Design and Construction
The structure tells the story of a boat engineered for speed and beachability rather than mass-market comfort. The hulls are built of infused vinylester resin, with solid glass below the waterline and Corecell foam on the topside sections and deck, while carbon-reinforced crossbeams carry the load between hulls anchor. The center hull has a fine entry and flat run aft for a slick exit, and testers noted slim forward sections associated with tight lines aft, giving the central hull a deliberate, race-bred shape. The floats carry a volume of 200% of the displacement, which explains the boat's remarkable stability margin for its size. The centerboard and rudders pivot, so the boat is beachable, and the curves and harmonious shape of the crossbeams are not just structural but visually resolved.
Rig and Handling
Both rig options for the Multi 23 feature a rotating aluminum wing mast, and the standard sail plan delivers 328 square feet with a racing main and jib. A self-tacking jib simplifies short-handed sailing, while the cruiser version trades the racing cloth for a reefable Dacron main and jib. A tester's own boat carried Leneman's custom, larger-than-stock jib mounted on a custom bowsprit, showing how readily the platform accepts owner-driven sail-area growth. On the water, the design's intent is unambiguous: a tester recorded 19.9 knots on a handheld GPS and believed the boat had gone faster than that anchor. The boat is trailerable, but it takes about an hour to launch and an hour to retrieve, placing realistic limits on spontaneous use.
Accommodations and Equipment
This is a day-sailing and coastal-camping trimaran rather than a cruiser with enclosed quarters. A 9-foot dry locker forward of the mast provides secure stowage for gear that must stay dry, and a dedicated cockpit tent is optional for those who wish to sleep under cover in the central hull. The standard auxiliary is an inboard-mounted electric motor, a quiet and compact choice suited to a 660-pound hull. One owner report notes that the importer uses an outboard on his own Multi 23 to achieve the 15 miles of motoring range required by local racing authorities, illustrating a practical deviation from the standard electric setup when rule-driven range demands it.
Ownership and Storage
The light weight that makes the Multi 23 fast also shapes its keeping. One owner stores the boat in a lift-dock wide enough to accommodate its 15-foot beam, a reminder that the wide trimaran footprint governs storage logistics even when the boat is out of the water. Launching is simple according to one importer's account, with two people able to have it in the water in around two hours given some experience. The absence of antifouling noted by a tester points to a boat often kept dry or lightly used in warm regions, though this also means any purchased example should be assessed for bottom care history.
The Verdict
The Multi 23 is a rare thing: a true miniature of a grand-prix trimaran, accessible on a trailer and forgiving of a beach landing, yet capable of eye-watering speed in competent hands. Its VPLP parentage and Chinese production under Torpen Marine make it a genuinely international small multihull with serious design credentials.
Pros
- Very low displacement (660 lbs dry) with buoyant amas giving 200% float volume vs displacement
- Beachable pivoting centerboard and rudders; trailerable platform
- Rotating wing mast with self-tacking jib and reefable cruiser rig option
- Carbon-reinforced crossbeams and infused vinylester construction with foam topsides
Cons
- Roughly one hour each to launch and retrieve limits spontaneity
- Minimal accommodation; essentially a day-sailer with optional cockpit tent
- Standard electric auxiliary may not meet racing-range rules without outboard conversion
