Re: New Potter experience

jbwantz (jbwantz@gateway.net)
Wed, 3 Nov 1999 22:22:13 -0500


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Curt, it was nice to hear your experience of your new Potter, and your
approach to sailing. I've read sailing adventure books all my life and have
less than half a dozen actual sailing times myself. Last month something
finally drove me to research boats and find something I could use to learn
to sail, easily transport, share with my family, and get a taste of the
cruising life. So...I ordered a P19 with all the bells and options.(and got
my my wife and young son to help with the selection) The price allowed me to
do this. The Potter is the best deal in the market, suited to my needs and
fears as a complete rookie to the sport.

Thanks to your message and those of many of the rest of you who share your
passion and love of sailing these little wonders. I can't wait to get mine.
It's due near the end of the month. In the meantime I'll just continue to
cruise the Potter sites on the Web and check this mail list.

John Wantz....Indianapolis
-----Original Message-----
From: Curt Westlake <cwestlake@k-w-b.com>
To: Potter List <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 5:37 PM
Subject: New Potter experience

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> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>Here is a late post to the New Potter thread of last week.
>
>I took delivery of WWP 19 #1096 in early May of this year. She showed
>up in generally fine shape on the truck. The boat was set up pretty well
>for the cross country trek to South Carolina. Even though I am a
>diehard Potter supporter, and was generally pleased with my purchase
>experience, let me start off with the negatives. As best as I can
>recollect here were the problems:
>
>IM forgot to put on the alternator that I ordered for battery charging.
>IM put one set of window ports on instead of the two I ordered.
>There were two spots where the gelcoat finish was suspect (on a corner
>of the sink and on a spot on the floor of the cockpit.
>I did not receive any information on the Mast Raising System. Thanks to
>Eric Pedersen's website I figured it out.
>The carpet on one of the trailer bunks was burned in a 3 by 8 inch
>section. I have no idea how this could have happened.
>The wood in the rudder was swollen making the kick-up rudder
>non-functional. I had to shave it down a little bit, and it works fine
>now.
>Generally, the rigging instructions very inadequate. And, as we found
>out later, the mainsheet rigging instructions are wrong. For a first
>time sailor, this was very frustrating. But I suppose old timers feel
>this is just a rite of passage that we all must go through.
>
>
>On the plus side, the people at IM could not have been more
>accommodating about my problems. They took care of everything to my
>satisfaction without any hesitance. They have been fabulous in terms of
>after-the-sale service when I have had questions. They really want
>their customers to enjoy sailing and enjoy their Potters. I can't say
>enough nice things about Glen, Scott and Bruce.
>
>As a first time sailor, I have found it easy to rig and sail my Potter.
>I have a wife and two young daughters who leave all the work to me, so I
>essentially rig and sail single-handed with a couple of interested
>observers around to point out my shortcomings. After reading a couple
>of books on sailing (Bond's book, I can't remember the title and, of
>course, Sailing Illustrated) I went out and did a fine job of sailing my
>first time out. No harrowing adventures for me thank goodness. I find
>that I learn something new every time out. I mostly do lake sailing, but
>I have been out in some stiff winds around here and down on the coast,
>and I have never felt that the boat was in danger of capsizing.
>
>The net of all of my experiences is that I love my boat. I am
>comfortable sailing it. It is extraordinarily functional. If I had to
>do it all over again, there is not doubt I would make exactly the same
>decision I made last spring. Anyone out there trying to find a
>functional trailer sailor that can comfortably handle a family of four
>for a day sail or weekend should go no further than the Potter.
>
>WWP 19 #1096
>
>Curt Westlake
>Greenville, SC
>
>