Re: Just Curious?

SR500F@aol.com
Mon, 29 Mar 1999 02:36:57 EST


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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In a message dated 3/28/99 11:35:27 PM Pacific Standard Time, SR500F writes:

> Farallons? Golden Gate? Cripes!, It was blowing hard enough on the Bay on
> Saturday that we ventured out the Redwood City channel only under reefed
main
> and jib. When we rounded the end of Bair Island and starting smacking into
> the chop of the Bay proper, heeled over, spray flying..... We probably could
> have continued under reefed main alone, but , frankly, I'm 46 years old, I
> have limited stamina, and the boat is a more capable sailor than I am. It
> could probably go to the Farallons but it will have to do so without me when
> it's blowing like it did on Saturday (I'm a lousy estimator of wind speed,
> but I'd guess it was blowing 20-30 knots, maybe one of the others who were
> there can give a more accurate number). My entire upper body is still sore
> from wrestilng with the sheets, and we were only out a few hours!
>
> Regarding your inquiry about sea anchors, I have a homemade drogue that
I've
> never used. It consists of an 8 lb. mushroom anchor that fits insde a
plastic
> "rocker stopper", a piece of plastic shaped a lot like a witches hat about
18"
> in diameter. The "rocker stoppers" are designed to be deployed over the
side
> of big boats to reduce motion when tied up or anchored. I've read that on a
> boat the size of a Potter a sturdy bucket will work as a drogue. Robert
Manry,
> I believe, removed the rudder on _Tinkerbelle_ at night and let her drift
> against a canvas bucket. Stanley Smith used a drogue made of an old car tire
> weighted down with concrete on his sail to Sweden.
>
> I think bad weather would send me looking for shelter, under power if need
> be, before I set out a drogue. Where we sail there is always a lee shore
> nearby. Letting the boat drift is a more practical tactic for ocean sailors
> with lots of sea room. I plan to use the drogue for lunch breaks or a nap
in
> the sun on a quiet day.
>
> If you're coming through the Bay Area on your way back to Colorado, let us
> locals know so we can ogle and envy your new boat!
>
> Dave Kautz
> P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
> Palo Alto, CA
>
>
>
> n a message dated 3/28/99 9:22:52 PM Pacific Standard Time,
spooner@gateway.
> net writes:
>
> > gain, I've been lurking on the group for awhile now with an
> > ocasional question now and then and there seem to be alot of potter
> > sailors in the bay area but I never hear much about sailing out past the
> > golden gate or to the Farallons, do any of you ever take your boats out
> > there? Are you even allowed out there since it is a NWR I never hear
> > anyone talk about storm anchors either.(I rode out a huge storm off
> > Nantucket with a storm anchor when I was a teenager in a 17' Boston
> > Whaler) I read Bills Combs accout of his Bahama cruise and he said he
> > sprung for an epirb but didn't mention a storm anchor. I don't have my
> > potter yet but it would seem to me with a storm anchor one could take on
> > some big stuff! BTW I'm picking up my boat next tuesday in LA!!! Can't
> > wait!!!
> > John still boatless in CO....Thanks again!
>

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From: SR500F@aol.com
Return-path: <SR500F@aol.com>
To: spooner@gateway.net
Subject: Re: Just Curious?
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 02:35:27 EST
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Farallons? Golden Gate? Cripes!, It was blowing hard enough on the Bay on
Saturday that we ventured out the Redwood City channel only under reefed main
and jib. When we rounded the end of Bair Island and starting smacking into the
chop of the Bay proper, heeled over, spray flying..... We probably could have
continued under reefed main alone, but , frankly, I'm 46 years old, I have
limited stamina, and the boat is a more capable sailor than I am. It could
probably go to the Farallons but it will have to do so without me when it's
blowing like it did on Saturday (I'm a lousy estimator of wind speed, but I'd
guess it was blowing 20-30 knots, maybe one of the others who were there can
give a more accurate number). My entire upper body is still sore from
wrestilng with the sheets, and we were only out a few hours!

Regarding your inquiry about sea anchors, I have a homemade drogue that I've
never used. It consists of an 8 lb. mushroom anchor that fits insde a plastic
"rocker stopper", a piece of plastic shaped a lot like a witches hat about 18"
in diameter. The "rocker stoppers" are designed to be deployed over the side
of big boats to reduce motion when tied up or anchored. I've read that on a
boat the size of a Potter a sturdy bucket will work as a drogue. Robert Manry,
I believe, removed the rudder on _Tinkerbelle_ at night and let her drift
against a canvas bucket. Stanley Smith used a drogue made of an old car tire
weighted down with concrete on his sail to Sweden.

I think bad weather would send me looking for shelter, under power if need be,
before I set out a drogue. Where we sail there is always a lee shore nearby.
Letting the boat drift is a more practical tactic for ocean sailors with lots
of sea room. I plan to use the drogue for lunch breaks or a nap in the sun on
a quiet day.

If you're coming through the Bay Area on your way back to Colorado, let us
locals know so we can ogle and envy your new boat!

Dave Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA

n a message dated 3/28/99 9:22:52 PM Pacific Standard Time,
spooner@gateway.net writes:

> gain, I've been lurking on the group for awhile now with an
> ocasional question now and then and there seem to be alot of potter
> sailors in the bay area but I never hear much about sailing out past the
> golden gate or to the Farallons, do any of you ever take your boats out
> there? Are you even allowed out there since it is a NWR I never hear
> anyone talk about storm anchors either.(I rode out a huge storm off
> Nantucket with a storm anchor when I was a teenager in a 17' Boston
> Whaler) I read Bills Combs accout of his Bahama cruise and he said he
> sprung for an epirb but didn't mention a storm anchor. I don't have my
> potter yet but it would seem to me with a storm anchor one could take on
> some big stuff! BTW I'm picking up my boat next tuesday in LA!!! Can't
> wait!!!
> John still boatless in CO....Thanks again!

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