Sun Cat 17-1 Buyer's Guide
The Sun Cat 17-1 is the original Clark Mills catboat daysailer that later spawned the Com-Pac Sun Cat in 2000. Built by Dilks & Company in Clarksville, Arkansas and by Clark Mills as Clearwater Bay Marine Ways Inc. in Clearwater, Florida, it is a 16.5-foot trailerable monohull with a Bermuda-rigged catboat sailplan and a 165-square-foot mainsail. On the used market you will find both open daysailers and pocket cruisers with cabins, and telling them apart takes some care.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two layouts dominate the used fleet. The open daysailer carries an 11-foot self-bailing cockpit and could be had with an optional removable cuddy cabin, while the pocket cruiser came with an enclosed cabin and was built either with a centerboard or a fixed keel. The open version was also sold by Dilks & Company as a kit or a complete boat, so some survivors are amateur builds.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The open daysailer's period equipment centers on its roller reefing boom and bilgeboards, both unique features worth verifying on a candidate boat. Beyond those defining traits and the Bermuda rig with sun-C sail emblem, treat any electronics or canvas as owner-added rather than standard.
What to Inspect
Check which board or keel type a specific hull carries: the confirmed bilgeboard, centerboard, and fixed-keel versions all exist, and the cabin boats were either centerboard or keel while the open daysailers had bilgeboards. Confirm the rig is Bermuda rather than gaff to be sure you are looking at an original Sun Cat and not the later Com-Pac derivative, and look for the sun-with-C sail emblem. On open daysailers, verify the 11-foot self-bailing cockpit drains properly and that the roller reefing boom operates, since these were defining features. If a removable cuddy is present, check its attachment points for wear.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Before you commit:
- Confirm Bermuda rig and sun-C emblem for original status.
- Identify board or keel type before negotiating.
- Test roller reefing boom on open daysailers.
- Inspect self-bailing cockpit drainage.
- Verify kit versus factory build on Dilks hulls.