Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass. At a length-to-beam ratio of 3.16 she is slimmer than 82 percent of all other designs in her category, and her displacement-length ratio of 130 places her among what analysts call light racers — indeed 79 percent of similar sailboats are categorized as heavier. The 35 percent ballast ratio is higher than 34 percent of comparable designs, and the bulb fin keeps draft between roughly 3.28 and 3.58 feet depending on load. A wetted surface near 161 square feet and an immersion rate of about 505 pounds per inch round out a hull that is physically modest but numerically purposeful.
Rig and Handling
The masthead rig carries 215 square feet of sail, and the resulting sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18.50 is consistent with her light-racer classification. Her theoretical hull speed is 6.1 knots. On the safety side, the capsize screening value is 2.07, a figure that indicates she would not be accepted to participate in ocean races, and the motion comfort ratio of 13.7 means she proves more comfortable than 42 percent of all similar sailboat designs. Sheet specifications are precise: jib and genoa sheets run 22.3 feet at 3/8 inch, the mainsheet is 55.8 feet at the same diameter, and the spinnaker sheet is 49.1 feet, all 10 mm.
The Verdict
The Friendship 23 is a narrowly drawn early-seventies Dutch design: a light, slim masthead sloop with a bulb fin and solid glass construction, optimized as a small coastal racer rather than a passage-maker. Her ratios show a boat that is lean and easily driven but limited by screening and comfort numbers that place her below ocean-race acceptance and only mid-pack for motion ease.
Pros
- Slim, light hull (L/B 3.16, D/L 130) that is easier to drive than most peers
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with a bulb fin for modest draft
- Precise, documented sheet specifications for rig tuning
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.07 excludes her from ocean races
- Comfort ratio beats only 42 percent of similar designs
