edited by AlistairM on 15/09/2004 13:26 (server time). </FONT></P>  

I have an Alacrity myself, which is the Vivacity's little sister. This summer my wife and I were out cruising for 15 days without any problem whatsoever. I sail in the Baltic though, so no English weather (well, maybe a little). The windward capabilty is not so bad despite the bilge keels. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/jenku/summer04.html>http://www.geocities.com/jenku/summer04.html</A> <hr width=100% size=1>http://www.sail.to/alacrity<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1> Edited by jenku on 15/09/2004 15:28 (server time). </FONT></P>  

• 16 Sep 2004

My first boat was a Vivacity and she gave me a lot of fun. I sailed her in and around the Forth estuary for a number of seasons, and its ability to take the bottom made it great for visiting wee drying out harbours. We got into all sorts of interesting places. I entirely agree with the advice to attach a safety line to the rudder: ours lifted off the pintles overnight in the Tay at Perth and I had an extremely anxious row in the dinghy before very thankfully finding it a mile upstream drifting slowly round in a tidal eddy. Possible problems: the bilge keels are part of the hull moulding and they are filled with "encapsulated" ballast. This means that they are slightly tapered and vertical (so that the mould could release) which in theory is not quite so good as (externally attached) angled keels for sailing performance or drying out stability. Can't say I ever found it a problem other than when antifouling when the lack of space between them and between keels and hull was a bit of a pain! You might want to have a look at the bottom of the keels. The previous owner of mine kept her on a hard sand / stony drying mooring and the bottoms of the keels had suffered a bit from the pounding. There are protective GRP shoes on the keel bottoms, but on mine these and the underlying moulding had cracked badly letting water in to the ballast. In my case the ballast was thousands of mild steel stampings (the oval shaped bits produced when making the holes in Dexion angle) mixed with what looked like pitch. It worked far better than it sounds and even with severe salt water exposure only the immediate surface layer rusted and expanded. All reasonably easy to fix over the winter. The Vivacity can have one subtle, but potentially lethal, trap. The sink is mounted to starboad at the point of maximum beam and it drains via a skin fitting just above the normal water line. It is a really good idea to fit a seacock into this drain - and keep it closed while sailing. If not then, when well heeled on port tack, nothing (other than maybe the sink plug) stops the sea filling the sink via the drain. The sink normally has a worktop cover over it which means that you don't see this happening. The water then quietly overflows the sink (under the cover, remember!), runs down behind the bunks, and slowly fills the boat. A foot of water in the cabin after a couple of hours to windward is very possible - and quite baffling since with the boat restored to even keel there is no further ingress and it is not at all obvious where all the water came from! <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 17 Sep 2004

I had noticed the sink issue, I will definetly be fitting a seacock now. I am very greatfull for all your responses, you have certainly set my mind at ease. I am very impressed at how knowledgable this forum is and the broad spectrum of knowledge to boot. Thanks once more , I will look forward to a winter season of fitting out a Vivacity. Alistair <hr width=100% size=1>  

Trevor_swfyc

I had a Vivacity 650 great for river trips but once I ventured further it became obvious that a bigger boat with a diesel engine was required. Force 5 - 6 with wind over tide and an outboard for propulsion was not good news, no the vivacity was an excellent first boat and if you intend to coast hop then it pays to work the tides and be a bit cautious with the weather, but maybe you don't scare easily. Trevor <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 25 May 2007

Yes I own one at present and I have found it to be easy to sail and as long as you don't push it it is a great little boat. The only thing I have struggled with is sails I can't seem to get a hold of any second hand and a new Jib is in the £3/400 range. If you here of any one selling sails let me know I am desprate now.  

• 19 Mar 2013

Martin Hatchuel

DaveS said: My first boat was a Vivacity and she gave me a lot of fun. I sailed her in and around the Forth estuary for a number of seasons, and its ability to take the bottom made it great for visiting wee drying out harbours. We got into all sorts of interesting places. I entirely agree with the advice to attach a safety line to the rudder: ours lifted off the pintles overnight in the Tay at Perth and I had an extremely anxious row in the dinghy before very thankfully finding it a mile upstream drifting slowly round in a tidal eddy. Possible problems: the bilge keels are part of the hull moulding and they are filled with "encapsulated" ballast. This means that they are slightly tapered and vertical (so that the mould could release) which in theory is not quite so good as (externally attached) angled keels for sailing performance or drying out stability. Can't say I ever found it a problem other than when antifouling when the lack of space between them and between keels and hull was a bit of a pain! You might want to have a look at the bottom of the keels. The previous owner of mine kept her on a hard sand / stony drying mooring and the bottoms of the keels had suffered a bit from the pounding. There are protective GRP shoes on the keel bottoms, but on mine these and the underlying moulding had cracked badly letting water in to the ballast. In my case the ballast was thousands of mild steel stampings (the oval shaped bits produced when making the holes in Dexion angle) mixed with what looked like pitch. It worked far better than it sounds and even with severe salt water exposure only the immediate surface layer rusted and expanded. All reasonably easy to fix over the winter. The Vivacity can have one subtle, but potentially lethal, trap. The sink is mounted to starboad at the point of maximum beam and it drains via a skin fitting just above the normal water line. It is a really good idea to fit a seacock into this drain - and keep it closed while sailing. If not then, when well heeled on port tack, nothing (other than maybe the sink plug) stops the sea filling the sink via the drain. The sink normally has a worktop cover over it which means that you don't see this happening. The water then quietly overflows the sink (under the cover, remember!), runs down behind the bunks, and slowly fills the boat. A foot of water in the cabin after a couple of hours to windward is very possible - and quite baffling since with the boat restored to even keel there is no further ingress and it is not at all obvious where all the water came from! <hr width=100% size=1> Click to expand...

• 26 Mar 2013

Martin Hatchuel said: Thanks for all this information - I've just bought a Vivacity 20 that was built in 1971 here in South Africa - she's my first yacht and although she's in good enough shape (we had only to replace a pulley and service the motor before we could go out in her), we're looking forward to restoring her shiny and bright. Your information will help us with that. Thanks again! Click to expand...

I'm fairly sure 'My Poll' in Michael Green's Art of Coarse Cruising was a Vivacity 20. A very funny book and well worth a read.  

Hendrik le Roux

• 16 Mar 2015

Hello I'm just about to buy a Vivacity 20. Any info/advice appreciated. Thanks.  

LittleSister

Great little boats if you find one in reasonable condition. Two friends lived on one for three years (rather them than me!), during which they circumnavigated Britain. Some years later they bought another because they had liked the boat so much.  

• 17 Mar 2015

Mctavish said: Hello I'm just about to buy a Vivacity 20. Any info/advice appreciated. Thanks. Click to expand...

Our first cruiser. Quite strongly built and gave us our first three years of cruising round the Solent and beyond. Only had a 5hp Tohatsu 2-stroke on the stern but it was enough to allow safe manoeuvring. Even towed it up to Burnham on Crouch for a week's cruising/racing with the owners association. Happy memories of a good little boat.  

PuffTheMagicDragon

Active member.

My very first 'boat-with-a-lid'! Unimpressed at first I bought a furling genoa in the second season. The difference that this had on performance was incredible. Over the second winter I fitted a little single-cylinder marine diesel; this was more reliable than an outboard, especially in waves over 1 foot height. Longest 'open sea' passage was between Malta and Sicily (55 miles or so). No problems there, she will take care of you, even if rather wet. Stayed with my son on board for a week on several occasions. He was around ten at that time Down side was the lack of headroom. I became quite expert at moving around on my knees when below! Changed her for a Centaur twenty years ago when I needed space to stretch my arms when standing without having to go out in the rain, wanted a separate heads and my son became too big to do the antifouling between the twin keels. Two boats later I still miss that boat, even though I still can go on her sometimes with the friend who bought her. Note that we are still friends!  

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VIVACITY 20 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of VIVACITY 20. Built by Russell Marine Ltd. and designed by undefined, the boat was first built in 1963. It has a hull type of Twin Keel and LOA is 6.1. Its sail area/displacement ratio 18.96. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

VIVACITY 20 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about VIVACITY 20 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, contributions, who builds vivacity 20.

VIVACITY 20 is built by Russell Marine Ltd..

When was VIVACITY 20 first built?

VIVACITY 20 was first built in 1963.

How long is VIVACITY 20?

VIVACITY 20 is 5.33 m in length.

What is mast height on VIVACITY 20?

VIVACITY 20 has a mast height of 6.3 m.

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