We had a plan … then things happened.

In mid-2016 one of the rare Jerry Montgomery Panthers became available and we jumped on the chance to own a piece of Montgomery Marine Products history. The Panther is a pure racing boat designed by Ron Holder. Jerry Montgomery only built about a dozen. The boat will plane in winds over about 12 knots. She has an unballasted centerboard so the crew is hiking out to keep the boat upright in anything over a light breeze. She is a fractional sloop with a HUGE main and TALL rotating mast. Jerry only built a few as his distributors were marketing the boat as a family daysailor because of the large open deck and cockpit. As she is a race boat she is a bit ‘twitchy’ and is not appropriate for casual family outings.

When we got her to the boat shop she needed a few fixes: repair the transom as the backing for the rudder gudgeons was rotten, retune the rig and fix a broken frame. Otherwise she needed some cosmetic work and the boat would be ready to sail.

 

Well. A strong storm came through Golden, Colorado, with 100+ miles per hour winds. The boat and trailer were picked up, meaning they flew through the air, and the boat came to a sudden crashing stop. The mast and boom are bent. The centerboard was broken. A chainplate pulled out taking part of the deck with it. One of the trailer tires came off the rim. Yeah it was one hell of a blow!.

So the Panther is now available to someone willing to take on the project. All the running, standing and miscellaneous parts are present though severely damaged … and some in better condition than others (see above). She is a project. First person that takes her gets the boat! Cost – FREE! 

** THE PANTHER HAS GONE TO A NEW HOME AND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE **

One week until the 2017 October Annapolis show!

Starting on 5 October Sage Marine will be at our usual place, Land Sites 80 & 81, at the Annapolis Sailboat Show.  The show runs until 9 October 2017.

A Sage 17 and SageCat will be attending.  Let us know if you wish to see the boats!

Following the show, 10 & 11 October, by appointment, there will be SageCat demo sails.  If you want to sail a SageCat let us know by sending an email to info@sagemarine.com

See all’ya’all in Annapolis!

S15 & SageCat deck mold 2.0

This morning the new Sage 15 & SageCat deck mold came off the plug!

Mold support frame fitting.

Mold support frame fitting.

Matt attaches the mold frame to the mold.

‘Popping’ the mold from the plug.

Mold if off!

The new mold.

The mold will now be buffed out and receive some touchup.  Once that work is done the first production deck, a SageCat, will be made.

prototype Sage 15 sloop ready for demo sails

The prototype Sage 15 sloop ASOLARE is in Port Townsend, WA, to take part in the Race to Alaska pre-race activities and take folks on demonstration sails.

If you would like to go for a sail, between 21 June and 24 June, 2016, in Port Townsend, WA, send a note to info@sagemarine.com.  Dave will get back in touch with you and arrange a day & time.

Pictures & videos of Sage 15 sloop sailing

Here are pictures and videos of the prototype Sage 15 sloop ASOLARE sailing Port Townsend Bay, Puget Sound, WA.

Drifting along the City of Port Townsend shore.

At the Port Townsend Boat Haven courtesy dock.

Sailing in 15 knots off of Point Hudson, Port Townsend Bay, WA.

Sage 15 and Sage 17 on the move

Sage 15 sloop ASOLARE and Sage 17 SCOUT are on the road headed to Port Townsend, WA, for Pocket Yacht Palooza.

Prototype Sage 15 sloop is decked!

The prototype Sage 15 sloop, ASOLARE, has been decked! (Click on images for a larger version and description.)

Hull & deck ready to be bonded.

The deck is lowered down onto the deck bonding the hull/deck joint and the aft end of the cockpit to the transom.

Deck clamped down.

Lots of clamps are part of boat building!

Last week went by fast

Kept busy last week working on the Sage 15 sloop and a Sage 17 – (click on images for description and larger versions.)

Sage 15 sloop deck hardware and teak being installed.

Sage 17 bow pulpit with bow light wire in place. Sage 15 hull in background.

Demo Sage 17 AIR BORN going through her spring cleaning.

Sage 15 transom hardware in place prior to decking.

Sage 15 sloop deck in place. Note the nice windows.

Sage 17 deck hardware installation.

Sage 17 deluxe trailer ready for the boat.

Demo Sage 17 AIR BORN cleaned up and ready for the sailing season.

Sage 15 sloop mast.

Interior of a Sage 17 prior to teak installation.

 

This week will also be busy finishing these two boasts.  The plan is for both the green cove striped S17 and the prototype S15 sloop, Asolare, to attend Pocket Yacht Palooza in Port Townsend, WA, 11 June ’16.

Video showing first Sage 15 hull to be resin infused

A short, speed enhanced, video showing the first Sage 15 hull to be resin infused in early March 2016

Sage 15 decked and interior shots

The Sage 15 has been decked –

Jerry checking out the hull/deck joint. Boat building is all about having lots of clamps!

Matt bonding the cockpit floor to the after bulkhead and stringers.

The cockpit lockers a gel coated.

After the bonding putty has been set the clamps are removed and the hull/deck flange is removed –

Starboard side after the hull/deck flange as been removed.

Matt  now installs the teak toe rail –

Matt installing the solid teak toe rails. The rails are bedded to the deck and then bolted to the hull/deck joint.

Toe rails installed. The starboard stern cleat has also been installed.

The interior was completed before bonding the hull to the deck.  Here are pictures showing the interior –

Cabin seat with teak slats.

Here I am sitting straight backed and my head just touches the house roof.

Potti pulled out from under cockpit into the cabin and read for ‘use’.

potti under the cockpit floor.

Jerry has been laying up the companionway slider hatch –

Gel coat goes into the mold first.

After the finish color of gel coat is put into the mold a second, black, layer of gel coat is applied.  The black coat keeps the sun from showing through the piece.

First layer of carbon goes in.

after the first carbon layers a layer of balsa is bonded into the mold.

Here Jerry fills the edge of the balsa with thickened resin.

Final layers of carbon finish the piece.

Once the resin ‘kicks’ Jerry will remove the piece from the mold and Matt will fit and install onto the boat.

– Dave