June 2002 - montgomery_boats - mailman.xmission.com

Rigging
by Honshells 22 Jun '02

22 Jun '02

Thanks, everyone, for the valuable input on rigging life. I would like to submit two more questions, then I will let the matter rest. 1. Will using stainless cleaner or some other product wiped onto the wires prolong their life? 2. I already have one kinked wire (not a bad kink, and nothing approaching several in the wires I replaced last season): I'm never seen a trailerable sailboat without rigging kinks. Do kinks shorten rigging life? I imagine the kink could be a point where corrosive elements might collect . . . (?) Thanks again, Craig

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Re: M_Boats: Rigging
by Conbert H Benneck 22 Jun '02

22 Jun '02

Hi David, Knowing of Don Street, and his transatlantic trips with Iolaire on a yearly basis, under those conditions, I too, would err on the very conservative side. Loosing your mast in the middle of the ocean - with no auxiliary motor on board - is not a happy thought. Masts should stay in boats no matter what the weather god throws at you. Modern racers are the other end of the scale. Loose masts? Fine as long as you can win: that's the cost of racing. But if you are out cruising, reliability is your best insurance, and that means caution with your standing rigging. But, consider Don Street's use of his vessel. It's probably in the water all year. It is probably used an awful lot. It is kept in the tropics: sun; salt water; and most likely covers thousands of miles per operating year. Does your M use begin to compare? How many active sailing days per year can you tally? 40 to 50 days is about my guess. So rig stresses and wear are a function of use: where used; all year long or only a small fraction of the year? That's why, you as Captain, have to decide what is prudent for your circumstances. If you sleep better changing out your rigging, by all means do so. I sleep much better having three anchors plus chain and rodes on board a vessel, but I also carefully inspect my swages every season, and would change a shroud at the slightest sign of rust or cracking. Life is too short to be in a blow, and then have the additional worry about your mast staying where it should be. Connie

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Re: M_Boats: Rigging
by Michael L Bowden 22 Jun '02

22 Jun '02

Hi Connie, I read somewhere ( maybe John Vigor) replace standing rigging every 10 years in SALT water conditions. But, like you mentioned, the problem is in the swage, not the wire. Later, Bones in Minnesota ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

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New M17 For Sale
by Howard Audsley 22 Jun '02

22 Jun '02

If anyone on the east coast is interested in a new boat...... http://www.yachtworld.com/listing/yw_listing_full_detail.jsp?url=&boat_id=98 9275&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=1502

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Re: Mess about, Aug 10
by Ken Abrahams 21 Jun '02

21 Jun '02

Hello All, Attached is the reply from the Commodore to my request to host a Messabout at Lake Charles Yacht Club. The club will welcome all the Messabouters. Date suggested is August 10. The usual planned activities of a Messabout are none, however we may have a fun race for the sailboats and the Club will provide eats and drinks. I suggest we meet in midmorning and stay as long as you like. Camp on the grounds is you want to. Hotels and Casinos nearby. Probably need reservations at the Hotels. Bring sunscreen, it will be hot. We do have some trees and a sitting area with shade. Upstairs has air conditioning. Plenty of beach and a good launch. I'll attach a coulple photos and the website location. www.saillc.org Ken Abrahams, Lake Charles, Many Boats (PS: Thanks Bob.) ----- Original Message ----- From: Bob Dowden To: 'KEN ABRAHAMS' Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 6:38 AM Subject: Mess about Ken We brought up your suggestion on a mess about with Conroe and we like the idea. It will fit perfectly with the Mayors request for sails on the lake Aug 8th, 9th, 10th. See if they are available to come that Saturday the 10th and we will put it in the newsletter and have a cook out etc. Wayne Bonney will provide the social aminities and we can call it the Lake Charles mess about. Mavbe a few races etc. So please let them know it’s a go. Also could you get the camera either to Alvin or Carry Chrisco for the newsletter. Thanks BD

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Re: M_Boats: Mastmath: A Geometric M-Puzzle
by Doug King 21 Jun '02

21 Jun '02

Thanks for your help, Sandy and Joe. It is as I feared. Sandy, your idea sounds good, but I don't think it will work on a 17, because the forward hatch starts just an inch forward of the mast base, and is about two inches high. I don't think there is clearance for a gin pole to swing down more than about twenty degrees if fastened at the base of the mast, which would be the best place. I wanted to fashion a gin pole set-up similar to the MacGregor 26, which is the same rig as you've mentioned below and the same size boat, all of which have longer foredecks and enough swing-down space for a mast base fastening point. Thought it might work with the gin pole fastened about 2 or 3 feet up the mast. A boom used as a gin pole system works, so this should too. I have a spinnaker pole with a missing end piece, so I may try that (I'll never fly a spinnaker anyway, I'm too lazy). Bob Eeg pointed me to pictures of a set-up on the montgomeryboats.com site (M-17, Photos page 4), which doesn't use a gin pole at all, just a high mast cradle and a straight pull up using a high, extended trailer winch support. Obviously not for use on the water. I'm also intrigued with the idea of a spring-loaded line, as discussed on the Trailer-Sailer site. Thanks again, Doug At 01:09 AM 6/16/02 -0400, you wrote: I'd like to rig a mast-raising system that can be used not only to initially raise and lower the mast, but on restless water also I've used raising systems on Capri 26's and Catalina 25's that use the baby side stay for the mast. At a point on a level plane with the mast base pivot point, install a SS ring at the bottom of the stay. From the ring make 2 more wire leads that go to your toe rail, fore and aft of the pivot point. As the mast is raised/lowered, the foreward or aftward stay controls the mast tention. The tension doesn't need to be tight all the way up/down. A little side sway is acceptable. To locate the "Ring" location point, lower the mast and place a 1/4" tubing through the mast pivot bolt hole. At either end is the ring placement point. If you don't want to raise the mast with your back, use a gin pole at the base of the mast. When the mast is up, the gin pole is horizontal on the foredeck. The jib halyard is attached at the end and your mainsheet is attached from the gin pole to the deck. Sandy ------------------------------------------ Doug King M-17 #404 "Vixen" Montgomery Sailboats Owners Group Web site: http://msog.org Email: mailto:msog@msog.org

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Re: M_Boats: Rigging
by Conbert H Benneck 21 Jun '02

21 Jun '02

Hi Craig, Replace wires every 10 years, just to replace wires? No! You need a valid reason for replacing your wires. What you have to keep an eye on are the swages at the fittings. That is the usual place of failure, because of corrosion inside the fitting which leads to a split in the swage area - which you can see. (if in doubt, us a 10X magnifying glass or loupe) The wire itself shows deterioration if you find broken strands poking out. These are the famous (infamous) "meathooks". You will instantly know what I mean if you run the wire through your hand and find one! I still had all my original standing rigging on my big boat after 26 years of ownership - no swage failures - no swage cracks - no meathooks. But I did have an incipient failure in a swaged pelican hook fitting on my lifeline. The wire, where it entered the pelican hook showed signs of rust, and when I examined it more closely and bent it back and forth, it did come apart, just at the end of the fitting. So, if you see rust spots - Check; and keep checking if you find meathooks - replace (the wire may still be more than adequate but why risk injury?) if everything seems OK, then keep using the rigging. Connie

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Perimeter Trip
by Saltm17＠aol.com 20 Jun '02

20 Jun '02

An overview concerning what has happened so far with the trip. I'll send along a more detailed note in a few days. The trip was delayed when they found skin cancer on my arm. It was removed successfully, and I drove to Beaufort, NC just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. I swear every registered boat in NC (and many unregistered ones) wer all trying for the same spot on the water. It wasd a rock and roll trip down the ICW to Sneads Ferry (approximately 30 miles) where my sister lives and where they took the truck and trailer after I launched. No significant events but a lot of good small stories. Then I drove to the Chesapeake, and launched at the public ramp under the bridge near Solomon island. I spent a day at a marina getting more organized, then met Tod Mills and BuscaBrisas. We had a great trip together in all kinds of winds, and even had a great sullen bitch of a thunderstorm blow over us (good story there). He had a FAST ride back to the Marina the next day, and the following day I sailed back under a high flying spinnaker. I met up with the rest of the Chesapeake Bay Rendezvous folks at Vera's (good story there). Then met up with them the next day on the Patuxent. That night we anchored in a beautiful little cove and had 7 Montgomeries rafted up to our "token" powerboat (actually a beautiful Nimble Nomad). During the night amy right leg was very painful. I had bruised it bad when a wake from a deep draft trawler caught me going from the side deck to the cockpit on that spinnaker run down the bay. By morning it had swelled up a lot. I called my wife on the cell phone (she's a nurse) and she commanded I get to the hospital. It truned out to be a deep vein blood clot, and I was admitted for 7 days. I was hoping it would only mean a week or two delay in continuing the trip, but the truth is, I will be on medicine for 3 - 9 months. Sad to say, the trip is on hold until next year. Thank you to all of you who have so helpfully provided information and help in setting up this trip. I hope to finally meet a lot of you when this trip is re-started next year. John Edwards Miss T M17 #372

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Re: M_Boats: Perimeter Trip
by Steve R 20 Jun '02

20 Jun '02

Hi John, Thanks for the update. Our thoughts and prayers are with you for a speedy recovery. Steve R. M-15 #119 Lexington, KY --- message from Saltm17(a)aol.com attached:

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M23 in Good Old Boat
by Michael L Bowden 20 Jun '02

20 Jun '02

Dear Listers, Karen from Good Old Boat has photos of a Nor'Sea 27 and an M23 #75 at their summer boat photos website. www.goodoldboat.com/photos.html. This is bit of notoriety for our M boat builder, Mr. Bob Eeg and Jerry Montgomery. "Atta boy" gentlemen! Karen informs me she will be featuring both boats in upcoming issues. Bones in Mpls ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

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