I'm interested in your thoughts about the two boats Potter 15 and Montgomery 17. I'm looking at both boats. I want to have something small enough I can sail alone, but could take a couple of other people also. Plus, I'd like to camp overnight or over a weekend. Any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated. thx Dave
The two boats are very different. The Monty is much heavier than the WWP, it has a draft of 1'9" even with the swing keel up. It has a round bottom and more room for people. The potter is flat bottomed and easily beached. The Potter would be crowded for 4 people but it could be done. I have had 2 Potter 15s and I really enjoyed them. You can launch just about anywhere and a Potter fits easily into an average garage. Of the two I would say the Monty is more seaworthy because of its weight and ballast. Also, I'm pretty sure it will cost more than a WWP. If I lived on a lake I'd probably go with the Monty. If I had to launch at an "iffy" pier everyday I'd go for the Potter. Hope this helps. Thinking about all this has me missing my Potter! :) BTW I don't think you can go wrong with either boat. Have fun and stay safe.
I'll add some comments as well. IMO, There is really not much comparison between the M-17 and the Potter 15. Both are well made, but the Monty is a level or two better in all respects. From the 4" bolt (not rivets) spacing holding down the deck to the hull, to the full length toe rails allowing maximum headsail adjustments (usually found on ocean going cruising boats) , to the superior hull design built for cruising, the Monty is the better choice for any sailor. The beaching bottom on the Potter is nice if you beach a lot, but many beaches are not suitable unless they are soft sand - so why would you? Besides, the Monty gets in close enough in most cases. The Monty is fast - even though it looks tubby and slow. It isn't. With decent sails and a smart skipper, the Monty can keep it's head high right along with a lot of 20 footers. It has a long waterline which expresses itself like a true 17 then most other boats with a clipped stem. This means that most 17's have a more under-raked bow entry, which might look faster, but makes for a shorter waterline, which equals less speed potential and less ability to keep a course without constant attention to the tiller. Hess designed the Monty along very similar lines as the bigger and more famous cutters he also is known for. Good tracking. Good speed. In size and comfort, no sailboat is going to ride like a 20 footer, but the Monty is heavy, at 1700lbs, so it rides better than many 18's. Still, in lively conditions, any small sailboat is going to beat you up a bit - if you have back or other issues like me. For safety, the Potter gets a lot of high marks - being highly buoyant and pretty much self righting. However, even though the early M's had no built in buoyancy, I have never heard of an M-17 going over at all. I can tell you from experience that if an M-17 was going to put me in the cold and dark waters of Puget Sound, it would have happened several times. You have to do virtually Everything wrong at the same time, in the worst conditions imaginable, to tip one over. Overdrive a Montgomery 17 and she'll just turn up and stop. Just like Lyle Hess designed her to do. I have no comments regarding the later models, and especially the Sage 17 - which , IMO, is too expensive. EDIT: Just thought of something else. I have never liked a sailboat with a hard chine. They seem tender to me, suddenly heeling to the counter point. I know they are great boats, but the Potter has that feature. Conversely, the Monty is a very well proven cruising designed hull, both safe and fast. it is never tender, and heels gradually, until it reaches the sweet spot, then stiffens like a much larger boat. Also, the lapstrake isn't just for looks. It help dampen large waves that other wise make their way up the hull and cause spray to spill into the cockpit. It works. Having many sailboats over the years, I know. It takes more fiberglass to make a lapstrake hull, and it definitely stiffens the boat, too.
Looks Great. Theres one for sale in my area. So very tempting.
Great looking boat with tan coloured sails. Enjoyed watching your sailing and your good humoured banter:)
Nice boat. looks pretty fast!
Wayne is a really fine sailor. And Jerry Montgomery builds the fastest boats for their length.
good stuff - lovely boat
Dylan
@fallbarn1 Thanks for your kind comments. I Googled Yarmouth to learn a bit about it. It looks like a beautiful area to sail.
I'm interested in your thoughts about the two boats Potter 15 and Montgomery 17. I'm looking at both boats. I want to have something small enough I can sail alone, but could take a couple of other people also. Plus, I'd like to camp overnight or over a weekend. Any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated.
thx
Dave
The two boats are very different. The Monty is much heavier than the WWP, it has a draft of 1'9" even with the swing keel up. It has a round bottom and more room for people.
The potter is flat bottomed and easily beached. The Potter would be crowded for 4 people but it could be done. I have had 2 Potter 15s and I really enjoyed them. You can launch just about anywhere and a Potter fits easily into an average garage.
Of the two I would say the Monty is more seaworthy because of its weight and ballast. Also, I'm pretty sure it will cost more than a WWP. If I lived on a lake I'd probably go with the Monty. If I had to launch at an "iffy" pier everyday I'd go for the Potter.
Hope this helps. Thinking about all this has me missing my Potter! :) BTW I don't think you can go wrong with either boat. Have fun and stay safe.
Tommy Jensen thanks for the reply. Very helpful.
I'll add some comments as well. IMO, There is really not much comparison between the M-17 and the Potter 15. Both are well made, but the Monty is a level or two better in all respects. From the 4" bolt (not rivets) spacing holding down the deck to the hull, to the full length toe rails allowing maximum headsail adjustments (usually found on ocean going cruising boats) , to the superior hull design built for cruising, the Monty is the better choice for any sailor. The beaching bottom on the Potter is nice if you beach a lot, but many beaches are not suitable unless they are soft sand - so why would you? Besides, the Monty gets in close enough in most cases.
The Monty is fast - even though it looks tubby and slow. It isn't. With decent sails and a smart skipper, the Monty can keep it's head high right along with a lot of 20 footers. It has a long waterline which expresses itself like a true 17 then most other boats with a clipped stem. This means that most 17's have a more under-raked bow entry, which might look faster, but makes for a shorter waterline, which equals less speed potential and less ability to keep a course without constant attention to the tiller. Hess designed the Monty along very similar lines as the bigger and more famous cutters he also is known for. Good tracking. Good speed.
In size and comfort, no sailboat is going to ride like a 20 footer, but the Monty is heavy, at 1700lbs, so it rides better than many 18's. Still, in lively conditions, any small sailboat is going to beat you up a bit - if you have back or other issues like me.
For safety, the Potter gets a lot of high marks - being highly buoyant and pretty much self righting. However, even though the early M's had no built in buoyancy, I have never heard of an M-17 going over at all. I can tell you from experience that if an M-17 was going to put me in the cold and dark waters of Puget Sound, it would have happened several times. You have to do virtually Everything wrong at the same time, in the worst conditions imaginable, to tip one over. Overdrive a Montgomery 17 and she'll just turn up and stop. Just like Lyle Hess designed her to do.
I have no comments regarding the later models, and especially the Sage 17 - which , IMO, is too expensive.
EDIT: Just thought of something else. I have never liked a sailboat with a hard chine. They seem tender to me, suddenly heeling to the counter point. I know they are great boats, but the Potter has that feature. Conversely, the Monty is a very well proven cruising designed hull, both safe and fast. it is never tender, and heels gradually, until it reaches the sweet spot, then stiffens like a much larger boat. Also, the lapstrake isn't just for looks. It help dampen large waves that other wise make their way up the hull and cause spray to spill into the cockpit. It works. Having many sailboats over the years, I know. It takes more fiberglass to make a lapstrake hull, and it definitely stiffens the boat, too.
i want a monty 17 or a compac 16