Design and Construction
The Hood 23 was conceived as a small, properly engineered sailing boat rather than a minimal trailer toy, and at least four versions emerged over the years, including pop-top and centreboard variants alongside the standard fin-keel form. The 1976-built Arabesque illustrates the more substantial cruising iteration, carrying a full keel and a full-standing-room coach-house with ample light. Solid fiberglass hull and deck, a 1,850-pound lead ballast giving a 50 percent ballast-displacement ratio, and a 7.87-foot beam on a 23.62-foot overall length produce a stiff, manageable platform. A capsize ratio of 2.04 and comfort ratio near 17 place her squarely in modest coastal cruiser territory rather than offshore expedition class, but the numbers explain why owners find her predictable.
Rig and Handling
A masthead just over 11 meters above the waterline carries the 329-square-foot sail plan, and with the fin keel she tacks quite cleanly and has never been caught in stays. Owners report that to balance the helm they single-reef the main for the jibs and double-reef for the storm jib, while in very light winds the main and genoa still keep her moving. A trial sail in about 25 knots with a full main and jib showed her at her limit, and since then a double-reefed main with storm jib has been the more balanced and comfortable setup. The designer's own assessment that she lacks many vices is borne out by this forgiving, easily balanced behavior.
Accommodations
The coach-house layout gives full standing room and good light, and on Arabesque the period interior carries green vinyl seats with dark wood veneer panels. A folding cover over the galley doubles as a chart table, a practical touch for a boat this size, and a 1976 example shows how the coach-house format supports liveaboard-style cruising without a rebuild. The V-berth area and forward hatch access on at least one boat were later adapted to take a 50-liter water bladder, showing how the space lends itself to modest upgrades.
Known Issues
Survey of the Arabesque revealed dry rot in the packing timber for the coach-house, a non-compliant gas stove, and seacocks that merited replacement. The timber support was later replaced by the owner's family, and the old gate-valve seacocks were swapped for bronze-ball valves that show their closed state at a glance. These are localized, addressable faults rather than systemic structural defects, but a buyer should treat coach-house timber and seacock condition as primary inspection points.
Refits and Ownership
After the main halyard chafed in a storm, the owner rerigged with Spectra halyards, a sensible modernizing step on a 1960s design. The tiller was repaired by scarfing in new wood, and a propane one-burner stove with a transom-mounted marine BBQ replaced the non-compliant original, an upgrade the owner framed as cruiser-appropriate. A 15hp Johnson outboard provided auxiliary power on Arabesque, and a 15-pound CQR anchor held securely on a rough night. The Hood 23 Yacht Association counts only about 20 boats registered, though the class president believes hundreds remain in circulation.
The Verdict
The Hood 23 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser that rewards careful survey of its coach-house timber and seacocks but offers an unusually balanced, low-vice sailboat for its length. Warwick Hood's design intent—a properly built small performer—still reads clearly in how she handles and lives aboard.
Pros
- Forgiving, easily balanced helm with reefing discipline matched to sail type
- Full-standing-room coach-house with practical galley-chart table combo
- Solid fiberglass construction with substantial lead ballast for the size
Cons
- Coach-house packing timber prone to dry rot if neglected
- Original gas stoves and gate-valve seacocks commonly need replacement
- Limited registered fleet makes class-support parts less certain than volume brands
