Vagabond 23 by Bateau.com

The Vagabond 23 is the successor to the Serpentaire 22, the famous winner of the first Mini_Transat.

The Vagabond 23 retain the virtues of the old design: offshore capable, well balanced fast hull that is easy on her crew, seaworthiness and strength but we were able to blend those qualities with better speed, more room, easier building and more strength.

Unlike the Serpentaire, this boat has been designed from the start for plywood-fiberglass-epoxy composite (stitch and glue), a material stronger and easier than plywood on frame. The hull shape is slightly different: longer hull for better all around speed, less rocker to help planing and a much wider chine towards the stern. All without excess, to keep her well balanced when heeled. Those changes not only helps performance but gives a much longer and wider cockpit. The smoother lines make the plywood easier to bend.

We incorporated two (optional) collision bulkheads in the design and the Vagabond 23 can also become unsinkable with the addition of expandable foam in some strategic locations.

This design removes a major hurdle in amateur sail boat building: the keel.

Our plans show an integral keel, built as a part of the hull and later filled with ballast. No welding, no expensive casting, no difficult keel to hull assembly.

It is also stronger: the VG23 can sit dry and stable on its one piece keel without any additional support or bracing. That feature allows the VG23 to dry out without help in tidal harbors and makes bottom cleaning and painting on a beach possible: no more expensive haulouts!

The VG23 can sleep 4 with a wide double berth forward and two almost 8' long bunks in the main cabin.

The VG23 is powered by an outboard on the transom. The outboard can be clamped directly on the transom or on a standard outboard bracket.

The wide centerboard trunk makes maintenance easy: the CB can be removed and the trunk cleaned and painted. For performance reason, the rudder is deeper than the keel but a very simple design feature allows it to slide up for sailing shallow waters or beaching.