June 2010 - montgomery_boats - mailman.xmission.com

Little Breeze M15
by Michael Mann 18 Nov '15

18 Nov '15

Hi, My name is Michael Mann and in 1982, I sailed the Montgomery 15, Little Breeze from CA to Hawaii. I see on the web site that she has been rescued by new owners in Hawaii and I would love to correspond with them. I am currently sailing on a container ship headed for Honolulu and would welcome the chance to make contact. Thanks for any info. Michael Mann

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Montgomery Sailboats are in high demand
by Bob Eeg 15 Jul '13

15 Jul '13

And are built with top-notch quality. There is nothing in the market place faster, better built and as good looking as a Montgomery Sailboat. I don't run a factory; I run a very small boatshop. I built to order on a boat by boat basis. I do a lot of custom work when asked. Bronze ports, Stainless ports, extra ballast, Custom electrical systems, Idasailor rudders, anchoring packages..etc. This work is labor intensive. Quality takes time. I have 3 employees. These people are highly experienced in Laminating, construction, assembly and finish. Woodworking and other skills result in a absolutely beautiful sailing vessel. I use the best sails the best rigging, the best custom stainless fasteners..and yes....(laughing) the best cushions. This last 15 months have been EXTREMELY busy; hiring new help was impossible because all the good people are gone. We had a tremendous BACKLOG and we caught a break only when Pacific Seacraft employees (let go) began filtering into our shop looking for work. We did add some additional crew in the Laminating Shop and because of that we are caught up. Pacific Seacrafts Bankruptcy was good for us. Bad for the dozens of good people who are out of work. The FIRST question of anyone buying a new boat should be 'How is the construction quality'? First and foremost that is the most important issue. I can say that everyone has experienced and will continue to experience a BACKLOG of orders; especially if the boat is as popular as a Montgomery Sailboat. When we had an 8 month backlog and I actually turned down 2 M_17 orders so we could catch our breath. It is impossible to work any harder or any faster. Now that were caught up we can get back to our normal 50-70 days (depending on model and options). Also custom work really adds to the production time. One beautiful M_17 we did we cut the V berth out of and installed an oval bulkhead, custom shelves and inline potti area; with 4 bronze ports she is an amazing boat, but custom work takes time. Expect delays if you go radical on the interior. (I think BONES has a photo of that one...) We are really one of the only builders that entertain changes and options to satisfy the customer. This new Passagemaker M_17 were building (and installing a windvane on tomorrow) is going to be amazing. Other actual boat factories that produce boats for DEALERS (that Tod mentioned) like Precision and Compac are built on Factory Production lines for a large Dealership Network. Dealers who have these boats in stock can supply them right away. But ask for major changes on a future production boat and the wait will be many months. International Marine builds boats faster with more employees but those boats are piss poor sailers (upwind) and many arrive with a list of problems that are pathetic. That's not me. So try not to focus on the TIME factor. We can only go so fast. Hiring additional help is not an option because by the time you train someone the season gets slow and you have to lay them off. I can't do that. I have people that have been with me for 20 years; I keep us small and efficient on purpose. So be surprised if we hit the delivery time; which we do quite often. Be a little disappointed when we miss it; but get over it when you see your boat. Dozens of you know me; you've arrived to see me rig your boat, pack you up and shake your hand. (Heck...Gary Hyde even brought me a bottle of wine..!..Thanks Gary.!) One man bought a new M_15 from us and a new M_17 a year later.! The C word...Cushions. I inspect everyboat before it leaves for home. Scott's boat was leaving for the Bay Area early Friday morning; I was at the boatshop at 10:30 PM Thursday night, sleeping at the picnic table just inside the door, waiting for the cushion guy to arrive with the (late) promised cushions. He drove up, woke me up and I watched as he stacked them on the deck. We left. My man arrived at 3AM and hooked up the boat and slid the cushions inside the boat. I should have loaded them myself then I would have noticed they looked good but didn't have the required 'Squeeze' factor. Let's move on, shall we....? Fair winds Bob Eeg (949) 489-8227 Boat Builder

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Re: M_Boats: racing my M23
by Larry E Yake 02 Apr '11

02 Apr '11

>So when is the next San Juan trip? Annual? Bi-annual? >Jeff Probably semi-annual. Larry

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TX 200
by htmills＠zoominternet.net 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

Dunno if anyone posted this link to pics of the 2nd annual Texas 200. At least one M-boat, a 15, can be seen. http://www.flickr.com/photos/17493676@N03/sets/72157624381098076/show/ Tod Mills M17 #408, 1987 galley model BuscaBrisas

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Desolation Sound
by Larry Yake 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

Hey All, I just got back from two weeks of exploring Desolation Sound. Wow! What an incredible and beautiful place to cruise! I was joined by a couple M boats from our local gang, Rick and Melanie Agrella in M23 Raven, and Gary Hyde in M17 Hydeaway 2. There would be way too much to report to try to cover it all here, so I'll try to just mention some of the highlights. Picture an anchorage with bare granite outcroppings that remind you of the Great Lakes, surround it with thick rain forest full of huge cedars, moss covered maples, and ferns filling in underneath. Then back it up with steep towering rugged mountains that drop right down into the sound, top them with huge snowfields and cornices, and add waterfalls to decorate the cliffs. Surround your little cove with channels through the rocks that join numerous other coves that are all just as beautiful as yours. Be sure to explore it all at high tide with your kayak, because at low tide you've lost 18 feet of water and the channels are high and dry. This is Prideaux Haven. A couple hours of great sailing has brought us across from Cortes Bay to the famous headland Sarah Point. This is where cruisers truly enter Desolation Sound, rounding this famous landmark and exclaiming "Wow!" Today we say "Ug!" It's wet and grey. The low clouds hide the mountains behind, and the wind has died. Motoring down the Malaspina Inlet is like boating on a saltwater river, with currents, eddies, islands, and shallow shoals to dodge. As we enter the inlet to our anchorage we begin to see them. A few at first, then dozens, then hundreds. Soon they are countless. Jellyfish. Pure white, almost luminescent, they go about their jelly business, puffing and purging, puffing and purging, as if the rest of the world doesn't exist. We anchor back in the left arm of the inlet, totally sheltered from every direction. The water is calm and glass smooth. Beneath the surface, puffing and purging, puffing and purging. An eagle watches as we paddle to shore to hike the muddy trail up to the fresh water lake above the anchorage. The trail goes over fallen logs, under fallen logs, through berry thickets and always the ferns and moss. The lake is small and the grassy shallows at the end look like a moose should be there. A couple of loons eye us carefully to see if we're a danger, and a beaver swims behind them to get in the picture. When we get back to the anchorage, I paddle over to see where the creek from the lake enters the cove. By pushing aside some low cedars branches brushing the water, I am able to squeeze in between a couple rocks and find myself floating in a fairyland. Completely hidden from the cove, the little cedar grotto is highlighted by a stairstepping waterfall, dancing down through moss covered rocks and fallen logs. Framed by overhanging cedars, it is perfect. Simply perfect. This is Grace Harbour. The 100 foot waterfall thundering into the box cove is almost dwarfed by the cliffs beside it. Huge shoulders of rock, rising straight out of the small bay, loom over me as I paddle my kayak toward the falls. I want to get close, to feel the power, but the spray turns me away. We are anchored just around the point in a "shallow' cove. Shallow as in the depth of the cove, not the depth of the water. We each have two anchors out, dug into the upslope of the steeply rising bottom, with a stern line ashore to keep us perched on this narrow ledge. Finding a tree or the occasional ring to tie our stern lines to is a challenge, but way up the cliff we succeed and the lines angle steeply down to our boats. The next morning, at high tide, those lines run straight to shore. We had to keep adding slack as the tide rose to keep our anchor lines from getting too tight. Just at dusk, a big blue tug style cruiser comes in and drops his hook right in front of us. Bang, clank, splash! Gary, already turned in, pops out of his hatch to see what all the ruckus is. The power boaters loudly congratulate themselves on arriving, then go back inside and don't come out again. Early the next morning, they are drifting a mile down the inlet on glassy smooth water, their anchor chain hanging straight down. This is the Teakerne Arm. I better quit there. This is already getting long and there are too many more places to describe. You'll just have to go see them yourself. If you do, don't be surprised when people recognise your Montgomery. We seem to get noticed. A couple times in Desolation Sound we ran into sailors who had seen us on previous cruises in the San Juan and Gulf Islands. I even ran into a local gentleman who had read about CornDog on the internet. Incredible! Larry Yake M17, #200 CornDog

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Bill and Dawn Kaiser M-15 "Desert Dawn" /Jackson Lake
by flickasf＠aol.com 01 Jul '10

01 Jul '10

Bill & Dawn, Thank you for the suggestions. We were at Jackson Lake in 1995; some things have changed. We too have an end tie at Colter Bay. Did you sleep aboard? Thanks, Bert Felton

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video tips??? From me??!!
by Nebwest2＠aol.com 30 Jun '10

30 Jun '10

Well, first I'll say this. If you really watch my videos....you'll see that they are terrible when it comes to steadiness of shot, focus, quality, etc! hahaha. Like Doug, my new video camera I got last year has a "steady shot" option that helps quite a bit. One BIG tip I can give you is if there is a lot of motion...DON’T ZOOM IN very much. The zoom makes the movement greatly exaggerated. I use video from my good camera, but also from our still camera's that have low quality video option, and even from my cell phone sometimes. Why? because there are times when the "good "camera isn't handy and I don't want to miss a shot, so I use whatever I got. The other I do is take LOTS of video and edit the heck out of it. Sooner or later you'll find a steady shot....or at least "steadier"! hahaha I try to make up for the crappy quality of my videos by keeping the shots short and varying, mixing in stills which usually show up clearer, and picking music that I like to put in the background. My biggest failure would probably be continually "beating a good thing to death" I mean really...How many of you have watched a video I made in it's entirety? hahaha They are WAY too long, I know, but I make them for me and I figure that one day when I can no longer enjoy this, I'll want to see and remember as much as I can. :-) Sean M23 "Dauntless"

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Re: M_Boats: Neil/ July 7th sail
by ndorf＠surfbest.net 30 Jun '10

30 Jun '10

Bert, Thanks for the tip about the pole, and safe travels. You might want to send Bill and Dawn Kaiser a note; Bill mentioned while in Havasu that they took their M15 "Desert Dawn" up to Yellowstone last year. I'm pretty sure they only went to Yellowstone Lake but they might have also put in at Jackson Lake. Anyway who knows, they might have a few pointers / ideas regarding the area. Best, Neil

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Re: M_Boats: Desolation Sound
by ndorf＠surfbest.net 30 Jun '10

30 Jun '10

Larry Thanks for the write up. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime! This would make for a good story with pics for an SCA article. Looking forward to also seeing the photos! Regards, Neil Dorf M15 / Roseville CA

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Re: M_Boats: Desolation Sound
by bownez＠juno.com 30 Jun '10

30 Jun '10

Larry and Corn Dog, Great story pal, I'm green with envy! Thanks for sharing, that style of sailing and exploring is what it's all about. Bones ____________________________________________________________ Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat! http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210

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