I don't think we can count on LH ever listening to owners about improvements
to the boats as he won't even listen to his production manager. Truth is we
will probably have to do the R&D ourselves out in the field.
The HMS-18 had a hole in the top of the cabin above the "retractable keel".
When you wanted (or needed) to raise the keel you would have to close the
top hatch, place the winch on the cabin top, lower the rope and hook it to
the keel, crank the keel up and pin it in place. Advantages to this system
is that when the keel is down the "wires" aren't there! Disadvantages are
obvious.
One of the first big Potters that I saw had an electric winch mounted to the
mast stanchion (down low) with a single cable that ran up the stanchion,
across the cabin top and down to the keel. This cable also had a hook which
would allow it to be retracted out of the way when not in use. Jerry has
mounted a hand (trailer) winch in about the same place on his '18 and, other
than having to leave the cockpit to raise and lower the keel, the system
seems to work fine.
What I would like to do is mount a 1/2" or 3/4" rod on the underside of the
cabin top that would act as a drum on which the cable could be wound. The
idea would be to have a removable crank (like a car jack) that I could
operate from the safety (I don't like being around cables under great
tension) of the cockpit. I would leave the cable (kevlar line?) hooked up
except when I was in the cabin and wanted it out of the way.
Left Coast Larry
>I love P19 but I hate daggerboard, dgrbrd trunk (well) and cables... Maybe
>when I get tired of dragging it everywhere around country I will buy a
fixed
>wing keel from a Capri 18 and do away with daggerboard, trunk and wiring...
>For now we put up with it because it is the feature that makes it
trailerable
>and shallow water able. No other small cabin sailboat seems able to do
that...
>
>I wish they moved that mast support to sides like Capri 18. That would add
>immensely to the enjoyment and maybe make playing aboard more pleasant...
It
>is definitely in the way. It makes that bow berth uncomfortable. I like
>sleeping with my wife next to me.