"Our M-23 has a bit of a storied past. We bought her in December 2003 from a retired couple in Minnesota (who were reluctant to part with her). She was named "Misty" when they owned her and she was featured in the 2003 May - June issue of Good Old Boat Magazine. When they found her, she was Canary Yellow (at one time named Big Bird) and sitting forlornly up to her axles in mud. Needless to say, they lavished lots of TLC on her so when we purchased her, she was a real gem of a find.

The surveyor I had hired to inspect her for me said she was one of the top boats (in her condition at least) he had ever had the privilege to look over. We agreed on a price and they agreed to meet half way on the delivery. We met in Billings, Montana. After a prolonged farewell I pulled her over the Rockies back to our home in Oregon."

I began sailing over ten years; I began with a borrowed Snark, got the sailing bug, bought a nameless daysailer which I replaced with a beautiful Montgomery17. It turned out to be the perfect boat until the thought of more convenience and room came into play. The early M-23 stands out as a classic design. Big sister to the rest of the Montgomery Boats. Since there were less than 20 made of this early style, they are always at a premium and difficult to find.

Photos and Story by Mark and Roberta Dvorscak