Afternoon Connie, Great story! There are many state parks and campsites with facilities all over this country, many near or on the water. I came up with this idea of "double camp sailing" with the idea of convincing my wife we can do this. Interestingly, she's an old time camper, and I am not, so she was amused by my suggestion. Now the search goes on for an appropriate versatile boat for this purpose. There are not too many boats that meet these requirements very well. It boils down to a boat with shallow draft that can be beached(no point in having to have a dingy), something that is reasonably seaworthy with a decent cut of speed, something that has ample sleeping room for two adults, and the storage capability to keep reasonably nourished for up to three days on the hook. Of course it should be trailerable with easy launch/retrieving and rigging. With that said, and remembering every boat is a compromise, we have been looking at several options: the M17, Precision 18, ComPac Sun Cat and Seapearl Trimaran meet most of our criteria. We've considered the Catalina 18 and even the newer Catalina 22 Sport, but trailering a larger boat presents some issues with length and weight. Although our Xterra can tow up to 5000lbs, we don't want to struggle with that much weight. Any thoughts and/or comments are always welcome....John ----- Original Message ----- From: <chbenneck@sbcglobal.net> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:59 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17
Hi John,
If you go back in the Montgomery archives, you will find an article by an M15 owner and his wife about their several weeks long trip up the West Coast from Seattle, ..north. They carried all they needed for the trip; food; fuel; water; and augmented their supplies with fish that they caught.
So, if it can be done by two on an M15, doing it on an M17 should be almost luxurious.
As for staying at KOA camp grounds with the boat on the trailer, and sleeping aboard, it's worth the price of admission to see the faces of the regular campers when you climb in and out of your M17 cockpit. They have never seen something like that before.
My wife and I spent a night aboard on our Bolger MICRO at a Rockland, ME camp ground years ago, and it was extremely do-able. However, we didn't want to eat in the cockpit, so my wife sent me off to get a proper table cloth for the picnic table we had next to the boat trailer. I drove to Rockland; found a Thrift Store; bought a nice table cloth, two linen napkins; and a glass protected candle holder, with candle - for the proper ambiance.
Then we unlimbered our propane stove, cooked dinner on one end of the picnic table, and ate in splendor off china plates with good wine glasses, by candle light, as the other campers gawked at the strange birds in their midst.
The campground showers, toilets and sinks made life simple and pleasant.
Connie ex M15 #400
John Merrell wrote:
Morning Eldor and Dorothy, Thanks for your good words. You're absolutely correct. You can make just about anything work for you if you have the passion. That's one of the reasons we're looking for a small trailerable sailboat; we don't need a big boat, nor can we afford the expense of a larger boat that isn't trailerable. If were going to liveaboard, that would be an entirely different situation. We're basically thinking about cruising the ICW and staying on the hook for not more than three nights, then seek a marina. We will be spending most of our time in the cockpit, and likely a generous amount of time motoring. We might venture out on those occassions we have a weather window and the passage is not too long. But I have enough sailing experience to know, if you go often enough, you're going to get caught in weather. Having a solid seaworthy boat and a reasonably capable crew is absolutely necessary for survival. I would think we would have ample room for a couple of solar showers, bottled water enough for drinking and rinsing off, some canned goods, coffee maker, small stove, room for trash, naturally the portapot, clothes enough for freshness and a stanction mounted SS BBQ for grilling in the cockpit. For longer cruises down a river such as the Tennessee Tombridge heading for Mobile would be more challenging; I'm not sure what's available along that route as far as marinas and places to get into for stores and such? We're still working to see if we can't find an M17 owner close enough to us to view....again thanks for your response...happy sailing..John and Joy ----- Original Message ----- From: <Eeeisen@aol.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 8:24 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17
I know our Mboat is configured differently from most but the basics are the same. We spent 6 days cruising the San Jauns in 2007 and plan to cruise for two weeks in 2009. If it is something you really enjoy, you'll find a way to fit. We did win the Sardine Award in 2007.
Eldor and Dorothy Eisen M-17 Motu iti fixed keel
In a message dated 11/16/2008 7:11:43 A.M. Central Standard Time, mayrel@hughes.net writes:
Morning Jim, Thanks for your comments; if a big guy like you can be comfortable in the M17 cabin, surely I can manage at 6'1" and 225lbs. However, there will be two of us, my wife Joy is 5'2" and less than half my weight, so is there enough room for spending several nights on the hook? This is our most basic question. From what everyone is telling us, this is not a problem. We are anxious to locate an M17 we can see for ourselves....thanks for your comments...John ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Poulakis" <picfo@comcast.net> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 3:02 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17
John, I'm 6'4" 230# and can sit in the M17 cabin seats without having my head touch the cabin top. I put a foam floatation cushion behind my back to position myself away from the side deck.
As far as comfort goes, you gotta be kinda philosophical when it comes to the M15 and M17 cabin. Sarge, if you've ever spent time in a Vietnam era pup-tent then you'll find the interior of a Montgomery to be downright luxurious.
Jim Poulakis M-17 "Spirit"
On Nov 15, 2008, at 7:13 PM, John Merrell wrote:
Evening Joe, Thanks very much for your response. I'm curious however, how tall are you? I'm 6'1" @ 225lbs; is there ample room for this old retired sargeant? I've always thought the Norsea 27 one of the prettiest boats afloat. The other boat I always admired was the Flicka 20. The closest I got to either of them was a Skipper 20 and a Morgan OutIsland 30; that was a few years ago. What we hope to do is utilize a trailerable "pocket crusier" as both a means to explore various waterways, lakes and rivers, and to use it as a land camper. I know it may sound rediculous, but if you can sleep in it comfortably on the water with a portapotti and solar shower, you can certainly sleep aboard on land at a KOA campgrounds. We can't quite afford to purchase a new boat, but we hope to find a good clean used boat in the $10K price range. Of course, we need to see one before we put our money down. I realize these boats are highly sought after, and they don't last long once put up for sale. However, it's possible the M17 wouldn't work for us? Again thanks for your time and good information....John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Murphy" <seagray@embarqmail.com> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2008 7:36 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17
John, You'll not be disappointed with the M-17. I bought mine this summer sight unseen. The only time I saw one was 4 years ago at a Lyle Hess Rendevous up in Solomons MD. At the time I had a NorSea 27 and spent most of my time talking with other NorSea owners but I couldn't help checking out these other little sisters, the Montgomery boats. I opted for the four round ports to get some cross through ventilation. I live on the NC coast and it can be nearly tropical at times. The interior is workable. I sit on the port side berth facing aft with my legs up stretched out. I find it to be pretty comfortable. The V berth is very comfortable. The compression post doesn't really get in the way and serves as a good hand hold to spin around to get out of bed. There is great storage room and everything is pretty easy to get to. True, you can't stand up unless the hatch is open. If you decide to buy one from the factory you will find Bob Eeg extremely easy to work with and very accessible. Figure on 6-8 weeks start to splash. Good luck with your search. Joe Seafrog M-17
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Merrell" <mayrel@hughes.net> To: <wdscobie@yahoo.com>; "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2008 5:12 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17
> Afternoon Dave, > Thanks for your response. I understand, if you see a lot of > anything on > the market it's probably because folks don't like them that > much. But we > need to physically see one before we make any decisions to buy one. > That's why we're researching owners' in the hopes of finding > some one > within 150 or so of us(Mentone Alabama) that would allow us to > take a > look. > Thanks for your time....John > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "W David Scobie" <wdscobie@yahoo.com> > To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" > <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> > Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2008 1:57 PM > Subject: Re: M_Boats: Montgomery 17 > > > john & joy: > > i'm a M15 owner (wishing to 'move up' to the 17). > > sleeping - the forward v-berth is the location. the compression > post does > 'split' the berth. the 1/4 berths are good for seating, not adult > sleeping. > > seating - one can sit in the 17 no problem (unless you are long > in body > and > over 6'4"). one cannot stand when in the cabin. > > overnighting - if you work well together one can do multiple > weeks/months > in > the 17 ... but my perspective is from the M15 and tent-camping. the > Mboats > can carry more stuff than you can really need ... under the > berths, the > stern end of the quarterberths and cockpit locters. > > potty: under the v-berth, starboard side of the compression post. > > steel centerboard & ballast - only the older boats the the steel. > the new > boats are lead. the current model M15 & M17 use the same > centerboard. see > SCRED's www-site for a page about the steel centerboard/ballast > and the > M17 > (link below). > > you are correct that there are not many used M17s available ... > there is > a > reason for this. they are GREAT boats! > > > dave scobie > M15 #288 - SCRED > visit Scred's www-site: http://www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred > > --- On Sat, 11/15/08, John Merrell <mayrel@hughes.net> wrote: > > Greetings, > We're researching various trailerable "pocket cruisers" such as > the Montgomery 17, ComPac Sun Cat, Precision 18 and Catalina 18 > MK II. > Since > Montgomery sells direct to the public from California, it's > difficult to > view on of these fine boats. With that said, we're soon to be > retired > and > want to do some "trailer sailing" to enhance our retirement > activities. Having owned a Skipper 20 and a Morgan OutIsland 30, > we have > some > sailing experience. > We've emailed Montgomery with some questions, but we'd prefer to > obtain information from M17 owners. One of our first questions > is does > the > cabin have sufficient room for two adults to spend 3 to 4 nights > on the > hook? > How much sitting headroom is there, especially where the head is > located? > How > long and wide are the berths? Without opening ports, is there > enough > ventalation, or would dorades be a good idea? What about the steel > centerboard; > is maintenance difficult and what all is required to keep it > working > properly? > We realize we're asking a lot of questions, but Montgomery's are > expensive new and there doesn't seem to be many pre-owned M17's > on the > market. Again, it's difficult to find one to even look over. So > we are > hoping we can find some help through this avenue. > Early thanks for any help you can provide. > Sincerely, John and Joy > > > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ > montgomery_boats > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ > montgomery_boats > _______________________________________________
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