Hey Bill, All good advice. Money isn't the driving issue here. The boat I just sold should cover the cost of a used M-15....if I can find one. I pretty much wrote the Potter P-15 off after crawling on and off of it at the dock. Very very tippy even with the centerboard down (maybe all small boats are this way). I stuck my head in the cabin and immediately smacked my forehead on the metal tang of the centerboard. It sticks up out of the trunk a couple of inches. Then the owner admitted that he turned turtle on his first sail out in the bay and was unable to right the boat. Lost the mast in the process and had to be towed in. The P-15 is a cute little boat but struck me as being too light for the sailing I'd like to do and I didn't like the layout of the little cabin. Perhaps I'll feel the same way about the little M-15. I won't know until I get the chance to crawl around one. Part of what brought me to look at an M-15 is it's reputation as a heavily built little boat. Coming from a bigger boat background I think this will appeal to me. Perhaps I'll even look at a M-17 if I can find an owner in the area. Thanks again for your advice and I'll definitely check out your website. Take care, Michael Matthews
More 2 cents worth... If you're trading down in size... don't have the $ for a Monty and you are interested in the P-15. Make sure you do a test sail!!!!! Read my $5,000.00 encounter with the P-15, before I traded up to a M-17. Go to: www.Billamicasr.funtigo.com and open the FEATHER album. I'm not bad mouthing them. All I'm saying is that it takes some getting used to... trying to go from a stable platform of a craft, to a squiggly little boat that has no permanent keel. After owning the Potter 15, I can tell you, when I went out for a little ride in SF Bay with Bob Becker in his M-15, I was immediately satisfied with stability. The rest of the sail, including boat handling, seaworthiness and speed were the icing on the cake. Great boat. I almost ordered a new one and the (M-17) girl of my dreams came up for sale. I spent at least 6 months bugging Bob Eeg at Nor'Sea Yachts about M-15's & 17's. And best of all... when I bought "Tipperary" (my M-17), he congratulated me in finding such a nice boat. Now, how cool is that coming from the manufacturer? Glad to see you are getting the chance to look at the M-15. One of the things you'll need to do is get in the cabin and make a comparison of cabins as well. Hope you get to sail one... there is no comparison. Financially... if you must. Hang around the group for a while save your money, find out which years are the best. Ask lots of questions, save more money. If you really do want an M-Boat. One will find you. It works that way... (just thinking) Bill M-17 "Tip" _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats