BoatsBlazer 23 (Kirby)

Blazer 23 (Kirby)

Fractional Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1988

A 1988 evolution of the Sonar hull featuring a longer trunk cabin and a more spacious interior layout

Designed by Bruce Kirby, built by Ontario Yachts Co. Ltd.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.41 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 998 kg of hull, so roughly 1,600 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draftDraws 1.14 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 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 11
CoastalBluewater

At 2.44 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.44
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 149
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 24.6
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 ~85% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1130 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
40.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
24.6
Displacement / length
149.0
Comfort ratio
10.8
Capsize screening
2.44
Hull speed
5.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
531
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1988
Designer
Bruce Kirby
Builder
Ontario Yachts Co. Ltd

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 family0.5 m shorterA lightweight 6.5-meter fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing
J J/77.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailing
Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA development of the Sirius 24, this fractional sloop features a fin keel with skeg-mounted rudder for balanced handling
Santana 206.16 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA high-performance fractional sloop with a 1996 deck redesign that added an open transom and a roomier cockpit
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/226.86 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio designed for competitive one-design racing
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family0.3 m longerThe world's most popular one-design keelboat, featuring a light 1406kg displacement for responsive, agile handling

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

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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