Jerry, Any idea when on the new board might be ready? My M17 goes to the boatyard in 2 weeks to have the stuck centerboard removed. I need to decide whether to wait for your board or to have mine reworked. If you need a boat to test fit or just to be first, mine is available, I could deliver it to Sacto. Ken Wheeler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Montgomery" <jmbn@innercite.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 9:06 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Older M17 Centerboard
I think I'll get started on the centerboard project when things slow down a little this fall. Looks like the way to go might be to tool up a glass boat with a lead core, which would probably weigh less than 100 lbs. I will probably make the tooling so that I can make the board in a thickness to fit the trunk. These will not be a cure for boards that stick because the trunk is collapsing; in these cases the trunk will have to be fixed. Assuming that that problem is caused by rusting, the leak (where water is getting in) will have to be fixed, the water removed, and the rusty ballast removed. This will be neither an easy nor a fun job, but the only sure way I can see is to dig the rusty ballast out from the OUTSIDE of the keel, ram an insert into the trunk to maintain the thickness, re-bond some ballast to replace that which has been removed, then repair the outside of the keel. Probably several days' work. I wonder if a cast lead extension to the bottom of the keel, making a fixed keel out of it, might be better in the long run. We have made two types of fixed keels for the 17 over the years, and both sailed very well. The first few 17's we made, in 73, had a cast iron keel, kind of like a Cal 20 keel, with a bulb on the bottom, and they were very stiff because the weight (550 lbs) was concentrated very low, but, like the Cal 20's, they hobby horsed a little going into a chop. In the early 90's we made two or maybe three fixed keel boats with a glass extension and lead ballast; they went upwind like crazy. Bob Eeg has that extension mold, but it wouldn't be a good way to change the boat after it was built.
If any of you have any comments about any of this, speak up and I'll start another file. The file of respondants to the new CB thjread was lost when my old 'puter got sick, but I remember that most were in favor of a glass board rather than a cast one because of cost. When I get organized (!) I'll come up with some options.
Jerry ----- Original Message ----- From: <Rotortom2@aol.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 8:21 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Older M17 Centerboard
Jerry, did you get enough interest to justify the production of a new style CB for the M-17? I know a few people responded, but I am not sure if I did. I would like to be put on the list for a CB that will work when I want it to. On the question regarding the CB trunk swelling, what are your thoughts on this...If the new CB does not cure the problem, can we remove some of the inside of the trunk and not compromise the integrity of the boat? Congratulations on another win, this time in Monterrey Bay. You built one hell of a boat, but your sailing abilities are probably the key factor! Tom Woodworth M-17 "Wild Hare"
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