Calgan 23 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

C. William Lapworth/Calgan·1970·Calgan Marine

Approximate drawing

Hover a measurement to read its value

Hull Type: Monohull · fin
Rig: Masthead Sloop
LOA: 23' · 7.01 m
Disp.: 3,800 lbs · 1,724 kg
First year: 1970

The Calgan 23 began life as the Crown 23, a Canadian design by C. William Lapworth that first appeared in 1969 and was renamed the Calgan 23 the following year anchor. Calgan Marine built the boat in Canada, taking the name from Crown Street in North Vancouver, BC, where the factory stood. The design is understood to be a development of the slightly larger Cal 242, part of a broader arrangement under which Calgan Marine produced several Cal Yachts designs under licence. The hull carries a 23foot overall length on a 19.5foot waterline, with a 7.67foot beam and a fin keel drawing just over four feet. Displacement sits at 3,800 pounds, of which 1,550 pounds is iron ballast, a 40.79 ballasttodisplacement ratio that places the boat firmly in the lightdisplacement coastal cruiser class.

View 1 listings →

Measurements

Imperial Metric

Dimensions 01

Length Overall: 23 ft
Length on deck: —
Waterline Length: 19.5 ft
Beam: 7.67 ft
Draft: 4.08 ft
Maximum Headroom: —
Air Draft: —

Construction & hull 02

Construction: Fiberglass
Hull Type: Monohull
Keel Type: Fin
Rudder: 1× Spade
Ballast: 1,550 lbs (Iron)
Displacement: 3,800 lbs
Water Capacity: —
Fuel Capacity: —

Rig & sails 03

Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop
Mainsail luff: 25.5 ft
Mainsail foot: 10.5 ft
Foretriangle height: 28.9 ft
Foretriangle base: 9.33 ft
Forestay Length (estimated): 30.37 ft
Sail Area: 267 sqft

Calculations 04

Sail Area to Displacement Ratio: 17.54
Ballast to Displacement Ratio: 40.79
Displacement to Length Ratio: 228.79
Comfort Ratio: 18.94
Capsize Screening Ratio: 1.97
Hull Speed: 5.92 kn

Design and Construction

Calgan Marine constructed the Crown 23 — and therefore the renamed Calgan 23 — as a fiberglass recreational keelboat with wood trim anchor. The solid fiberglass hull and deck are paired with an internally mounted spade rudder and a fixed fin keel, the combination giving the 23-footer a maneuverable, easily driven footprint. The 228.79 displacement-to-length ratio and 17.54 sail-area-to-displacement ratio describe a boat tuned for responsiveness rather than heavy-load passage work, while the 1.97 capsize ratio and 18.94 comfort ratio mark her as a sheltered-water coastal design rather than an offshore voyager.

Rig and Handling

The Calgan 23 carries a masthead sloop rig anchor, with 267 square feet of sail area working against a 5.92-knot hull speed. A small outboard motor is the normal auxiliary, fitted for docking and maneuvering rather than sustained propulsion. The spade rudder and fin keel give her the close-quarters agility expected of a Lapworth design, and the light displacement keeps her quick to accelerate in the moderate wind ranges of coastal cruising grounds.

Accommodations

The Calgan 23 carries wood trim throughout a fiberglass cabin whose specific berth count and layout are not described in the available material. The 23-foot hull and 7.67-foot beam define a compact coastal cabin plan consistent with a development of the Cal 24-2.

The Verdict

The Calgan 23 is a small, light-displacement coastal cruiser with a clear Lapworth pedigree, renamed from the Crown 23 in 1970 and built by Calgan Marine under licence from Cal Yachts. Her strengths are her easily driven hull, spade-rudder agility, and simple outboard-dependent auxiliary setup.

Pros

Lapworth-designed masthead sloop with Cal 24-2 development lineage
Light 3,800-pound displacement with 1,550-pound iron ballast for coastal responsiveness
Internally mounted spade rudder and fixed fin keel for maneuverability
Simple outboard auxiliary for docking and maneuvering

Cons