BoatsHobie 17

Hobie 17

Catamaran, twin centreboards · Cat (rotating spar) · First built 1985

A single-handed performance catamaran featuring a wingsail-style rotating mast and twin daggerboards for upwind speed

Designed by John Wake.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Cbrd.

See her sail

The Hobie 17, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Lady K Sailing

What the fleet has seen

The Hobie 17, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Hobie 17 is a 5.2-meter catamaran sailboat designed by John Wake and built by Hobie Cat since 1985. It features a Cat (rotating spar) rig and a twin centerboard hull, with a 2.4-meter beam and a 0.5-meter draft. The boat displaces 142 kg and was intended as a single-hander. A sloop variant with a 'sport' package is also available.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cat (rotating spar)
Ratios
SA / displacement
58.1
Hull
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Cbrd.
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1985
Designer
John Wake
Builder
Hobie Cat

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Hobie 165.05 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe most popular sailing catamaran ever built, featuring a rotating spar and boardless hull for high-speed beach sailing
Supercat 154.65 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA high-performance beach catamaran with a rotating spar and an exceptional sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Hobie FX One5.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 5.18-meter single-handed catamaran featuring a rotating fractional rig and an exceptional 56.56 sail area-to-displacement ratio
Hobie Getaway5.05 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 17-foot rotomolded catamaran featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a trapeze for spirited daysailing

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

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