Re: Ballast

Kent Crispin (kent@songbird.com)
Tue, 15 Jun 1999 21:36:11 -0700


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
On Tue, Jun 15, 1999 at 10:34:52PM -0500, John Berling wrote:
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Hmmmm.... Been following this ballast thread; now, let me see if I get
> this right:

I don't think so...

> 1. A major selling point for the Potter is its light weight, especially
> towing

Yes. However the weight of significantly useful ballast is a fairly
small percentage of the total weight of the boat, and would not
significantly affect the trailering. The weight of Potters varies
with vintage, anyway.

> 2. the only way to make an effective sailboat out of the Potter is to
> add weight

Potters sail just fine without adding weight. The extra weight being
talked about is either for 1) affecting the trim of the boat; or 2)
giving increased stability in fairly extrememe conditions. That is,
fine tuning to appease the obsessions of the owner.

> 3. The same weigh that makes effective ballast (in any material) weighs
> just as much on land, and on the trailer, as it does on the water.

Sure, however the amount of weight is not that big a deal.

-- 
Kent Crispin                               "Do good, and you'll be
kent@songbird.com                           lonesome." -- Mark Twain