Re: capsize

Andrew Sallee (ajsallee@engin.umich.edu)
Sun, 11 Apr 1999 15:52:09 -0400


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hi Jack,
I think you'll find, if you stick around, that Potterers tend to be
fuss-budgets. Yes, it is possible to capsize a Potter, several of us have
done it. A few have even turtled a 15. As I recall from the last
discussion of this, no one has capsized a 19 with the board fastened down.
Again, nobody would claim it's impossible - just difficult.
Any sailing, in fact any boating, requires the exercise of personal
responsibility. I take being captain very seriously when I have crew
aboard. I've NEVER come close to capsizing Beatrix. There is a class of
sailor that would say I'm not sailing hard enough, but I'm happy. It is
perfectly feasible to sail either boat in a safe way - just remember that
they put all those lines on the sails for a reason.
Andy
Beatrix, P19-854
-----Original Message-----
From: MCRACKIN@aol.com <MCRACKIN@aol.com>
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Sunday, April 11, 1999 9:53 AM
Subject: capsize

>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>OK, you have just scared the #@out of me. One of the reasons i have been
>contemplating the Potter (15 & 19) is that i have been told that they are
>"practically" uncapsizable! i am a retired small man with a back problem.
i
>stopped sailing my 26' sloop because i couldn't raise the sails anymore
with
>my back injury. i have since been looking for a small easily sailable boat
>for day sailing in Plymouth Harbor and perhaps an occasional a trip to
>Provincetown. i wanted to teach my 6year old grandson the joys of
sailing.
>Capsizing is NOT a joy i wish to teach him. nor do i EVER want to be
dumped
>in a cold ocean. Please tell me -- is the Potter just another small sail
>boat, upside down as much as rightside up?
> the tide here is 9 plus feet. the beachability and shallow running of
the
>Potter was another reason i considered it. But if you have to lash the
>centerboard down it sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it?
>
> JackM
>