> I am looking for all the information on the Potter 19 I can find. I am
> especially interested in how the boat handles in heavy weather, sail
> controls, single handed operations, and if everyone is satisfied with
> their boats. I am interested in purchasing one in the future to replace
> my O'day daysailer. I would like something that I can spend the weekend
> on and still be able to tow it easily. So far everything that I am
> looking for is found in the Potter 19. Thank you.
>
> George Rusho
> Nashville, Tennessee
Hi George.
Here's my $0.02.
I own a 1985 P-19 and sail on San Francisco Bay. Out here, the P-19 is a
well respected trailer-sailor, regarded as a "chunky, tough boat", quite
capable of handling San Francisco Bay's legendary 25-45 mph summer winds and
legendary chop. They're manufactured in southern California, so we have quite
a few of them out here. At the marina that I used to dry-store the boat in,
there were about half dozen of them, with an equal number of the smaller
version, the P-15. In our club, the Potter's Yachter's, we have one or two
brand new boats a month joining up and new-used boats joining all the time.
One of the interesting things about the P-19 is its growing popularity. A
used P-19 will sell for more than a Santana 22 in comparable condition around
here. In fact, it will go for more than any other trailer-sailor in its size
range except a Flicka. That may be just due to supply and demand (there are
more Santana 22's around than P-19s), but that may not be the whole story.
I'd like to think it's because people prefer the ease of
trailering/launching/rigging/storage AND the safety of the P-19 for Bay and
lake sailing.
Like any boat, the P-19 is a compromise between features. It is a very
successful compromise, if it fits your intended use.
You can't beat it for ease of rigging, launching, retreival and towing. It
will get you home safely in a big blow (45 mph), but it will pound a little (a
lot?) on square chop due to its hard chines and flat panels. It's a very
stable boat and doesn't heel very much when properly trimmed, even in 40 mph
wind if you reef to the second reef. It's high freeboard will keep you dry,
but cost you a little leeway in a big blow. The shallow draft and kick up
rudder are great for gunkholing and beaching. Like any boat, good sails make
a huge difference for performance (pointing, heeling, etc) in a big wind. If
you buy an older Potter with old sails and you plan to sail a lot in heavy
wind conditions, that could be an additional expense you may want to budget
for. However, there are many folks sailing with 10 or 15 year old sails that
are still in very good condition.
In a moderate wind (that's 20-30 mph here on SF Bay in the summer), the P-19
is a blast to sail. If you trim her sails right and set her on her lines at
10-15 degrees of heel, she'll do 6.5 knots in 25 mph of wind -- and you won't
scare the land lubbers out of their wits. You can drink wine in a glass
without spilling it all over yourself, which in my mind, is a major virtue on
a boat <grin> The P-19 is a not a pure displacement hull so she'll climb up
over her bow wave in a good wind. P-19's have a reputation for being slow,
but I think that's because a lot of beginners buy Potters for their reputation
as forgiving boats. Potters aren't slow, but Potters sailed by beginners are.
I don't consider it a blue water boat, although you can do blue water cruising
with it. The Potter I own was sailed single handed by her previous owner up
and down the West Coas from Washington State to Mexico. I wouldn't want to
do that, the cabin isn't really comfortable enough for extended cruising and
there are other boats that would be better choices for that. However, for
weekend cruises or a week on an inland lake, my husband and I can do quite
well. I personally wouldn't want to spend a week with four people on the
boat, but I know of some families that have done so. It works okay if the
weather is good and you can stay outside in the cockpit, but if all four of
you get stuck inside due to inclement weather, I think it would get a little
too cozy <grin>
If you get a new P-19, there are a few options that I consider a necessity for
heavy air/ocean sailing. The optional backstay is one of them (the factory
doesn't include one in their base model); you can either order it from the
factory or get one of Jerry Barrilleaux' backstay kits (cheaper and very
nice!) Two reefing points and slugs (the factory's capture "system") on the
mainsail are another. A vang too. Maybe a roller reefer for the headsail
(although some people prefer a jib-strike downhaul for performance reasons).
I'd also get the so-called "Baja" trailor option with trailer guides for a few
hundred bucks more than the standard trailer; the boat sits lower on this
style trailer for better trailering stability, easier launching and retreival,
and it fits through a standard garage door if you want to store it in your
garage. (Caulkins also makes a very nice trailer that does the same thing.
My husband, the landlubber, hated the original trailer for retrieval because
it just wan't set up right. IM has improved it since then. We could have
retro-upgraded it, but it was more cost-effective to just buy a new one from
the local Caulkins dealer)
The current builder, International Marine, builds a very nice boat for the
money. The design of the cabin on the new P-19's by IM is nicer than on my
older one. The lines and sail controls are adequate as it comes from the
factory, but like most production boats, you may want to run more lines aft if
you plan to singlehand it.
For more info on the P-19 go to the "Potter's Yachters" website, the northern
California Potter club. Or the "East Coast Potter's Association." Both of
these sites have links to many other good Potter websites.
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/index.htm
http://songbird.com/potter_yachter/
Hope this helps. If you have anymore questions, please email me.
Judith Blumhorst, DC
HMS18/P19 Fleet Cap'n, Potters Yachters
1985 WWP19 #266 Redwing
(Rigged so a petite woman can solo)
Sailing on SF Bay, CA
(5-35 knot winds, 2-4' chop, 2-6' swells, and currents up to 6 knots)
Visit <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/jblumhorst/HomePage/index.htm">Judy B's
West Wight Potter Pages</A>
and <A HREF="http://songbird.com/potter_yachter/">The Official Web Site of the
Potter Yachters</A>