Bow Anchoring a P-15 from the cockpit
JanLinWes@aol.com
Thu, 5 Aug 1999 15:09:10 EDT
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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As stated by several Potterers already, anchoring a P-15 from a stern cleat
works fine, esp. if there are no heavy seas. Just in case anchoring from the
bow would be preferable in a given situation, I have a method of switching
from stern cleat to bow. I have a starboard spring line for docking, which
runs from a point near the bow (have variously used towing eye, pulpit
support, or bow cleat) outside the shrouds, to the starboard cockpit rail
where it's loosely tied while sailing. Anchor and rode are kept in footwell
of cabin. After anchoring off the starboard stern cleat, if I want to switch
to bow, I tie a loop in the inboard part of the rode [bitter end remains
secured] attach the spring line's loop to rode's loop with a carabiner (like
used for rock climbing), then uncleat rode from stern, allow boat to swing,
and take care to keep the portion of the rode that goes from the
now-underwater carabiner to the boat, loose enough so that force is taken on
the spring line. Should the spring line or carabiner fail for some reason,
the rode's inboard end is still attached to the boat.
Haven't really needed to use this, have just experimented with it for fun.
The Potter sure liked to sail around on its anchor, when anchored off the bow
this way. That might be another reason to anchor off the stern.
Jan Lindstrom, with Bob Wester
P-15 #1804 "Dauntless"
Marquette MI