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Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20

1974–1998 · designed by Bruce Bingham · built by Pacific Seacraft

The Flicka 20 was designed by Bruce Bingham as a full-ocean-capable pocket cruiser — a heavily built, full-keel sloop intended to be sailed offshore by a couple or solo sailor without compromise. Despite her 20-foot LOA, Bingham specified offshore scantlings, a deep full keel, and high freeboard to create a seaworthy vessel capable of extended coastal and offshore passages. She earned a cult following precisely because Pacific Seacraft built her to the same standards as their larger bluewater designs rather than treating her as a daysailor. The tradeoff is cramped accommodations and slow passage speeds by modern standards.

This is a general read on the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 class — informed background, not a verdict on any individual boat. Condition, refit history, and how a particular hull was sailed and stored matter far more than class reputation. Use it to know what to look for; for a read on a specific listing, run a free FairKeel report on that boat.

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At a glance

Hull form: Full Keel
Ballast: Encapsulated Lead
Rudder: Transom Hung
Mast step: Deck Stepped
Hull construction: Fiberglass
Production: 1974–1998
Built in: USA

What the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 is known for

Exceptionally heavy construction relative to size — hull layup and scantlings match Pacific Seacraft's larger offshore designs, making structural failures rare.
Full keel with transom-hung rudder gives predictable, forgiving handling and tracks well in heavy weather without demanding constant helm attention.
Strong resale demand and active owner community mean parts knowledge, refit experience, and comparable sales data are readily available.
Deck-stepped mast in a stainless tabernacle makes rig lowering straightforward for canal passages or single-handed maintenance.
Cult following and documented offshore track record give her unusual credibility for a 20-foot production boat.

Known trade-offs

Standing headroom is approximately 5'4" at best — below-average even for her era, and genuinely limiting for crew over about 5'6".
Heavy displacement and long full keel produce slow passage speeds; 4–5 knots is a realistic average passage speed under most conditions.
Limited tankage (water and fuel) restricts offshore range without jerry-can supplementation — a genuine constraint on longer passages.
Encapsulated lead ballast on older hulls can develop stress cracking at the keel-hull joint, and full assessment requires invasive inspection.
Cockpit is small and the boat is wet in any kind of chop — offshore use demands committed crew who are comfortable with an active motion and limited cockpit shelter.

Age-related quirks to expect

Deck core moisture intrusion around chainplates and fittings Medium 1974–1990

Original lead ballast encapsulation — stress cracking at keel-hull joint common on older hulls Medium 1974–1995

Original Atomic 4 or early Universal diesel engines requiring repower or major overhaul on surviving examples Medium 1974–1988

Cabin trunk/deck joint crazing and stress cracking — cosmetic but signals deferred maintenance cycles Low 1974–1985

Teak decks (where fitted) lifted or leaking, with fastener-hole core saturation High 1974–1992

Systems to check before you buy

Keel-hull joint and encapsulated lead ballast priority: offshore, coastal

The encapsulated lead ballast is set into the molded hull. Look for stress cracking or gelcoat damage at the keel-hull joint seam, soft spots at the garboard, and any signs of the encapsulation shell being cracked or repaired. Sounding the keel-hull joint is mandatory; delamination here is a serious structural finding.

Standing rigging and deck-stepped mast tabernacle priority: offshore, coastal, weekending

The mast is deck-stepped in a stainless-steel tabernacle, which distributes compression through the cabin house sides to underdeck bulkheads rather than directly to the keel. Inspect the tabernacle base, compression post or beam beneath, and surrounding glasswork for cracking. On older hulls, original chainplates may be bronze or stainless — check for crevice corrosion at deck penetrations and any associated core saturation.

Engine and engine compartment priority: coastal, offshore, liveaboard

Many early Flickas were fitted with Atomic 4 gasoline engines that are approaching end of viable service life. Diesel conversions (typically Universal M-10 or Yanmar 1GM) vary widely in installation quality. Confirm fuel tank material (original fiberglass tanks may be delaminating), through-hull condition, and exhaust configuration.

Deck core — chainplate surrounds, hardware penetrations, and cabin top priority: offshore, coastal, liveaboard

Balsa-cored deck sections are common on mid-production hulls. Every hardware penetration is a potential moisture entry point. Use a moisture meter systematically across the side decks and cabin top; any reading significantly above the dry reference area warrants core sampling before purchase.

Through-hulls and sea cocks priority: offshore, coastal, liveaboard

With hulls now 25–50 years old, original bronze through-hulls may be dezincified or have deteriorated valve seats. Confirm each sea cock operates freely, is properly bedded, and shows no pink dezincification. Number and location of through-hulls varies by fit-out; count against builder drawings.

How it fits your plans

Offshore: The Flicka's design intent is offshore capable and she has completed ocean passages including Pacific crossings in the hands of skilled solo sailors. However, her 20-foot LOA means small water and fuel capacity, limited range under power, and a wet, motion-heavy ride in confused seas. Genuinely suitable for experienced short-handed sailors who understand her limits, not a comfortable ocean passage-maker for couples expecting standing headroom.
Coastal: Her best role in practice. Rugged construction, shoal-friendly draft, and forgiving full-keel handling make her an excellent coastal cruiser. Her small size makes anchoring, docking, and single-handed management straightforward. Range and provisioning capacity limit passages to 2–3 day hops.
Liveaboard: Not recommended as a primary liveaboard. Headroom is around 5'4" below the main hatch and the layout is tight for one person, impractical for two full-time. Occasionally used as a liveaboard by solo sailors in benign climates but this is a compromise.
Weekending: Well-suited for solo or couple weekend sailing. Simple rig, easy handling, and robust build absorb beginner mistakes. Storage for a long weekend is workable for two people traveling light.
Racing: Not applicable. The full-keel, heavy-displacement design is not competitive in any performance context.
Motor: Auxiliary power only. Engine options range from aging Atomic 4 gasoline engines to small single-cylinder diesels (Yanmar 1GM, Universal M-10). Motoring range is very limited by small fuel tankage; this is not a boat suited to significant motoring passages.

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