The boat measures 23 feet 8 inches overall and displaces 3,000 pounds when ballasted. Its relatively full hull and raised freeboard add room below, help shed spray in a chop, and allow the cabin profile to remain low. The result is a highly engineered boat with thoughtful features rather than a bare-bones weekender.
Design and Construction
The 23.5’s defining feature is its water ballast. It carries 125 gallons, or 1,000 pounds, immediately below the waterline in about 16 cubic feet of volume. That ballast can be drained for trailering. With the water removed, the boat, motor, and trailer together weigh 2,450 pounds.
A retractable centerboard, kick-up rudder, and a mast that is fairly easy to step and unstep further improve trailerability. Hunter also built in enough foam to provide positive flotation.
Construction is straightforward for the period, with balsa coring in the hull and plywood in the deck. The modified shoebox deck-to-hull joint is bonded with fiberglass and fastened through the rubrail. The stanchions are sturdy and land on glassed-in aluminum backing plates, while the nonskid is molded into the deck.
Hunter built a mock-up and then an extensively tested prototype before finalizing the design. Writing in Practical Sailor, inspectors examining hull number 8 noted careful attention to detail and finish, even in awkward corners. The builder offered a five-year bottom-blister warranty on the 23.5.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The B&R rig uses a 28-foot Z. Spar mast. It is fractionally rigged, with swept-back spreaders that eliminate the need for a backstay. There is no traveler or topping lift.
The main and jib halyards run internally and lead aft to the cockpit. Sail area comes from a fully battened, 128-square-foot mainsail and a 110-percent, 108-square-foot jib. Together they provide 236 square feet of sail area and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18.9.
Test sailors found that the lightweight, shallow-bodied hull accelerated quickly in light air. It pointed high without noticeable helm and glided easily on a reach or downwind. The boat sails well on all points in light air and performs well off the wind in heavier conditions.
Its limitations appear when beating in stronger wind. In 15–20 knots with a single reef, the boat consistently rounds up and stalls. This tendency was linked to the very high-aspect-ratio centerboard, a type generally associated with quick stall. Crews also had some difficulty finding a definitive groove after tacking. Windward performance above 15 knots was judged poor.
The mainsheet arrangement adds another drawback in those conditions. Its cam cleat sits near the cockpit sole, where test sailors found it difficult to reach while beating in heavy air.
Cockpit and Deck
The cabin extends to the rail, leaving no side decks, so crew members must climb over the cabin top to reach the foredeck. In the cockpit, a centerline ridge provides a footrest, and the seatbacks have foam padding. Lazarets on both sides provide on-deck stowage.
A #8 Barient winch on each side of the cabin top handles the sheets. The brushed-aluminum tube tiller arches over the walk-through transom, where a swim ladder comes standard.
Accommodations
The main cabin is sizable and has more headroom than is typical for a 23-footer. A pop-top hatch provides standing room in the center. Hunter fitted drains around the pop-top, although reviewers did not vouch for its watertightness.
Three ports on each side bring light into the cabin. The interior finish includes a basic cream liner and grayish, close-weave fabric covering part of the topsides.
Aft to port is a galley station with a one-burner alcohol stove, a sink, and a fold-out table with storage. Forward of the galley is a child-sized settee and berth with a cutout for a portable ice chest. Opposite is a longer settee and berth measuring less than six feet.
A centerline slot holds a small table, which can also be set up in the cockpit. The portable toilet sits to starboard behind a curtain beneath the V-berth, while a double berth lies aft under the cockpit.
Equipment and Ownership
The boat comes with the Cruise Pac, which provides just about everything a customer needs, including sails, motor, trailer, lifelines, anchor, and life jacket. An optional canvas camper top adds weather protection. Helpful additions include an automatic bilge pump and access plates beneath the cockpit winches.
Taking on ballast takes about two minutes. The operator flips up a lid at the base of the companionway, opens a vent, and turns a T-valve. This lowers a circular stainless-steel plate aft of the keel, exposing four holes in the hull and allowing water into the ballast tank.
Known Issues
The plywood deck core could encourage water migration if a deck leak develops. The pop-top’s sealing was left unverified by reviewers.
The low mainsheet cam cleat is a practical weakness when beating in strong wind. There is also no waterline or boot scribed into the hull, an odd omission on a production boat.
The Verdict
The Hunter 23.5 is a cleverly engineered trailerable cruiser that replaces traditional ballast with water weight that can be drained for the road. It also fits surprising cabin volume into a low, full hull. Its light-air manners and easy trailering are genuine strengths, but buyers will need to accept its weak windward performance in stronger conditions and a few awkward cockpit details.
Pros
- Water ballast removes 1,000 pounds for trailering; combined road weight is 2,450 pounds
- Fairly easy mast stepping, retractable centerboard, kick-up rudder, and positive flotation
- Standing headroom under the pop-top and a roomy cabin for a 23-footer, including an aft double berth
- B&R fractional rig with internal halyards and no backstay simplifies setup
Cons
- Consistently rounds up and stalls in 15–20 knots with one reef; windward performance above 15 knots was judged poor
- Plywood deck core carries a risk of water migration if a leak develops
- Mainsheet cam cleat is difficult to reach near the cockpit sole
- No scribed waterline or boot
