Today, the Island 17 remains a cult favorite among vintage-boat enthusiasts for beer-can racing and family outings. At 575 pounds displacement, with 100 pounds of ballast and a 6 foot 6 inch beam, it’s light enough to tow behind a compact car but substantial enough for cruising in protected waters.
Design and Construction
Johann Tanzer designed the Island 17 as essentially a copy of his Tanzer 16, and its slanted transom gave it added length over the donor hull. Ocean Yachts built the early fiberglass boats. According to the record, those early hulls were apparently produced only in bright yellow, while the later Sumner Islands boats had mostly white hulls.
After 1979, Sumner Boat Works continued the same line with few changes, adding cockpit flotation and other refinements. The centerboard keeps minimum draft well under a foot for beach or shallow-water launching. With the board down, maximum draft is 3 foot 6 inch.
Rig and Handling
The Island 17 carries a fractional sloop rig with 135 square feet of sail. Against its ultralight displacement, that produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 25. The boat can plane in a breeze and remains stable and forgiving for single- or short-handed sailing in protected waters.
Reviewers have praised the Island 17’s simplicity and seaworthiness, though its low righting moment demands respect. A gust can lay it over farther than a heavier keelboat would tolerate.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The open cockpit seats four comfortably. Below the open cockpit, the Island 17 offers only basic cuddy accommodations for overnighting. There’s no pretense of a cruising interior: this is a daysailer first, with a small shelter suitable for a night on the hook in calm conditions.
Known Issues
The one documented structural weakness is the original plywood embedded in the transom where the gudgeons and motor mount attach. On at least one boat, that plywood had delaminated. Buyers and owners should treat the transom core and motor-mount area as known inspection points.
The other caveat concerns handling rather than construction. Because of the boat’s low righting moment, gusts require more caution than they would aboard a heavier keelboat.
Refits and Ownership
The Island 17’s ultralight construction makes ownership straightforward. It’s easy to tow behind a compact car, and its simple rig keeps upkeep minimal. The modest sail plan and trailerable design generally limit refits to the usual running-rigging work and care of the outboard bracket.
The Verdict
The Island 17 is a charming, featherweight vintage daysailer for sailors who value uncomplicated planing fun and easy trailering over creature comforts or offshore scope. Its Tanzer-derived hull and reverse transom make it a distinctive little pocket cruiser, while the Sumner-era refinements added flotation without changing its character.
Respect the boat’s low righting moment and keep an eye on the transom plywood, and the Island 17 is a forgiving trainer and picnic boat.
Pros
- Trailerable at 575 lb behind a compact car
- Capable of planing, with forgiving short-handed handling in protected water
- Simple rig and low upkeep for a vintage daysailer
Cons
- Low righting moment demands caution in gusts
- Transom plywood around the gudgeons and motor mount can delaminate
- Only basic cuddy shelter, with no real cruising interior
