San Juan 23

San Juan 23

Development
Designer	Bruce Kirby and Don Clark
Location	United States
Year	1975
No. built	over 600
Builder(s)	Clark Boat Company
Role	Cruiser
Name	San Juan 23
Boat
Displacement	2,700 lb (1,225 kg)
Draft	4.75 ft (1.45 m) with the centerboard down
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	23.00 ft (7.01 m)
LWL	20.33 ft (6.20 m)
Beam	8.00 ft (2.44 m)
Engine type	outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	stub keel with centerboard
Ballast	960 lb (435 kg)
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	28.00 ft (8.53 m)
J foretriangle base	9.50 ft (2.90 m)
P mainsail luff	24.00 ft (7.32 m)
E mainsail foot	8.75 ft (2.67 m)
Sails
Sailplan	masthead sloop
Mainsail area	105.00 sq ft (9.755 m2)
Jib/genoa area	133.00 sq ft (12.356 m2)
Total sail area	238.00 sq ft (22.111 m2)
Racing
PHRF	234
←  San Juan 24

The San Juan 23 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Canadian Bruce Kirby and Don Clark as a cruiser and first built in 1975. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

The San Juan 23 is a cruising development of the San Juan 24 International Offshore Rule Quarter Ton class racer. ^[1]

Production

The design was built by the Clark Boat Company of Kent, Washington, United States from 1975 until 1984, when the Clark Boat Company went out of business. Production was then assumed by San Juan Sailboats until 1989. A total of more than 600 boats were completed, but the design is now out of production. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

The San Juan 23 was also built in Australia as the Windward 7 and in New Zealand as the Fleetwood 25. ^[1]

Design

The San Juan 23 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass. It has a masthead sloop rig, a raked stem, a reverse transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel or stub keel and centerboard. The fixed keel model displaces 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) and carries 1,100 lb (499 kg) of lead ballast, while the stub keel and centerboard model displaces 2,700 lb (1,225 kg) and carries 960 lb (435 kg) of lead ballast. ^{[1] [3]}

The keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of 4.00 ft (1.22 m), while the centerboard-equipped version has a draft of 4.75 ft (1.45 m) with the centerboard extended and 1.45 ft (0.44 m) with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, or ground transportation on a trailer. ^{[1] [3]}

The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. ^[3]

The design has sleeping accommodation for five people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two settee berths in the main cabin, one of which is 11 ft (3.4 m) in length. The main cabin also has a folding table. The head is located in the bow cabin on the port side, under the "V"-berth. Cabin headroom is 60 in (152 cm). ^{[1] [3]}

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 234 and a hull speed of 5.9 kn (10.9 km/h). ^[3]

Operational history

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "best features: The layout below purportedly will sleep five, but the long, 11-foot berth to starboard wouldn't be comfortable for two six-footers. However, for extra-tall sailors, that berth is perfect. Worst features: Control of hull weight at the factory evidently was not a priority. Reportedly some boats weighed 1,000 pounds over the claimed weight of 3,000 pounds. Shoppers for used boats who plan to race might weigh before buying; the lighter boats are faster." ^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

References

1. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "San Juan 23 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
2. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Bruce Kirby 1929 - 2021". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
3. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 247. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN   978-0-07-163652-0
4. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Clark Boat Company 1960 - 1984". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2021.