23/3 performance

[ramble on]

i am considering a com-pac 23/3. this boat is a `92 with a roller furling jib.
i would install a gennaker.

what kind of speeds could i expect?  thanks, ramble on

[petersm]

I am also considering a 23 and I was wondering if everyone could describe the sailing characteristics of the 23 in different conditions; expected speed, sail choices , heavy weather, light wind.......

[jhansen1951]

The CP-23 is a displacement boat (most sailboats are) which means that there is a speed beyond which she will not go because she can't lift her bow out of the water and plane over the top of the bow wave.  This is called "hull speed" and there is a formula for calculating it.  Almost any good book on sailing will have the formula (I recommend "The Annapolis Book of Seamanship) so I won't try to explain it but it's safe to say that the CP-23 will reach this speed without a problem if you match your sail area to the existing conditions and have some wind in the first place.  The bottom line is that the CP-23 will go just as fast as any other displacement boat with the same length water line (LWL).

How fast she will reach hull speed is another matter.  At 3,000 lbs displacement she isn't exactly the lightest boat on the water and it takes longer to get that mass moving when compared to a lighter boat.  The good news is that once she is moving she wants to keep going.  That mass and momentum becomes a plus when it comes time to tack.  Lighter boats lose more speed during a tack while the 23 swings her bow through the wind with much less loss of speed.  I hope it doesn't sound like bragging, but I've never put a CP-23 into irons while tacking.  I can't claim that about lighter boats.  If you are beating into light air it pays to fall off the wind a little and let the boat gain speed before tacking.  Then keep the jib cleated until the jib is backwinded during the tack.  This will help push the bow around.  As she moves onto the new tack smartly release the sheet and trim in on the opposite side.

I guess the suitability of the CP-23 depends on what you want to do with the boat.  If racing against all comers is your thing, you will probably be happier with a lighter boat.  If a sense of confidence in your boat to get you there and back again with a surprising degree of comfort is what you want, then grab a CP-23.  I'm not a racer.  I'm an old fart who loves to sail and spend anywhere from a weekend to a week aboard.  I'll go for comfort and stability every time.

Fair winds and smooth sailing,
John