BoatsDark Harbor 20

Dark Harbor 20

Fractional Sloop · Fin Keel · First built 1934

An Olin Stephens-designed one-design class based on Gimrack, still actively raced in Maine waters since 1934

Designed by Olin Stephens, Sparkman & Stephens, built by George Lawley.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin Keel

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

At 1.55 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.55
LightHeavy

290 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 290
EasygoingPowered-up

19.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.1
TenderStiff

50% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 50%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Lighter than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~83% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~98% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2507 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
50.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.1
Displacement / length
290.2
Comfort ratio
27.7
Capsize screening
1.55
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
480
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Wood
Production
Years built
First built 1934
Units built
21
Designer
Olin Stephens, Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
George Lawley, Lawley (George Lawley, Son)

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

San Juan 288.74 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull
Dufour Arpege 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA record-breaking production of over 1500 units, this MORC-compliant racer-cruiser defined a new standard for the 30-foot class
Spirit 329.48 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Jacques De Ridder-designed IOR 23-footer built for nearly two decades as a stiff, masthead-rigged fin-keel sloop
Tartan Marine 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop offering versatile interior configurations and a choice of standard or tall rigs
Cal Boats 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered with an optional tall rig, this masthead sloop served as the predecessor to the 2-30 series
Granada Yachts 319.39 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA masthead sloop with a spade rudder and nearly 46% ballast ratio, designed for stability in a 31-foot hull

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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