Design and Construction
The Sea Sprite 23 is a typical Alberg creation: narrow 7-foot beam, full keel, conservative ballast-to-displacement ratio, and graceful lines with a gentle sheer and distinctive overhangs that still turn heads in a harbor. Ryder built new molds beginning at hull #525, fundamentally the same boat as the original American Boat Building product, but with the previously external lead keel now encapsulated and a self-bailing cockpit introduced. The hull, deck, and cabinhouse of the Ryder boats are solid, hand-laid fiberglass for a tight, sound body, and the hull/deck joint is an inward flange sealed with 3M 5200 and fastened with machine screws. One owner called the boat “overbuilt,” and Ryder’s own literature described it as a top-of-the-line sailing yacht. Ryder also brought in a full interior liner, where earlier models had been painted fiberglass, and offered hull colors beyond white—bright red, blue, and green.
Rig and Handling
The Ryder version carries a 30-foot fractionally rigged mast by Hall Spars, deck-stepped with internally led halyards, and a modest 247 square feet of sail under main and working jib. Under way the boat is intended to heel some 30 degrees, which adds waterline length and lifts hull speed; once sailing she is very stable with nicely balanced steering and a hint of weather helm. The keel-hung rudder does not pivot as fast as a spade would, yet the 23 tacks smartly enough, and one former owner recalled her tacking as “not unreasonably slow.” She handles well when the going gets rough and goes readily offshore—a 1974 singlehander took one from Wickford, Rhode Island to Falmouth, England in 60 days. Readers note sluggish light-air performance common to small full-keel boats, though a 130- or 150-percent genoa in winds under 10 knots makes a definite improvement, and performance picks up as the wind pipes up.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin is light and reasonably airy with two opening ports and a smoked hatch, but the low freeboard and superstructure that give the boat her pretty profile also mean less than spacious accommodations—this is a boat designed for sailing, not lounging. The 6-foot V-berths are too short with minimal clearance, and the 6-foot 3-inch settee berths in the main cabin disappear quickly under the cockpit seats. Clarke Ryder himself said the interior is best suited for stowing stuff. The marine head sits in a wedge at the foot of the V-berths where its virtual inaccessibility makes privacy moot, and many owners have replaced it with a portable head. The galley to starboard between the forward and main berths is a sink and some stowage; to port sits an insulated icebox and dry storage. A 10-gallon fiberglass water tank under the starboard berth feeds the sink, which drains via a through-hull, while the icebox drains into the bilge.
Known Issues
Some of the earlier models seemed to experience slight leaks around the mast step or chainplates, and several of the Ryder boats apparently had leaking from the pulpit stanchions. No owners responding to a survey reported gelcoat blistering, though most fiberglass boats older than 10 to 15 years show gelcoat deterioration and require painting, which holds for many used Sea Sprites. The outboard well aft of the tiller is the usual nuisance; a 4-hp outboard gets the boat to hull speed, anything smaller is a strain, and more than 6 hp may cause control problems, leading several readers to banish the motor below or wish they had. The marine head’s wedge location is effectively inaccessible as built.
Refits and Ownership
Ryder for a time offered an optional Yanmar Model 1 GM diesel, which would eliminate many headaches of the outboard and well, but none of the surveyed readers own inboard models, and the weight and expense of an inboard seem difficult to justify on a boat of this size. The standard bronze hardware, opening portlights, mahogany coamings and backrest, teak grabrails above, and teak trim below give the interior a holly-and-teak offset to shiny white surfaces. A 1983 model sailed by one reviewer looked almost new, and overall the fleet appears structurally sound with no major repairs called for.
The Verdict
The Sea Sprite 23 is an exceptional daysailer—seaworthy, strongly built, and with a sailing range that belies her 22½ feet. Her stability and ease of handling make her a good choice for an older sailor who no longer wants a big boat, and Clarke Ryder’s own assessment that they “sail like a charm and they’re pretty” is borne out by the loyalty of owners. She is, however, a small full-keel boat with real limits below and under light air or power.
Pros
- Solid, hand-laid fiberglass hull/deck with inward-flange joint and encapsulated lead keel
- Stable, balanced helm with offshore capability in a 23-foot package
- Alberg lines that still draw a look in any harbor
Cons
- Sluggish under 10 knots without a large genoa; low freeboard douses crew in a chop
- Cramped, low headroom interior with awkward wedge head location
- Outboard well nuisance and control issues above 6 hp; minimal belowdecks lounging space
