let us not forget the few fixed keel M17s out there that have a very different sell righting moment/ability than the swing keel M15/17/23s. these fixed keel montys sail GREAT. during the 2007 monty san juan cruise M17 fixed keel 'Motu Iti' could be seen to be more 'stiff' than the other M17s. she also would point closer to the wind than any other monty (was fun to look up and down the fleet on a tack and see all boats pointing the same to the wind ... except 'Motu Iti'). (see haul-out photos on 'Motu Iti' on this www: http://pic1.piczo.com/havasumontgomerys/?g=29024089 about 4/5 the way down). she is also pictured here: http://www.msogphotosite.com/motuiti.html ) there is also M23 'Dauntless' carrying more lead low in the hull than other monty craft ... sean took jerry's feedback and put a bit more weight in her bottom during his 'little' boat repair/refit ;-) you could see she had more weight as she sat noticeably lower in the water than 'Raven' and 'Faith'. dave scobie M15 #288, not yet named John Fleming <jfleming1231@earthlink.net> wrote: There was an article in Small Craft Advisor that settled my thoughts about the Monty's, about two years ago. The author opined that a suitable blue water cruiser needed, among other things: a high bridgedeck to keep water out of the cabin; a solid keel so when you get rolled, your stability isn't compromised when the centerboard flops back into the trunk; and a sealed mast, so that it floats. Monty's don't have these. Flicka's and NorSea's do. Nevertheless, a M15 was sailed to Hawaii from SoCal some years ago, In the right weather, it's doable. But not up on the west side of Vancouver Island. John Fleming M-17 #337: "Star Cross'd" Shawn Boles wrote:
Back when I was somewhat younger, and much more foolish, I considered single-handing a 17 around Vancouver Island. I contacted a surveyor to see what needed to be done to prepare the boat. He did the survey, but strongly advised against the plan. He used a surveyor's term that stuck with me - "The boat is manifestly unfit for the journey". Lyle Hess designed boats to come back, but there appear to be conditions that even tough little Monty's should avoid.
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