Design and Construction
The hull is fiberglass, and on this design that choice pays a practical dividend: a fiberglass hull requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season anchor. With a displacement of just 335 pounds and a length-to-beam ratio of 2.12, the Supercat 17 is a narrow-ish small cat by the numbers, yet compared with other similar sail catamarans it is more spacious than 50% of all other designs by that same ratio anchor. The displacement-length ratio sits at 31, which places the boat among what reviewers term "ultra light racers," and 54% of all similar sailboat designs are categorized as heavier anchor. That lightness is not cosmetic — a light displacement requires less sail area and yields higher accelerations, the defining dynamic of the class.
Rig and Handling
The Supercat 17 is built with a fractional rig and carries 234 square feet of sail area, with a mast standing 28.75 feet above the waterline. Its draft runs from 1.17 to 2.5 feet depending on load, and the low figure lets the boat sail close to the beach anchor. For a 17-foot catamaran the ability to work in shallow water widens the range of venues where the design is usable, from crowded summer shorelines to thin tidal cuts, without demanding a trailer launch at every stop.
Accommodations
The sources establish exterior spatial character only: a beam of 8 feet on a 17-foot hull defines an open, beachable day-sailing platform rather than a camper with cabin or berth structure.
The Verdict
The Supercat 17 is a pure expression of the ultra-light racer ethos in miniature. Its fiberglass hull keeps seasonal upkeep minimal, its fractional rig and shallow draft make it a beachable day cat, and its low displacement gives it the acceleration that defines the type. Buyers seeking a low-commitment, high-fun small multihull will find the design honest to its brief.
Pros
- Fiberglass hull needing minimal in-season maintenance
- Ultra-light displacement with high acceleration and low sail-area demand
- Shallow draft enables sailing close to the beach
- More spacious than 50% of all similar sail catamarans by L/B ratio
Cons
- No cabin or berth structure
