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TEST Text and photos: Gilles Ruffet 25 years of tests to be download on www.-world.com ASTUS 20.2

The successful day-sailer

A pretty little , ideal for day cruising as well as for having a blast… Even though it is called the Astus 20.2, this Astus is nothing like the previous one, the 20.1. A guided tour of one of the nicest little day-boats.

The trend is serious: small day- is built on new moulds, the rent practice in the car industry. the cruiser version’s 21m² of are superse- and the floats are different, the Traditionally, the Astus belongs sail, our test boat offered 24m², ding yesterday’s monohull cen- coachroof too, and even the to the small day-boat family, a gain of more than 10%. treboarders. And so much the crossbeams have been modi- resolutely oriented towards crui- Otherwise, the 20.2’s mast is no better. To ensure its place within fied. The 20.2 is also wider sing, not performance. But here taller than that on the 20.1, but this segment, the Astus 20.2 unfolded, yet much narrower again, Vincent pointed out “the the previous rounded coachroof has a number of advantages. Of folded! owners’ experience showed has been replaced by a more course, it is more stable than So we are justified in asking the that from a peaceful cruising angular design (flatter, like the the centreboarders. The teles- managers of a winning company boat, they were starting to try Astus 22), which has allowed an copic folding system makes it why? With 75 examples of the and get an extra tenth of a knot extra 15cm on the mainsail luff, easy to launch, store and trans- 20.1 sold, we are talking of a out of the boat, to beat their giving a larger total area. port. The small cabin allows two real success. “Many customers mates, and that the rather basic Our test boat even had a nice people to sleep aboard, and will made remarks,” Vincent Gibet, fittings of the family version shelter four people at meal responsible for customer tests were no longer sufficient.” times. In addition, it is easy to and the press at Astus Boats Hence the builder’s decision to sail, it can sail fast if there is a pointed out. “Certain people meet their expectations. The little bit of breeze, and still per- complained that the trampoline customer is king (and when, in forms well in light weather. was too small, or that access to addition, the company manager What more could you ask for? the cabin was difficult, as the comes from a business Make no mistake: the Astus crossbeam passed just behind school...). The 20.2 is therefore 20.2 is a completely new boat. it.” Hence the idea that came available in two versions, the Unlike many builders, who, by from Jean-Hubert Pommois (the basic one, dedicated to day crui- adding an XX.2 or an XX.3 are company’s boss) of creating a sing, and a sport version, boos- satisfied with adding a transfer completely new boat, without ted with several extra square On a 20-foot trimaran, adjusting the trim and two handles, the Astus 20.2 changing the name, as is cur- metres of sail area: compared to is of paramount importance. Don’t hesitate to move around the trampoline. 74 74-77_essai_MM141-US.QXP:essai_MM141_US 11/05/10 15:43 Page 75

Our test trimaran (the ‘sport’ version) took off in the slightest gust! suit of sails in Pentex, one of had moved back slightly. the most high performance I bore away and took in the composites, which is stiff line, and the problem was and light. These sails are in a solved. very nice-looking grey (in any On this kind of small boat, case, very photogenic). The even more so than on any test boat’s suit of sails was other, the trim is of para- completed by a downwind mount importance. The rud- gennaker, with more belly der is of course right aft, and and flown from the hounds, although the stick is telesco- and a bigger spinnaker, also pic, it is perhaps a little bit flown from the hounds. short to allow the helmsman, depending on the point of sai- with 120° between tacks. cap shrouds will soon be AN EASY BOAT ling, to position his body The gennaker sheet is led replaced by stay adjusters. TO SAIL where it will best trim the back to a winch block fixed Thus after each time the When I arrived at Saint- boat. Thus when sailing to on the aft crossbeam with a mast is unstepped (even Philibert, the boat was windward, I moved right for- tape, and is made fast on a though the shrouds do not already rigged, the mast was ward, comfortably on the small cleat. Later, when there have to be removed to trans- stepped and we quickly float; Vincent did the same was a bit more wind, under port the boat and its mast on launched it. Phew, the jib and mainsail, we had diffi- its trailer), the adjusters just almost non-existent mor- ning breeze had given way to a bit of wind – so much « The Astus belongs to the small day-boat family, the better. This boat is like a little bike, in the sense that resolutely oriented towards cruising, you can do what you want with it, without having to not performance. » use the engine. Thus, whilst I remained ashore to take some photos of the boat and the leeward float hardly under sail, Vincent left the touched the water. The culty making more than 100° have to be refitted between quay and returned under increase in speed was imme- between tacks, on a flat sea. the chainplates and shroud mainsail alone – the joys of a diate, and the GPS screen Gybes followed tacks; we terminals. manoeuvrable little boat. This went almost instantaneously explored the Baie de The standing rigging is com- square-headed mainsail is from 5 to 7 knots. Quiberon and enjoyed this pleted by runners, in a hoisted in the mast groove; it The wind was very light, so boat, (which proved to be Y-shape, one end of which is is hauled taut with the help of we unrolled the gennaker. very manoeuvrable whatever fixed to a purchase, and a Cunningham, which does This is a flat sail, and thus the point of sailing) to the full. otherwise fixed to the for- And in a gust which came ward crossbeam – float from nowhere, we reached a connection. They are in top speed of over 10 knots, Dyneema, and stabilise the under gennaker. This was to platform. Their ends deserve be the day’s maximum (some better than the knots which people have surfed at a lot fray at their extremities. more than that), but we were However, this is not compli- exceeding the ‘normal’ range cated to do, all you need are of use. the needles, and suitable A VERY SIMPLE RIG thimbles (see MW 110). As for comfort aboard, the A quick glance at the sails exterior area is more than showed that although the jib respectable (with regard to roller was attached classically the size of the boat). The at the bow, its sheeting cockpit is king-sized, open system deserved a bit more and spacious; you can lie attention. In a quest for sim- down in it with no problems plicity, and to make up for the for a siesta, at anchor, or absence of a winch, this jib when the rest of the crew is sheet passes via a block on doing its best to improve the the clew of the jib, thus for- boat’s trim to get the best out ming a 2:1 purchase; it ends of it... The total length of the with a snap-link which The 20.2: a completely new boat in the Astus range. attaches to the trampoline lashing. This system allows away with the need for a quite versatile; it allowed us precise adjustment of the winch. Moreover, there are to sail with the wind abeam clew according to the point of none on the boat. and even closer with no sailing, by simply moving this I climbed back aboard and problems. Finally, this sail has snap-link. The other end is led finally took the helm. a lot in common with a Code back to a turret-jammer. Strangely, it was a little 0, and in these light condi- The system is ingenious and heavy, whilst we were only tions, we were sailing res- practical. doing 5 or 6 knots. A glance pectably close to the wind; As for the standing rigging, at the rudder lifting system with less than 10 knots of on our test boat, the textile showed that the rudder blade breeze, we were at 6 knots, lashings on the shrouds and The cockpit is king-sized, and allows you to live in it comfortably.

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TEST

seats is 245cm (with, it is true, It was already late in the day the aft crossbeam which limits and it was time to return to the the ‘lying’ length to 165cm); the river at La Trinité. We came cockpit’s maximum width is alongside the quay. Before put- 140cm, and that of the seating ting the boat back on its trailer, is 40cm. the floats have to be retracted. The companionway giving The operation is very simple, access to the small cabin is very the runners have to be freed practical (max. height 62cm, first, before releasing the tram- max. width 52cm), a clear poline lashing tensioning line, improvement compared to the undoing the two pins which 20.1, and two people can sleep hold the crossbeams (mechani- inside. Four people can sit here, cal, in aluminium tube) in the but would be a bit cramped.

A manoeuvrable boat which is great fun to helm. was essential. They are just as using a three-dimensional they should be on a trimaran, numerically-controlled cutting that is: minimum wetted sur- process, on blocks of foam. face area, whilst offering a This offers a perfect design. maximum deck area. To this can Simply looking at the perspec- be added the fact that they tive of the ridge of the ‘step’ in have to fold, and thus come the hull is enough to convince within the trailing limits once you. As is often the case with the arms are retracted; thanks small builders, the composite to the use of double tubes, the part (frankly, the most unplea- 20.2 folds further and better, as sant part, the lamination), is its total beam is reduced to sub-contracted. The construc- Thanks to its trailer, the Astus 20.2 allows you to go easily from one cruising area 2.4m. More than necessary! tion prioritises monolithic, to another. Three cheers for transportable boats! The rudder and except for the flat parts, which pivot. It is not as easy as it are made in sandwich. seems to meet a specification Maximum height is 125cm, open position. All that remains which is finally complex. And IN CONCLUSION the double berth offers then is to walk on the trampo- this is the beauty of the exer- It’s certain, here we have a very 190cm x 110cm as its largest line to retract the arms; they are cise. pleasant boat; a little, three-leg- dimensions. then folded towards the central As for the construction, it ged day-boat, which is easy to hull, talking care to keep the COMING ASHORE: appears to us to be carefully launch, prepare and sail. arms parallel. A LOOK AT THE carried out; the same care has Obviously, in strong winds, you Once out of the water, a look at HULLS BELOW been taken with the mould. must show a little restraint. the hulls below the waterline THE WATERLINE Here, the preform was realised

TECHNICAL « On this kind of small boat, SPECIFICATIONS: even more so than on any other, the trim Astus 20.2 is of paramount importance... » Overall length (central hull): 5.95 m. Float length: 5.40 m Max beam, floats extended: 4.5 m Mast height: 7.65 m Displacement: 380kg. Draft: 0.25 m / 1.25 m Windward sail area (cruising): 20 m² (Mainsail: 14.5 m²; jib: THE PLUSSES 5.5 m²) Windward sail area (sport): 24 m² • A little boat which is easy to transport (Mainsail: 17m²; jib: 7 m²) and store. Downwind sail area: 35m² • Not too expensive. (42m² in the sport version). Max engine power: 6 hp. THE MINUSES Design: Jean-Hubert Pommois Architect: • Not ideal for big families. Perspective Design Price: Astus 20.2: 19,800 euros Price of the ‘sport’ version tested: 21,960 euros

The interior allows two people to sleep aboard. Ideal for coastal camping...

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THE DYNEEMA RUNNING BACKSTAYS The ends of the braid deserve THE BOWSPRIT better than this simple knot... Telescopic; it takes the gennaker. THE 6:1 PURCHASE Only on the sport version; allows good control of the mainsail.

The Astus 20.2 under sail.

THE TELESCOPIC TILLER EXTENSION. It is long, but not long enough to allow the helmsman to position himself where he would optimise the boat’s trim..

THE JIB SHEET. One end is fixed to a snap-link which is attached, THE ANCHOR LOCKER. THE LIFTING RUDDER. according to the point of sailing, more or less towards Its position, at the mast foot, helps with Just like the , the lifting rudder the forward end of the weight distribution; of course we would have allows the boat to be beached. trampoline; it passes preferred to see the weight of the chain and A pin would hold it in the lowered through a block on the jib the anchor stowed lower. position, a complication the builder does clew before returning to not want to fit, so that the boat can a turret – jammer. be beached and refloated easily.

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