Montgomery 17
Masthead Sloop · Swing Keel · First built 1973
A masthead sloop with a 39% ballast ratio, available in both swing-keel and early fixed-keel configurations
Designed by Lyle C. Hess.
- LOA
- Beam
- Draft (max)
- Displacement
- Ballast
- Hull type
- Swing Keel
See her sail
The Montgomery 17, on the water
The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.
Footage from Sailing Into Oblivion
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 9 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.
At 2.62 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.
158 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.
20.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.
39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.
Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.
- Draws less than ~78% of boats her size on file
Compared with 307 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.
The living fleet
Sailed by the fleet
Where the fleet has filmed this boat.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
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.
The family
Boats like this
Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.
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