Kirby 23

Not to be confused with Kirby 25.

The Kirby 23 is a sailboat that was designed by Canadian Bruce Kirby as a racer-cruiser and first built in 1985.^[1][2][3]

Kirby 23

Development
Designer	Bruce Kirby
Location	Canada
Year	1985
No. built	6
Builder(s)	Ross Marine
Role	Racer-Cruiser
Name	Kirby 23
Boat
Displacement	2,400 lb (1,089 kg)
Draft	3.92 ft (1.19 m)
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fibreglass
LOA	23.00 ft (7.01 m)
LWL	18.80 ft (5.73 m)
Beam	7.75 ft (2.36 m)
Engine type	outboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	fin keel
Ballast	900 lb (408 kg)
Rudder(s)	spade-type rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	25.75 ft (7.85 m)
J foretriangle base	8.67 ft (2.64 m)
P mainsail luff	28.00 ft (8.53 m)
E mainsail foot	11.50 ft (3.51 m)
Sails
Sailplan	fractional rigged sloop
Mainsail area	161.00 sq ft (14.957 m2)
Jib/genoa area	111.63 sq ft (10.371 m2)
Total sail area	272.63 sq ft (25.328 m2)
← Sonar

The Kirby 23 is a development of the Sonar, with a cabin modified for cruising use. It is very similar to the Blazer 23.^[1][3][4]

Production

The design was built by Ross Marine starting in 1985, with six boats completed, but it is now out of production.^[1][3]

Design

The Kirby 23 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fibreglass. It has a fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel. It displaces 2,400 lb (1,089 kg) and carries 900 lb (408 kg) of ballast.^[1][3]

The boat has a draft of 3.92 ft (1.19 m) with the standard keel and is normally fitted with a small outboard motor for docking and manoeuvring.^[1][3]

The design has a hull speed of 5.81 kn (10.76 km/h).^[3]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

Related development

• Blazer 23
• Sonar (keelboat)