the coaster 23's, besides serving as pleasure boats, were also doing duty as small commercial fishing trollers. I have a shot of one with fishing gear, that was located up in Prince Rupert, B.C., I believe.

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It is true that they do seem to ride down by the bow a little. I have observed this myself, (since there are a couple that I have seen operating around here), exactly as a fishing boat will look, putting out to sea, without a full load of fish. They have a big `behind' to carry all that fish, when coming home! So, if one is not into commercial fishing, and most of us aren't, for these particular boats, a lot of the heavy weight as was previously pointed out must be put in the stern area, to balance things out.

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This is a semi-displacement design, so, with enough power, they will get up on a semi-plane, so too much weight aft, for that purpose, probably wouldn't be too good, but that would likely use the hp on the top end, and use a lot of fuel. For those of us who like to eco-boat and are fuel misers, a smaller engine at displacement speeds is the best way to use this great little troller design.

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Another comment re the Coaster23: As I recall, the Coaster came about due to the west coast dealer of Albins looking for a replacement for the Albin 25, which had gone out of production in the late 1970's. Dick Chudley commissioned the design and production of the Coaster; I don't think many were produced but it certainly had a charm to it. No relation to the Maple Bay boats other than they shared the same designer, John Lovett.

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The Coaster 23 is a pocket diesel cruiser specifically designed for our local waters by John Lovett and Dick Chudley and built by RFC Marine of Sidney BC, utilizing hand-laid fiberglass components by Philbrooks Shipyards. Featuring an economical 4-cylinder Perkins diesel engine, this is an ideal boat for the cruising couple on a budget. $23,900 Canadian 2015.

RFC Marine/Philbrooks Cruiser 1980.

Hull Material:	fiberglass
Engine/Fuel Type: 	Diesel
Listing #:	3720
Designer:	Lovett & Chudley
Colour:	off-white
LOA:	23'
Beam:	8' 2"
Displacement:	4000 lbs
Draft:	2' 6"

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$6k Canadian: Project boat (incomplete)
The Coaster 23 is a trailerable mini trawler/troller, built in the late 1970s and 1980s on Vancouver Island.

Designer: Lovett & Chudley
Builder: RFC Marine Ltd, Sidney, BC, Canada
Construction: Fibreglass by Philbrooks Shipyards
LOA: 22' 5?
Beam: 8' 2?
Draft: 2' 6?
Weight: 4000 lb
Power: Perkins 4.108 diesel, freshwater cooled
Gearbox and drive:
Prop: 7? x 14? 3-blade

Fuel capacity:

Range:

Water capacity:

Accommodation (sleeping): 4


“This boat has the sort of seakeeping qualities that made her working ancestors such a success in the first place.

“There’s one last thing about the Coaster that is almost too subjective to mention, but it’s important. This boat has character, a sort of bob-along friend feeling that I’ll bet will endear her to any owner.”

– Pacific Yachting, April 1980


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