Rick, those who have said the M15 is much easier to launch and retrieve are right.
Really, the main difference in setup difficulty/time is in standing rigging. No backstay on the M15 makes it a breeze, plus there are no turnbuckles on the M15 (at least on mine), so attaching shrouds/stay requires no deep thought. Of course the M17 setup can be made very easy as well utilizing a backstay adjuster and forestay quick-release mechanism. Both masts can be easily handled by one person. A mast crutch makes life a little less complicated with both models. By the way, Larry Yake has this exercise down to a science with his M17, as do many others I'm sure. Other than that, the only significant difference is related to boat weight. The M17 is almost exactly twice the weight of the M15. My 4cyl, 4wd Toyota pickup loves to tow and launch and retrieve the M15, but begins to complain when asked to service the M17, especially pulling it out on a steep ramp (What's that bad smell? Oh, that's the clutch!). Using wheel chocks helps, and I always use my 4wd. On the road, I almost never use 5th with either boat--just a bad practice. I would definitely recommend a more muscular towing vehicle for the M17 if you're dry sailing the boat. The M17 stays in the water in a slip (when it isn't living in my shop getting a facelift, which is where it's at now). The M15 is a great traveler. This doesn't discuss the difference in sailing characteristics and dwell-ability between the two boats, which are significant--but both perfect in their own way. t Tom Smith and Jane Van Winkle M15--345 Chukar M17--064 Unnamed This message was scanned for viruses!! _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
