>
> I'm trying to decide whether to get a Potter 15 or 19. The 15 would fit my
> sailing habits now, but the 19 would be something I would enjoy growing
> into. My questions to the group are these:
>
> 1. I've seen a Potter 19, but not a 15. What are the dimensions of the the
> 15's cockpit? We're a family of three.
>
> 2. What is a practical vehicle for towing a Potter 19. We have a Subaru
> Outback right now.
>
> Any and all opinions welcome.
>
> JET
>
Hi jet,
A P19 weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 1750-2000 pounds with the
trailer, battery, anchor and assorted gear. You'll have to check the tow
rating on your Subaru to see if it will handle that load safely.
Most mid-sized cars can pull a P19 on fairly flat terrain, with no problems,
but some have problems towing in mountains or on very hot days.
A few years ago, I used a 3.8L 1994 Ford Taurus with a towing capacity of
2000 pounds to tow a 1500 pound camping trailer with a 150 pound tongue
weight. I did just fine on mostly flat terrain. Once or twice on hot days it
overheated in the mountains. And once or twice it started to fishtail behind
the car as I came over the crest of a mountain and strong cross winds hit me
(and scared me to death.) Fortunately, the trailer had brakes and I could
manually activate them to stop the fishtailing. I learned to keep it down to
45 mph in windy mountains after those experiences.
With that story in mind, please consider two other things: you don't wan't to
be taking long trips towing a trailer that weighs more than your car,
especially if it gets windy or you have to slam on the brakes. Your car's
brakes and suspension may be the limiting factor in being able to tow a P19,
not your engine's horsepower.
Hope this helps,
Judy B