My Monty 17, #44 was equipped with the 2 pintle gudgeon set up, making approaches to shore and shallow water very interesting. When the rudder hits bottom, your first reaction is to go to the transom, putting extra weight on the stuck rudder. You can try to pull the pins and unship the whole affair or jump into the water and deal with the predicament you now find yourself in. A ruddercraft rudder/ mast raising system became available at a reasonable price and resides on my transom permanently. No more shipping and unshipping at every launch/retrival. No more looking for somewhere to put the 6' mahogany plank in my truck. Life got easier. Anything you eliminate at launch/retrival gets you in the water and sailing sooner and with less effort. I'm there to sail, not mess around with gear. How many flush deck 17's were built. I found the sales brochure on Shorty Pen and fell in love all over again. What a beautiful boat! Jon Barber Monty 17 Ol'44
