Skipper 17 Proper Pint

The cuddy is big but absolutely inaccessible for all practical purposes except stuffing things in what with strange entry shape, a major keel plate winch, and the mast support.

The data plate was white plastic and almost illegible. It did yield up to a strong light and some graphite that she was described as Skipper 17 Dayboat, Link Leisure of Edwardsburg, MI. I found a couple of very old web pages for the company -- major product seems to have been really small runabouts with really big motors. I have never actually found a specific Skipper 17 listing under their name.

Her hull number is LLNS00021177. If the last four represent a date it could be either Feb or Nov (depending on useage) in 77. On the other hand it could be number 211 from 1977. I think 77 is the date on the title, but I don't have it with me.

In the stern view showing bits and pieces I have added. Oddly, she came with no docking cleats. I haven't replaced the lazzaret hatch yet. You can sorta see the center plate cover, the floor boards I'm putting in to compensate a bit for a soft sole and also the cuddy. Originally there was a canvas cover on the cuddy entry. Her cockpit is absolutely huge.

In the underside view, the neat thing is another quirky little English bit, the rather vestigial bilge keels for "grounding on the hard..." Main function now seems to be to make her hard to get on the trailer precisely (Trailer condition is also PO issue. I got the boat for a song, so what can I say.)

My biggest issue right now is getting an accurate drawing or other representation of the original 150 pound center plate. The PO had substituted a makeshift plywood plate. That really is something I want to move away from. I figure she is supposed to have 150 pounds of ballast on purpose. Plus it made for a strange winch situation -- winch the board down instead of up....

She will sail under the name quite British appellation of Proper Pint. (I have had to admit, based on the data plate, that she did not arrive in North America on her own bottom, sailed by an eccentric English second son.)

I’ll be interested if anyone makes any comment. I am currently up on the Skipper 17 Yahoo Group, It's an open group:
groups.yahoo.com/group/Skipper17helpgroup/

Cheers!
David Arnold