Reference Ed's and Gary's notes on M17s in the 1/3/08 postings, I had
some fine sailing away back when.
Here is my personal experience that I posted last August, and it is
from my journal, not from
my fading and likely boasting memory. My first M15 "Joy" #264 was,
like Jerry's, well-ballasted. She had two 27 group deep cycle
batteries in the bilge to power the Minn-Kota trolling motor that I
mounted through the bilge, just aft of the keel. In mid-November of
1989--I was a very young 60 way back then--I trailed to Stockton Lake
in Southwest Missouri, a Corps of Engineers impoundment noted for
very low surrounding hills and plenty of wind. My wind speed and boat
speed were as read from the Dwyer hand-held wind meter, and a hand-
held Knotstick. Not electronic and high tech, but neither were the
patent logs of the old Master Mariners. With a reefed main and full
jib, I sailed out of my anchorage, and "Dwyer said winds were rarely
below 20 miles per hour, usually 20 to 30 plus, with gusts to over
40! Knotstick reads 5 1/4 knots at times when on a close to beam
reach." "Joy's changed heavy weather capability, with the second
battery in the bilge, is remarkable. Now I'd say she is good for
fifteen to twenty miles per hour, unreefed, thirty to thirty five
with both main and jib
reefed." Now that I am a hundred years older, my "Rejoyce!" M15 #361
may never see such fine sailing, but she loves to sail. And yes,
experience helps, too, as well as a lot of ballast. I have been
sailing for over 65 years, first with my "Snipe," and then a
procession of
sailboats from a Sun Fish, 13' canoe with a sail designed for an 18
footer, Philippine dugout canoe ("Banca"), Pearson Triton, so many
others, and aboard a 103' three stick schooner in winds over 70 knots
bucking a strong current, with waves over 50', in Australia's Tasman
Sea, complete with a couple knock downs and a pooping while I was at
the helm. Much fun! Yes, our wonderful little M15 can take a lot, if
you are prepared, properly rigged, and have some previous experience
in heavy weather.
"Grace is receiving what we do not deserve,
Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve."
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