Light and easily towed, the Antares 17 measures 17 feet overall, with a waterline length of 14.5 feet, a beam of 7 feet, and a displacement of 1,150 pounds. Its 480 pounds of iron ballast produces a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 42 percent, a figure that speaks to a surprisingly steadfast little daysailer rather than a tender pond boat.
Design and Construction
The Antares 17 is built predominantly of fiberglass, with a solid hull and solid fiberglass deck. Its profile combines a spooned, raked stem with an angled transom. Steering is by tiller through a transom-hung rudder.
Buyers could choose either a fixed fin keel or a stub keel with centerboard. The fin-keel version has a maximum draft of 1.83 feet, which keeps the boat trailerable yet planted. The stub-and-centerboard arrangement adds versatility for shallow pocket-cruising waters.
The boat has a displacement-to-length ratio of 168 and a hull speed of 5.1 knots, placing it firmly among light-displacement coastal sailers. Its capsize ratio is 2.67, while the comfort ratio is 8.72. Together, those figures describe a stable, forgiving small boat intended for sheltered waters rather than offshore passages.
Rig and Handling
The Antares 17 carries a fractional sloop rig with 138 square feet of sail area. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 20.1 points to an easy, responsive nature in a breeze, while the fractional rig keeps sail handling simple for short-handed crews.
A small outboard mounts in a stern well for docking and maneuvering. This arrangement leaves the helm uncluttered, and the tiller provides direct feedback through the transom-hung rudder. With its 7-foot beam and 1,150-pound displacement, the boat is a straightforward trailerable load.
Accommodations
The newly drawn deck incorporates a cuddy cabin, which supports the Antares 17’s pocket-cruiser role. Inside, the compact galley has a stove to port and a sink to starboard, with a portable head between them. An ice chest may be stowed in the forepeak, and the arrangement remains compact and utilitarian.
Sleeping space for two is provided not in the cabin but on two berths in the open cockpit, making fair-weather overnight stays possible. It’s a compact, practical arrangement: the cuddy provides shelter and space for meal preparation, while the cockpit serves as the sleeping area.
Verdict
The Antares 17 works as a lightweight, trailerable pocket cruiser, refining the Sovereign 17 with a new deck while retaining the earlier hull’s sensible proportions. Its fiberglass construction, fractional sloop rig, and tiller-steered transom rudder make it an uncomplicated boat that a couple can sail and camp aboard with minimal fuss. The cuddy galley and cockpit berths provide genuine pocket-cruising function within a 17-foot footprint.
Pros
- Trailerable 1,150-pound displacement, 7-foot beam, and 1.83-foot fin-keel draft
- Iron ballast equal to nearly 42 percent of displacement, contributing to a steady small daysailer
- Cuddy galley with stove, sink, and portable head
- Two cockpit berths
- Easily handled 138-square-foot fractional sloop rig
Cons
- Sleeping is limited to open-cockpit berths rather than an enclosed cabin
- Propulsion is provided by a small outboard in a stern well
