Potter 1, Power Boats 100

Jkzimm@aol.com
Fri, 26 Mar 1999 22:58:18 EST


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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I took today (Friday) off from work to put 'Wind Lass' (P15) into the water
for about the 6th time since I bought her last October. The weather report
promised sunshine, and I figured it would be a nice day to sail without the
weekend crowds of power boaters kicking up wakes in the narrow sloughs where I
sail.

I got to the launch ramp at 6 am, and was horrified to see large numbers of
power boaters lined up, waiting to get into the water. During the hour or so
I spent getting Wind Lass ready (I rig my Potter the way you age fine wine),
40 or 50 power boats must have launched. I think I counted well over a
hundred during the hours I spent on the water.

When I returned to the dock, someone asked what I had caught. Puzzled, I
asked what he meant. He responded: 'You mean you aren't taking part in the
fishing derby? It's a 3 day event that started today'.

No wonder today seemed like power boaters were everywhere. But I have to say,
all were very polite, courteous, and tolerant of my attempts to tack upwind
through the slough. And as you can guess, one Potter in the midst of so many
non-sailing craft draws a lot of attention and positive comments.

John Zimmerman
Suisun CA
P15 #2347 Wind Lass