I've noticed that the bulkhead in some earlier models of the 23s are built without the cut-outs -- does anyone know when (what year) the transition to the cut-out bulkheads occurred? Thanks!
Edit: I added pics. Boat with cut-out is a 1987 model, but the boat with the full bulkhead is from 1988. Interesting. See additional comments below in this thread regarding my theory on this.
Must have been early on, I don't think I've ever seen one without the cut-outs. Certainly I prefer them. I built a tray on the starboard side that I can sit a gallon plus container with a spigot to carry fresh drinking water rather than use the onboard tank. I also clip rechargeable fans in the area to get some air flow into the forward cabin on hot nights.
I just added pics to my original post -- interestingly, the boat with the cut-out bulkhead is from 1987 and the other with the full bulkhead is from 1988. So my theory that older boats have it and newer boats don't is out the window, apparently.
I wonder if perhaps the full bulkhead could be ordered as an "add on" back at some point. The thing that I like about the full bulkhead design is that, on the port side, there is a little hanging locker built in (see photo below -- this is from the 1988 model per above picture in this thread).
On the other hand, however, I also like the cut-out for the mere fact that the v-berth gets more light up that way.