Congratulations Matt, I think you will be happy with your choice of boats. You'll also find that this list has a tremendous amount of expertise and friendliness, along with a willingness to help. We'll all look forward to hearing about your progress and adventures with the new boat. Keep us informed and make sure to take lots of pictures. Glad to have you aboard, Bill Day Matthew Marx wrote:

Thought I'd write to introduce myself - have been enjoying the list since October, when I went down to Annapolis and met Bob E. and Walt (Walt is an M17 owner from the DC area), who brought his M17 to show. I had gone down to Annapolis thinking about a different boat, but was really taken by the Montgomery, which I had only seen on the 'net before that. Walt's boat was in fine shape, and Bob was installing a new boom vang while we talked, so I got a great lesson in the boat's construction and characteristics. Walt generously offered a sail if I could drive back down to Annapolis later in the month, so I took him up on it and we spent a fine afternoon in a pretty good breeze in an area about 10 mi south of there. I was hooked! The boat handled much better than similar-sized boats that I had sailed, with barely no hull pounding and flexing, and we zipped along quite a bit more quickly than I would have guessed.

After that, Bob made sorting out the details very easy, and he tells me he's just about done with Lily (for my 3-year old daughter) - I can't wait. I've been a sailor for 20 years, but never a boat owner. Thus, I'm confused about lots of things.

The Boss has vetoed back-yard boat work, so a local shop will do the epoxy barrier coat and bottom paint when Lily gets here. Anyone who wants to share advice about products to choose or avoid, and more than that, some guidance on what I might expect for reasonable quotes from the yard for this work, can contact me - much appreciated.

I'll keep the list posted as things progress, and will advertise "arrival day" and "launch day" when I have one. Anyone within driving range who wants to come down to the area (the boat will be at a marina in New London, CT) to help with first-sail jitters is more than welcome!

Thanks, Matt matthew.a.marx@myeastern.com

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Greetings Matt: Most of what you need to know about rigging and fitting her out can be found on the MSOG list: http://www.msog.org/ Once you have been out a few times, what you read there will make a lot more sense. Raking the mast, etc. I'm not sure a new boat needs an epoxy barrier coat (Bob should be able to answer that one for you). If you are going to store the boat on a trailer either in season or wintered, you may want to go with an ablative bottom paint. It doesn't lose it's effectiveness out of the water. As you have sailed before, simply owning the boat is not a big step. It mostly means that in addition to drinking a beer after the race, you get to buy that too. Howard M17, #278 On 2/18/06 8:31 AM, "Matthew Marx" <matthew.a.marx@myeastern.com> wrote:

Thought I'd write to introduce myself - have been enjoying the list since October, when I went down to Annapolis and met Bob E. and Walt (Walt is an M17 owner from the DC area), who brought his M17 to show. I had gone down to Annapolis thinking about a different boat, but was really taken by the Montgomery, which I had only seen on the 'net before that. Walt's boat was in fine shape, and Bob was installing a new boom vang while we talked, so I got a great lesson in the boat's construction and characteristics. Walt generously offered a sail if I could drive back down to Annapolis later in the month, so I took him up on it and we spent a fine afternoon in a pretty good breeze in an area about 10 mi south of there. I was hooked! The boat handled much better than similar-sized boats that I had sailed, with barely no hull pounding and flexing, and we zipped along quite a bit more quickly than I would have guessed.

After that, Bob made sorting out the details very easy, and he tells me he's just about done with Lily (for my 3-year old daughter) - I can't wait. I've been a sailor for 20 years, but never a boat owner. Thus, I'm confused about lots of things.

The Boss has vetoed back-yard boat work, so a local shop will do the epoxy barrier coat and bottom paint when Lily gets here. Anyone who wants to share advice about products to choose or avoid, and more than that, some guidance on what I might expect for reasonable quotes from the yard for this work, can contact me - much appreciated.

I'll keep the list posted as things progress, and will advertise "arrival day" and "launch day" when I have one. Anyone within driving range who wants to come down to the area (the boat will be at a marina in New London, CT) to help with first-sail jitters is more than welcome!

Thanks, Matt matthew.a.marx@myeastern.com

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