“Any boat is what you want it to be.” You are right on it! ‘It’s more fun to sail a slow boat fast than a fast boat slowly.’ GO sailing a slow small boat quickly in big breeze. Be careful sailing alone with a tiller pilot! It won’t come back for you! On Sat, Oct 30, 2021 at 9:56 AM Charles Adams via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:

Comment why I think M17 is a regatta boat.

I was living and sailing in TX when the M17 first started production. I was sailing regattas at the time. The M17s I seen sailed with a crew of 2-3 and seem to always win. The one, 2005, I bought three years ago was sailed only in regattas. My little experience with it and based on previous boats I’ve owned it is the most tender. Maybe I’m spoiled from balancing my Lugger and it stays there. Tanzer 22 also. Different boats different purpose. I believe a tender boat is what you want for racing. I crewed on J boats when they were the hottest thing in regattas and never knew anyone try to sail one singlehanded. The J’s were certainly regatta boats. For me the M17/cockpit seats appear lower than other boats I’ve owned. That makes changing sides more difficult. I’m 5’8” and not as agile as I wish. Having written all that the boat is still to new for me to give any fair comment on the M17. My comment on regatta boat was a casual comment made like when drinking beer when you are most smart. I don’t drink beer for that reason.

Certainly apologize to Jerry if I have misrepresented his boat. Of course if it isn’t a regatta boat why has it been able to win so often against bigger boats. I also say any boat is what you want to be.

What I have done to mine since my plan is to enjoy the boat. Frist is get rid of the roller fulling and agree with Tyler with his comments on its effect. Have not sailed without the roller fuller which I think is to heavy and makes the boat out of balance with only my weight. I have changed the winches to Harkin 15s because my first and most dislike of the boat were the winches. Controlling the boat with fuller totally out with the winches was close to impossible. Another reason for my comment of regatta boat and crew. Because of cockpit configuration I cut 10” off tiller because it was restricting my movement. Use a tiller extension. I then decided what the hell and installed a Simrad TP10 AP. I sailed a Catalina 320 singled handed a number of years made easy with AP. First thing I did on M17 was run all lines to cockpit. I’m in the process of installing a raising and lowering system for mast I seen on YouTube. As I wrote I don’t want to be in a marina. Everything I do is to make it so I never want another person on the boat. I have a great wife and kids but my boat time is my alone time and I don’t need someone to talk with all the time.

I will give you a report on how all I’ve done in the spring. Confident it will all come together. Expecting snow in upper NY next week.

Appreciate the the opportunity to clarify my comment and would like any comments on what I am doing with my M17. Name of Boat, Who Dares. Comes from motto, total motto is Who Dares Wins, of a special British unit, SAS, I served in where I trained with John Ridgeway, 1967, who with Blyth had just finished rowing across the Atlantic in 1966. A 20 ft plywood boat taking 92 days. Interesting to hear about it and most interesting was amount of money they made.

Thanks Dave.

Charlie

Sent from my iPad

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On Oct 29, 2021, at 1:22 PM, Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote: Charlie:

M17 designed for regatta sailing not for single handing? I don't understand your comment. Please add some detail so I can better understand your point of view.

Thanks.

:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: Baba 30 #233 DEJA VU :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com <<-- FOR SALE! :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - m15namedscred.wordpress.com <<-- new site!

On Fri, Oct 29, 2021, 6:25 AM Charles Adams via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote: I agree with all Tyler’s comments concerning roller fullering. I sailed a Tanzer 22 many years starting on Puget Sound, Chesapeake, and Lake Ontario with only a jib. Then owned a new Catalina 320 with roller fullering that worked good but had problems. Boat that size roller fullering a must but never comes down or up. I bought my M17 three years ago and it had a roller fuller. The first time l launched boat, wife and I, was a horror story and by standers had to help us. Heavy is an understatement especially getting mast in step. Went into Marina. Second season same problem and I stopped trying and went to a Marina for help. Didn’t sail much first season because of broken shoulder. Second year more sailing but never liked the roller for all the reasons Tyler gave. I do not like marinas but because of roller fuller forget trailering. The boat was used for racing on Chesapeake. This season I will trailer and use only a jib and a 130 if I want it.

Simplicity is the only way. I’ve been sailing a Drascombe Lugger I bought at factory in England 40 years ago. It’s been all over Europe, plus all the places I had the Tanzer. It has a very simple roller fuller and never an issue.

I bought the M17 for cabin. I’ve added a number of things to my M17 making it easy for single handing but as I type this I am off and on about just selling. What stops me is I have put a lot of money into it making upgrades. It’s a 2005 and returned to better than new as far as I am concerned. So far the M17 is not what I expected but have enjoyed working on it at the expense of sailing. I know it was designed for the regatta world which for me means crew. I will only sail singlehanded and have no interest in a crew.

Charlie