One Rule, Many Designs
Known for its elegant design and impressive performance, the Chesapeake 20 offers a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. The Twenties have been evolving since the first one was built. Originally Hard-Chimed, the boat continually changed as Dick Hartge and other builders on the Chesapeake Bay built them with Challenger becoming the first Round-Chimed twenties we think of today.
Despite its reputation as a one-design class, the Class is actually a development rule class much like the A-Class Catamaran. As the Start Class entered the Chesapeake Bay and began to replace the Chesapeake 20 Class, the Class consolidated around the Hartge-built boats as they were the fastest designs. Our sail numbers tell you the story of how each of our boats were made.
#0-199
Original Woodies
1930s-1950s
Hand-Built by a few different builders, but most surviving (and faster) ones were built by Captain Dick Hartge in Galesville, Maryland.
#200-299
Fiberglass
1990s
With most of them molded from Endeavor in the 90s, these injected a new period of growth. Built by Chesapeake 20 Boatworks. There was an earlier batch of fiberglass hulls on a different mold.
#300+
Cold Molded
2000s
Three Chesapeake 20s were built in Cold Molded methods in the 2000s. These include Starlight and Gracie. Each were formed off of different wood hulls or naval architect corrected plans.