I'd been looking for a 16' - 18' foot trailerable daysailer/weekender and had also settled on the Precision 18'. I was obsessed with the British trailerable daysailer/weekenders, based on traditional workboat designs. My favorite armchair reading was (and is) "Classic Boat" and "Water Craft" (both available at Barnes and Noble). I'd made up my mind about the Precision and was shopping for one in a Great Lakes flyer called "Northern Breezes". One of the "Northern Breezes" issues had an article about trailer cruising that focused on a specific lake in Minnesota (or was it Wisconsin?): The author was sailing a yellow-hulled M17, barely discernible in a grainy photograph on "Northern Breezes'" recycled pulp paper. It was hard to tell, but it looked as if this "Montgomery 17'" was a stubby-ended lapstrake fiberglass beauty with a transom-hung rudder . . . Just like those Brit boats I loved. I had to know more. Was it possible that a lapstrake boat in fiberglass was available in North America? Perhaps it was a Canadian boat? Thank God for the internet. I would eventually learn that this boat which appealed first to my aesthetic sense was also built in America, was built to a high standard of quality, was exceptionally seaworthy for its displacement and would outperform anything in its class. And its hull was drawn by the venerable Lyle Hess! Also thanks to the internet (and, especially, the MSOG Website), I forgot all about the Precision 18' and tracked down a reasonably priced M17 in Raleigh, NC. Thanks Lyle, thanks Jerry and thanks, Bob! Bob and Jerry, Have you considered marketing the Montomerys in Europe, especially Great Britain? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harvey Wilson" <HarveyWilson@compuserve.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:36 PM Subject: Annapolis Sailboat Show
How did the P19 compare to the M17?<<
Hmmmmm..let me answer that. I looked at a new P-19 (6 yrs ago) when I was looking for a sail boat. The WWP 15 was long in my mind...but decided that this lass with golden locks was higher on my priorities in the late '60's, so the P-15 was put on the back burner for about 28 years. When the last kid left the nest, the Admirable decided it was time to give the O.F. sailing lessons, and as we both enjoyed the school, decided to get our own boat. We looked at many boats...and I narrowed it down to the Precision and Potter lines. Larry Barkhuff sent me a M-17 brochure, and I was interested. I saw a P-19 in the next town, looked at it, sat in it and didn't really like it. I saw the Precisions at a boat show in Tampa, and liked them. Decided on the Precision 18 (or 21 if I found one). A friend sent a Fla. sailboat trader with several P-18 & 21's in it....and a strange looking small pic that turned out to be a M-17!! I set up my itinerary, saw the M-17, and the rest is history<GG> Harvey/ Ga M-17 Stargazer #294