Design and Construction
Clark Mills gave the 23 a sheerline that sweeps aft from a short bowsprit before bending up near the transom-hung rudder, with a box cabintrunk carrying round or oval bronze ports that flow into the deck. The hull is solid fiberglass with a balsa-cored deck, and Com-Pac farmed out the molding of the 23's solid fiberglass hull and balsa-cored deck anchor. Inside, longitudinal stringers encapsulate the bulkheads and stiffen the panels, while the interior components are handmade — plywood bulkheads and surfaces with teak veneers, set off by a teak-and-holly sole that reads as a very nice touch for a boat this size. Period assessment placed the workmanship as first rate, markedly better than most small-boat manufacturers.
Rig and Handling
The mast stands 30 feet off the water and was designed to be raised and lowered without a gin pole, a trait that suits trailering. The standing rigging seems a bit undersized for the rig's height, though that is the trade made for easy mast handling anchor. On the water the 23 is nimble but not close winded; wide sheeting angles and a bit of weather helm when beating are offset by beautiful reaching, and the shallow 2-foot, 3-inch draft lets her skip across shallows that deeper boats must tack around. The hull shape is prone to pitching yet does not pound in a chop, and owners report regularly touching the theoretical 6-knot hull speed on a reach. The triangular mainsheet arrangement crowds the helmsman, but a traveler would intrude more in this compact cockpit.
Accommodations
With a nearly eight-foot beam the cabin feels spacious for the length, though standing headroom exists only under the companionway. Teak veneers on the bulkheads and teak paneling on the cabin sides warm the space, and two overhead hatches plus six opening bronze portlights give excellent ventilation. The interior sleeps four with two settee berths and two forward berths, a portable table mounts on the bulkhead, and a storage compartment between the forward berths houses a portable head. The hide-away galley added on the 23/2 carries a two-burner stovetop to port and a stainless sink to starboard.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The self-bailing cockpit runs more than seven feet long with two lockers and a bridgedeck, and the original laminate mahogany-and-ash tiller gives good leg support when steering. Stainless pulpits and stanchions are beefy by small-boat standards, teak handrails and molded nonskid make the narrow side decks safe to negotiate, and newer boats added a chain pipe with a divided chain locker.
Generations and the 23 D
The first changes came with the 23/2 in the mid-1980s: the popular hide-away galley, upgraded interior finishing, and a bowsprit for needed sail area. The 23/3 in the early 1990s brought mostly small tooling upgrades, notably larger oval portlights replacing the small round ones. The rare 23 D carries a 10-horsepower single-cylinder Yanmar diesel, and the builder claimed only about 35 were built, making them desirable secondhand anchor. Most boats took outboard power, with a built-in locker sized for a six-gallon fuel tank.
The Verdict
The Com-Pac 23 is a thoughtfully built small cruiser whose handmade interior and solid construction outclass typical trailerables. She trades upwind bite for shoal-water freedom and easy mast handling, and the generations show steady, sensible refinement rather than redesign.
Pros
- First-rate handmade interior with teak veneers and sole
- Shoal 2-foot, 3-inch draft for gunkholing
- Mast raises without a gin pole for trailering
- Over 600 built; refined through three later generations
Cons
- Not close winded; weather helm when beating
- Triangular mainsheet crowds the helmsman
- Standing rigging a bit undersized
- Standing headroom only at companionway
