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MORE PICTURES TO FOLLOW (First two are promotional photos)
Please view before buying – as this is not a brand-new boat – she is well loved, but well used too!! The sail is in A1 condition the boat in my opinion is similar – but recommend you view before bidding!!!
New fully kittedout commercial hobiecats like this cost £8-10k new so please bear this in mind. Sold as seen.
Nonetheless the ideal way for a beginner to get a taste of sailing
The Escape 17 is a whole new concept in family pleasure craft. By using rotationally-moulded polyethylene, all the objections to fibreglass are removed. The complete boat weighs around 40% less than a fiberglass model of similar size, and is considerably cheaper as well.
Polyethylene is one of the best materials to use for recreational craft of this type. The seamless one-piece hulls are virtually unbreakable, maintenance-free, light and fully recyclable at the end of their life. In the unlikely event that the material is damaged in any way they are easily repaired through a plastic-welding process that is quick and simple. These hulls cannot be damaged by osmosis, UV-exposure or rot, and fittings are easily attached.
In addition to the material, the design of the Escape 17 includes refinements in just about every area. To eliminate the need for fiddly daggerboards the hulls have a narrow keel fin moulded into the bottom of each hull. This shape keel section provides good directional stability.
The keel fin also allows for simplified rudders, avoiding the complexity of kick-up rudders required on normal cats. The rectangular spade rudders are fully protected by the keel and the boat can be run up onto a beach without having to remember to release the rudders first.
Despite the keel the hull has a very shallow draft and can be sailed directly off the beach or launched from a ramp. The cross-bars holding the hulls together are anodised aluminum with a one-piece, snag-free trampoline. Although the hulls flex apart slightly during sailing, the whole construction is extremely solid. The tiller bar has flexible rubber mountings to the rudder stocks and despite not having a tiller extension, it is easy to reach from anywhere on the trampoline.
The simple design has been carried up into the rigging. The two-part aluminum mast can be broken down for easy transport. Four stainless steel stays ensure the mast stays exactly where it should, and the process of rigging takes just minutes. When rigging on a slope two people are required to get the mast up, but this can conceivably be achieved single-handedly if it is done on with the hull level.
The sail itself is fully-battened, the lowest batten is close enough to the foot of the sail for it to be loose-footed, so there is no boom to worry about. This makes it easy and safe for beginners to sail. The sail is constructed of Mylar with Kevlar reinforcing, which is very durable and, like the rest of the boat, requires almost no maintenance.
Specifications Escape 17
Length 5.05m (16’ 7″)
Beam 2.44m (8’)
Hull weight 100kg (220lbs)
Sail Area 11.6m2 (125 sq. ft)
Capacity 340kg (750lbs)
Original Price Paid was:
Complete hull and sail package: £7499
Trailer £1099 plus on-road costs
Advertised elsewhere.
Current Price: £0.99
This Escape 17 Catamaran (commercial Sailing Hobiecat) boat is located in Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE12 9YP and is being sold on eBay by dahi-5059.