BoatsSan Juan 23

San Juan 23

Masthead Sloop · Keel/centreboard · First built 1975

A versatile keel-centerboard cruiser derived from the racing-oriented San Juan 24 and built internationally under multiple names

Designed by B. Kirby, Clark & Bruce Kirby.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.

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 1,225 kg of hull, so roughly 1,800 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 0.59 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 12 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 12
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.30
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 143
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 19.7
TenderStiff

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

Ballast 36%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
35.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.7
Displacement / length
143.4
Comfort ratio
12.4
Capsize screening
2.30
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
581
Hull
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1975
Designer
B.Kirby, Clark, Bruce Kirby
Builder
Clark 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.

Catalina Yachts 227.26 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA prolific masthead sloop with 15,000 built, offering a versatile swing-keel design for trailerable coastal cruising
The ZERO KEEL and ALPHA RUDDER - Are Kraken Yachts Really THAT GOOD?9:27from Practical Sailor
Cal Boats 247.43 mSame hull family0.4 m longerThe inaugural Jensen Marine Cal model, this fractional keel-centerboard sloop was built for shoal-water versatility
Aladino Sails The Pacific Alone.2:08from Sailing Magic Carpet
O'day 23-1 (Lift Top)7.01 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA popular C. Raymond Hunt-designed masthead sloop featuring a unique lift-top coach roof for added cabin headroom
Living on a Sailboat Doesn’t Have to Mean the End of Your Professional Life | #SAL #3583:10from Hashtag Sal
Macgregor 26X7.87 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA water-ballasted sail-power hybrid designed for versatile coastal cruising and easy trailering
7 Sailboats You Should Never Buy (Unless You Know This) - Ep 357 - Lady K Sailing5:20from Lady K Sailing
Chrysler Marine 226.71 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 6.7-metre masthead sloop produced as the C-22 and T-22 Sandpiper, featuring a swing keel for shallow-water access
The Legend - S2 - Episode 151 - Lady K Sailingfrom Lady K Sailing
Marshall Marine Corporation Sanderling5.54 mSame hull family1.5 m shorterA gaff-rigged catboat based on a 1941 design, featuring a shallow-draft keel-centerboard hull for versatile day sailing
The History of Beneteau Boats11:37from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

San Juan 24A Bruce Kirby-designed IOR quarter-tonner that balances competitive racing pedigree with a stable masthead sloop rigSan Juan 26A masthead sloop with a centreboard and keel configuration, produced from 1975 until the 1979 launch of the 7.7San Juan 30A Bruce Kirby-designed IOR half-tonner available in both cruiser and performance-oriented configurationsSan Juan 21A high-performance fractional sloop with a swing keel, designed by Don Clark as the first of the iconic San Juan lineSan Juan 28A 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the San Juan 23

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