Sorry Bernie!...no problem!

Bernard Johnson (slithytove@earthlink.net)
Thu, 17 Jun 1999 17:48:13 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Ken, Please be assured thatI am not offended BUT I thought I had made it
abundantly clear that I too am NOT interested in speed!!!! I am interested
only in trying to make the boat less likely to dump. It is deceptively stable
up to about 440-45 degrees heel, but then when you have used up the value of
the chine you will wonder what happened. it reminds of when I needed to buy
new tires for my BSA Goldstar. I couldn't afford racing tires (well rounded
with the sipes extending well up the side wall), and I had to settle for
garden variety road tires. The bike was fine leaning to 35-40 degrees but on
leaning further the sharp corner on the edge of the tire would suddenly
collapse and instantaneously I would be leaning another 5-10 degrees. I became
extremely wary about it
especially in wet weather. The hard chine on the Potter is the exact
equivalent in that it reaches maximum stability at about 45 degrees at which
point the stability reduces. At that point the same amount of wind pressure is
going to very quickly increase the angle of heel, AND keep it going!!! I think
this accounts for the amazed reactions of people who dump their Potter..."I
was doing great and then I got a sudden gust....etc.etc." The sudden gust in
all probability did not exist, but the boat had eased over it's maximum
stability point.
I might point out that there is no such point on an Ensenada 20 (which in my
opinion is as well constructed as a Balboa 20, except a better design in that
it has a flush deck. -It looks very similar to a Cal 20 only better). The
Ensenada 20 is as steady as a rock and you couldn't make it oilcan with a
sledge hammer. ( To forestall the inevitable comments about why don't I get
one, the only reason is that it is too big to keep in my garage). I might add
also that a P15 was a bad second to my first preference..a Newport 16, the
only thing is the builder is out of business (yes, I double-checked!) and the
DMV wouldn't give me the address of the owner of one sitting in a local boat
storage. I still haven't given up on it though....
Like I said, I think the Potter is a cute little boat, but it is like an
attractive young women without any brains. I find it an interesting challenge
to overcome, and remedy what I (and apparently I am alone in this) perceive as
it's shortcomings. Again, to forestall comments about selling it and shutting
up, I ENJOY BRAINSTORMING AND CHANGING THINGS!!!! I am growing quite fond of
the recalcitrant little air head, and you can be sure I will bend her to my
will, and we will live happily ever after!
I hold to my comments regarding the hard chine no matter what power boat
designers do. Power boats are not expected to heel, they don't have sails. A
hard chine is a good thing in a POWER boat.
I am quite happy with my initial (and admittedly rough) calculations for the
efficacy of adding ballast. I show an increase in the righting moment at the
horizontal attitude of between 250% and 300%, depending on assumptions, and
amount of ballast (200# to 250#). That sounds like a deal to me........

happy life skills foundation wrote:

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> Ok, I wasn't trying to be so hard on you. but i find it difficult to get
> behind all this complaining/brainstorming about how to make the Potter
> into something else.
>
> I had a good friend years ago who souped up his VW Beetle. Tried to make
> it into a Porsche. Changed so much, replaced/"upgraded". All he ended up
> with was an extremely high-powered and DANGEROUS VW bug.
>