Design and Construction
Seamaster Ltd. built the Sailer 23 as a solid-fiberglass monohull with a fiberglass deck. Her displacement-length ratio of 290 places the Laurent Giles hull form in the heavy-cruiser category, while ballast accounts for 40 percent of her displacement.
Buyers could choose either bilge keels or a lifting keel. The bilge-keel twin arrangement lets the boat take to the beach. On the lifting-keel version, draft ranges from 2 feet 6 inches with the board up to 5 feet 6 inches with it down—a remarkable range for a 23-footer.
Period databases record a length-to-beam ratio of 2.80, which made the Sailer 23 roomier than many comparable designs. A review also singled out her above-average headroom as a genuine strength of the accommodations rather than a marketing claim.
Rig, Handling, and Power
The Sailer 23 carries a masthead sloop rig suited to short-handed control. The standard sail plan includes a 110-square-foot mainsail and a 120-square-foot No. 1 staysail. Optional sails included a 177-square-foot genoa, No. 2 and No. 3 staysails, and a spinnaker.
The sheet specifications are modest: 10 mm diameter throughout, with a 17.5 m mainsheet and 7 m jib and genoa sheets.
Under power, reported cruising speed is 5.0 knots, with a maximum of 6.0 knots, compared with a theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 5.9 knots. The capsize screening value is 1.92. Her motion comfort ratio is 22.3, which placed her above similar sailboats for comfort in one comparative assessment.
All engine options used shaft drive. Original buyers could specify a 6 hp Stuart Turner petrol engine, a 5 hp Albin petrol, a 6 hp Volvo MD1 diesel, or a 10 hp Bukh diesel.
Accommodations
Writing in Sailing Today, reviewers compared the Sailer 23 directly with the Pageant, another Laurent Giles design. They concluded that the Seamaster offered similar accommodation at a slightly lower price.
Her above-average headroom gives the cabin a less cramped feel than many rivals of this size. Together, the heavy-cruiser displacement and comfort ratio suggest the stable, easy motion at anchor and under way expected of a small family cruiser rather than a racer.
Refits and Ownership
The lifting-keel version requires attention to its centreboard gear, while the bilge-keel model calls for attention to the bonding of its twin keels.
The Sailer 23 continued to attract coverage decades after production ended. It appeared in the July 2001 issue of Sailing Today alongside the Pageant and other cruisers of similar size.
Verdict
The Seamaster Sailer 23 is a thoughtfully conceived small cruiser from the late-1960s wave of British fiberglass boatbuilding. She combines unusual keel flexibility with a comfort-oriented hull in a modest overall length. Her Laurent Giles pedigree and above-average headroom make her a sensible trailer- or shore-based starter, although the lifting keel adds complexity and the shallow-draft bilge-keel version trades windward ability for beachability.
Pros
- Choice of keels, including beachable bilge keels and a deep-draft lifting centreboard
- Above-average headroom and a roomy beam for her length
- High motion comfort ratio relative to comparable designs
- Several period engine choices, all with shaft drive
Cons
- Lifting-keel mechanism adds maintenance
- Modest sail area limits light-air performance compared with larger cruisers
- Production ended in 1975, limiting parts commonality with later Seamaster lines
