Kittiwake 23

Summary

The Kittiwake 23, also called the Kittiwake 24 and the Kenner Kittiwake, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Carl Alberg as a cruiser and first built in 1966. It is named for the species of gull.[1][2][3][4]

Kittiwake 23
Development
DesignerCarl Alberg
LocationUnited States
Year1966
Builder(s)Kenner Boat Company
Ray Greene & Company
River City Sailcraft
RoleCruiser
NameKittiwake 23
Boat
Displacement3,700 lb (1,678 kg)
Draft2.83 ft (0.86 m)
Hull
Typemonohull
Constructionfiberglass
LOA23.58 ft (7.19 m)
LWL17.75 ft (5.41 m)
Beam7.42 ft (2.26 m)
Engine typeoutboard motor
Hull appendages
Keel/board typelong keel
Ballast1,500 lb (680 kg)
Rudder(s)keel-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig typeBermuda rig
I foretriangle height27.50 ft (8.38 m)
J foretriangle base8.80 ft (2.68 m)
P mainsail luff24.00 ft (7.32 m)
E mainsail foot10.50 ft (3.20 m)
Sails
Sailplanmasthead sloop
Mainsail area126.00 sq ft (11.706 m2)
Jib/genoa area121.00 sq ft (11.241 m2)
Total sail area247.00 sq ft (22.947 m2)
Racing
PHRF270

The boat is a development of the Alberg-designed South Coast 23, with a modified, stepped cabin top shape.[1][3][5]

Production edit

The design was built by the Kenner Boat Company, Ray Greene & Company and River City Sailcraft in the United States, but it is now out of production.[1][3][6][7]

The Alberg-designed South Coast 23 hulls were originally built by Kenner under contract to South Coast Sea Craft. South Coast Sea Craft took the molds and moved them to a new facility in about 1965. Kenner used one remaining hull to build a new mold, with a slightly lengthened stern and a new cabin top design, creating the Kittiwake, which was put into production, without crediting Alberg as the designer. The Kenner Boat Company was sold to AJ Industries in about 1969 and continued as an AJ division, Kenner Sailing Yachts, with the Kittiwake remaining in production. In 1973 Ray Greene & Company purchased the molds and continued production until it went out of business in 1975. The molds were acquired by River City Sailcraft who continued production from 1976 until 1978 when a factory fire destroyed the molds, ending production of the design.[1][3][4]

The boat was also sold by Kenner as a kit for amateur completion.[4]

Design edit

The Kittiwake 23 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of hand-laid fiberglass, with marine mahogany bulkheads and teak trim. It has a masthead sloop rig; a spooned, raked stem; a raised counter, angled transom, a keel-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed long keel. It displaces 3,700 lb (1,678 kg) and carries 1,500 lb (680 kg) of lead ballast.[1][3][4]

The boat has a draft of 2.83 ft (0.86 m) with the standard keel.[1][3]

The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) well-mounted outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.[1][3]

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. The galley is located just aft of the forward cabin. The head is located in the bow cabin, under the "V"-berth. Cabin headroom is 54 in (137 cm).[1][3]

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 270 and a hull speed of 5.6 kn (10.4 km/h).[3]

Operational history edit

The boat was at one time supported by a class club, the Kittiwake 23 Sailboat Registry, but it seems to no longer exist.[8]

See also edit

Related development

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h McArthur, Bruce (2020). "Kittiwake 23 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  2. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Carl Alberg 1900 - 1986". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 295. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN 978-0-07-163652-0
  4. ^ a b c d Kenner Sailing Yachts (July–November 1969). "Kenner Kittiwake 23". Boating magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  5. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "South Coast 23 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  6. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Kenner Boat Company 1948 - 1971". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  7. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Ray Greene & Co. 1947 - 1975". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  8. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Kittiwake 23 Sailboat Registry". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

External links edit

  • Photo of a Kittiwake 23
  • Photo of a Kittiwake 24 sailing
  • Video tour of a Kittiwake 23