Thanks for all the replies and information folks. I have spent a great deal of time checking all these options out. I even spoke to Fred (Sea Cutter) on the phone the other day. An M23, no matter how wonderful a design it is, is a lot of boat. I would like more space but not that much weight to deal with. If I bought a 23, for me it would absolutly HAVE to be Sea Cutter or the newer deck / house version. To me this new configuration represents fine art from the eye of Lyle Hess. The M23 now looks (to me) like the younger sister of the Bristol Channel cutter, perhaps my all time favourite design. The original long house version is fine, but not as fine and proper as the new design. When speaking with Fred I was reminded just how familiar Sea Cutter is with our own cruising ground....the Gulf Islands. If that boat was brought here you could save money on charts, she would already know her way around. The ultimate Gulf Island cruiser for sure. Thanks to Doug, Fred and Bones.
Jeff, I have always like the Halman boats....did some work on one many years ago. But as you say, more room but at the expense of a smaller cockpit. Summers here are big cockpit (party) weather and my lady loves to stretch out in the sun. There is a very fine example of this boat for sale right here on my home lake. Reumer is that this design is not close winded. Sailing on the long narrow lakes around here requires a high sailing boat....a character that the 17 has down pat. The Cal 21 is a fixed keel boat....unless there are some center board versions I don't know about. I dry sail my boats and really need the ease of a lifting keel. The 17 goes on and off the trailer better than most motor boats...fantastic design and trailer design. I will never tire of the double takes from power boat people at the launch ramp on busy days. The Cal 20 along with the SJ 21 are good sailing boats, common around here...but a bit ugly in my eyes mind. It is also tough to find a copy in really good shape. They are often smelly and dull. The Etap 21 is very close to my ideal....the Compac is right in there....but the winner is a boat that has never crossed my radar screen, the Beneteau First 210...211 or 21.7. Thanks Gary. The design comes so close to my absolute ideal it hurts. What hurts more is they are so coveted that the few that were made in the US for a couple of years back in the day are very rarely for sale... and (I am sure) snapped up by folks in the inner circle. They are now only made in France (the newest version the First 21.7)....but I do believe one would cost about $60,000 plus freight, duty and taxes to Vancouver. Holy crap. The First 21.7 has a relationship (from my warped perpective) with an M17. Both boats were designed by favourite designers. The First is laid out by the Finot Group (or Group Finot). Think any current go faster and there is a good bet these folks had a hand in there. My favourite Ocean racing class is the Mini Transats.....a 21 foot version of the IMOCA 60's and 70's. The First 21.7 is very close (for a production racer cruiser) to these little mega boats. The first is fast, lots of room, big cockpit, very trailerable....and damn gorgeous! I am smitten. I now have a new mission in life. Thanks folks, Tim in Kelowna M17 369 Puff. _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
