Jeanneau Sun Fast 17

A small, light trailer-sailer Jeanneau once built, sleeping a family of four and floating in 25 cm: suited to shallow-water cruising and easy single-handed launching.

Below decks is where the Sun Fast 17 surprises people. She was the smallest of Jeanneau's boats you could live aboard, yet she has a large double berth forward, with lockers both over and under it, plus two single quarter berths. That's sleeping space for a family, and the maximum crew is 4.

Light comes in through a Plexiglas entry hatch and well positioned ports, so the cabin doesn't feel dark or boxed in, which matters on a boat with a 5.05 m hull.

On the water, she's meant to be simple. You can slip her and step the mast on your own, and because the spinnaker pole retracts, getting the asymmetric up is easier than you'd think.

Lift the centreboard and she needs only 25 cm of water. Her bilge is flat, so she'll sit on a beach without legs, which makes creeks and shallow bays fair game.

Jeanneau has stopped building her, so any Sun Fast 17 you look at now will be one that's already been sailed.