Spirit 23
Description
The Spirit 23, originally launched as the North American 23 by North American Yachts (a division of Glastron) in 1976, was rebranded under Spirit Yachts after Glastron sold the division in 1978. Production continued until 1981. This 23-foot fiberglass monohull is a trailerable cruiser-racer designed by Robert Finch for day sailing, weekend cruising, or club racing on lakes, bays, or coastal waters. It features a masthead sloop rig, options for a centerboard or fixed keel, and a compact cabin that sleeps 4, offering a balance of performance and cruising comfort. Known for its racing success in 1970s regional regattas, it’s praised by owners for responsive handling, ease of trailering, and durable construction, though it’s not suited for offshore passages due to its light displacement. The Spirit 23 is distinct from other “American” sailboats like the American 12 Kingfisher or American 18 by American Sail Inc., and it shares its core design with the North American 23, with minor updates post-1978 (e.g., deck fittings, cosmetics).
Construction Details
| Designer | Robert Finch |
|---|---|
| Length | 23.000 ft |
| LOA | 23.000 ft |
| LWL | 20.000 ft |
| Beam | 7.920 ft |
| Displacement | 2800 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.000 ft |
| Min Draft | 2.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.67 ft |
| p | 22.50 ft |
| e | 9.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 ft | 8.67 ft | 22.50 ft | 9.50 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 22.5 ft - (6858 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.5 ft - (2896 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.91 ft - (7288 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 24.12 ft - (7352 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 110.54 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 24 ft - (7315 mm) |
| Foot | 10.083 ft - (3073 mm) |
| Leech | 21.5 ft - (6553 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 104.15 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.03 ft - (2752 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 7.3 ° |
| Area | * 108.35 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 21.17 ft - (6453 mm) |
| Foot | * 11.64 ft - (3548 mm) |
| Leech | * 18.15 ft - (5532 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.99 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.97 ft - (3039 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.93 ° |
| Area | * 105.55 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 25.14 ft - (7663 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.14 ft - (4310 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.5 ft - (7163 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.94 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.04 ° |
| Area | * 163.41 ft² |
| Sail Type | DRIFTER |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 25.14 ft - (7663 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.74 ft - (4493 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.36 ft - (6815 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 149.94 % |
| Length Perp | * 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 8.99 ° |
| Area | * 163.41 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 25.14 ft - (7663 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.31 ft - (4362 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.13 ft - (7050 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 270 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 25.14 ft - (7663 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 15.61 ft - (4758 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.61 ft - (4758 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 334 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 14.55 ft - (4435 mm) |
| Foot | * 6.61 ft - (2015 mm) |
| Leech | * 11.69 ft - (3563 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 59.98 % |
| Length Perp | * 5.2 ft - (1585 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.99 ° |
| Area | * 37.83 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite.