Santana 23D design

I wonder what years of the boat did they move the daggerboard back
a bit. Im looking to buy one myself and would be good to know what
years it was done. Some say they had problem with weather helm or
was it just the person didn't know how to adjust the rig to make it sail right
or could the sails have been cut better.

Sounds like proper cut sails would make a diffrence too.
We have Doyle Ploch sails near me here in Florida.
Anyone have sails made by them.

 

rudder issues?

A couple of things- I still have the spade rudder and the cast alloy housing from one of my friend's 23s. It was wrong then, and now Several short and wide boats of the time had "weather helm" issues, that were really rudder issues. The transoms were sloped back, the rudder housings were mounted at too much of an angle, and the rudder would do more lifting of the back of the boat than turning. It felt like weather helm, but could be cured by installing a large spacer at the top of the transom. A far better solution is to switch to twin balanced rudders. I wasn't aware that the board was relocated on any of the 23s, we adjusted the helm feel by small changes in rake of the mast. My friend's boat was one of the first ones, but rig balance never seemed that bad. The boats were designed as "rule beaters" in MORC, and like most attempts at fooling mother nature, had some issues
Your local loft there has a lot of knowledge of those (and other) boats, and can certainly make good sails, but you have to go in with your eyes open and avoid hype- and the latest "thing". A 30 year old design doesn't need cutting edge sails to preform to its handicap, which was set back when most sails were still fairly primitive fabric and design. I remember-I was there
B

 

I crewed on a 23D a few times. We raked the mast forward a bit (6"?) and it balanced fine. Another tweak was getting the mainsail cut flatter. Good sails and getting your sailmaker aboard for tuning advice should get you sorted.