I spent many years flying and owned a number of planes. Love Piper tailwheel AC. Decided I was bored with flying for number of reasons and told my wife such and the next evening taking off lost a front wheel. I had it under control landing on one wheel but hit a bump, grass strip, and drove axel into ground. Flipped plane on top and totaled. Went to ER for a few stitches and told I got it running into a door. Trust me the less told about an AC crash the better. Insurance bought plane. Decision was made for me to move on from flying. Enter the M17 that I had only seen once during the mid 70s and always wanted one. Never was on it but sailed against it in regattas. I also was sailing during flying. I know how to waste money. I wanted something special so found a 2005 M17 in good condition. Second one I had seen. Next Pandemic hits and decide to restore boat. Removing vinyl was most time consuming. Checked sign shop to do it but quoted $400 so decided it would be easy. How wrong I was. I ended up using a disk eraser attached to drill. Next was removing a number of varnish layers. My plan was in fall to sail/motor through NY canals, Hudson River to Potomac River. Decided wise to do masthead antenna for VHF radio and new light for NYC passing. Replaced all rigging with new and all lines to cockpit. Then a Simrad 2000 AP at a cost of $1000. The mount was the expense and I hired it done. Now to the Sell. I’m a bicyclist and after buying M17 clipping along at a good speed hit something that drove me off highway and I exited bike over handle bars. Thankfully my brain still knew how to do a PLF (parachute landing fall) learned 60 years ago. Cost me two broke ribs, punctured lung and broken clavicle. Clavicle became an issue because incompetent Doc decided it didn’t need to be reattached and I lost all sailing for that year and was just told by another Doc it will never heal. Arthritis in shoulder also. The only solution is a replacement. That’s a 6 month heal as I had the other shoulder replaced 7 years ago and I won’t consider it during summer. To sail M17 I would have to keep it in a marina and I’m not a marina person and I want no crew. Not what I bought boat for. I wanted it to move around and rigging it up and down is very painful for me. Based on the facts my decision to sell M17 and move on. During past year I’ve been depressed looking at it set in my hangar and I’m not doing another year. I’m not advertising here just sharing my disappointment since I spent 45 years wanting a M17. The big regret is not being able to learn the boat. I’m 82 with no plans to stop sailing as I have a Drascombe Lugger I bought in England 40 years ago. Many adventures with it. Even though I have problems with my shoulder the Lugger presents no problem. My other is to keep moving so bought E-bike that will give me a 200 mile range with peddle assist. Great for riding canals here and Canada plus can use Lugger also. Did some of the canals in Holland with it. Hopefully I’ve given you a few helpful tips. Charlie Adams Chaada@aol.com Sent from my iPad