BoatsAlerion Yachts Express 20

Alerion Yachts Express 20

Fractional Sloop · Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · First built 1996

A Carl Schumacher-designed fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited daysailing

Designed by Carl Schumacher, built by Tillotson Pearson Inc.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.08 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 862 kg of hull, so roughly 1,450 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 1.07 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 13 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 13
CoastalBluewater

2.21 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.21
LightHeavy

170 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 170
EasygoingPowered-up

23.0 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 23.0
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Lighter than ~75% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~87% of boats her size on file

Compared with 563 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
41.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
23.0
Displacement / length
170.2
Comfort ratio
12.6
Capsize screening
2.21
Hull speed
5.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
417
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1996
Units built
45
Designer
Carl Schumacher
Builder
Tillotson Pearson Inc, Alerion Yachts

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.

Bavaria Yachts 6066.50 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA lightweight 6.5-metre fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing
Abbott Boats Inc. Yngling6.35 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 6.35-metre fractional sloop that served as the Olympic class for women sailors from 2004 through 2008
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/226.86 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Rod Johnstone, built for competitive one-design racing and day sailing
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
J J/77.04 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailing
J Boats J/706.93 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Alan Johnstone, with over 1,100 units delivered for one-design racing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

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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