Gary: You're talking about my sailing home! Nice to see an article from the west coast. I've been sailing around Alamitos Bay and the outer harbor for 60 years in all kinds of different boats: Sabot, Skimmer (extinct local version of an Inland Lake scow), Sailfish, Malibu Outrigger, Hobie 16, Neptune 16, Santana 21 and, for the last 13 years, a Hobie Adventure Island (I'm on my second one; bought the updated version in 2015). I'm kind of surprised I haven't run into you, as you've exactly described my typical day on the water. I leave from my sand stake on the peninsula, head out the channel, and either out to Queens Gate if the wind is easterly, or along the shoreline, which I did yesterday. I can get through the tiny gap between Island White and the shore and drift around the downtown Long Beach Marina, which provides a nice calm interlude before heading back outside. My days are all some variation of your route. I love it out there. When I get a couple of miles offshore, Long Beach looks just like it did in my youth! Takes me right back.
I'm getting along and the Hobie is starting to be a handful to set up and break down. I love the Adventure Island, but going out is an all-day commitment. Lately I've been thinking about getting back into a small monohull in a slip and the Monty 15 is tops on my list. The idea of going out for a couple of hours whenever the mood strikes is awfully appealing. Anyway, If you see a golden papaya Hobie A-I (I'm nearly always the only one out there), give me a shout!
Just spent 7 days and 6 nights on my M15 (Chester River/Chesapeake). Most of the time most anything you need is within arm's reach. Plenty of room in the cabin to stretch out and sleep. Will sail in the slightest of breezes. Trailerable with my diminutive Rogue. Mast can be raised and lowered (slowly & carefully) single-handed. Lapstrake hull attractive to the eye. Simple to reef and heave-to. I wish it had an anchor well below the bow deck with a hatch there. Alas, it doesn't, so I installed a foot long anchor roller off the bow deck, and hitch the mantus to it when not in use, and put the rode and chain in a buddy-anchor waterproof/perforated anchor bag that gets bungied directly onto the bow deck. To deploy and retrieve the anchor I simply go forward, sit on the aft end of the bow deck, and start pulling the anchor up, or, undo the anchor from the bow roller, and just let it drop, pulling the rode out of the anchor bag as it goes. The anchor bag when full with rode and chain, doesn't, I happily discovered this last trip, interfere with the jib sail. This system keeps the anchor and rode out of the cockpit area. I carry an extra anchor and rode in a lazarette I built that sits on the cockpit floor against the transom, for emergency or backup purposes. 2 lightweight LIFO batteries stored in a hold under the cabin floor power a minn kota 30 which at speed 2 (out of 5) will run the M15 at around 1.8 - 2.0 mph for several hours if need be. A 50 watt flexible solar panel velcroed and tied to the coachroof helps mitigage battery loss. The head's a Thetford portable which fits perfectly under the middle removable shelf in the cabin. There's no fridge, holding tank, winches, or depth meter but who needs that stuff anyway. A portable marine GPS with anchor alarm and portable marine VHF, a plastic wind vane (bungied to the chrome cross bar on the stern), and some paper charts for backup and perspective should be all you need to get you where you're going. Oh, and a few good books, too.
Rusty, thanks for your reply. I've done what you say, countless times. The tricky part is where the anchor and chain, cross from the rear quarter, going out of the lazarrette, or back into the lazarrette. To quote a prince, "Aye, there's the rub." Shake and dunk and rattle and roll that chain and anchor all you want. No matter, it's still going to bring mud and muck into your nice clean cockpit (well, used-to-be-clean cockpit). I've tried mats, covers, etc. Meanwhile your hands are mucked up with the gunk too, so anything you touch, should you fail to wash them first, gets the gunk treatment too. Repeat twice a day. Not good. I got to the point where I didn't want that chain and rode and anchor anywhere near my cockpit, anymore, and can't tell you how much better cruising is, since keeping the whole mess of it up on the bow deck (chain and rode piled into a waterproof anchor bag strapped to the deck for easy deployment) with the anchor secured to the boat via the bow roller. Meanwhile, there's a spare anchor and rode/chain in the lazarrette, ready to go, as you say, in an emergency. I'll add, this method is easier on the back. Standing in the cockpit, you're stressing your back, trying to lift that heavy chain and anchor, up and out of the water, while also trying to keep it clear of the cockpit seat. But up at the bow deck, I can sit myself against the diagonal fore section of the coachroof, and pull in the rode and chain, through the moving wheel on the bow roller, somewhat like being on a rowing machine, allowing much less strain on the back.
I'd hate to cut up a perfectly good interior liner, but I could forgive someone modifying an M15 to match Jerry's Sage 15 or 17 interior designs, which provide good sitting headroom while keeping a usable bunk. It also makes accessing storage under the cockpit much easier- and I'd imagine you could still have removable boards that return to a 'full cabin bunk' when desired.
Since it's not affecting any structural parts of the boat, you don't need a marine architect/engineer, just someone good with cosmetic fiberglass or woodworking, which are fairly common skills. I've had great luck hiring locally skilled fiberglass experts recommended by others in the boating community. Typically paying a worker that contracts directly costs about 1/10th what a big boatyard charges. I do get what you are saying, I owned and sailed an M15 for a long time, and thought a lot about doing this, but couldn't bring myself to start cutting into and modifying it. But now that I own a Sage, and see how much more usable the cabin is, I'd be less hesitant- and not feel like I'm "bastardizing" the boat if I were just copying Jerry's own improved design.
Gary: You're talking about my sailing home! Nice to see an article from the west coast. I've been sailing around Alamitos Bay and the outer harbor for 60 years in all kinds of different boats: Sabot, Skimmer (extinct local version of an Inland Lake scow), Sailfish, Malibu Outrigger, Hobie 16, Neptune 16, Santana 21 and, for the last 13 years, a Hobie Adventure Island (I'm on my second one; bought the updated version in 2015). I'm kind of surprised I haven't run into you, as you've exactly described my typical day on the water. I leave from my sand stake on the peninsula, head out the channel, and either out to Queens Gate if the wind is easterly, or along the shoreline, which I did yesterday. I can get through the tiny gap between Island White and the shore and drift around the downtown Long Beach Marina, which provides a nice calm interlude before heading back outside. My days are all some variation of your route. I love it out there. When I get a couple of miles offshore, Long Beach looks just like it did in my youth! Takes me right back.
I'm getting along and the Hobie is starting to be a handful to set up and break down. I love the Adventure Island, but going out is an all-day commitment. Lately I've been thinking about getting back into a small monohull in a slip and the Monty 15 is tops on my list. The idea of going out for a couple of hours whenever the mood strikes is awfully appealing. Anyway, If you see a golden papaya Hobie A-I (I'm nearly always the only one out there), give me a shout!
Of the many boats I’ve sailed, my M15 was simply the most fun … hands down!
Great article! I've always thought the Montgomery 15 was a complete boat with excellent handling and performance in as small package.
Just spent 7 days and 6 nights on my M15 (Chester River/Chesapeake). Most of the time most anything you need is within arm's reach. Plenty of room in the cabin to stretch out and sleep. Will sail in the slightest of breezes. Trailerable with my diminutive Rogue. Mast can be raised and lowered (slowly & carefully) single-handed. Lapstrake hull attractive to the eye. Simple to reef and heave-to. I wish it had an anchor well below the bow deck with a hatch there. Alas, it doesn't, so I installed a foot long anchor roller off the bow deck, and hitch the mantus to it when not in use, and put the rode and chain in a buddy-anchor waterproof/perforated anchor bag that gets bungied directly onto the bow deck. To deploy and retrieve the anchor I simply go forward, sit on the aft end of the bow deck, and start pulling the anchor up, or, undo the anchor from the bow roller, and just let it drop, pulling the rode out of the anchor bag as it goes. The anchor bag when full with rode and chain, doesn't, I happily discovered this last trip, interfere with the jib sail. This system keeps the anchor and rode out of the cockpit area. I carry an extra anchor and rode in a lazarette I built that sits on the cockpit floor against the transom, for emergency or backup purposes. 2 lightweight LIFO batteries stored in a hold under the cabin floor power a minn kota 30 which at speed 2 (out of 5) will run the M15 at around 1.8 - 2.0 mph for several hours if need be. A 50 watt flexible solar panel velcroed and tied to the coachroof helps mitigage battery loss. The head's a Thetford portable which fits perfectly under the middle removable shelf in the cabin. There's no fridge, holding tank, winches, or depth meter but who needs that stuff anyway. A portable marine GPS with anchor alarm and portable marine VHF, a plastic wind vane (bungied to the chrome cross bar on the stern), and some paper charts for backup and perspective should be all you need to get you where you're going. Oh, and a few good books, too.
Rusty, thanks for your reply. I've done what you say, countless times. The tricky part is where the anchor and chain, cross from the rear quarter, going out of the lazarrette, or back into the lazarrette. To quote a prince, "Aye, there's the rub." Shake and dunk and rattle and roll that chain and anchor all you want. No matter, it's still going to bring mud and muck into your nice clean cockpit (well, used-to-be-clean cockpit). I've tried mats, covers, etc. Meanwhile your hands are mucked up with the gunk too, so anything you touch, should you fail to wash them first, gets the gunk treatment too. Repeat twice a day. Not good. I got to the point where I didn't want that chain and rode and anchor anywhere near my cockpit, anymore, and can't tell you how much better cruising is, since keeping the whole mess of it up on the bow deck (chain and rode piled into a waterproof anchor bag strapped to the deck for easy deployment) with the anchor secured to the boat via the bow roller. Meanwhile, there's a spare anchor and rode/chain in the lazarrette, ready to go, as you say, in an emergency. I'll add, this method is easier on the back. Standing in the cockpit, you're stressing your back, trying to lift that heavy chain and anchor, up and out of the water, while also trying to keep it clear of the cockpit seat. But up at the bow deck, I can sit myself against the diagonal fore section of the coachroof, and pull in the rode and chain, through the moving wheel on the bow roller, somewhat like being on a rowing machine, allowing much less strain on the back.
I'd hate to cut up a perfectly good interior liner, but I could forgive someone modifying an M15 to match Jerry's Sage 15 or 17 interior designs, which provide good sitting headroom while keeping a usable bunk. It also makes accessing storage under the cockpit much easier- and I'd imagine you could still have removable boards that return to a 'full cabin bunk' when desired.
Since it's not affecting any structural parts of the boat, you don't need a marine architect/engineer, just someone good with cosmetic fiberglass or woodworking, which are fairly common skills. I've had great luck hiring locally skilled fiberglass experts recommended by others in the boating community. Typically paying a worker that contracts directly costs about 1/10th what a big boatyard charges. I do get what you are saying, I owned and sailed an M15 for a long time, and thought a lot about doing this, but couldn't bring myself to start cutting into and modifying it. But now that I own a Sage, and see how much more usable the cabin is, I'd be less hesitant- and not feel like I'm "bastardizing" the boat if I were just copying Jerry's own improved design.