Sirius 23 Buyer's Guide
The Sirius 23 is a 7.1-meter fiberglass masthead sloop built by Sirius-Werft GmbH in Germany with production starting in 1973, designed by K. Schröter Travenünde. For a shopper on the used market, the boat presents as a small coastal cruiser with a documented light-displacement character and a choice between a fixed fin keel and a retractable swing keel. The records describe two distinct configurations that matter more than cosmetic trim when comparing used Sirius 23s.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard Sirius 23 carries a fin with rudder on skeg and draws 1.25 meters. The alternative is the swing keel version, which pairs the retractable keel with a transom-hung rudder and spans a maximum draft of 1.5 meters down to 0.65 meters; this variant offers the same Farymann diesel in 5hp or 8hp form. Both layouts share the 2.5-meter beam and 50-liter water tank, and the length-beam ratio of 2.84 places the boat as more spacious than 62% of similar designs — a point to verify by stepping below rather than trusting the listing photo.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The base engine is a Farymann diesel rated at 8 horsepower, with the swing keel option listing Farymann 5hp or 8hp diesels. Rigging on these boats follows a masthead sloop plan with jib and genoa sheets of 7.1 meters at 10 mm diameter, a 17.8-meter mainsheet, and a 15.6-meter spinnaker sheet, also at 10 mm. A used buyer should expect sheet replacement as normal wear; no period upgrade tiers are documented beyond the engine options and keel choice.
What to Inspect
The surveyed records show no documented structural defects for the Sirius 23. The hull is fibreglass and the standard fin keel draws 1.25 meters; on the swing keel version, confirm the pivot and retraction function across the full 0.65-to-1.5-meter range. The capsize screening value of 2.37 indicates this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races, a limit to keep in view when assessing any claimed offshore prep. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 11.9 is significantly below average, so inspect interior cushioning and joinery for wear that compounds an already stiff motion profile.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional market data is recorded for the Sirius 23. For a buyer, the practical checklist is short: confirm keel type and draft range, verify the Farymann diesel model and output, inspect the 10 mm sheet inventory for UV and chafe, and treat the comfort and capsize ratios as limits on intended use. Choose the swing keel only if shoal draft is a real need, since it adds mechanical parts absent from the fin-keel hull.