Had a ride on the BayCruiser 23 at Beale.
Very nice, too!
The winds were a touch gusty and lesser craft were putting their gunnels under, but the BC 23 just powered away in the gusts, despite having her ballast tanks full, which should have slowed her down a bit. The rapid acceleration and feeling of smooth power were really most impressive as, indeed, was her tight turning circle. As for looks and finish, the photos don’t do her justice. She was quite the prettiest thing on the lake.
Difficult to compare her with the BC20 as I had a test sail in the smaller boat on the Teifi Estuary ( in half a gale, if memory serves) rather than on the Beale Park pond, but, if pressed, I would say the 23 is more refined, with a more polished and sorted feel to her ...and (obviously) has a deal more cabin space. Quite what difference the sloop rig has, as compared to the yawl, I couldn’t comment upon on such short acquaintance...but I know which I prefer.....
If I had the cash, would I buy one? Difficult choice. The rumoured BC26 clouds the issue for those not wanting to trail very often.
For my kind of sailing, the BR 20 hull in its 6’7” beam version (the BC20 is 7’6” and the BC23 is 8 feet) is about as much as I can comfortably deal with in a hotel car park - where I often have to cram the unhitched trailer into a tight corner on my way to pastures new.
What I want from a boat is as much seaworthiness per foot (and per kilogram trailed weight) as I can get and, at the moment, that means I am saving my pennies for the BR20 Expedition model, the only thing Ive seen on the market that could tempt me away from my Cardigan Bay Lugger (18’7” x 6’2”) – seen below in a typically tight spot last summer.
I predict the BR20e is going to be a big seller. I only hope they don’t wear the moulds out before I get my act together!
