Montgomery 17 Is Gone?

[Montslr]

Does anyone know who I can contact for a new Montgomery 17? I have looked everywhere. It sounds like they went out of business, but I found another forum where someone writes, “they are in business but slow.” I just love these boats!

Thank you very much

[skipmac]

Montgomery boats
(949)489-8227
Builders of the Montgomery 15, Montgomery 17 and the new Montgomery 23 Offshore cutter


Nor'Sea Yachts builders of the Nor'sea27, 37 and Montgomery 15 and 17

[Montslr]

Thank you for finding that for me, but I have already tried that number a couple times. The call tells me the number is no longer valid. Also, the entire website seems to be shut down except for a couple introduction pages.

[unbusted67]

This would be so sad. I love those boats!!

[basssears]

Decent number of used ones out there.


If you're set on a new one, ask Jerry himself who (if anyone) is still building them:
JERRY MONTGOMERY: Specialist in trailerable sailboats since 1969


Most likely he'll tell you to check out the newest boat he designed that is very similar to the M17, the Sage 17:
Sage™ 17 – Sage Marine


-- Bass

[fredw]

Small Craft Advisor has ad pages and I have seen them for sale in Magazine

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Montslr

Does anyone know who I can contact for a new Montgomery 17? I have looked everywhere. It sounds like they went out of business, but I found another forum where someone writes, “they are in business but slow.” I just love these boats!

Thank you very much

If I wasn't still in love with our Sandpiper, and I had the budget, I would be very interested in a new Sage 17.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Nor'Sea Yachts builders of the Nor'sea27, 37 and Montgomery 15 and 17

Whoa, just checked out this website, when something says "Best Viewed in Netscape" it hasn't been updated in just a little while...

[Taipe]

Originally Posted by Montslr

Thank you for finding that for me, but I have already tried that number a couple times. The call tells me the number is no longer valid. Also, the entire website seems to be shut down except for a couple introduction pages.

Then you are lucky not to have put half your money down, only to wonder whether your M17 would ever see the light of day. The Nor'Sea factory and their Montgomery boats have been foundering financially for many years now. In spite of those problems, it seems that the quality did not suffer on the M17 and maybe not on the 23 either. I suppose it was just a matter of time before they stopped production. Hopefully, someone will purchase the molds & patents and start production again! I agree the M17 is a fantastic little pocket cruiser.
The lapstrake really adds stiffness to the hull without significantly adding weight. I have sailed one and was thrilled with the performance. The designer, Lyle Hess, told me back in the early 90's when the first builder, Jerry Montgomery and he were conferring on the design, "that on a tack we wanted it to come up really close to the wind and yet not forgo the properties of a forgiving boat that would give plenty of warning before getting the helmsman into trouble" (i.e. blowed down). I can assure you that all owners of this charming little boat will tell you that Lyle achieved their goal. You can literally keep the lee rail buried on this little pocket cruiser while tight up into the wind as it plows through the white caps. And at the end of the day, it is quite at home at anchor with her swing board keel pulled up in quiet shallow coves where deep keeled boats can not get into. The good news is, there are plenty of them on the used market and still in pretty good shape! One word of caution though, because it is a cruiser, the stepped over bow can be a bit treacherous to and keep one's balance in a bad blow when attempting to reduce sail, so it might be a good idea to reef early or alternately to lead halyards to clutches & cleats where they can be controlled from the cockpit. When I get too old to sail my Tayana 37, you can bet I'll be looking for either a Montgomery 17 or a 23!
All the Best!

[hooligan6a]

Call Robert EEG 949 489 8227 he is now building Montgomery Yachts I talked to
him 3 days ago, he is still in business.

[Taipe]

Originally Posted by hooligan6a

Call Robert EEG 949 489 8227 he is now building Montgomery Yachts I talked to
him 3 days ago, he is still in business.

Again, a warning to the wise, look into the history of customer abuse by this builder. For a number of years, numerous Montgomery customers have posted or attempted to post their complaints on a Montgomery Owners' website, only to see them mysteriously disappear. A new buyer may look forward to waiting inordinately long periods of time for both Nor'Sea 27 and Montgomery boats to be completed. I know because I am one of them. And years later it happened to a friend of mine who disregarded my advise to look for a used one rather than risk purchasing a new one from this builder. My friend had to wait nearly three years for his Montgomery 17 to be completed and needed the help of his lawyer, the court system and the county sherrif to get it out from under the builder's roof. During that time he had names of other customer's who were in the same fix he was in.



The good news is that according to members of the Montgomery Owners website, Jerry Montgomery of Sage Marine is making a nearly identical boat. He is the original builder of the Montgomery 17, which at that time had a ballasted keel. He worked together with Lyle Hess on the requirements for that design, and later Lyle made modifications on his drawings for a swing keel. Jerry is located in Southern CA and has a reputation for quality as a builder of trailerable pocket cruisers for many years. I have no vested interest in Sage Marine. I just don't want others to have to go through what I and others have had to.

[Taipe]

Originally Posted by hooligan6a

Call Robert EEG 949 489 8227 he is now building Montgomery Yachts I talked to
him 3 days ago, he is still in business.

Correction to my previous comment: It appears Jerry Montgomery retired about nine years ago and the Sage 17 look-alike to the Montgomery 17 is being made in Colorado. Shouldn't be difficult to track down.