RE: Sailing with Keel Up?

Eric Johnson (ej@tx3.com)
Tue, 9 Mar 1999 15:42:45 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> I've never sailed a P19 so you're in a much better position to judge the
> feel of the boat in various conditions. I was going mainly by the
> experience of the newbies who sailed off a beach with the CB up and sails
> cleated and immediately turned over. The story is on the Potter Yachters
> web page, entitled "Tales of Turning Turtle." Please read it if
> you haven't
> already. <http://songbird.com/py/story/Turtles.html>
>
> On my P14, I sometimes pull up my CB part way to reduce drag on a run, but
> the P14 has a swing-up CB, which doesn't raise the CG as much as raising
> the P19 keel vertically.

You're 100% right, and thats why I said I wouldn't recommend it to others.
:) Its definitely only a tactic for:
1: extreme shoals or un-grounding (where I'd be inclined to drop or reduce
sail if there's much wind at all) or...
2: last iota of downwind speed in light air in a race at the expense of
safety -- A tactic when you're in "Judy" mode paying attention to everything
and not in "margarita and stogie" mode paying attention to nothing.

Apologies to Judy :)

- Eric Johnson, P19 #461 "Victoria", Bothell, WA