Barri Hopkin's L23SL sailing the Blackwater

Leisure 23 

Designed by Frank Pryor for serious cruising and launched in 1973, the Leisure 23 was an immediate success.

 The first thing that impresses most people about the Leisure 23 is the ample deck space, large deep cushioned cockpit and surprisingly roomy accommodation for up to fivepeople. 

With a high ballast ration of 48%, the L23 proved a most seaworthy yacht.

The hull is of one piece, moulded GRP for minimum maintenance, with interior mouldings and bulkheads bonded in for exceptional strength and rigidity.

 A balsa sandwich deck provides further strength and excellent insulation.

 Fin or twin keel (hydrofoil section) versions were built, keels being made in cast iron.

 Rudder and skeg are moulded GRP with steel framework and fittings.

 A teak rubbing strake is standard to protect the topsides. 

Moulded non-slip areas on deck help to provide a secure foothold whilst working forward.

An outboard engine (8-10hp) was fitted as the standard auxiliary, but many are fitted with a 10hp inboard diesel engine, usually a Volvo Penta Saildrive unit. 

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The spars are in aluminium alloy. Originally gold, the spars of later boats are black or silver. All standing rigging and rigging screws are in stainless steel and halyards are internal to the mast. 

Accommodation

The accommodation comprises a main saloon cabin in a dinette arrangement, with a large fore cabin. 

Two fore cabin arrangements were supplied, either with or without a separate toilet compartment. 

Five berths are available, although one is very short when a separate toilet compartment is fitted. 

A galley with two-burner gas stove and a sink with freshwater pump is standard.

Much use is made of teak and teak veneers throughout the cabin giving a warm appearance.

Leisure 23 SL

Introduced two years later in 1975, the Leisure 23SL has an identical hull and rig to the Leisure 23.

However the L23SL  has a different, Brian-Meerloo-designed, deck moulding featuring a more modern wedge shaped coach roof and higher side decks. 

This increased the headroom by an inch in the cabin.

Specification

Length Overall             6.90m      22 ft 8   in

Length Waterline       6.09m      20 ft

Beam                                 2.39m      7 ft 10in

Headroom  L23          1.75m       5 ft 9in

Headroom L23SL      1.79m      5 ft 10in

Draft

Fin                                      1.19m     3 ft 11in

Twin                                  0.81m      2 ft 8in

Displacement             1841kg    4050lbs

Keels                                 886kg     1950lbs

Ballast Ratio                 48%

Mast

Standard                         7.93m      26 ft

Lake Rig                           9.0 m       30 ft


Mainsail                           8.4sqm     90sqft

Working Jib                   9.7sqm    104sq ft

No.1 Jib                           7.9sqm     85sqft

No.1 Storm Jib            4.7sqm     51sqft

No.2 Storm Jib            2.8sqm     30sqft

Genoa                               4.7sqm    158sqft

Spinnaker                       32.5sqm   350sqft

Performance

For cruising boats, The RYA has updated the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme with the National Handicap for Cruisers (NHC). More up to date information may be obtainable from the  RYA NHC site and the Byron web site.

The only yardstick information we have are various Club Numbers (CN) and Recorded Numbers (RN) as follows:

Keel    Engine            Propeller       Number (Year/Source)

Twin    Inboard         2 Blade        CN1250 (1999) RN1226 (1996) CN1195 (Byron)

Twin    Inboard         Folding        CN1240 (1999) CN1160 (1999)

Twin    Outboard     2 Blade       CN1190 (1999) RN1240 (1988) RN1220 (1983)

Fin        Inboard             Folding          CN1190 (1999) RN1190 (1983) CN1122 (Byron)

Order Form L23/23SL  1980                      Order Form L23SL 1983

L23SL_Brochure.pdf
L23_Brochure.pdf