Atlantic 17

New Entry Level One Design Open Water Rowing Boat

Atlantic 17 Demo Days
    Spring 2001 dates to test-row the Atlantic 17 are currently being scheduled. These Demo Days will take place at the Connecticut State Launching Ramp on Ferry Road in Old Saybrook, Ct. (underneath the I-95 bridge).
     Demonstrations and trials of the Atlantic 17 may also be arranged at your club or organization if it is withing reasonable traveling distance of Old Saybrook. For further information, or if you wish to attend one of the scheduled Demo Days, please contact us.


    The Atlantic 17 has been designed to offer a safe, seaworthy, fast rowing boat for novice and experienced rowers. Its modified dory-style hull design, with two strakes of planking, provides the small midship cross section needed for real speed, combined with the reserve stability and bouyancy to make this an excellent sea boat.
     The Atlantic 17 can be rowed as a single or double, or as a single with passengers. It is light enough to be cartoppable, yet rugged enough to row off  the beach. Measuring 17 by 4 feet, the Atlantic 17 has the size needed to attain the speed to be a competitive rowing boat, or to be used on extended cruises with a heavy complement of gear and supplies.
    The original purpose in designing the Atlantic 17 was to provide an entry level, affordable, user friendly boat to introduce new rowers to the re-emerging sport of Open Water Rowing. This sport is in sharp contrast to the highly specialized sport of scholastic, collegiate, and Olympic flatwater rowing, where boats are suitable for use on calm, protected waters in relatively short, straight race courses. Of course, such boats are never used for cruising, and seldom for pure recreation.
     In Open Water Rowing, boats which are capable of venturing onto virtually any waters in any reasonable conditions are used. This opens up vast areas for cruising, racing, and general recreation, in a healthful, aerobic manner. More importantly, time and access are not factors in Open Water Rowing, since one can launch from any location at any time (unlike the flatwater boats, which typically must row at dawn.)
     To further the competitive sport of Open Water Rowing, the Atlantic 17 has been organized into a one-design class. This means that it will be possible to have level-racing for single and double crews in this safe, user friendly, affordable boat. In this same spirit, the Atlantic 17 is being offered at a considerable discount for fleet or multiple-boat orders (pricing information is available under Ordering). A Class Association has also been formed to administer race endorsement and  administration.

[ One Design Rules | One Design Bylaws ]

Construction
     The Atlantic 17 is currently offered as a plywood-epoxy composite hull, with plywood structural frames. The hull is built of 1/4 inch marine grade fir plywood, with a layer of 6 ounce fiberglass set in epoxy on the hull exterior. The hull joints are further reinforced with douglas fir seam battens in the interior, which are also bonded with epoxy.
    Seating in the Atlantic 17 consists of a permanent forward thwart, and removeable mid and aft thwarts. Foam flotation is built into each of the thwarts . Each station has its own footstretcher, which will accomodate rowers of varying heights.
    This method of construction results in a boat which is extremely durable in heavy-use situations, while remaining relatively light weight. The Atlantic 17 will also be available as a complete kit in the near future.
    As an alternative method of construction, the use of foam core and fiberglass is also being considered. The primary advantage to this would be a  stiffer, lighter boat (though the one design concept requires a minimum weight for all boats).

Ordering and Pricing
    Because our objective in offering the Atlantic 17 is to help popularize the sport of Open Water Rowing, we are providing special discounted pricing for fleet or multiple orders of this boat. We also offer this boat  unpainted, allowing for additional savings to the buyer. This same pricing policy is also available for the kit boat version of the Atlantic 17, which is under development. Kit boat classes are also under development.

Ordering: We require a 50 deposit on all orders, with the balance due upon delivery. Delivery time varies with our backlog of jobs, though a single boat can typically be completed within three to four weeks. If, at a scheduled demo day for the Atlantic 17, we receive deposits for six or more boats, the discount pricing will apply.  

 
Pricing

Atlantic 17 under construction