Hobie 17
Hobie Cat Company · designed by John Wake · 1985
twin centerboardssport catamaranUnited States
The Hobie 17 is a 17-foot sport catamaran sailboat designed by John Wake and built by Hobie Cat Company, first launched in 1985.
General
| Builder | Hobie Cat Company |
|---|---|
| Designer | John Wake |
| Years built | 1985 |
| Hull type | twin centerboards |
| Rig type | sport catamaran |
| Construction | fiberglass |
| Origin | United States |
Dimensions
| LOA | 17.00 ft5.18 m |
|---|---|
| LWL | 16.75 ft5.11 m |
| Beam | 7.92 ft2.41 m |
| Draft (max) | 1.50 ft0.46 m |
| Displacement | 315 lb143 kg |
| Ballast | —— |
| Sail Area | 168 ft²15.6 m² |
Design ratios
Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.
SA / Displacement 58.06 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 30 Ultralight
Comfort Ratio 1.8 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 4.66 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 5.5 kn Theoretical max displacement speed
How these numbers are calculated
- SA / Displacement
SA ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(2/3)— Power-to-weight. < 16 under-canvassed, 16–20 cruiser, > 20 racer.- Ballast / Displacement
Ballast ÷ Disp × 100— Stability/stiffness. Higher carries sail better.- Displacement / Length
Disp(lt) ÷ (0.01 · LWL)³— < 100 ultralight, 100–200 light, 200–300 moderate, > 300 heavy.- Comfort Ratio (Brewer)
Disp ÷ (0.65 · (0.7·LWL + 0.3·LOA) · Beam^1.33)— Motion in a seaway. Higher = more comfortable offshore.- Capsize Screening
Beam ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(1/3)— ≤ 2.0 favored for offshore; > 2.0 better for coastal use.- Hull Speed
1.34 · √LWL— Theoretical max displacement speed in knots.
Estimated price
$8,500 typical range $7,000 – $10,000
⚠ Rough estimate only — not market data. Derived from a simple model based on length and hull age; actual asking prices vary widely with condition, equipment, engine hours and location.
