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Montgomery 17 Fd
Designer: Lyle Hess/Gerry Montgomery  ·  Builder: Montgomery Marine Products (Usa)  ·  First built: 1975
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About the Montgomery 17 Fd

Designed by the renowned duo of Lyle Hess and Gerry Montgomery, this compact 17-footer represents classic small boat craftsmanship from the mid-1970s. Built by Montgomery Marine Products starting in 1975, the Montgomery 17 Fd combines traditional design sensibilities with practical fiberglass construction, making it an accessible entry point into quality small boat sailing. The boat's keel/centerboard configuration offers exceptional versatility, allowing sailors to explore both deeper waters and shallow gunkholes that would challenge pure keel boats. With a substantial ballast-to-displacement ratio and a comfortable 9.06 comfort rating, this little cruiser punches above its weight class in terms of stability and seaworthiness. The masthead sloop rig provides excellent sail handling characteristics for single-handed or small crew sailing. At just over 17 feet overall, the Montgomery 17 Fd is ideally suited for coastal cruising, day sailing, and weekend adventures. Its moderate sail area and hull speed of 5.33 knots make it forgiving for newer sailors while still providing engaging performance. The capsize screening formula of 2.66 indicates good stability for a boat this size, though like all small craft, it's best kept in protected waters during heavy weather. This design appeals to sailors seeking classic lines and solid construction in a trailerable package.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 17.08 ft / 5.21 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 15.83 ft / 4.82 m
Beam 7.33 ft / 2.23 m
Max Draft 3.50 ft / 1.07 m
Min Draft 1.75 ft / 0.53 m
Displacement 1,350.00 lb / 612 kg
Ballast 500.00 lb / 227 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 177.00 ft² / 16.44 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Lyle Hess/Gerry Montgomery
Builder Montgomery Marine Products (USA)
First Built 1975
Associations Montgomery Sailboats Owners Group
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 23.23
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 37.04
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 151.93
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 9.06
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.66
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 5.33 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 4.03
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 414.60 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 22.12
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 25.08 ft / 7.64 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 7.16 ft / 2.18 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 22.50 ft / 6.86 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 7.00 ft / 2.13 m
SA Fore 89.79 ft² / 8.34 m²
SA Main 78.75 ft² / 7.32 m²
SA Total (100%) 168.54 ft² / 15.66 m²
Est. Forestay Length 26.08 ft / 7.95 m
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