David, I am usually pretty much a quiet reader of the blogs on this Monty site. I have old hull number 189, Montgomery 15, now pretty much restored(1981, December, built by Jerry Montgomery). I am curious about the size of your Subaru engine?. I am pulling my m15 with a 1990 Camry Wagon, 4 cylinder. No guts but when I pull the M15 boat I am VERY smooth and slow and NEVER in overdrive! I would never chance a trip up the hill to Lake Tahoe for instance. I am amazed that you can pull an M17 with your Subaru. I did have my mechanic install a transmission cooler just for a little insurance. ----Thanks, Larry Hughston, Sacramento, CA -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of David C. Patterson Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 10:04 AM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: M_Boats: 2008 Appreciation for the group 2008 was my novice sailing season, made very satisfying through help from this group, and from the msog.org site. Thank you all. I searched for my first boat over several years and decided on a Montgomery. In March I brought home a neglected 1985 M17 galley model from Texas to Colorado behind my Subaru wagon, right at the limit of its capacity. After a long process of getting the trailer titled and licensed (jeesh!)and repairing some necessary items (the mast compression post, for example) I got Cloud Girl, as she is now named, in the water at local Chatfield Reservoir in August. I sailed her through November. After some notable clumsiness (groundings, near knockdown in a cloudburst, etc.) I had a great first season of sailing, singlehanded, even getting the spinnaker up a few times. I had sixteen trips out, eight of which were overnight, for my goal is to learn to cruise, and mostly docked without using the outboard. I guess that I am no longer a complete novice. Maybe in 2009 I will actually go somewhere on by boat. I look forward to my 60's sailing. Again, thank you all, especially Tod Mills for his sharings as a singlehander, and Bob Eeg for his generosity with time and information. The best of the season to you all. David Patterson M17 #393 Cloud Girl _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats Remember, there is no privacy on the Internet!