Cascade 23 Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The Cascade 23 emerged from the rich tradition of Yacht Constructors, Inc., a company founded in 1954 by five visionary sailors committed to building large fiberglass sailboat hulls. From its inception, the builder established a formidable reputation for constructing exceptionally robust and seaworthy vessels through a meticulous hand lay-up method. This process involved using woven roving and cloths, carefully wetted out with resin and hand-squeegeed to maintain a low resin content, resulting in a finished hull with superior durability and integrity compared to methods using chopped fibers.

The Cascade 23, with its production commencing in 1977, was one of the smaller offerings from the Portland, Oregon-based builder. Its designer, Robert A. Smith, contributed significantly to the Cascade line, having previously honed his skills at the esteemed firm of Sparkman & Stephens. For the 23, Smith opted for a design that resulted in a slimmer, "more speedy hull design" compared to many contemporaries, indicating a clear intent for performance. While the larger Cascade 29 was famously sold as bare hulls for owner customization, the Cascade 23 featured specific construction details, with its bulkheads glassed to the hull using multiple layers of fiberglass cloth tape, a method noted as an exception for this model. The defining design element, its lifting keel, provided flexibility for varied sailing conditions and simplified transport and storage.

Sailing Performance and Handling

Despite its compact size, the Cascade 23 is characterized as a "light sailboat which is a high performer". Its design, attributed to Robert A. Smith, suggests a focus on speed, with a hull form noted as being relatively slim. Owners generally find the Cascade 23 to be easy to handle, contributing to its appeal as a recreational and potentially trailerable sailboat. The fractional sloop rig further enhances ease of handling, allowing for efficient sail management. The boat is also described as "reasonably stable/stiff," suggesting a degree of comfort and predictability in various sea states. With a hull speed of 6.0 knots, the Cascade 23 offers respectable performance for a vessel of its length. The lifting keel provides the advantage of a deeper foil for upwind performance when deployed to its maximum draft of 5.83 feet, while retracting to a minimum draft of 1.67 feet allows for shallow water access and easier launching or retrieval.

Accommodations and Layout

Information regarding the specific interior layout of the Cascade 23 is limited in available documentation. Given its overall length of less than 23 feet, the accommodations are generally spartan and designed for day sailing or weekend cruising rather than extended offshore voyages. Typical for boats of this size and era, the interior likely features a V-berth forward, a small salon area with bench seating that may convert to berths, and minimal galley facilities. The absence of a specified maximum headroom in the boat's data suggests that standing headroom is likely not a feature throughout the cabin, emphasizing its role as a more performance-oriented weekender or daysailer.