August 2004 - montgomery_boats - mailman.xmission.com

re: New owner -- looking for advice (long)
by Steve R. 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

Hi David, Welcome and congratulations. Nice web site. Some random comments: My rudder set up looks like yours. I have bent the little keeper "clip" back to make sure it contacts the pintle. The hole in the end of the tiller looks like it may be for a tiller extension. Is there one rolling around below the cockpit somewhere? I agree that a longer tiller would be useful. I would be concerned about the swivel block on the end of the boom. Does the sheet get twisted? How does the boat sail with that mainsheet arrangement? Is is hard to sheet in, or do you have enough experience with it? Some of the P boats use a two part arrangement for end boom sheeting. Here is a photo: http://www209.pair.com/wwpotter/images/End%20Boom%20sheeting3.jpg I think something like that, either a two or three part arrangement, would be an improvement. I am thinking of going to a Ronstan Smart Ratchet block on the end of my boom with either a single block and cam or fiddle block and cam. I beleve if the ratchet is on the end of the boom it should give more assistance when holding the main as it would be wrapped a fulll 180 degrees around the block. Enjoy your M Boat! steve Steve R. M-15 #119 Lexington, KY David Wood <dwood(a)woodatwork.com> wrote: ... Most particularly I am interested in what to do with the main sheet setup. ...

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RE: M_Boats: New owner -- is picture backwards, or am I?
by Smith, Tom 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

The shallow cockpit locker appears to be on the port side--opposite from mine. Can that be possible? t Tom Smith and Jane Van Winkle M15--345 Chukar M17--064 Unnamed

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RE: M_Boats: New owner -- CB pendant knot
by Smith, Tom 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

You'll need to get a knot in the centerboard pendent that keeps it suspended correctly David. With no knot, the cb will beat itself to death and break out the pivot pin in the leading edge. Tom Smith Customer Solutions, EMG Itron, Inc. 509-891-3674

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RE: M_Boats: New owner -- put mainsheet back
by Smith, Tom 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

I've never seen a mainsheet setup like that David. I'd sure move it back to the original position. It looks like a terrible arrangement to me. The original certainly inhibits movement to-from the house, but jeez, it's the perfect sheeting arrangement for the M15 IMHO. t Tom Smith and Jane Van Winkle M15--345 Chukar M17--064 Unnamed -----Original Message----- From: David Wood [mailto:dwood@woodatwork.com] Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 5:20 PM To: montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com Subject: M_Boats: New owner -- looking for advice (long) Hello all, Thanks in large part to all of you who posted pictures of your M15s, and with a little luck, as of yesterday I'm the owner of a nicely maintained 1981 M15 (Hull #163). I've only been out on the water in her once, but I think it's the start of something good. Now for the hard part, becoming a better sailor and making the boat fit me. Becoming a better sailor will come with time and experience, but in order to get the boat "just so" I am asking for some more help from you fine folks. I've created a quick and dirty web site: www.opendoor.com/dwood/m15 and placed a bunch of pictures of the boat there. If any of you have absolutely nothing better to do, I'd appreciate those who have an opinion about M15s surfing over to my site and looking at the pictures. You can click on the thumbnails to enlarge them. Then just keep clicking "Next." There are a number of things that the previous two owners have modified on the boat, and some of them I know I will change. But others I'm not yet sure about. The standing rigging is the original 23-year old hardware, and I'm not sure how seaworthy it is. The mainsheet cleat has been moved aft and the tiller shortened, so the helmsman is forced to sit next to the transom--something I gather negatively affects the trim of the boat. The last owner built some funky shelves, a pail portapotty setup, and a battery box in the cockpit, all of which I'm going to remove and/or modify. But for now I'm just going to sail her. This winter I'll pull her into the garage and fix most of the things that need fixing and get rid of the things I don't like and replace them with things that I do. Until then I'm going to confine my sailing to the nearby lakes of southern Oregon. But long term I hope to take her out into the Pacific, and by then I hope to have made her into a more seaworthy vessel. Right now I'm not too sure about a few things like the standing rigging, not to mention my own sailing skills. So the rest of the summer will be one long shakedown cruise. Anyway, please have at me if you have the time and inclination. Most particularly I am interested in what to do with the main sheet setup. Should I put it back the way it was when Jerry Montgomery delivered her? Should I go with what's current on new M15s? Or should I install something altogether different? If you can tell by looking at the pictures, should I replace the standing rigging before I take on big wind? And are there any problems that you can see in the pictures that you think I may need to address right away? Any opinions are appreciated. And thanks again for all of the good info I got from lurking here and exploring the archives. And thanks also to Bob Eeg for letting me visit his shop and showing me how well made these little boats are. Sorry I didn't buy a new one from you. But maybe a new M17 will be in my future. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= David W. Wood -=- dwood(a)woodatwork.com 1981 M15 -=- Hull #163 _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats This message was scanned for viruses!!

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Re: M_Boats: New owner -- looking for advice (long)
by Randy Watkins 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

Hello David, Congrats on your boat purchase. We have #176 also a 1981 vintage. In regards to your standing rigging, we had Jerry M. build a new set up and I have the original set for a spare. I figured it's inexpensive insurance for that part of the boat. You can contact him at his shop for pricing, etc. if interested. btw: I couldn't open up your web site, could be this machine. Have fun with your M15. Regards, Randy W. M15 "Becca Anne" >>> dwood(a)woodatwork.com 8/12/04 7:20:21 PM >>> Hello all, Thanks in large part to all of you who posted pictures of your M15s, and with a little luck, as of yesterday I'm the owner of a nicely maintained 1981 M15 (Hull #163). I've only been out on the water in her once, but I think it's the start of something good. Now for the hard part, becoming a better sailor and making the boat fit me. Becoming a better sailor will come with time and experience, but in order to get the boat "just so" I am asking for some more help from you fine folks. I've created a quick and dirty web site: www.opendoor.com/dwood/m15 and placed a bunch of pictures of the boat there. If any of you have absolutely nothing better to do, I'd appreciate those who have an opinion about M15s surfing over to my site and looking at the pictures. You can click on the thumbnails to enlarge them. Then just keep clicking "Next." There are a number of things that the previous two owners have modified on the boat, and some of them I know I will change. But others I'm not yet sure about. The standing rigging is the original 23-year old hardware, and I'm not sure how seaworthy it is. The mainsheet cleat has been moved aft and the tiller shortened, so the helmsman is forced to sit next to the transom--something I gather negatively affects the trim of the boat. The last owner built some funky shelves, a pail portapotty setup, and a battery box in the cockpit, all of which I'm going to remove and/or modify. But for now I'm just going to sail her. This winter I'll pull her into the garage and fix most of the things that need fixing and get rid of the things I don't like and replace them with things that I do. Until then I'm going to confine my sailing to the nearby lakes of southern Oregon. But long term I hope to take her out into the Pacific, and by then I hope to have made her into a more seaworthy vessel. Right now I'm not too sure about a few things like the standing rigging, not to mention my own sailing skills. So the rest of the summer will be one long shakedown cruise. Anyway, please have at me if you have the time and inclination. Most particularly I am interested in what to do with the main sheet setup. Should I put it back the way it was when Jerry Montgomery delivered her? Should I go with what's current on new M15s? Or should I install something altogether different? If you can tell by looking at the pictures, should I replace the standing rigging before I take on big wind? And are there any problems that you can see in the pictures that you think I may need to address right away? Any opinions are appreciated. And thanks again for all of the good info I got from lurking here and exploring the archives. And thanks also to Bob Eeg for letting me visit his shop and showing me how well made these little boats are. Sorry I didn't buy a new one from you. But maybe a new M17 will be in my future. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= David W. Wood -=- dwood(a)woodatwork.com 1981 M15 -=- Hull #163 _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats

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Re: M_Boats: New owner -- looking for advice (long)
by BILLAMICASR＠aol.com 12 Aug '04

12 Aug '04

Hi David, I don't have the M-15 so I can't be of much assistance. I just wanted to chime in and say... Congratulations - I think she's beautiful. (Nice web site - obviously a nice camera) Where in So Oregon? In a couple of weeks I'll be moving "Tiperary," my new (to me) M-17, to Grants Pass. She'll reside there for a month or so before I bring her home to San Francisco. If you're close by maybe you'd like to look at the M-17. I'm hoping to stay in Oregon for a few days and possibly sail Immigrant Lake near Ashland. Email me off list and let me know where you are. Regards, Bill M-17 SF Bay Area.

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Re: M_Boats: Re: Boat ramp strategies
by BILLAMICASR＠aol.com 12 Aug '04

12 Aug '04

Hi Steve, Here's my 2-cents worth. Far as I can see, the P-15, P-19 / M-15 & M-17 all have there place. For me the P-15 wasn't enough boat. However, it suits lots & LOTS of trailer sailors. Sounds like the waters you sail may be well suited to a P-15. If you find yourself wanting a larger, more useable cabin, more cruising abilities with more safety... then it's possibly time for a change. However, the P-15 will launch in a mud puddle and with the addition of the self adhesive "Hull Guard" material (Cabelas, Overtons, etc.) it's probably the ideal craft. If you find yourself wanting to venture to larger bodies of water with the ever present docks, launch fees, etc... again it's time for a change. In closing, find someone with an M-15 and get an hour in on the tiller. If you could pick a nice windy & scary day, so much the better as you'll be convinced of the M-15's abilities. Try out the cavernous (in comparison) cabin and imagine an overnighter in that space. I haven't even got my boat home yet... However, I can't tell you how happy I am to have a capable vessel. Even though I can't even sail her yet. Two more schools of thoughts. It's better to have any boat... than no boat at all. AND It's better to want something you don't have than to have something you don't want. Which is to say... Keep the P-15 while wishing and wanting your new M-15/17. Want it bad enough and you'll soon find yourself with one! In the mean time look into the "Hull Guard" stuff... Regards, Bill M-17 SF Bay Area

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Re: M_Boats: Re: Boat ramp strategies
by IDCLLC＠aol.com 12 Aug '04

12 Aug '04

Greetings Montgomery owners. I'm a Potter 15 sailor who regularly sails from fishing boat ramps. These are ramps without any frills-no docks, no beach, just a concrete ramp, usually with big ugly rocks on either side of it. On the Potter, I've resorted to launching the boat with the board and rudder up, then lifting the bow and very gently grounding her on the concrete ramp, which holds her in place under most conditions while I park the car and trailer. This isn't so bad as it sounds because the ramps are slicked over with algae. Retrieval is the reverse of this process. I often think about switching to a Montgomery 15 for all the sterling qualities they possess, but I haven't figured out how I'd deal with this aspect of my sailing. Many of these ramps are shallow, and the keel is likely to be the grounding point. How do Montgomery sailors deal with this sort of thing? On the Potter, the center skeg is the area that takes the abuse. I have an idea for its protection; I want to bond a 1/16" X 1 1/2" strip of aluminum to it with marine contact cement. Would this sort of thing work for an M-15? Has anyone tried to reinforce the leading edge of the Monty's keel? Steve Tyree, P-15, beset by rocks in Middle Tennessee

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Re: M_Boats: whisker pole
by IDCLLC＠aol.com 12 Aug '04

12 Aug '04

In a message dated 8/12/2004 8:04:00 PM Central Standard Time, htmills(a)bright.net writes: The only complaint I have with it is that the telescope seems like it would be easier to adjust the length of it if it were swapped end for end, but they all seem to be like that. Tod I agree, Tod! I've often thought the same about mine. Steve Tyree, P-15

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Re: Whisker pole
by david_hill＠idg.com 12 Aug '04

12 Aug '04

I cut the end off the handle on my extendable boat hook, cemented in a standard clip for a whisker pole and screwed an eye onto the mast. It works great as a whisker pole and does double duty! David Hill M17 "Grouper"

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