Mud Hen 17

For the bird species, see American coot.

The Mud Hen 17, also called the Mud Hen, is an American sharpie, named for the bird. It was designed by the Reuben Trane and first built in 1981.^[1][2][3][4]

Mud Hen 17

Development
Designer	Reuben Trane
Location	United States
Year	1981
Builder(s)	Florida Bay Boat Company Sovereign Yachts
Name	Mud Hen 17
Boat
Displacement	650 lb (295 kg)
Draft	3.50 ft (1.07 m) with centerboard down
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	17.33 ft (5.28 m)
LWL	16.23 ft (4.95 m)
Beam	6.25 ft (1.91 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	centerboard
Rudder	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	gaff rig
Sails
Sailplan	catboat
Mainsail area	155.00 sq ft (14.400 m2)
Total sail area	155.00 sq ft (14.400 m2)

Production

The design was built by the Florida Bay Boat Company and by Sovereign Yachts in the United States, from 1981 to 1986, but it is now out of production.^[1][2][5][6]

Design

The Mud Hen 17 is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It is a gaff rigged catboat rig with a plumb stem, an angled, transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable centerboard. It displaces 650 lb (295 kg).^[1][2]

The boat is an open dinghy, but may be fitted with a canvas dodger.^[1][2]

The boat has a draft of 3.50 ft (1.07 m) with the centerboard extended and 6 in (15 cm) with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.^[1][2]

The design has a hull speed of 5.4 kn (10.0 km/h).^[2]

Operational history

The boat is supported by an active class club, PeepHens.org.^[7][8]

See also

• List of sailing boat types