We took our M17 #635 out for it's first sail by us yesterday. I must say I am very pleased with the results, although we were maybe a bit ambitious for our first time out in it.
First we rigged the boat (about 1.5 hours, but we were trying to make sure everthing was done correctly and also had no instructions) at the Shilshole parking lot. We didn't get in the water until around 2:30pm: http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/rigged.jpg Next we eased her in the water at the public boat ramps (very very nice ramps and parking, $5 ramp fee): http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/boatramp.jpg Note how smart we were to go on a tuesday...gorgeous day and practically nobody at the ramps. We motored out using the little 2.5hp yamaha 4 stroke (which does quite well, more than 5 knots full throttle) just far enough to put up the main and 110% jib. Winds were mild, probably right around the forecast 5 to 10 knots, sunshine and around 76 degrees. We sailed out in front of Shilshole for a few minutes getting used to how the M17 handles, then we decided what the hey and set our sights for Elliot bay. The M17 seemed to perform well even in the light winds, and we probably averaged around 4 to 5 knots getting around the point off of Discovery park (don't have my charts in front of me so can't say the name). An anchored, empty container ship was guarding the mouth of Elliot bay but we snuck by her: http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/container.jpg Coming up to the downtown Seattle waterfront on this beautiful day we started wishing there was a way to make money doing this: http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/seattlenear.jpg The wind was coming just about parallel to the waterfront so I went wing and wing doing around 5 knots toward Pier 70: http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/wingandwing.jpg It actually looks a bit better than that, but it is hard to hold the tiller and the cell phone camera at the same time. Note this is a good time to ask, is the foot of the mainsail supposed to stay in the slot in the boom arm? My wife asked, and I just was not quite sure. The rope bead along the foot just doesn't seem thick enough to ride in the groove on the boom... We got about 100 yards from Pier 70 and then realized oh crap we have to sail back :-) The time was about 6pm. I had to tack back and forth on a close reach all the way back to the point off Discovery park, which took over an hour...fairly decent wind, might have been fighting a little current. Right around the point we caught some really nice wind and managed to pull out a respectable 6.5 knots for quite some distance. I was quite pleased...it is always the most fun for me when the boat heels over a good deal and you get the wind in your face. It makes you feel like you are really moving unlike going on a run, where you have to check the gps or the water foam to assure yourself that you are not dead stopped. Anyway, we got back safely to Shilshole marina at around 7:45pm, having never touched the motor once except for launch. A friendly? sea lion was waiting for us in the open jail cell: http://www.skyko.com/Montgomery/First/sealion.jpg All in all, a pretty good first day on the M17. Rick _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
