Re: ...calling all potter 18/19 owners

Mac Davis (cgula@innet.com)
Sun, 16 Aug 1998 14:57:58 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Greetings:
When Kelpie has impaled herself on shoals or oyster bars, usually with =
no small help from me, the following technique has served well:
1. Stop doing anything long enough to consider the best direction to =
sail out of trouble. Let the jib and main luff if possible.
2. Retract rudder (beaching model) as far as possible. This will =
determine whether we can be blown off, as there will still be some =
rudder in the water deeper that the hull bottom.=20
If the rudder is free, then:
3. Partially trim the sails (or just one of them) until the boat heels =
slightly. Then slowly raise the keel until the boat begins to move. =
Use the sails and rudder to sail off in the shortest direction to deep =
water. When safely in deep water, re-lower keel and ruddder.
If the rudder is not free after step 2, its either use the boat hook as =
a push pole or some one goes over the side to move the boat to water =
deep enough that the rudder is free.

On the general question of how the boat sails with the keep partially =
raised - my experience is that with the wind abaft the beam you won't =
notice any difference unless you are monitoring your performance with a =
knotmeter. You'll go faster downwind, that's all. Upwind is a =
different story. The weight of the keel when fully retracted creates a =
de-stabilizing moment. If you allow the boat to heel past a certain =
point which differs with each wind, sail and load configuration, you =
will exceed the righting moment due to the shape of the hull and over =
you'll go. My calculations indicate that about 65=BA of heel would be =
about where the fully raised keel would become a problem. Practically =
speaking, the heel change in a gust is so rapid, and 40=BA heel is so =
uncomfortable, that a prudent mariner would have let fly all sheets by =
then, and the boat would just round up and await further instructions. =
Exciting - yes. Inefficient - yes. Uncomfortable - I already said that. =
Dangerous - possibly, if you don't realize what's happening and react to =
it.

On the question of additional rudder area, the factory beaching rudder =
does exactly what you propose when retracted. Since one of the problems =
with that rudder is keeping it extended, there is a wealth of experience =
in the group involving sailing with it retracted. My personal take is =
that with the rudder retracted (trailing aft) you experience less rudder =
response, more effort is required, and overall performance is less. Of =
course, if the alternate is going/remaining aground, these are =
acceptable costs of doing business.

As Ralph mentioned - you can scull with the rudder retracted. Just pull =
hard in one direction, the ease the rudder back to center and push hard =
in the other direction, ease back to center and repeat. Control your =
heading by varying how hard you push or pull. Try it, it works for =
short inconvenient tasks like closing a dock after you missed your =
approach under sail.

Disclaimer to those who remember last spring's? thread on dagger board =
weight and extension under sail. The opinions expressed are the result =
of the author's experience and apply only to WWP19 #804 when sailed in =
and around the west coast of Florida in water less than 5 feet at MLLW. =
Others desiring to try these configurations and techniques are warned =
that the concensus of WWWeb members is that the keel should be heavier =
and deeper at all times. Warning: Turning Turtle can be hazardous to =
your pocketbook and result in ego-rupturing shame if observed by fellow =
sailors.

Hope this helps,
Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, Aripeka, Fl
-----Original Message-----
From: Grove777@aol.com <Grove777@aol.com>
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Sunday, August 16, 1998 12:03 AM
Subject: ...calling all potter 18/19 owners

>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -=20
> West Wight Potter Website at URL=20
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20
>...questions...how does the p 18/19 sail with the dagger board half way
>down[if you're trying to get through a very shallow area]...and has any =
one
>considered building a shoal draft fixed rudder similar to those put on =
cat
>boats and sharpies...i.e...a larger rudder[some call it a barn darn] =
with a
>wing or plate on the bottom of the rudder[ i.e...horizontal to the
>rudder]...plate/wing improves bite despite shallow rudder...please...is =
it
>possible to have a bit of dialogue about techniques for sailing in =
let's say
>2' of water...and as well options on rethinking the rudder...look =
forward to
>much conversation...k

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Greetings: 
When Kelpie has impaled herself on shoals or oyster bars, usually = with no=20 small help from me, the following technique has served well:
1.  Stop doing anything long enough to consider the best = direction to=20 sail out of trouble.  Let the jib and main luff if possible.
2.  Retract rudder (beaching model) as far as possible.  = This=20 will determine whether we can be blown off, as there will still be some = rudder=20 in the water deeper that the hull bottom. 
If the rudder is free, then:
3.  Partially trim the sails (or just one of them) until the = boat=20 heels slightly.  Then slowly raise the keel until the boat = begins to=20 move.  Use the sails and rudder to sail off in the shortest = direction to=20 deep water.  When safely in deep water, re-lower keel and = ruddder.
If the rudder is not free after step 2, its either use the boat = hook as a=20 push pole or some one goes over the side to move the boat to water deep = enough=20 that the rudder is free. 
 
On the general question of how the boat sails with the keep = partially=20 raised - my experience is that with the wind abaft the beam you won't = notice any=20 difference unless you are monitoring your performance with a = knotmeter. =20 You'll go faster downwind, that's all.  Upwind is a different = story. =20 The weight of the keel when fully retracted creates a de-stabilizing=20 moment.  If you allow the boat to heel past a certain point which = differs=20 with each wind,  sail and load configuration, you will exceed the = righting=20 moment due to the shape of the hull and over you'll go.  My = calculations=20 indicate that about 65º of heel would be about where the fully = raised keel=20 would become a problem.  Practically speaking, the heel change in a = gust is=20 so rapid, and 40º heel is so uncomfortable, that a prudent mariner = would=20 have let fly all sheets by then, and the boat would just round up and = await=20 further instructions.  Exciting - yes. Inefficient - yes. = Uncomfortable - I=20 already said that.  Dangerous - possibly, if you don't realize = what's=20 happening and react to it.
 
On the question of additional rudder area, the factory beaching = rudder does=20 exactly what you propose when retracted.  Since one of the problems = with=20 that rudder is keeping it extended, there is a wealth of experience in = the group=20 involving sailing with it retracted.  My personal take is that with = the=20 rudder retracted (trailing aft) you experience less rudder response, = more effort=20 is required, and overall performance is less.  Of course, if the = alternate=20 is going/remaining aground, these are acceptable costs of doing = business.
 
As Ralph mentioned - you can scull with the rudder retracted.  = Just=20 pull hard in one direction, the ease the rudder back to center and push = hard in=20 the other direction, ease back to center and repeat.  Control your = heading=20 by varying how hard you push or pull.  Try it, it works for short=20 inconvenient tasks like closing a dock after you missed your approach = under=20 sail.
 
Disclaimer to those who remember = last spring's?=20 thread on dagger board weight and extension under sail.  The = opinions=20 expressed are the result of the author's experience and apply only to = WWP19 #804=20 when sailed in and around the west coast of Florida in water less than 5 = feet at=20 MLLW.  Others desiring to try these configurations and techniques = are=20 warned that the concensus of WWWeb members is that the keel should be = heavier=20 and deeper at all times.  Warning:  Turning Turtle can be = hazardous to=20 your pocketbook and result in ego-rupturing shame if observed by fellow=20 sailors.
 
Hope this helps,
Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, = Aripeka,=20 Fl 
-----Original Message-----
From: Grove777@aol.com <Grove777@aol.com>
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: = Sunday,=20 August 16, 1998 12:03 AM
Subject: ...calling all potter 18/19=20 owners

 
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - = - - - -=20 - - - - -
>      West Wight Potter = Website at=20 URL
>        http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter= /
>-=20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =20
>...questions...how does the p 18/19 sail with the dagger board = half=20 way
>down[if you're trying to get through a very shallow = area]...and has=20 any one
>considered building a shoal draft fixed rudder similar to = those=20 put on cat
>boats and sharpies...i.e...a larger rudder[some call = it a barn=20 darn] with a
>wing or plate on the bottom of the rudder[ = i.e...horizontal=20 to the
>rudder]...plate/wing improves bite despite shallow=20 rudder...please...is it
>possible to have a bit of dialogue about=20 techniques for sailing in let's say
>2' of water...and as well = options on=20 rethinking the rudder...look forward to
>much=20 conversation...k ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01BDC926.4190F0C0--