Leisure 23 SL Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Leisure 23 SL means looking at Brian Meerloo’s late-seventies restyle of Frank Pryor’s 1973 Leisure 23: same hull and rig, but a wedge coach roof and higher side decks that add an inch of cabin headroom. Built by Cobramold, the SL is a 22-foot-8-inch fibreglass twin-or-fin keel cruiser whose used supply sits chiefly in the United Kingdom and Germany.
Layouts on the Used Market
The SL carries the 23’s accommodation: a dinette main saloon and a large fore cabin with teak veneers throughout, a standard two-burner galley and fresh-water sink, and five berths. Be aware that boats specified with the separate forecabin toilet compartment sacrifice one berth to a very short length anchor. The deep cushioned cockpit and ample deck remain the boat’s social center, and the SL’s higher side decks improve companionway shelter over the earlier 23.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used fleet, an autopilot is commonly fitted, a real aid on a short-keeled 23-footer when trimming sails single-handed. Solar panels, biminis, and dodgers are often seen, covering house power and cockpit weather protection. Less common owner upgrades include cabin heating, lithium batteries, a cockpit shower, chartplotter, life raft, and simplified rigging led aft for single-handed sailing. Buyers should weigh which of these a given boat already carries before negotiating.
What to Inspect
The iron fin or twin keels are cast and should be checked for rust pitting at the flange and bonding line, since corrosion there threatens the hull joint. The rudder and skeg are moulded GRP around steel framework and fittings, so probe for voids or steel rot at the stock. A teak rubbing strake is standard and often weathered; assess for lifting or rot. Internal mast halyards can admit water at the masthead, and the balsa sandwich deck demands a sounding test for delamination or saturation around fittings.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets are the United Kingdom and Germany, where most examples surface. For a coastal cruiser of bonded construction, the 23 SL rewards a careful survey.
- Confirm keel type and check iron for corrosion at flange
- Sound the balsa deck for moisture or delamination
- Verify masthead seal on internal halyards
- Note forecabin layout: separate head shortens one berth
- Test teak rubbing strake and cabin trim condition
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Leisure 23 SL. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 1 | $9,518 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $6,798 | -28.6% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $4,535 | -33.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $7,138 | +57.4% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $12,169 | +70.5% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $5,779 | -52.5% |
Where they're listed
Leisure 23 SL listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 8.
Country view
8 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $6,968 | 8 | 3 | 100.0% |