Design and Construction
The 23 PH combines a new superstructure with the standard Com-Pac 23 hull, a standard 23-foot solid FRP hull that Com-Pac fitted with a new, tall pilothouse anchor. The keel is a long, low-aspect fin with an arced trailing edge, and the boat draws just over two feet — specifically 2 feet 3 inches — making it well suited to skinny-water gunkholing anchor. An aluminum-blade rudder kicks up in case of grounding, a sensible concession to the shallow venues the shoal keel invites. The mast is tabernacle-stepped and folds down to pass under low bridges or for trailering, while below it is deck-stepped and supported by bulkhead corner posts that eliminate a centerline compression post and open the passage forward.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the 23 PH carries a simple single-spreader masthead sloop with fore and aft lower shrouds, identical to the standard 23 rig except for a higher boom to clear the pilothouse, and the masthead sloop rig rises 30 feet above the waterline anchor. A small bowsprit forward provides a tack attachment for the furling headsail and a built-in anchor roller. The mainsheet is a bridle type on the transom so it does not clutter the small cockpit, which itself is a sizable six feet on deck with tiller steering. With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.05, displacement-to-length of 190, and sail-area-to-displacement of 16.65, the numbers describe a short, heavy, modestly canvased pocket cruiser rather than a light-air flyer.
Accommodations
The pilothouse adds comfort and protection for extended-season cruising, with large sliding windows and four hatches lighting an inviting cabin finished in white laminate with teak trim and offering six-foot headroom anchor. Forward and to starboard sits an inside helm station with wheel steering, engine controls, and a place to mount basic electronics like a VHF; a bulkhead between the helm and head drops down to provide visibility through the aft head window. The helm chair converts to a counter for the stove. To port, a dinette for two has a cantilevered table that drops to make a third berth, and the dinette to port also folds down to make a berth in the standard layout; a small icebox with counter space and sink lies just ahead. A V-berth forward makes an ample bunk for two, and to starboard an enclosed compartment holds a Jabsco marine head with a sink that slides out when in use. Two hanging lockers and many cubbyholes provide storage, though the trade for all this interior volume is a small cockpit and very minimal side decks.
Ownership and Refits
The 23 PH is trailerable and, when fitted with the available custom trailer, can easily be taken over the road for vacation or winter storage anchor. The engine sits under fold-away companionway steps for easy access, and tankage includes seven gallons of diesel, 25 of fresh water, and a five-gallon holding tank that makes the boat welcome in zero-discharge zones. The owner of hull No. 2 returned from two months in the Bahamas on his 23 Pilothouse, a manufacturer-reported endorsement of the concept's range.
The Verdict
The Com-Pac 23 PH is a serious attempt to bolt all-weather livability onto a proven pocket-cruiser hull. It trades deck space for an enclosed helm and a surprising amount of belowdecks accommodation, and the shoal keel with kick-up rudder extends its cruising ground into waters larger boats avoid. The compromises are real but predictable for the size.
Pros
- Inside steering station with visibility aft through a dropping bulkhead
- Shoal 2-foot-3-inch draft with kick-up aluminum rudder for grounding protection
- Award-winning accommodations with three berths and six-foot headroom
- Tabernacle mast and custom trailer for true over-the-road trailering
Cons
- Small cockpit and minimal side decks from the pilothouse footprint
- Modest sail plan (SA/D 16.65) on a heavy, short hull
- V-berth forward limits sitting headroom
