I'm going to avoid giving you any specific advice as I have never sailed or
spent a night on a P-19. However, I think at least some of my experience with
the P-15 may be of interest to you, as I am 46 and married to a woman who is
tentative about sailing at best.
More than 90% of the use our boat sees is daysailing. With three teenagers in
the family, the chunks of time available for sailing come down to a few
hours here and there. You can't beat the P-15 for quick set-up and launch,
especially if you are solo. The 15 is a light and responsive boat, ballasted
mostly by it's occupants. While this makes it big fun to sail, I've found
that Francesca is sometimes startled by the sudden movements brought on by
gusts of wind or the wakes of other boats.
Francesca spent a night on the boat at Tahoe this summer. You can see some
pictures at http://potter-yachters.org/sails/tahoe1.html . Our boat is the
one with the brightly colored sail furled on the boom. I've just asked her
how she would describe it and she said it was pleasant. It is tight getting
situated but comfortable once in bed. She is also reminding me that it is
important to "travel light" since whatever is stored in the cabin during the
day has to be moved in order to use the bunks.
Francesca also has another pieces of advice, which I'm afraid is not too
flattering to me - Send your wife to sailing lessons, do not attempt to
teach her yourself!
That said, she's actually very capable with the boat, frequently steering and
handling the sails (and she has yet to go to a lesson). We've had many
wonderful times together on the boat, and made many new friends as a result
of our involvment with the Potter Yachters.
Merry Christmas,
Dave & Francesca Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA
In a message dated 12/25/99 11:32:43 AM Pacific Standard Time,
roblimo@slashdot.org writes:
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> I'm getting ready to buy a Potter; I've admired them for years; they're a
> close
> to a real (wood) boat as you can get in plastic, and I've sailed on several
> P-15s over the years a feel they're the best boat for a 47-year-old guy
who
> no
> longer has the time/stamina to maintain a proper wooden vessel.
>
> Now here's the problem: I'm married. If I buy a "no amenities" 15, I'm
> afraid
> my wife will never spend a night aboard with me. But I still like the
> classic
> lines and simplicity of the 15, and figure that in reality I/we will
mostly
> do
> daysailing and not spend a lot of nights on board.
>
> Has anyone else faced this problem? If so, how do non-sailing wives adapt
to
> a
> 15? Has anyone managed to make the cabin on one comfy enough to attract a
> citified female? Or should I just bite it and get a 19?
>
> Does anybody have pictured of a fancied-up 15 cabin? Or does anyone on this
> list within a reasonable distance of Columbia MD own one I could peek at?
>
> BTW, http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/ doesn't respond; seems to be a DNS
> problem. ;-)
>
> - Robin "roblimo" Miller