It has a fractional sloop rig, with a boom gallows and a bowsprit; a plumb stem; an open, walk-through reverse transom with a swim ladder; a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed stub keel with a centerboard.
[1][2] The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor, mounted on a starboard side transom bracket, for docking and maneuvering.
The galley is located on the port side just aft of the bow cabin and is equipped with a single-burner stove and a sink.
This trailerable coastal cruiser has all the right features—an easy-to-rig mast, simple sailing systems, a centerboard that reduces draft to 1 foot, 6 inches, and a full accommodations plan.
"[5] In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "despite being less than 19 feet on deck (without the outboard rudder and bow pulpit included in the measurement), the Eclipse 18 looks to us like a bigger boat.