Production continued through 1973. In 1974, a new and unrelated design bearing the same name appeared and took over; that later boat is now usually called the Coronado 23-2 to distinguish the two. Some original boats were also sold as kits for amateur construction under the Sailcrafter Custom Yachts name, and the design is also known simply as the Sailcrafter 23.
Design and Construction
The original Coronado 23 is a fiberglass monohull, built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim. This recreational keelboat has a raked stem, a plumb transom, and an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a tiller.
Two underbody configurations left the factory: a fixed fin keel and a stub keel with centerboard. The fin-keel version displaces 2,300 lb, carries 1,100 lb of cast-iron ballast, and draws 3.17 ft. The centerboard variant, often referred to as the CB, displaces 2,485 lb and carries 810 lb of ballast. Its draft ranges from 2.56 ft with the board up to 5.00 ft with the board down.
The hull measures 22.58 ft LOA, with a 20.08 ft waterline and a beam of 7.75 ft.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Coronado 23 carries a Bermuda-rigged masthead sloop rig. Its I foretriangle measures 26.58 ft, with a J base of 9.00 ft. The mainsail has a 23.50 ft luff and a 10.25 ft foot.
Total sail area is just over 240 sq ft, divided almost evenly between a 120.44 sq ft mainsail and a 119.61 sq ft jib or genoa. The design has a hull speed of 6.0 kn and an average PHRF racing handicap of 270. In a 2010 review, Steve Henkel noted that the boat’s PHRF seems to indicate a performance deficiency compared with its competitors.
Accommodations
The Coronado 23 sleeps four. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, with the head tucked beneath it. In the main cabin, a straight settee quarter berth runs along the starboard side, while a drop-down dinette table converts to a berth to port.
The galley sits amidships to starboard and includes a recessed stove, an icebox, and a double sink. Cabin headroom is 57 inches.
Henkel’s 2010 assessment observed that the boat fits a great deal into limited space—four berths, a dinette, head, stove, icebox, and sink. That sums up the layout’s compact but complete character.
Equipment and Power
For docking and maneuvering, the boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp outboard in a centered aft well. The well sits directly at the helmsman’s feet, beneath the tiller. Henkel praised this placement for giving the helmsman very good access to the engine controls.
The arrangement keeps the powerplant close at hand without taking up interior volume.
Verdict
The original Coronado 23 is a small, trailerable Crealock design that combines compact cruising accommodations with straightforward dimensions, tiller steering, and outboard power. The centerboard option extends its shallow-water reach, while the fin-keel model remains light and simple.
Its PHRF suggests that it won’t outrun dedicated racers, but raw speed isn’t the boat’s main attraction. Its strengths are usable space and easy handling in a compact package.
Pros
- Sleeps four in a 22 ft hull, with a head, galley, and dinette
- Outboard well beneath the tiller gives the helmsman direct access to the engine controls
- Centerboard version draws less than 3 ft with the board retracted, suiting trailering and gunkholing
- Fiberglass construction with wood trim and simple rigging
Cons
- PHRF of 270 indicates a performance deficit against comparable cruiser-racers
- 57-inch headroom limits comfort for taller sailors
- Out of production since the 1970s; the original was superseded by the unrelated Coronado 23-2
