Need info on new boat (Islander 23?)

I just acquired a new (to me) boat. The certificate of ownership lists it as a 1973 Islander the hull # is XLYD5103M73F. The boat has a swing keel and the hull length from bow to transom Not including the rudder is about 23'8", the mast seems to be about a foot longer. The hull, standing rigging and sails (They have the "2I3" logo and the bag says Islander 23) seem to be in fairly good condition considering the age of the boat. Any info would be helpful. I've had several boats in the past (505, Hobie 16, Tornado catamaran) but none of this type. The price was right and the crew (wife) thought it would nice to go sailing but has no interest in dangling over the edge of a boat on the end of a wire.

The next step will be to put up the mast, but first a couple of questions on that: The standing rigging seems to consist of a fore stay, four side stays with two going from the mast head around a spreader and two going from the base of the spreader (both to a common chain-plate), and a back stay from the mast head to a bridle at the transom (this also has a short piece of cable with a snap shackle (to support the boom when the main sail is down?)). Does this sound about right? The mast step is just a "U" shaped piece of stainless steel bolted with four bolts to the cabin top with a slot on either side. should there be something on the step to fit into the base of the mast extrusion? There is a bolt through the slots that is used a a pivot when the mast is raised, is this just left in place to stabilize the base of the mast after it is raised? The Lido 14 uses this type of a mast base, but the screws that hold it to the deck are intentionally short so that if the mast goes over the side they pull out and the whole step goes with the mast and doesn't cause too much damage. Could it be that in this case just the four bolt heads because they are inside the mast extrusion are intended to keep it from slipping around?

I couldn't find any information on the Islander 23 on the web (maybe I'm not looking in the right place).

Any web sites or forums relating to this boat?
Displacement?

Any other information about possible problem areas for this model or type of boat, or areas that my need close watching.

Thanks for any help you can give, John

Re: Need info on new boat (Islander 23?)

I'm not familiar with the Islander, but on my 23' Oday, the rigging is exactly as you described- forestay, backstay, and two on each side from masthead and from spreader base connecting to a common chainplate.

I had my boat out of the water for a couple of months- painted the topsides (started to regelcoat where the glass was bare, then got smart!), and fixed a few small things. I put it back inthe water this week. Raising the mast was easy- I had a buddy on a stepladder out in front of the boat steadying the mast on the pulpit. That let me move the mast over the step and put in the forward rod. From there, I liftred the mast from the pulpit while my buddy pulled a line from behind the boat tied the the back stay. I installed the second rod, and the attached the stays. The whole thing took about an hour. I could have done it a lot faster, but then, I could have had a disaster, too!

The only issue I had was an imbalance on the side stays. While the mast looked perfectly straight, it was actually leaning to starboard. I couldn't see it, but when I walked the sides, it listed too much on that side, I just lossened the stays and readjusted! Good luck!!