Paceship PY 23

Development
Designer	John Deknatel of C. Raymond Hunt Associates
Location	Canada
Year	1973
Builder(s)	Paceship Yachts and American Machine and Foundry (AMF)
Boat
Displacement	2,460 lb (1,116 kg)
Draft	4.75 ft (1.45 m) centreboard down
Hull
Type	Monohull
Construction	Fibreglass
LOA	22.58 ft (6.88 m)
LWL	19.75 ft (6.02 m)
Beam	8.00 ft (2.44 m)
Engine type	Outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	fin keel or centreboard
Ballast	945 lb (429 kg)
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
General	Masthead sloop
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	7.70 ft (2.35 m)
Sails
Mainsail area	92.40 sq ft (8.584 m2)
Jib/genoa area	133.00 sq ft (12.356 m2)
Total sail area	225.40 sq ft (20.940 m2)
Racing
Class association	MORC
PHRF	240

The Paceship PY 23 (or PY23) is a Canadian trailerable sailboat, that was designed by John Deknatel of C. Raymond Hunt Associates and first built in 1973. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

Production

The boat was built by Paceship Yachts in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia between 1973 and 1981, Canada and later by American Machine and Foundry (AMF) in the United States, but it is now out of production. ^[1]

Design

Paceship PY 23

Paceship PY 23

The Paceship PY 23 is a small recreational keelboat, built predominantly of hand-laid up fibreglass with balsa cores and teak and mahogany wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a transom-hung rudder, a centreboard and or an optional fixed fin keel. It displaces 2,460 lb (1,116 kg) and carries 945 lb (429 kg) of iron and lead ballast. ^{[1] [2] [6]}

The centreboard version has a draft of 4.75 ft (1.45 m) with the 45 lb (20 kg) lead-weighted centreboard and kick-up rudder both extended and 1.75 ft (0.53 m) with the centreboard retracted into the 900 lb (408 kg) stub iron keel, allowing ground transportation on a trailer. The stub iron keel on the centreboard version allows the centreboard to be retracted without using interior cabin accommodation space, as well as beaching without damage to the hull. ^{[1] [2] [3] [6]}

The later fixed fin keel version has a draft of 3.75 ft (1.14 m) and is often referred to as the PY 23K or PY 23 FK. This fixed keel version was designed for Midget Ocean Racing Club (MORC) competition. ^{[1] [2] [3] [6]}

The design features anodized spars, a self-bailing cockpit designed for six adults and an optional mainsheet traveller. A cockpit dodger was also optional. Below deck accommodations include four cabin windows, 5 ft (150 cm) headroom, a "V" berth in the bow, storage shelving and bins, a folding dining table, an optional gallery with an icebox, a stainless steel sink and a 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal) fresh water tank. ^[6]

The PY 23 was designed so that even if a knock-down occurs that puts the mast in the water, the boat's interior will not take on water and the boat remains self-righting. ^[6]

The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. ^{[1] [5]}

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 240 and a hull speed of 5.96 kn (11.04 km/h). ^{[2] [5]}

Operational history

Paceship PY 23

Paceship PY 23 modified with a junk rig

The boat was at one time supported by an active class club, The Paceship, but the club is currently inactive. ^{[7] [8]}

In a review Michael McGoldrick wrote, "Unlike the interior of many boats built in the 1970s which have a dinette arrangement, the PY23's layout features two settees which are parallel to the centerline, and a table which folds up against a bulkhead. This layout often provides for more open space in the main cabin. It's also in this size range that boats get big enough to have a semi-private head located behind a bulkhead." ^[9]

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "it is interesting to compare this vessel with the slightly smaller O'Day 22 ... designed by the same firm, Raymond Hunt Associates, at around the same time. The PY23, like her little sister, has a reverse transom, which adds a foot to the hull length, justifying the '23' designation, at least in the minds of her marketers. Both boats were offered with either keel or shoal-draft keel-centerboard configuration. The layouts below are also similar, except for the galley location; the bigger boat puts the galley under the main hatch, where the cook, if he wants, can stand up straight to make dinner. Best features: The coamings are unusually high forward, giving good back support to the PY23's crew. The helmsperson, however has to suffer with a coaming no higher than the O’Day 22's. Down below, a sliding door affords privacy in the head compartment, and the head is well positioned under the forward hatch to give good ventilation and good headroom and knee room. Worst features: While the PY23's cabin space is certainly greater than the Kirby Blazer ... it's a great deal less than the Precision 23's (which is almost a foot longer and half a foot wider)." ^[5]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

Similar sailboats

• Beneteau First 235
• Bluenose one-design sloop
• Hunter 23
• O'Day 23
• Paceship 23
• Precision 23
• Rob Roy 23
• Schock 23
• Sonic 23
• Stone Horse
• Watkins 23

References

1. Browning, Randy (2017). "PY 23 (PACESHIP) sailboat specifications and details". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
2. InterVisionSoft LLC (2017). "Sailboat Specifications for Paceship PY23". Sailing Joy. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
3. InterVisionSoft LLC (2017). "Sailboat Specifications for Paceship PY23 FK". Sailing Joy. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
4. Browning, Randy (2017). "John Deknatel". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
5. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 188. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN   978-0-07-163652-0
6. AMF, Inc, Pacehips's 23 foot Family Cruiser (original sales brochure), 1973
7. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Paceship/AMF Yachts Website". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
8. Vanis, Andy. "Pacehip.ORG". www.paceship.org. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023. We're working on reactivating the webpages of Paceship.ORG and the related domains. The creator, Jay Moran, passed and through the kindness of his daughter, the site has been saved.
9. McGoldrick, Michael (2018). "Paceship PY 23". Sail Quest. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2018.

External links

• Media related to Paceship PY23 at Wikimedia Commons