Design and Construction
Howard's hull is solid hand-laid GRP with polyester resin and an inner shell, and the floor, berths, backrests and headliner are all moulded into two inner shells rather than framed separately anchor. Most boats left the yard with cast-iron bilge keels, though a central-keel version with one metre draught and about 30 kg more ballast was also offered. The reinforcements and keel bolts are overlaminated, so their actual condition cannot be checked without destructive investigation. From 1980 the deck was revised into the Leisure SL, with angular superstructure windows and a little more space below. The side decks are barely wide enough to walk aft on, but the pushpit encloses an entirely self-draining cockpit that measures 1.50 m across at the bridge deck and is a few centimetres wider than it is long.
Rig and Handling
The six-metre mast is a masthead sloop stayed by a pair of upper and lower shrouds, with the backstay fastened at the stern by a capstan and tensioned by a tackle. She carries a 7.7 m² mainsail and a 9.3 m² genoa. Two adults on one side puts her in a strong leaning position, and once the rubbing strake reaches the water at roughly 25 degrees of heel she begins to luff uncontrollably. Yet testers found her sailing characteristics good-natured and problem-free. On the wind she is no knife: in moderate swell-free conditions she tacks through 50 to 55 degrees, and in 6 Beaufort with swell in 1979 she still made almost five knots on rough courses and laid 45 degrees to the true wind. Her GPS has shown just over five knots over ground, her hull speed, and the bilge keels are well suited to tidal grounding.
Accommodations
Below, there is no standing headroom, but the space is used optimally. Bunks for four are provided, though the cushions are only 185 cm long and barely 60 cm wide. Storage sits under the cushions and in the slip berths beneath the cockpit thwarts, which are sized for sails. A recess for a chemical toilet is hidden under a bow cover, and space for a cooker sits under the companionway; a saloon table can be clipped to the mast support. Period reviewers praised the abundant window area and the light it throws below, along with genuinely usable stowage, while noting the bunks are narrow.
Known Issues
The deck in the foredeck area can soften with age, and repair is slow work because the inner shell blocks access anchor. The same softening can appear at the mast base as hairline cracks. Boats built before 1980 have windows that are not watertight. The tiller often develops play in the rudder cokers, which interferes with steering.
Refits and Ownership
The overlaminated keel bolts mean a buyer cannot assess fastening integrity from outside, so any ownership plan should treat that as unknown. Soft-deck and mast-base repairs are practicable but invasive. The 1980-onward SL deck gives more room and tighter windows, a useful upgrade path within the class.
The Verdict
The Leisure 17 is an individual and indestructible design that punches far above her 5.18 m torso length, equally at home on a trailer, a tidal grid, or a blue-water crossing. She asks little of her keeper beyond tolerance for narrow bunks and watchfulness for soft decks.
Pros
- Atlantic-crossing pocket cruiser on a 670 kg trailerable hull
- Self-draining, protected cockpit with beamy 1.50 m width
- Efficient moulded interior with good stowage and bright cabin
- Bilge keels suited to tidal shores and shallow draft
Cons
- Pre-1980 windows leak; foredeck and mast base soften with age
- Keel bolts permanently hidden by overlaminate
- Narrow berths and no standing headroom below
- Does not point high to windward and luffs past 25 degrees heel
