Hood 23 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Hood 23 means weighing a 1966 Warwick J Hood design that still attracts a devoted following though only about 20 boats sit on the class association register, while the class president believes hundreds remain afloat. Most were built in Queensland by Max Stoddart after early hulls from Hood Boating Company Ltd, and the 1972 design update plus at least four variants—pop-tops, centreboard, full-keel cruising versions—mean no two boats present identically. A buyer's first task is simply identifying which version is on the hard.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard fin-keel masthead sloop runs 7.2 meters overall with a 1.15-meter draught and a coach-house that gives full standing room and good light. The 1976 Arabesque shows the fuller cruising format with a full keel and a folding galley cover that doubles as a chart table, while some versions substitute a centreboard or pop-top for coastal trailering or headroom. Interior trim on older boats can be period-green vinyl and dark veneer, acceptable but dated, and the V-berth forward often adapts to a 50-liter water bladder fed through the forward hatch on upgraded examples.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the Australian used market these boats commonly carry heating, solar, lithium batteries, an inverter, a bimini, and autopilot as baseline cruising kit. For a used Hood 23 the consequential clusters are power and energy—solar with lithium and an inverter lets a 15hp Johnson outboard-only boat stay off-grid—and canvas and sail handling, where a bimini and autopilot extend comfortable days aboard a small coach-house hull. A propane one-burner stove and transom BBQ are owner-fit replacements seen on at least one boat for the non-compliant original gas unit.
What to Inspect
Survey of the Arabesque found dry rot in the coach-house packing timber, a non-compliant gas stove, and seacocks needing replacement. The same boat later had the timber support rebuilt and gate-valve seacocks changed to bronze-ball valves that show closed at a glance, so verify any used example has had those corrections. Also check the main halyard path: one owner rerigged with Spectra after storm chafe, and a scarfed tiller repair shows the kind of localized timber work these boats may carry.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical availability is in Australia. For a used Hood 23, a short buyer checklist: confirm coach-house timber is rot-free and seacocks are modern bronze-ball type; verify rigging was upgraded if halyard chafe is evident; match the version (fin, centreboard, pop-top, full-keel) to intended use; and expect to bring gas and canvas equipment up to a cruising standard.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Hood 23. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 3 | $4,121 | — |
| May 26 | 1 | $3,225 | -21.7% |
Where they're listed
Hood 23 listings appear across 1 country. Australia has the most listings with 4.
Country view
4 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $3,673 | 4 | 0 | 100.0% |