Kirby 23
Encyclopedia
The Kirby 23 sailboat
was designed by Bruce Kirby
and saw limited production circa 1985-1986. The hull
from the very successful Sonar
was modified to produce the Kirby 23 to enable it to complete in PHRF
and MORC regatta
s. Basic modifications include the following; a galley, head, larger cabin, life lines, increased sail area, and increased rudder surface area. The boat has a PHRF rating around 178 which makes it competitive with other boats of the era such as the J/22
, J/24
, and S2 7.9 models.
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
was designed by Bruce Kirby
Bruce Kirby
Bruce Kirby is a Canadian-born yacht designer, dinghy and offshore racer and journalist. His designs span boats from the extremely popular single crew Laser to America's Cup challengers...
and saw limited production circa 1985-1986. The hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
from the very successful Sonar
Sonar (keelboat)
The Sonar is a 7 m one-design keelboat for three to five people. It is bermuda-rigged, with a large mainsail and a 100% jib. The class is recognised by the International Sailing Federation....
was modified to produce the Kirby 23 to enable it to complete in PHRF
PHRF
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other...
and MORC regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
s. Basic modifications include the following; a galley, head, larger cabin, life lines, increased sail area, and increased rudder surface area. The boat has a PHRF rating around 178 which makes it competitive with other boats of the era such as the J/22
J/22
The International J/22 is a popular fixed keel one design racing sailboat normally raced with a crew of three or four people . It races with the "class jib," a non-overlapping jib, a mainsail, and a large spinnaker...
, J/24
J/24
The J/24 is an International One-Design keelboat class as defined by the International Sailing Federation. The J/24 is a one design class created to fulfill the diverse needs of recreational sailors such as cruising, one design racing, day sailing and handicap racing.The J/24 is the world's most...
, and S2 7.9 models.