Aquarius 23 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Aquarius 23, designed by Olympic medalist Peter Barrett and produced by Coastal Recreation Inc., stands as a definitive example of the 1970s trailer-sailer boom. Introduced during a period when fiberglass manufacturing was revolutionizing the accessibility of the sport, the Aquarius 23 was engineered specifically to bridge the gap between a portable daysailer and a legitimate coastal cruiser. While many contemporary designs of the era focused on racing performance, Barrett designed the Aquarius 23 from the "inside out," prioritizing interior volume and stability to appeal to young families. The model became one of the most successful in the Coastal Recreation lineup, eventually leading to the development of the slightly smaller Aquarius 21 and the later refined Aquarius 7.0, which utilized a similar design philosophy but updated aesthetic lines.