If you are looking for a ballasted open day sailer at a reasonable price the D17 is one of very few options. The cockpit is enormous and could easily take 6 adults or more. The standard boat has a spray hood with tent type door which creates a basic 2 berth cuddy. This is lowered for sailing. Most boats will have a boom tent but I found mine a real pain. Some D17's have been modified with timber lockers, superstructure etc. Best avoided, the standard boat is mostly well conceived and very solidly built.
The boat is really too big for dry sailing, and the design of the trailer (separate launching dolly) never worked for me. I kept mine on a mooring. The outboard sits on the transom rather than in a well. Unless you are willing to un ship it each time you leave the boat this tends produce a list to starboard and aft. Add this to the lousy design of the cockpit drain and I had lots of problems with the boat taking on water when left for a couple of weeks. This was only resolved by installing an automatic bilge pump. I have heard of another D17 which sank on her mooring so this problem is not unique.
Sailing, she has a big boat feel - nothing like a dinghy. Fairly sedate but stable - much more so than the un-ballasted Drascome type alternatives. The sails are just small enough not to need winches. In most of the conditions I sailed in she was under canvassed but she still went and pointed well. Single handed sailing is easy. Under power she also handles well, but if you have the choice go for something a bit beefier than the usual 4 - say a 6Hp.
Summing up - if a dayboat which is safe from capsize is what you are looking for this is could well be it. Its functionally equivalent to the Hawk 20 but about a third of the price. Beware the trailers though, they were heavily made but not galvanised and a suitable replacement would be nearly as much as you paid for the boat.
Never owned
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