Baycruiser 23 Buyer's Guide
The BayCruiser 23 is a water-ballast trailer-sailer that Swallow Yachts has built from 2013 to the present, with nearly 100 afloat and about half delivered to the U.K. For a shopper on the brokerage market, the appeal is a single 22ft 11in hull that tows light at 1,870 pounds yet fills 992 pounds of ballast for steadier cruising. Because the second-hand pool stays small, these boats tend to hold value well, so the wise buyer looks closely at how each example has been equipped and cared for rather than hunting for a bargain.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every BayCruiser 23 shares the same broad plan: a wide transom and beam taken aft, an open cabin divided by the centerboard trunk, a double V-berth forward, two saloon berths with infills, and a small amidships galley with sink and pumped water. Sitting headroom only and no enclosed head are constant traits, as is limited stowage — so buyers should confirm whether the specific hull has the customizable interior touches, such as a solid oak table with hinged sides, that later boats like Hull #72 carried. The big outboard well in the stern of the cockpit is standard and defines the aft layout; some owners have added plywood flaps to close it.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Solar charging is commonly fitted, usually small panels on the aft deck with a larger one stowed below, and a few owners added a second lithium battery to run a fridge and autopilot. For sailing farther afield, extra navigation gear such as a chartplotter, wind indicator, and built-in VHF appears as an owner upgrade, and safety additions like D-rings with lifelines to clip onto have been fitted. Rig refinements from owners include Harken battcar slides, a fuller-roach modern main, three reef points, and a roller-furling asymmetric spinnaker. A buyer should weigh these clusters by intended use: power and energy for anchored comfort, nav and safety for distance, and sail-handling upgrades for short-handed ease.
What to Inspect
The water-ballast tanks must be filled completely to stop sloshing, and a small amount of water creeps into the cockpit when heeled in a gust with full ballast, so check cockpit drainage and the Mylar or plywood flaps at the outboard well slot for drag and closure. Confirm the passive tank fill and bilge-pump emptying work, and verify the centerboard's lead tip and the carbon rig for wear. At regattas the builder insists all tanks be filled if conditions turn hairy, a reminder that an unballasted boat heels dramatically and must be sailed dinghy-style.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for these boats is the United Kingdom. For the buyer, the short checklist is: confirm full ballast behavior and cockpit drainage, verify the outboard well closure and solar or lithium setup, and inspect the carbon rig and centerboard. A well-kept example with the right upgrades is a versatile, value-holding pocket cruiser.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Baycruiser 23. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $74,737 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $61,080 | -18.3% |
Where they're listed
Baycruiser 23 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $67,909 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parker Boats 235 | 23.5' | $ 18,345 | 25 | 9 |
| Jeanneau Tonic 23 | 23.94' | $ 11,537 | 17 | 6 |
| Precision 23 | 23.42' | $ 8,500 | 15 | 6 |
| Swallow Yachts 23You are here | — | $ 67,909 | 2 | 0 |