Silhouette Mk III Sailboats for Sale

Hull Type

Monohull · twin

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

17.25' · 5.26 m

Disp.

1,288 lbs · 584 kg

First year

1967

The Silhouette Mk III represents the definitive fiberglass evolution of Robert Tucker’s most famous design, a vessel that arguably did more to democratize coastal cruising in postwar Britain than any other. While the original 1954 Silhouette (the Mk I) was a plywood "buildityourself" project, the Mk III emerged in the mid1960s as a sophisticated production cruiser built by Hurley Marine. At 17 feet 3 inches, it was designed to be easily trailered yet stout enough to handle the choppy waters of the English Channel. The Mk III is distinguished from its predecessors by a streamlined coachroof and an improved hulltodeck joint, moving away from the "stepped" doghouse look of the Mk II toward a sleeker, more modern profile. According to technical archives maintained by the Hurley Owners Association, the Mk III was the final refined version of the standard 17foot hull before the design was expanded into larger variants like the S21.