Hi all, As some of you know, my wife Gail and I are involved in the development and eventual production of a new Jerry Montgomery design called the Sage 17. As all trailer sailors know, a shoal draft offers real advantage in launching and sailing shallow waters. Also, as most sailors know, going upwind efficiently is best with a deep keel. Some feel the bigger the stick, the deeper the keel. The keel-centerboard is a logical synthesis of the two needs and that’s why Jerry Montgomery and Lyle Hess chose this option. In fact, as I understand, the early Monty 17’s had a deep (3’7”) keel and the design was later adjusted because of the associated problems (launching & shallow water) with a trailerable deep keeled sailboat. I have followed problems with the pendant on some of the Monty forums as well as the current dilemma Sean Mulligan is facing with his pendant on Dauntless. Gail and I feel that the owner of any product should be able to perform, with the assistance of the factory, maintenance and repairs on their product. As Robbin suggested, early thinking of this problem would be beneficial. The Sage 17 is a keel-centerboard design with a fiberglass / lead centerboard of approx 150-250 lbs (pending Jerry's decision). While we’re in the development stage of the boat, we'd like to find and incorporate a “built in ” solution to the pendant / centerboard maintenance question, preferably without using a hoist. Jerry has come up with some well thought out ideas on centerboards, but we would also like to solicit any thoughts or solutions that trailer sailors, especially Monty sailors might have entertained. It would be nice to offer a new Sage 17 to any great ideas, but it is a bit beyond our means. We can offer a very nice high quality knife to anyone that comes up with any idea that we use. Pending Jerry’s approval, of course. Thanx in advance for your thinking time. Salngail M-15 “Justus” 1986 #361