George, If you like the independance of hitching up the boat behind your vehicle, raising the mast all by your self and launching the boat in under a 1/2 hour, then the 15 is the way to go. If you leave the boat in a slip all year and need a little extra room, then you have to compare both. I also own a Seaward 23. The Montgomery is my favorite of the 2. In fact the Seaward is now an orphan. It is up for sale. Jerry Williams M 15 A'Claim ----- Original Message ----- From: Egatempo@aol.com To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 9:01 PM Subject: M_Boats: M17 va M15 Hi Montgomery Sailors I am located in Lancaster, Pa and retired. I purchased a Seaward 23 and sailed her quite extensively on the Chesapeake over the past 5 years. I have sold her as I am looking for a replacement that I can trailer to various venues at will. My research has come down to WWP or Montgomery. I have looked at a M15 in Connecticut (not for sale) and I am impressed as it has a keel and CB (just like my Seaward) that does not intrude into the cabin. I have looked at a WWP15 and can get one at a fair price. Right now having seen a M15 and reading about the M17 I am inclined to go with a Montgomery. I do not want to start a debate about which is better the M15 or M17 but would like some opinions of owners as to strong points and benefits of each. This would help me in my decision process. I am also amazed at the range of prices I see for a M17 from 4.5M to over 10-12M. Thanking you in advance and looking forward to becoming active on the list. Hope to be able to make the Chesapeake for 2003. The trip is one I have made in the past on a Seaward 25 and can say it is worth the trip. George Boatless (not for long, I hope) We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

George: I too struggled with the M15 vs. M17 decision and could have gone either way. I bought an M17 primarily because I found a great deal on a used one and it was on the East coast ( although I drove 3000 miles round trip to bring it home). Your decision basically comes down to how you will use the boat. I plan on keeping mine at a mooring or rigged up in dry storage. If I had to set it up each time I was going sailing, I would definitely get the M15. Other differences: M15 has kick up rudder, M17 is fixed (ouch!). No backstay on M15, backstay on M17. End boom sheeting on M15, mid cockpit sheeting for M17 (difficult to set up for a bimini).For extended trips with crew, the M17 has the advantage: more room, more weight, better sailor. There also seems to be more M15s on the market than M17. Later model M17s (1986 forward) with the fiberglass centerboard are really rare. You can't go wrong with either one. Good luck. Maria From: Egatempo@aol.com To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 9:01 PM Subject: M_Boats: M17 va M15 Hi Montgomery Sailors I am located in Lancaster, Pa and retired. I purchased a Seaward 23 and sailed her quite extensively on the Chesapeake over the past 5 years. I have sold her as I am looking for a replacement that I can trailer to various venues at will. My research has come down to WWP or Montgomery. I have looked at a M15 in Connecticut (not for sale) and I am impressed as it has a keel and CB (just like my Seaward) that does not intrude into the cabin. I have looked at a WWP15 and can get one at a fair price. Right now having seen a M15 and reading about the M17 I am inclined to go with a Montgomery. I do not want to start a debate about which is better the M15 or M17 but would like some opinions of owners as to strong points and benefits of each. This would help me in my decision process. I am also amazed at the range of prices I see for a M17 from 4.5M to over 10-12M. Thanking you in advance and looking forward to becoming active on the list. Hope to be able to make the Chesapeake for 2003. The trip is one I have made in the past on a Seaward 25 and can say it is worth the trip. George Boatless (not for long, I hope) We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

Hello George, I think it really comes down to whether or not you will sail single hand or with a partner. Cat and I have an early model M17 with the cast iron centerboard and we are pretty comfortable with our gear for several days but it would be difficult to setup the mast by myself unless I had a fixture on the trailer to help raise the mast. The M17 is about twice the displacement of the M15 and so a better boat for rough water. The head location isn't a problem and there is more room between the V-berth and the companionway, however the only place I can sit upright is the starboard quarterberth [I'm 5-9]. Both of these boats are really solid so if you buy an older one it may require some work but will be worth it. You can't go wrong with a Montgomery and besides, the lap strake hull looks so much better than a single chine hull- we always get compliments on our boat. Ron and Cathryn Goodspeed 1974 M17 #025 "hula pie"