Norm, I have the stock rudder. Only when I am close to the wind do I find the rudder a little tiring and that is mostly because of the inefficient tiller extension I use. On a braod reach or a run I ran steer by just leaning my knee against the rudder. Jerry Williams ----- Original Message ----- From: "Norm Bundek" <nbundek@earthlink.net> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 10:16 AM Subject: re: M_Boats: my idea of a great sail Jerry, Your current posting about "kicking butt" is a testament to M15's. Last weekend, I went out with a Potter group to Anacapa Island (16 miles offshore) off the Southern California coast in a small craft advisory. A second M15 and I made the island well in advance of the Potter's; some were quite far behind us. Pictures of the trip should be on the Potter web site by Labor Day. Since your performance is so good, do you have a stock M15 rudder? One of the past owners of my 1981 M15 #172 replaced the rudder with his own design. I happened to re-reading the Sept/Oct 2004 issue of Small Craft Advisor on their M15 review. The only knock on the Monty was the rudder's design (p. 52) in that "it's an extremely 'high aspect ratio' plank of mahogany, more or less shaped like an airfoil...the narrow rudder blade is often stalled, which tires the helmsman and slows the boat". Any thoughts on this review - anyone? I've been thinking of buying a new stock rudder in order to bring my boat into spec and hopefully increase performance. After last weekends sail, I know that I am sailing pretty well for a new sailor. But, I want to hit the top of a Monty's performance. Norm M15 #172 Ventura, CA _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats