Hello Giles, I read your post and it brought to the surface thoughts I have had many times, to take a step up or be satisfied with the boat I'm sailing. Now granted, you have the down sizing mindset, which is the main reason I plan to hold on to my M17. I have heard countless stories of sailors who have decided to go from trailerable/outboard to diesel/cradle and the end result is that they sail LESS. I am actively sailing my wonderful M23. It fits me to a tee. However, I do have the wanderlust to explore the desolate, remote lakes of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario. I can do all this with the M17, alone or with a friend/wife. If the area is worth a prolonged visit, well, towing the bulky M23 is an option. The point I'm trying to make is: own the boat that gets you on the water the most. You can spend 5 times as much on a boat above a M15 or M17, but you'll not have 5 times as much fun. If I really have two foot-itis, I'll do a charter for a long weekend. Then walk away.
Season winding down here in Minnesota, trees are starting to change. Fall sailing is beautiful. Later, Bones _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
