Shawn Boles wrote:
Back when I was somewhat younger, and much more foolish, I considered single-handing a 17 around Vancouver Island. I contacted a surveyor to see what needed to be done to prepare the boat. He did the survey, but strongly advised against the plan. He used a surveyor's term that stuck with me - "The boat is manifestly unfit for the journey". Lyle Hess designed boats to come back, but there appear to be conditions that even tough little Monty's should avoid.
There was an article in Small Craft Advisor that settled my thoughts about the Monty's, about two years ago. The author opined that a suitable blue water cruiser needed, among other things: a high bridgedeck to keep water out of the cabin; a solid keel so when you get rolled, your stability isn't compromised when the centerboard flops back into the trunk; and a sealed mast, so that it floats. Monty's don't have these. Flicka's and NorSea's do.
Nevertheless, a M15 was sailed to Hawaii from SoCal some years ago, In the right weather, it's doable. But not up on the west side of Vancouver Island.
John Fleming M-17 #337: "Star Cross'd" _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
