Practical Boat Owner – September 2019

BOATS

Life of Leisure
Back in the 1980s there was an event
called the Foreshore Rally that
concentrated on smaller boats that could
be parked on the mud. Most were twin
keelers or centreboarders.
To my great surprise, the clear overall
winner of this Rally was not a sleek
centreboarder or racy lifting-keeler – but
an attractive, workmanlike looking little
twin keeler measuring a mere 17ft: the
Leisure 17. Thanks to its 7ft (2.14m) beam,
the accommodation is amazing for a yacht
that’s little longer than a Wayfarer dinghy.
There’s almost 5ft (1.53m) headroom
under the hatch and 3ft (0.92m) sitting
headroom above the 6ft 6in (1.98m) by 2ft
(0.60m) saloon bunks. A loo lives under
the head of the twin forepeak berths and
can be curtained off when in use. And a
simple little galley unit slides out from
under the bridgedeck. Of course it’s all
fairly minimalist, but it’s extraordinary just
how much has been fitted in.
Despite its small size, the 17 also boasts
a jaunty little counter stern under which
the skeg-hung rudder lives.
The self-draining cockpit is comfortable
and the popular twin keel version has a
ballast ratio of just under 40%. These twin

The original Leisure 17

was and is a very

practical little yacht

ABOVE The later Leisure 17SL

had a modernised wedge-

shaped coachroof

RIGHT Leisure 22

packed in a lot of

accommodation

for its size

BELOW Leisure 23

• as popular now
  as it was when
  new

keels also make the boat easy to transport

on a trailer. What’s more an early and

adventurous owner crossed the Atlantic

single-handed in his slightly modified twin

keel Leisure 17 in 32 days... although

sadly he was later blown ashore on Cuba

then arrested and imprisoned as a

suspected spy. The Cuban authorities

allegedly later ordered a replacement

skeg and rudder so they could use the

boat for sail training.

It’s believed that over 3,000 of this

amazing little yacht and its later sister the

Leisure 17SL (with a modernized wedge

shaped coachroof) were built.

This little classic, designed by Arthur

Howard, is one of the great unsung

heroes of British boat building and owners

are still ably supported by the class

association on leisureowners.org.uk.

Bigger sisters

It also had equally successful larger

sisters – the Leisure 22 in 1971, and the

23 in 1973 (later upgraded to the 23SL

with a new deck moulding). Designed by

Graham Caddick, the 22 brought

exceptional comfort to a yacht with an

LWL of just 20ft (6.09m) and a beam of 7ft

10in (2.65m). A ballast ratio of 43% gives

good stability, an all up weight of around

1500kg ensures a steady ride while the

twin keel draught of 2ft 8in (0.81m) is

enough to give acceptable windward

performance.

But perhaps the 22’s biggest appeal lies

in its spacious and practical

accommodation. The attractive split level

coachroof gives headroom of 5ft 8in

(1.72m) while a linear galley and a dinette

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