Paceship Bluejacket 23 Buyer's Guide
The Paceship Bluejacket 23 is a 23-foot fiberglass sloop built by Paceship Yachts in Mahone Bay from 1967 to 1974, with at least 107 produced. She was offered as both an open daysailer and a MORC racing version, so a used buyer is really choosing between two cabin philosophies on one proven hull. Knowing which layout and which structural details to verify will save grief after the survey.
Layouts on the Used Market
The daysailer carries a roomy cockpit and an open cuddy, suited to afternoon sailing without cabin commitments. The MORCEE version appeared in 1970 with a fully enclosed cabin, self-bailing cockpit, and small cuddy to satisfy Midget Ocean Racing Club rules. Below, the racing layout has a raised double V-berth on 3-inch foam, a standard port galley with sink and integral tank, and a starboard space pre-cut for an optional marine head. Two molded shelves sit above the berths and a sole hatch reaches the bilge. Positive flotation from bow and seat foam is common to the design.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Power and energy center on the built-in outboard well, bulkheaded and self-draining, with a recommended 3 to 6 horsepower motor and a fairing plug for racing; the boat also ships with running lights, interior light, fuse box, and battery case. Sail handling runs through an anodized deck-stepped mast with non-geared roller reefing, two No. 1 snubbing winches, and Samson braid running rigging, while a No. 1 genoa and spinnaker were optional from new. Navigation and trim are served by stainless, Marinium, and chromed-brass deck hardware and No. 1 oiled teak rails and rubrails.
What to Inspect
The outboard well is the one documented weak point: it can take on water in some conditions, so check the bulkhead seal and well plug and confirm the drain plug habit under way the builder recommended. Beyond that, the deck is plywood-reinforced inside the laminate, so probe for softness, and inspect the factory keel joint where silicone sealer was used between hull and cast-iron fin with no gasket.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Regional availability is not characterized in the brief. For the walkthrough, confirm version (daysailer vs MORC), test the well for leaks, sound the plywood deck, and verify the keel seal and rudder bronze port. A clean example with the racing cabin and intact flotation is the one to target.