Thanks Doug,
Your evaluation is very helpful. I'm attracted to the open space, the easily
stepped mast and of course the rowing. But, crawling around a wet cabin on
my knees doesn't sound like fun and the lack of storage is definitely a
negative. I found a users manual last night that mentioned a couple of
other features that I consider negative. Throughout the manual it stated,
"stay off the deck", because with a person up there the boat is very
unstable and some have capsized. It also recommended that you keep gear to
a minimum to keep weight down. Compared to junk we pack into our M15s for a
two week cruise, would make a Dovekie seem pretty sparse. Seaworthiness is
definitely also a factor. It doesn't seem likely that anyone will be
sailing a Dovekie to Hawaii soon.
I seem to go through the same process every six mouths or so. Even though I
recognize the M15 as near perfect, I see something in another boat that
looks neat (like more space, easy mast stepping while underway, and rowing)
and I think maybe I'd like to try that. "SporadicFanatic". Anyway, these
are good exercises for me and I hope some of the members of this list, to
help see the virtues of the M15.
I got a couple of ideas from the Dovekie exercise. One is to address the
space issue in the M15 cabin, on the next cruise, I'm going to remove all
the cushions and use a thermorest camp mattress to sleep on. Hopefully,
this will give me more vertical space, make it easier to slide stuff around,
make access to the lockers easier and reduce that claustrophobic feeling I
sometimes experience. But probably the best thing that I've learned is that
I already have a fine boat that already has most of the things I want.
"Jerry, you did a nice job on this one."
Rick
> Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:19:52 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Doug Kelch <doug_kelch(a)yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: M_Boats: What do you think of Dovekies?
> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats
> <montgomery_boats(a)mailman.xmission.com>
> Message-ID: <792492.19632.qm(a)web58706.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Rick,
>
> Dovekies are an amazing boat and they have always been high on my list.
>
> I have been on 3 or 4 cruises with the Shallow Water Sailors and continue
> to be impressed with the boats and the people who use them.
>
> It is definitely a different boat that is well suited to it's intent.?
> Sailing in protected waters is it's forte.
>
> They do literally sail on a heavy dew.
>
> The first cruise I went on with them I towed my Bolger Dory in
> anticipation of their ability to anchor in shallow water.? It turned out
> to be a good thing as the fleet of 10 boats (not all Dovekies but all flat
> bottom sharpies of one sort or another) anchored in about 8" of? water at
> low tide.
>
> This entire group used to sail without motors.? Towards night fall two of
> the Dovekies, split off, put out thier 12 foot oars and with thier heads
> above the deck, rowed off into the sunset to an even shallower cove..
>
> The wind that weekend was rather strong, 18 -20 with gusts to 25 and I was
> at least 10% faster, even towing the dory,? than all of the boats thier
> with the exception of the 28 ft Shearwater.
>
> This speed differntial is closer with lighter winds but I have always
> sailed circles around them.
>
> On the other hand they scrape me off on shallow sand bars and low
> bridges.? I once watched a Dovekie sail full steam at a bridge with only
> 10 ft clearance, drop the mast 20 yards from the bridge while sailing,
> coast under the bridge, raise the mast while still moving and continue
> on.? An amazing boat.
>
> On the other hand they are not self bailing and hold an enormouse amount
> of water.? All of the SWS cruises avoid a lot of open water and I would be
> reluctant to cross the Chesapeak Bay in one without a very reliable
> forecast.
>
> The interior is truely camping on a boat.? The center part of the deck is
> covered by canvass for the night or they the use a boom tent.
>
> The interior is just a flat bottom hollow cave with little to no built in
> storage.? Good floor based siting head room but you have to crawl around
> the boat on your knees.? From this aspect it is a young man's ( or older
> and still quite limber) boat.? At my age they are no longer on the list.
>
> If you are familar with the comforting sound of the Montgomery chuckle
> while at anchor with little wavelets you may not appreacitate the drum
> beat of a flat bottom boat with a section of the bow above the actual
> water.?? Booom?? Booom? Boom unless you move enough weight to bow.
>
> The new boats added a centerboard well forward in the bow in order to be
> able to tack better in stronger winds.? Without that the forward hull
> windage will push the bow off the wind and the boat will miss stays.
>
> But still, sailing on a heavy dew is a unique experience.? eone cruise
> with very light winds I anchored the Montogomery and went for a ride in a
> Sea Pearl.? We sailed 1/2 mile into a marsh that only forced us to turn
> around at when the water was down to about 6 ".? Saw wildlife galore.
>
> But I ramble.
>
> The M15 sure is a fabulous boat for my needs :-)
>
> Thanks
>
> Doug Kelch
