Review of Cole 23

Both the hull and the deck is made of fibreglass. A hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.

The boat is equipped with one cabin, 5 berths and a galley.

The interior is like most other boats made of teak. Teak has the advantage of being naturally very oily and therefore water-repellent, which is suitable on boats.

The boat has more than one rig.

One option is a masthead rig. The sail area for the mailsail + jib is 23.1 m² (249.0 ft²). The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

Another option is a masthead rig. The sail area for the mailsail + jib is 21.5 m² (231.2 ft²). The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

The Cole 23 has been built with different keel alternatives.

Swing keel

One option is a swing keel. A swing keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.

Cole 23 can sail close to the beach as the draft is just 0.35 - 0.45 meter (1.15 - 1.45 ft) dependent of the load. See immersion rate below.

Fin keel

Another option is a fin keel. A boat with a fin keel is more manoeuvrable but has less directional stability than a similar boat with a full keel.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 1.29 - 1.39 meter (4.23 - 4.53 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

An outboard motor is often used on this boat for docking and maneuvering. In that case the boat will typically require a power of 2 - 3 hp, alternatively 42 - 50 lbs thrust if you prefer an electrical motor. Electric outboards are becoming popular among sailboat owners who want clean instant power with less noise and no exhaust fumes.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Cole 23 is 2.55, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.0 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Cole 23 is about 100 kg/cm, alternatively 562 lbs/inch.
Meaning: if you load 100 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 562 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

The Motion Comfort Ratio for Cole 23 is 9.5.

Comparing this ratio with similar sailboats show that it is more comfortable than 15% of all similar sailboat designs. This is a comfort value significantly below average.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

The l/b ratio for Cole 23 is 2.80.

Compared with other similar sailboats it is more spacy than 62% of all other designs. It seems that the designer has chosen a slightly more spacy hull design.

What is a Ballast Ratio?

The ballast ratio for Cole 23 is 40%.

This ballast ratio is higher than 54% of all similar sailboat designs. Since the ballast ratio and the righting moment (i.e. better ability to resist heeling) is strongly correlated, a ballast ratio just above average indicates an ability to resist heeling above average.

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

The DL-ratio for Cole 23 is 122 which categorizes this boat among 'light racers'.

82% of all similar sailboat designs are categorized as heavier. A light displacement requires less sailarea and has higher accellerations.

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

The SA/D for Cole 23 with ISO 8666 reference sail is 24.3, with a 135% genua the SA/D is 29.2.

The SA/D ratio indicates that it is faster than 92% of all similar sailboat designs in light wind.

The Cole 23 has more rig than 99% of all similar sailboats, which indicates that the boat is significantly overrigged.

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 17m² (182 ft²).
Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Note: If you use a paint roller you will need more paint than if you use a paintbrush.

Dimensions of sail for masthead rig.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

Keels with moving parts need to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis according to advice given in owner's manual. Manufacturers usually advise which maintenance work can be done by the owner and which work should be carried out by a suitably experienced boatyard.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Cole 23 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us. Criticism helps us to improve.

[Ref 1]: ISO 8666 Small craft — Principal data.
[Ref 3]: ISO 12215-5 Small craft — Hull construction and scantlings.