Design Brief & Intent
The Multi 23 was designed to serve as a high-performance daysailer and tactical racer for sailors transitioning out of beach catamarans, or those seeking monohull-beating speeds without the typical capsize risks of high-performance dinghies. Compared to competitors like the Corsair Sprint 750 or Astus trimarans, the Multi 23 prioritizes absolute speed and hydrodynamic efficiency over cabin comfort. There is no cabin, no galley, and no standing headroom. Instead, the boat offers a massive, watertight dry locker forward of the mast stretching nine feet in length, which serves to house sails, safety gear, and supplies for adventurous "boat camping" using an optional boom tent.
The interior of the main hull is a spartan showcase of industrial composite construction. Built using vacuum-bagged vinylester resin with a PVC foam core and solid glass below the waterline, the hulls are clean, functional, and devoid of cosmetic liners. This construction method keeps the boat’s dry displacement to an astonishingly light 660 pounds, meaning there is virtually no deadweight to drag through the water. While other manufacturers of the era compromised hull shapes to maximize interior volume, VPLP kept the central hull razor-thin with a fine entry and a flat run aft for a clean, hydrodynamic exit.
Variations & Configurations
Throughout its production run, the Multi 23 evolved primarily through two distinct generations: the MkI and the MkII. The original MkI boats featured glass-reinforced plastic construction with early carbon fiber components. However, to handle the immense loads generated by speeds frequently exceeding 20 knots, Torpen International introduced the MkII around 2014. The MkII represented a substantial structural upgrade, replacing standard components with 80% carbon fiber crossbeams (akas), 100% carbon fiber rudders, and a redesigned pivoting centerboard featuring four times the carbon reinforcement of its predecessor.
Rig configurations on the Multi 23 all center around a rotating aluminum wing mast, but sail plans varied. The cruiser setup utilized a reefable Dacron mainsail and a self-tacking jib designed for short-handed ease. The high-performance racing setup utilized high-aspect, square-top laminate sails, a 100% carbon bowsprit, and a large asymmetric spinnaker or gennaker controlled by high-end Karver furling systems.
Propulsion was another area of variation. While the factory envisioned a clean, light, inboard-mounted electric motor as the standard auxiliary, most North American and European owners retrofitted the boat with small 2-to-5 horsepower gasoline outboards or modern electric outboards on custom transom-mounted brackets to satisfy local racing safety rules and handle strong currents.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The sailing dynamics of the Multi 23 are defined by its eye-watering sail area to displacement ratio of 69.23. This translates to instantaneous acceleration; the boat is capable of easily sailing at or above wind speed in light air, leaving standard monohulls and heavier cruising multihulls far behind. The capsize screening ratio of 7.12, while a formula traditionally applied to monohulls, highlights the boat's radical beam-to-length configuration when deployed as a trimaran. Because of its massive 15.5-foot beam, the Multi 23 achieves tremendous form stability.
A key architectural feature is the extreme dihedral of the crossbeams. At rest, the windward float sits one to two feet clear of the water, reducing wetted surface area. Under sail, the boat heels to roughly 13 to 18 degrees before the main hull flies, transferring its weight entirely onto the leeward ama. Unlike many sports catamarans or narrow-float trimarans of the era (such as the Diam 24), which are prone to burying the leeward bow and pitchpoling, the Multi 23’s floats are designed with massive reserve buoyancy representing 200% of the boat’s total displacement. This volume is carried far forward, ensuring that the leeward bow lifts under pressure rather than diving. The result is a highly stable, forgiving platform that can be pushed hard in a gusty breeze. The helm, controlled by a single tiller and transom-hung rudder, remains light and responsive, though sailing at these speeds is an incredibly wet, spray-heavy experience requiring technical foul-weather gear.
Market Snapshot & Economics
With roughly 90 to 100 hulls produced globally during its production run, the Multi 23 remains a scarce and highly sought-after commodity on the used multihull market. It generally commands a premium among racing enthusiasts who recognize the pedigree of its VPLP design, yet it represents an outstanding performance-to-dollar value compared to full-carbon racing machines.
Because the hulls are demountable rather than folding—requiring the unbolting of the akas rather than a telescoping or swinging mechanism—the boat can be packed flat onto a specialized trailer. This makes it highly economical to store on land, eliminating slip fees and winter storage costs. However, prospective buyers should budget for the ongoing maintenance of high-performance laminate sails, which degrade quickly under the high loads this platform generates. Additionally, used buyers must pay close attention to whether they are purchasing an early MkI or a later, structurally reinforced MkII.
Known Issues & Triage
The primary technical concerns on the Multi 23 surround the structural loads on the early MkI models. The attachment points where the carbon-reinforced crossbeams bolt to the hulls are subject to extreme torsional stresses. On early production models, this frequently resulted in gelcoat crazing or fine stress cracks around the mounting plates. While often cosmetic, any sign of movement or structural fatigue in these high-load areas requires immediate reinforcement with additional fiberglass and carbon laminates.
The retractable centerboard and rudder assemblies are also high-wear zones. Because the boat is capable of speeds over 20 knots, striking an underwater object or grounding with the centerboard down can easily fracture the board or damage the internal structure of the trunk. While the MkII centerboards were heavily reinforced with carbon, older MkI foils should be thoroughly inspected for flex, delamination, or trailing-edge splitting. Additionally, the mast-stepping process requires a coordinated effort; raising the 35-foot rotating wing mast from the trailer is a heavy lever arm that can lead to hardware damage or personal injury if attempted without a dedicated gin-pole and gin-pole lines.
Modernization & Upgrades
Owners of older Multi 23 models frequently undertake upgrades to bring their vessels up to MkII or modern racing standards. A common retrofitting project is replacing the original wire standing rigging with modern, low-stretch Dyneema lines, which shed weight aloft and reduce mast pump in a seaway. Upgrading the deck hardware to modern friction rings and continuous-line Karver or Ronstan furlers significantly improves the speed and safety of deploying the gennaker.
In terms of propulsion, the trend has shifted heavily away from heavy, noisy gasoline outboards. Modern owners are increasingly retrofitting the Multi 23 with lightweight lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery banks paired with high-thrust electric outboards. This setup mounts cleanly on the transom, eliminates the risk of fuel spills in the open cockpit, and preserves the clean, high-performance ethos of this VPLP design.
The Verdict
The Multi 23 remains one of the most exhilarating and forgiving sport trimarans ever conceived for the recreational sailor. It successfully bridges the gap between raw beach-cat speed and the security of a stable, three-hulled platform, backed by the unparalleled design pedigree of VPLP. While it offers zero concessions to cruising comfort, its ability to fly hulls in single-digit breeze and safely exceed 20 knots in a blow makes it a timeless masterpiece for pure speed enthusiasts.
Pros:
- Pedigree VPLP design provides world-class hull dynamics and elite speed.
- Exceptional leeward ama buoyancy (200% displacement) virtually eliminates the risk of pitchpoling.
- High dihedral design minimizes wetted surface and keeps the boat responsive in light air.
- Easily trailerable and demountable, drastically reducing seasonal storage and slip costs.
- Self-tacking jib and simple deck layout make single-handed high-speed sailing highly manageable.
Cons:
- Completely open deck with zero cabin accommodations or built-in creature comforts.
- Early MkI models are prone to stress cracking around the aka-to-hull mounting points.
- Extreme speeds make the cockpit highly exposed, cold, and wet in a seaway.
- Demountable beam system takes longer to set up at the ramp than folding trimarans.
- Foil and centerboard trunks are highly vulnerable to catastrophic damage during high-speed groundings.
