Holder 17
Description
The Holder 17 is a compact recreational keelboat designed by Ron Holder and introduced in 1981 as an evolution of the earlier Vagabond 17, later produced by Holder Marine and Hobie Cat until it was discontinued. Measuring approximately 17 feet in length with a beam of 7 feet 6 inches, it features a fiberglass hull accented by teak wood trim, a fractional sloop rig with aluminum spars, a raked stem, vertical transom, and a transom-hung rudder operated by tiller, paired with a locking swing keel that allows drafts from 1.17 feet (retracted) to 4.17 feet (extended) for versatile trailering and shallow-water sailing. Praised for its good sitting headroom, foam flotation for near-unsinkable stability, and options including a cabin version or open daysailer, the boat offers sail areas up to 210 square feet with a spinnaker and remains a beloved choice for solo or small-crew outings, emphasizing comfort, roominess, and ease of handling in moderate conditions.
Construction Details
| Designer | Ron Holder |
|---|---|
| Builder | Holder Marine |
| Length | 17.000 ft |
| LOA | 17.000 ft |
| LWL | 15.000 ft |
| Beam | 7.250 ft |
| Displacement | 950 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.170 ft |
| Min Draft | 1.670 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 19.42 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 6.30 ft |
| p | 19.67 ft |
| e | 7.75 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.42 ft | 6.30 ft | 19.67 ft | 7.75 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Holder 17 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 19.67 ft - (5995 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 7.75 ft - (2362 mm) |
| Leech | * 20.78 ft - (6334 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.01 ° |
| Diagonal | * 20.89 ft - (6367 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | 76.13 ft² |
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Holder 17 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 16.33 ft - (4977 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 8.36 ft - (2548 mm) |
| Leech | * 14.15 ft - (4313 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 7.25 ft - (2210 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 59.14 ft² |
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Holder 17 - GENOA
| Luff | * 19.4 ft - (5913 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10.19 ft - (3106 mm) |
| Leech | * 18.23 ft - (5557 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.45 ft - (2880 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 91.67 ft² |
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Holder 17 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 19.4 ft - (5913 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 11.34 ft - (3456 mm) |
| Foot | * 11.34 ft - (3456 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 187 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.