Happy Tourer 23 Information, Review, Specs

The Happy Tourer 23 launched in 1972, marking Wegu's entry into boat building, which closely aligns with the company's broader foray into marine manufacturing starting in 1973. Wegu, a company with established expertise in molded rubber and plastic components, leveraged this background to produce fiberglass sailboats in both Canada and Germany. Their design ethos centered on practical, enjoyable boats suitable for weekend trips and coastal adventures, often featuring compact yet functional interiors. The Happy Tourer 23, with its 23-foot length overall, perfectly encapsulated this vision. Its most distinctive design element is its swing keel, which retracts to reduce the draft from 4.5 feet to a mere 2.5 feet, enhancing its trailerability and enabling access to shallow anchorages and launching points. This swing keel design was a hallmark of Wegu's commitment to maximizing versatility for various sailing conditions and trailering capabilities, differentiating it from fixed-keel contemporaries.

Sailing Performance and Handling

With a sail area to displacement ratio (SA/D) of approximately 15.47, the Happy Tourer 23 presents itself as a boat with moderate sail-carrying ability, suggesting decent performance in light to moderate breezes. Its displacement to length ratio (D/L) of around 130.64 indicates a relatively light displacement for its length, which contributes to a lively feel and respectable speed for a cruiser of its size, particularly in lighter air. The ballast to displacement ratio (Bal/Disp) of roughly 33.45% suggests a balanced design, though it may not possess the ultimate stiffness of a heavier, more dedicated offshore vessel. However, for a swing keel boat designed for versatility, this balance allows for a stable platform suitable for its intended purpose. The swing keel not only grants exceptional shallow-water access but also impacts its sailing characteristics, providing lift when lowered for upwind performance and reducing wetted surface when raised, contributing to its ease of handling and "day-boat" suitability. Its hull speed is estimated at 6.2 knots.

Accommodations and Layout

Information regarding the specific interior accommodations of the Happy Tourer 23 is not widely detailed in available resources. Given its 23-foot length and classification as a "day-boat" and coastal cruiser, the interior layout would typically be compact and functional, designed to maximize usable space for short trips and overnight stays. While specific headroom figures are not available, it would likely feature basic amenities such as a V-berth forward, a compact galley area possibly with a sink, and a convertible salon area, providing simple overnighting capabilities. The emphasis for boats of this type and era was on practical, fiberglass construction, often with minimalist finishes, focusing on durability and ease of maintenance rather than luxurious appointments.