Re: M_Boats: Mongomery sailboats: the irresistible conversation piece

[Larry Yake]

Ditto, guys.  I bet there isn't a Montgomery owner on the list who doesn't have the same "problem". I was pulling mine out for the season Sat. and was sidetracked by a Ranger 20 owner first and then a San Juan 21 owner complimenting the boat and asking so many questions that I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing. Took twice as long to get the mast down and everything all set to trailer. My wife got tired of waiting and took a nap in the car. Of course, she's been through that before so she knows there's nothing a sailor likes better than showing off their boat! Larry Yake M17, #200 Tullamore On Mon, 23 Sep 2002 02:46:08 -0700 "Bob Campbell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > John, > > It's definitely a trend.  I can't recall the last time I was at a > ramp > and didn't have someone come up and admire my 17.  In fact, I'm > always > suspicious of the person who says he/she can set up and launch their > M17 > in 45 minutes.  They are obviously adjusting for "show and tell" > time. > I generally allow 30 minutes for that alone! > > Last month at the SCA Cruiser Challenge in Monterey, I was setting > up > Alina while a good friend was setting up his Catalina 16. He is > very > organized and I was trying to see if I could keep up with him so we > could launch at the same time.  Alas, a gentleman comes up and > begins to > inspect Alina. He was absolutely smitten by her and the questions > and > complements began to flow.  As he walked away, having never even > acknowledged the presence of the Catalina, my friend quips, "My > boat's > cute too!"  Of course, now my friend has taken a commanding lead and > is > able to take a break while I finish setting up.  Oh the > disadvantages of > owning a Montgomery! > > I agree with your theory on wistful big boat owners who upon seeing > a > Montgomery realize that they are spending gobs of money and missing > out > on the real joy of sailing.  At the Chevy's restaurant guest dock > in > Alameda, I had a retired gentleman who owns a Nonsuch 30 give me > his > email address, instructing me to contact him if I ever had thoughts > of > parting with my beloved Alina.  I empathize with big boat owners > and > can't say that I'm immune to the seduction of big boats either.  > This > past spring I was bitten by the big boat bug, but came to my senses > just > in the nick of time.  > > Lyle Hess has left us with a very special boat indeed. My respect, > admiration, and appreciation for him and his boat grow deeper with > every > sail. > > Fair winds, > > Bob Campbell  > Montgomery 17 #615 "Alina" > di, CA > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of > John > Fleming > Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 12:46 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: M_Boats: Mongomery sailboats: the irresistable > conversation > piece > > Well, it's happened twice now, so it's not a real trend yet, but it > > definitely is something.  I've recently started sailing out of > Marina > del Ray in Los Angeles.  At the end of the day, when the boat is > back on > > the trailer and I run it over to the fresh water for a washdown, > people > come running over to ask what kind of boat it is, it looks very > salty, > it looks very nice, it looks very big and roomy for a 17-footer, > I've > never seen one like it before, etc etc etc.  The kids are running > wild, > I'm racing the sunset to get everything buttoned up and put away, > and > they all want to stand around and talk about the Montgomerys and ply > me > with compliments and sort of get that puppy-dog look in their eyes, > > wishing they could be invited aboard and take a look around.  They > walk > right by all the big cool racing trimarans and other trailer sailers > > without a word or glance and stop at my boat.  There must be > something > friendly and inviting about a Montgomery.  One guy today asked "Is > that > a Nor'Sea?" as an introduction!  I had to explain the whole heritage > > thing, Lyle Hess and his English workboats, the Nor'Sea was designed > > first, and then came the Montgomery's. > > The pleasant hazards of owning a Montgomery.  Hopefully, once I go > there > > enough, I'll have exhausted the supply of closet Montgomery lovers. > > Maybe it's just Marina del Ray, so jaded by big-money boats that a > view > of a Montgomery with young kids running around and having fun takes > them > > back to what sailing's all about.  Shackled to their big money pits, > > they realize you can have just as much fun, maybe more, without > exhausting your bank account.  "God boys, we wish we were you". > > Other than that ... > > It was a good day for sailing.  Yesterday was thick and chilly fog > all > along the coast.  About 9PM last night, a warm wind blew in, chased > all > the fog away, and today was pleasant, sunny, and cloudless.  The > Admiral's away, but the kids want to do something, so let's go > sailing. >   My 12-yr old son did a good job of helming in and out of the > Marina, > and out on the ocean when he felt like it.  The ocean was relatively > > calm today, not like some other days, no short-period chop and waves > > from two directions to make every point of sail a roller-coaster. > > Even with my blown (I think) mainsail, Star Cross'd can point.  > Today > was a good example of what a Montgomery can do.  The higher I > pointed, > the faster I went.  She'd heel over and just rocket away, faster (by > my > uncalibrated knotmeter) than the 4HP engine can push in calm water. > > When the kids got tired of too much time spent pinned against the > lee > cabin sides, I'd just de-power to a broad or beam reach and we'd > drop > about a knot and just keep on cruising.  One close-hauled point of > sail > was directly into the waves, so we did a little up and down pounding > but > > just cut through.  The other was cross to the waves, so we'd just > roll > with it, and occasionally the wind and waves would gang up and push > us > over further than I cared.  But I never felt out of control.  It > wasn't > anything more than the normal 10 knot afternoon breeze we get here > every > > day. > > Star Cross'd must still be out of rig, though.  I would only get > good > weather helm once we started pointing high.  On a beam reach, it'd > be > lee helm.  I guess I need more mast rake. > > Not many more weekend like this before El Nino hits bringing > sub-tropical deluges, the jet stream shifts south connecting us with > the > > North Pacific gales that bring the big northwest waves and too-cool > > weather to Santa Monica Bay.  I very much doubt I can get the whole > > family out on days like that.  They say that December and January > are > the only bad months here for sailing.  We'll see. > > Happy sailing, > John Fleming > M-17:  "Star Cross'd" > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > >