Not all pocket cruisers are water-ballasted. The Jim Taylor-designed Precision 23 achieves stability with fixed ballast and a shallow keel/centerboard configuration. With the board up the minimum draft is just under 2 feet; draft increases to 5 feet, 4 inches with the board down. The Precision also bucks pocket-cruiser convention in that it has a conventional cabin-top and legitimate side decks. This takes away a bit of volume from the accommodation plan but gives the topsides a classic look. It also has a fully enclosed transom that provides a solid platform for an outboard mount and a swim ladder. Price: $20,240 (sailaway, FOB Palmetto, FL). Precision Boat Works, tel. 941-722-6601
