BoatsSundance 23

Sundance 23

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1975

A 1975 masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, designed for spirited performance in a compact 7-meter frame

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.44 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,497 kg of hull, so roughly 2,100 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draftDraws 1.07 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 16 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 16
CoastalBluewater

2.15 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.15
LightHeavy

218 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 218
EasygoingPowered-up

19.8 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.8
TenderStiff

36% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 36%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
36.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.8
Displacement / length
217.5
Comfort ratio
15.9
Capsize screening
2.15
Hull speed
5.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
541
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1975
Builder
El Mar Boat Co

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.

Westerly Marine Ltd. Cirrus 226.71 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA John Butler-designed fractional sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance in a compact 22-foot hull
This Tiny Boat Will BLOW YOUR MINDfrom Sailing Nahoa
Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA triple-keeled masthead sloop by Alan H. Buchanan, offering shallow-draft versatility based on the earlier Crystal 23
Zero Dollar Cruising Dream | Halcyon 23from Practical Sailor
Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 226.78 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA twin-keel masthead sloop designed by Denys Rayner as a refined evolution of the Westerly 22 for shoal-water cruising
How to Sail in Bad Weather21:07from The Mariner
San Juan 247.32 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Bruce Kirby-designed IOR quarter-tonner that balances competitive racing pedigree with a stable masthead sloop rig
Junk Sailboat, or Great Cheap Boat? - Ep 302 - Lady K Sailing0:46from Lady K Sailing
C&C Yachts 247.32 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA lively 1975 masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, designed for responsive club racing
Lauren Topchik // Chasing Cruising Dreams8:58from 59° North Sailing
Ranger Yachts 237.21 mSame hull family0.2 m longerDesigned to rate at the IOR 18-foot level, this masthead sloop offered an optional tall rig starting in 1974
Ask PYS - Should I Crimp or Solder Wire Connections on my Boat?0:06from Pacific Yacht Systems

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Sundance 23

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