Re: P-15 Ballast

Gordon (hlg@pacbell.net)
Wed, 16 Jun 1999 08:15:08 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to drag out ol' Stanley again:

"I have always found the boat goes better, and performs properly, with
weight in the cabin. Never be afraid to load her with gear and equipment.
She was designed to carry masses of people and their gear. But do remember
she will be badly handicapped if this is placed too far aft. The forward
third of the lee chine must be allowed to do its job."

-Stanley Smith,
_October Potter_

In my experience, I find the Potter slows down as you add passengers mainly
because everyone rides in the cockpit, which weighs down the stern and
lifts the bow. Many years ago, when I hardly knew how to sail at all, and
had never raced, Manatee, starting from behind, beat about five other
gunter rigs or Mk I's in a casual race from the Alameda ramp upwind to Jack
London Square. My crew consisted of my wife (who wasn't feeling well)
reclining in the cabin with our two small children. My tacks had been
sloppy and too long, and I had no idea how I ended up in front of the pack.

Years later, in a more formal Potter Yachters regatta, I raced with my son
(probably about 100 lb at the time) as crew, riding on the foredeck. We
almost won the gunter class, but we were nosed out at the finish line by
another gunter rig. The skipper and crew of the winning gunter rig each
weighed at least 250 lb, and the crew was sitting on the foredeck with his
legs hanging over the bow.

I now have 90 lb of batteries positioned alongside the front of the CB
trunk, at the lowest part of the hull, which helps the stability and adds
some weight forward, but the CG is still probably too far aft for optimum
fore-and-aft trim.

On the other hand, in light air and/or downwind, lighter is generally
better, and I agree that any added ballast should be well secured.

Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA

>My experience is that the P-15 sails best when least lightly loaded - it
>always seems to perform better when I sail it alone. I like having crew, but
>it does seen to slow the boat down a little and with three people aboard she
>is slower still. Adding weight low and in the center will make for a more
>stable "platform" , less affected by those aboard, but it will be tough to
>convince me that additional weight will make the boat sail better.
>
>Now stepping off the soapbox......
>
>Dave Kautz
>P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
>Palo Alto, CA