Andrei I recommend hiring a Marine Surveyor before buying a 33 year old boat, site unseen. The few hundred it will cost you is money well spent. You never know about the ballast condition or any deck core rot...etc. Also, you want to know how old the sails and rigging are. Bob PS the difference in sailing characteristics between a Compac and a Montgomery is dramatic.
From: andreic@math.wisc.edu> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 13:39:30 -0500> Subject: M_Boats: Things to look for in a used M-17> > Dear all,> > I am new to this list, but I am thinking of buying a 1975 M-17, hull > #55. Unfortunately this boat is too far for me to inspect personally, > so all I can do is rely on the seller's description and photos. > According to them, the boat was extremely well mainained, and from the > first few photos I saw this seems to be the case.> > If anything, what are the things to look at, and/or to request > pictures of? What are the common problem areas of the boat?> > Another rather important question is the following: I currently have a > Compac 16, which I can rig myself without any help in 20-30 minutes (I > keep it on the trailer, and this is the time I need from arriving at > the dock with the boat on the trailer, until I am sailing). Is the > same possible with the M-17? Namely, can an average guy (age 36) rig > all by himself, and how long would this take?> > Thanks a lot,> > Andrei.> > > _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats