Com-Pac 23 PH Buyer's Guide
The Com-Pac 23 PH is an innovative and serious trailerable cruiser that mates a new pilothouse superstructure to the standard Com-Pac 23 hull, and a shopper on the brokerage market will find a boat built around inside steering and shoal-water capability rather than speed. Knowing what was fitted and what to look at turns a curious listing into a confident purchase.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 23 PH carries the same core plan: a tall pilothouse with an inside helm station forward to starboard, a port dinette that drops to a berth, a forward V-berth, and an enclosed head to starboard with a sliding sink. The cabin is finished in white laminate with teak trim and six-foot headroom anchor. On deck the boat has a six-foot cockpit with tiller steering and a small bowsprit for the furling headsail. Because the pilothouse is the defining feature, differences between used boats are mostly in equipment and engine rather than arrangement.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Power on these boats varies: some carry a 12-horsepower Westerbeke diesel, others a Yanmar 1GM10 freshwater-cooled diesel, both accessed under fold-away companionway steps. For energy and handling, buyers should note the tabernacle-stepped mast that folds for trailering, the bridle mainsheet on the transom, and the optional custom trailer for over-the-road transport. Navigation and comfort clusters center on the inside helm station, which includes wheel steering, engine controls, and a mount for a VHF, plus manually-operated windshield wipers on the forward windows and good stainless or optional teak cabintop handholds. Tankage is modest — seven gallons diesel, 25 fresh, five holding — so a buyer wanting extended off-grid time should plan upgrades.
What to Inspect
A survey should follow normal pocket-cruiser practice. Verify the tabernacle mast fold mechanism and deck-stepped mast support at the bulkhead corner posts, confirm the aluminum kick-up rudder hinge is free, and check the fold-away companionway steps and engine access. The head sink that slides out and the bulkhead that drops for aft visibility are mechanical items worth cycling during survey.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Buyers should simply watch for used Com-Pac 23 PH boats. For a used-boat checklist: confirm which diesel is installed and its service history; exercise the mast tabernacle and rudder kick-up; test the inside helm visibility bulkhead and sliding head sink; verify holding tank and zero-discharge compliance if cruising restricted waters; and budget for the optional trailer if over-the-road use is intended.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Com-Pac 23 PH. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $54,000 | — |