| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Watkins brothers |
| Location | United States |
| Year | 1975 |
| No. built | more than 100 |
| Builder(s) | Watkins Yachts |
| Name | Watkins 17 |
| Boat | |
| Displacement | 580 lb (263 kg) |
| Draft | 3.50 ft (1.07 m)centerboard down |
| Hull | |
| Type | Monohull |
| Construction | Fiberglass |
| LOA | 17.00 ft (5.18 m) |
| LWL | 15.83 ft (4.82 m) |
| Beam | 6.42 ft (1.96 m) |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | centerboard |
| Ballast | 90 lb (41 kg) |
| Rudder(s) | transom-mountedrudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Fractional riggedsloop |
| Total sail area | 145 sq ft (13.5 m2) |
TheWatkins 17, also referred to as theW17, is an Americantrailerablesailboat that was designed by theWatkins brothers and first built in 1975.[1][2][3]
The design was built byWatkins Yachts inClearwater, Florida,United States from 1975 to 1981, with over 100 examples completed. Production was curtailed in 1979, when the company was sold, with few boats built in 1979-1981. The design's moulds were eventually abandoned behind the old plant building when the company was wound up in 1989. The building was sold to an electrical contractor and the moulds are presumed to have been destroyed.[1][3][4][5]
The Watkins 17 is a recreationalkeelboat, built predominantly of hand-laid 24 oz rovefiberglass, with wood trim. The deck is a single piece of moulded fibreglass and the cockpit is self-bailing. It has afractionalsloop rig withaluminum spars made byKenyan, a small, storagecuddy cabin, a spoonedplumb stem, a verticaltransom, a transom-hungrudder made from Philippinemahogany controlled bytiller and acenterboard keel. It displaces 580 lb (263 kg) and carries 90 lb (41 kg) of encapsulated lead ballast in fibreglass, with 145 sq ft (13.5 m2) of sail area.[1][2][3]
The boat has a draft of 3.50 ft (1.07 m) with the centreboard extended and 0.58 ft (0.18 m) with it retracted, allowingbeaching or ground transportation on atrailer. A hot-dippedgalvanized trailer was included with the boat.[1][2][3]
The design has ahull speed of 5.33 kn (9.87 km/h).[3]
The boat is supported by an active class club, theWatkins Owners.[6]
Most of the Watkins 17s built were sold to a local Florida sailing club for use asone design racers.[5]
Similar sailboats