"The Ultimate 20 scores as a nimble, stable sport boat"
"It's hard not to compare the Ultimate 20 to the Melges 24. The latter serves as the touchstone sport boat of the 1990s, the first of a breed of keelboats that behaves more like a big dinghy than small ocean racer. Both are light and fast, with an emphasis on ease of handling and exciting sailing. Both adapt well to trailering.
The Ultimate 20, however, enjoys some distinct differences. Primary is the boat's greater beam for its length. A full eight feet wide, the Ultimate 20 offers a stable platform, both at the dock and when sailing upwind. We discovered this on a fun sail off Santa Cruz, California, in typical 15 knot winds and short chop on top of ocean swells. With a crew of only three, the boat actively resisted the urge to heel as we beat out into the Pacific.
Another noteworthy attribute on this 1,100-pound sloop is its extremely deep rudder, which stays in the water whenever the boat does raise its weather rail. Response to the slightest tiller movement was quick and sure, like the feel of an International 14 or a similarly light, nimble dinghy. The boat spins through a tack with dizzying speed and requires conscious control by the helmsman to prevent oversteering. Off the wind, any tendency to round up under the asymmetrical spinnaker could be quickly thwarted with a tug at the helm.
The cockpit of the Ultimate 20 is very open and user-friendly. The rolled side decks and raised floor fit our lower extremities well. Raised fore and aft stringers on the floor served as great leverage points for bracing our feet while the boat worked through the waves. For the forward crew, a three-pointed stanchion at the aft end of the cabin offers a valuable handhold and anchors the lifelines. At the dock, it's a sturdy point to tie off the boat, too. The lack of a backstay further reinforces the Ultimate 20's dinghy characteristics. You can prebend the mast with the swept-back shrouds, but once under way, you adjust mast bend through mainsheet tension. With a large upper roach and full-length battens in the top three slots, the sail resembles a beach catamaran's main. The battens lock in shape, so there's really not too much you could do to the top of the sail by bending the mast anyway. The absence of a permanent backstay gives the leech plenty of room to roam, and avoids the stay extenders that Melges 24s require..."