Re: keel lock down

RSKARAM@aol.com
Sat, 10 Apr 1999 20:09:03 EDT


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Dear Bernie & Web Gang
I turned a 1983 P-15 turtle a couple of years ago. I believe my
centerboard weighed about 70 pounds as opposed to the 100 pound (I've been
told) centerboard on my 1994 P-15. At this time I was 65 years old and
recovering from some spinal surgery that left me with an extremely weak right
arm. With all of the adrenaline from turning turtle, I was able to get on
top of the boat and grab hold of the centerboard with my fingers and pull it
up. When I got it up, I used the centerboard as leverage and with great
difficulty got the P-15 to lay on its side. About that time I had a lot of
people come to my aid and rescuing the boat at that point was easy with all
the help.
I agree with you about it being suicidal not to secure the
centerboard down on a P-15.
I'm going sailing tomorrow and I will need to go over a lot of sand
bars and securing the centerboard down is liable to cause me some problems.
I'm going to experiment with securing it with some shock cord. I'm in hopes
this will secure the centerboard down sufficiently to prevent a capsize, but
still give me some play in the event that I ground the boat over the sand
bars. I would prefer not to secure the centerboard without any play so as to
run the risk of damaging the boat if I run aground.
I would like for you other P-15 sailors to offer your wisdom on this
subject.

Richard S. Karam
P-15 #2098 Oops
Oklahoma City