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> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>
>In a message dated 8/21/98 4:11:00 AM, djones@turbotek.net writes:
>
>>When I sail my Potter close hauled, I always get scared at around 15
degrees
>>of heel and try to fall off. Am I being overly cautious? I have sailed
>>a number of rounded bottomed boats that never seem to go over (barring
>>a wave and a gust) but I'm not familiar with the more flat bottomed
Potter.
>> I love to hear any "heeling" stories.
>
>Dear Doug:
> Being one of the guys who rather stupidly turned turtle in his P-15, I
would
>suggest that the degree of heel is not as important as keeping your weight
low
>in the boat. A very small amount of heel can be a big problem if you are
>standing up in the boat. Everyone in the Web gang seems to have an
>understanding of physics (I flunked the course back in 1954) but my seat of
>the pant sailing experience is that when sailing a 15 foot dinghy, you
better
>not stand up in the boat. I suspect that my advice is worth 5 degrees of
heel.
>Nonetheless, like you I get goosey at about 15 degrees.
>Richard S. Karam
>Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
>Former P-15 sailor w/ seller's remorse
>