Twin-keelers under 23ft
in really rough conditions.”
About her only regret was that her
Corribee – unlike some later models –
didn’t have the skeg fitted.
She summed up the boat saying “All in
all, the perfect pocket cruiser... with a
good seaworthy nature. I would
recommend one to anyone!”
And then there’s the remarkable Roger
Taylor. He covered thousands of miles in
Mingming – his twin keel Corribee with a
home-made junk rig. Roger described one
solo trip as “a fantastic voyage; very
tough, with plenty of heavy weather and
cold conditions.”
He said the northern waters were
magical as he sailed from the Shetlands to
western Iceland, covering about 2,500
miles. He concluded: “Mingming was
brilliant– an extraordinary little seaboat,
always at ease in the big stuff.”
When considering a Corribee (or its junk
rigged sister the Coromandel), be sure to
consult the owners’ association website
(corribee.org). You’ll find information
galore on important topics like rudders,
bow fittings, mast support beams etc.
Near Horizons
I share my next choice with a retired editor
of Yachting Monthly, who once featured
this little twin keeler in a compilation of his
‘top boats’. So I am in good company and
need no excuse for nominating the Hunter
Horizon 23.
This Hunter cruiser traces its roots back
to the David Thomas-designed fin keel
National Sonata One Design, which sold
in large numbers to racing aficionados.
In order to widen the market to cruising
families, we asked Thomas to design
some high performance twin keels that we
could bolt under his beloved Sonata. He
took a while deciding, but finally agreed.
As usual he came up with something
special. But first he spent a long time
calculating the ideal angles of splay and
toe-in as well as the optimum distance
from the keel roots to the hull’s centreline.
Then he insisted on a deep enough
draught (3ft 1in/0.94m)) to ensure
minimum leeway and maximum bite to
windward. The result was a twin keel
cruiser with the Sonata hull, deck and
accommodation that could outperform
many a fin keeler of similar size and sail
circles around most twin keelers.
Indeed the Duette 23 sailed so well that
we decided to give it a completely new
deck to transform the accommodationand really wow the small cruiser market.
Thus the Horizon 23 was born.
The slightly raised deck line and new
coachroof combined to give standing
headroom under the hatch and around 5ft
8in (1.72m) by the galley.
Then we fitted in an aft double berth,
spacious aft enclosed heads, folding chart
table, well-equipped galley, 7ft (2.1m)
settee berths, dining table and 6ft (1.80m)
twin berth in the bows. All in a 22ft 9in
(6.93m) hull with an LWL of 18ft 2in
(5.53m) that displaces 1,245kg with a
ballast ratio of 52%. The result was a
bionic little boat that feels delightfully
balanced and sails superbly. No wonder
the yachting press gave it rave reviews
and the customers piled in.
The only change along the way was the
introduction of the Horizon 232 that
incorporated an extended bulb along the
keel base.
And let’s not forget the great owners’
association, hunterassociation.org.ukFinal word
In their different ways, the Hunter Horizon
23, Corribee 21, Westerly Pageant 23,
Hurleys and Leisures all offer something
special to sailors who want the
convenience of twin keel cruising. Some
boats put the emphasis on performance.
Others go for maximum accommodation.
The Horizon 23 does both.
It’s just a shame that new twin keelers
such as these are no longer built.
However, it is very reassuring that all these
brands have active owners’ associations
that keep the news, information and
dialogue flowing. Long may they last.Hunter Horizon 23 has
standing headroom under
the companionway hatchHunter Horizon 23
is delightfully
balanced
under sailPHOTOS BY DAVID HARDINGhttp://www.sailingscenes.co.ukIf you would like prints
of any of the photos in
this article visit