Herreshoff Marlin 23
Description
The Herreshoff Marlin 23 (also known as the Marlin Heritage 23 in its modern form) is a timeless American trailerable daysailer/cruiser rooted in the legendary designs of Nathanael G. Herreshoff ("Captain Nat") and refined by his son A. Sidney DeWolf Herreshoff. First introduced in 1958, it's essentially an enlarged and cabin-equipped evolution of the iconic 1920s Herreshoff Fish Class daysailer—adding a counter stern for a permanent backstay, a masthead sloop rig, and a cozy cuddy cabin for occasional overnights or shelter. Cape Cod Shipbuilding (one of the earliest fiberglass pioneers) took over production, building around 160 hulls through the decades, with some modifications at Sydney Herreshoff's direction. The design remains in limited production today as the Marlin Heritage 23, blending classic lines with subtle modern touches like updated woodwork and amenities—keeping the same underwater hull shape for that legendary Herreshoff performance: seakindly, fast for its type, and wonderfully balanced.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sidney DeW. Herreshoff |
|---|---|
| Builder | Cape Cod Shipbuilding |
| Length | 23.000 ft |
| LOA | 23.000 ft |
| LWL | 17.000 ft |
| Beam | 7.083 ft |
| Displacement | 3000 lb |
| Max Draft | 3.250 ft |
| Year Built | 1958 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 28 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.50 ft |
| p | 25.40 ft |
| e | 11 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 ft | 8.50 ft | 25.40 ft | 11 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Herreshoff Marlin 23 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 25.4 ft - (7742 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11 ft - (3353 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.08 ft - (8254 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 27.33 ft - (8330 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 144.5 ft² |
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Herreshoff Marlin 23 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 23.41 ft - (7135 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.17 ft - (3405 mm) |
| Leech | * 20.5 ft - (6248 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.06 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.78 ft - (2981 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.99 ° |
| Area | * 114.49 ft² |
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Herreshoff Marlin 23 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 26.75 ft - (8153 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 9.25 ft - (2819 mm) |
| Leech | 24.75 ft - (7544 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 100.59 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 8.55 ft - (2606 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 5.51 ° |
| Area | * 114.39 ft² |
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Herreshoff Marlin 23 - GENOA
| Luff | * 27.8 ft - (8473 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.65 ft - (4161 mm) |
| Leech | * 26.23 ft - (7995 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.75 ft - (3886 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.05 ° |
| Area | * 177.21 ft² |
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Herreshoff Marlin 23 - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 27.8 ft - (8473 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.02 ft - (4273 mm) |
| Leech | * 25.58 ft - (7797 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 292 ft² |
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Herreshoff Marlin 23 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 27.8 ft - (8473 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 362 ft² |
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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. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.