Disappointed P15 owner

Scott F (sfoshee@yahoo.com)
Tue, 8 Jun 1999 13:36:25 -0700 (PDT)


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 13:32:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: Scott F <sfoshee@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Disappointed new Potter 15 owner needs advice from other Potter owners
To: Jeff Goller <gollrt@home.com>
Cc: Emily Foshee <emily.foshee@wachovia.com>
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Hi Jeff -

We moved to Charleston for the same reason - to buy
and sail a Potter. We had a few harrowing experiences
with our P-19 (read our misadventures and Ship's log
at our web site
http://www.angelfire.com/sc/fosheefamilyhome/sail2.html).
Stability on the 19 is no problem, especially with
the board down. I am 6'3" and weigh (OK Scott,
swallow your pride) about 340. We had looked at a P15
in the water on Lake Norman, and I had no problem with
the board up - I just kept my weight down and sat
until we put the board down. I stepped on the seat
instead of on the rail getting in.

Don't give up hope! Believe me, if we can do it, it
should be a breeze for you! It would be great to have
a Charleston Potter Floatilla, but I haven't found a
decent ramp in the harbor area - what would you
suggest?

Thanks, and good luck!

- Scott, Emily, and Anna Kate Foshee
P19 'Kidogo' #380
Charleston, SC

--- Jeff Goller <gollrt@home.com> wrote:
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> -
> Is there anyone out there who can give
> advice to the newest
> owner of a Potter 15?
>
> Here is my tale:
>
> Four years ago when I first became interested in
> sailing, I looked at a
> number of small sailboats that I thought would meet
> my needs. It was
> clear for the beginning, that the Potter 15 was the
> best boat for me.
> I read every bit of literature I could find from
> International Marine
> and all the sailing magazines. The more I read, the
> more convinced I
> became. Finally, when International Marine sent me
> the videotape, that
> sealed it for me - I had to have a Potter 15 !
>
> Unfortunately, when I went to look for a used
> Potter, I could not
> find ANY close to my local region (Northern Ohio on
> Lake Erie) I was
> willing to drive to another state, and kept
> checking the Internet and
> out of state newspapers, but none were to be found.
> The new Potters
> from the factory were just out of my financial range
> at the time, and
> were not an option.
>
> After waiting almost 2/3 of the sailing
> season with no luck
> locating a Potter, I finally gave in and bought
> a Com-Pac 16 that
> became available, but knew that someday I would be
> a Potter owner.
>
> After four years of sailing the Com-Pac,
> I had all but
> given up on sailing. The Com-Pac was slow,
> sluggish and had a
> terrible side slip problem (even the manufacturer
> realized this and
> added a centerboard to the newer models). The boat
> was well built and
> heavy (felt VERY stable), but it would not point
> well, and never
> seemed to go the direction I intended. The side
> slippage problem made
> for really unenjoyable sailing. In addition, the
> shoal draft keel at
> 18" kept getting stuck when I would try to explore
> interesting little
> coves or beach the craft. I was ready to quit
> sailing and bought a
> powerboat.
>
> Two years ago we moved to Charleston, South
> Carolina. Water
> everywhere! Between the Harbor, the rivers, the
> ocean, the lakes, and
> the Inter coastal Waterway, my interest in sailing
> reawakened, but the
> Com-Pac was still a poor performer even here.
>
> Not long ago, I learned quite by accident
> that a fellow worker
> had a Potter 15 for sale at a great price. 1994
> model year, well cared
> for, loaded with options. I discussed it with my
> wife, and even
> though finances are tight now, she lovingly agreed
> to let me buy it and
> fulfill a longtime dream of being a Potter owner.
> We decided to
> take a chance and buy the Potter first, with the
> hope of selling the
> Com-Pac later.
>
> Last Friday I picked up my beautiful
> "new" Potter 15.
> She was so well cared for that she looked like
> she rolled right off
> the showroom floor! I took her home, read the
> owner's manual cover to
> cover, and all related literature that came with
> the boat. Put her in
> my driveway, put the sails up and familiarized
> myself with the
> operation of all parts. I christened her "AT LONG
> LAST".
>
> The next day I took her to my favorite marina
> here, a public
> saltwater dock on the Charleston Harbor. Launching
> the boat was easy.
> I parked the car and walked back to the dock.
> Untied my bow line
> and stepped aboard the boat on the bow.
> Immediately, something
> did not feel right, I had my weight on the port
> side over the cabin at
> the toe rail, balancing on the mast, when suddenly
> the boat rolled
> over and capsized, and went turtle. The tide was
> swift , the wind
> was strong, and it kept driving the boat into the
> dock, banging with
> a sickening thud each time. The sails, stays,
> sheets all were
> tangled and caught every which way on the dock,
> pilings, dock cleats and
> everything else they could come in contact with.
> With help, I finally
> righted her and got her aboard the trailer (not an
> easy task).
>
> Wet and shaken, I tallied my losses: Pocket
> Electronic
> Organizer $250, Cell Phone($ ??), Electric Garage
> door opener on my key
> ring $35, CD Player/Boom Box $200, Wallet and all
> contents (cards
> and pictures) soaked with saltwater, Outboard motor
> totally saltwater
> immersed $500. All gear and personal
> possession were soaked
> with saltwater.
>
> When I got the Potter out I inspected it.
> Remarkably, the
> Mast, sails and stays all seemed OK, other than a
> lot of Bottom muck
> that they raked up. Then I got to the hull and
> my heart sank.
> Along the starboard bow low in the waterline
> was a new, big
> crack in the hull. Other places showed major
> chips in the
> Gel-coat. I never even got to sail her!
>
> I talked to a Marine hull fiberglass expert who
> says he can repair
> her hull for about $500. Unfortunately the damage
> my heart and soul
> took was much greater. At that moment I lost
> confidence in the
> stability of the boat.
>
> I reconstructed the events which led up to the
> capsize and realized
> that I had not yet put down the keel. I realize
> that probably made a
> difference in the stability (i.e. higher center of
> gravity).
>
> Here is where I would like to get some
> advice/help from you all:
> What is the truth about the Potter? Is it really as
> stable as
> advertised? Can anyone please answer the following
> questions:
>
> 1) Have you ever capsized your Potter (or come
> close), and what were the
> circumstances that led up to it?
>
> 2) Once the keel is down, will I be able to walk
> forward to tend to the
> jib etc. or is this a bad idea? (I weigh about 250
> lb.). If you
> can't walk forward, how do you tend to anchor,
> jib etc.?
>
> 3) If you can walk forward, is there a special
> way to place
> feet and weight to prevent capsize?
>
> 4) What parts of the cabin are strong enough
> to bear the
> weight of standing on them? (Cabin rook,
> sliding cover to
> cabin opening?)
>
> Any experiences you could share with me would be
> helpful. I still
> want to believe in the Potter, but my confidence is
> shaken.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> Jeff Goller
>
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