Power Boat Reports, an ad-free "Consumer Reports"-type magazine that's no longer published, tested a 23 a few years back. They said it was the softest riding deep V of that size they'd ever tested! Hard to explain the SeaCraft ride if you've never experienced it, but here's a shot at explaining the theory behind the hull design. The relatively flat outer panels, which create lots of lift and eliminate the need for lifting strakes, make it more stable than constant deadrise hulls. The vertical steps between panels trap air, which reduces drag and cushions the ride. (The shot of my boat below shows the aeration created by the water flowing off the steps.) The lack of lifting strakes also means there are no flat surfaces to slap and pound. However, the 23 was designed by Bill Potter, a rank amateur compared to Carl Moesly, who founded SeaCraft, invented the Variable Deadrise hull, and started building boats when he was a teenager! (Check out the
Moesly SeaCraft web site for a good overview of SeaCraft's evolution and early history.) The geometry of the panels on the 23 is different from all the Moesly designs, so I don't believe Potter really understood the principles of the VDH design. As good as the 23 is, I believe the Moesly 21 rides even better! I base this on my own experience as well as the following story from the Moesly SeaCraft site:
Moesly and some other builders with race-boat experience built some deep-V boats for the government in the early 60's that had to carry a certain payload with a specified engine/outdrive. They had a "shoot-out" on Biscayne Bay, and his 21 was the only one of the bunch that could get on plane with the specified load and power! In an attempt to "help" his competitors, he had them offload some people and sandbags to his boat, but they still couldn't get on plane. He then proceeded to try his boat with the extra load, and it still got on plane with no problems. Needless to say, he won the contract! Moesly claimed that his hull design, for the same deadrise, weight and power, was about 10% faster than the other conventional Ray Hunt type deep-V's of the time, which would have included the likes of Bertram, Formula, Donzi, etc.
A good friend of mine who is an avid diver bought a new 21 in 1965, used it almost every weekend for over 25 years, and made several trips to the Bahamas every year. A lot of 23's made that crossing with him, and he said that every time the seas got over about 3', the guys with the 23's would get on the radio "begging for mercy", asking him to slow down! (He didn't run that fast, typically cruising at about 20 kts.) I made 6 crossings with him in my boat, and after following him for about 2000 miles around the Bahamas as well as riding in that boat, I believe that story!
Suggest you contact a CSC member close to you and see if you can bum a ride sometime when the seas are appropriately lumpy! A ride in those conditions will speak much louder and more convincingly than any amount of talk!
