P-15: Headknocker vs Fiddleblock

Sukoshi1044@aol.com
Mon, 27 Sep 1999 23:08:03 EDT


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Yo Potter People:

Took Sukoshi out yesterday on nearby Lake Lowell which is a shallow lake fed
by irrigation canal. It stores water and then is redistributed in additional
canals. This was probably our last sail for the season as the lake is also a
wildlife refuge and closes at the end of September. The wind was around
15-20 with gusts to 30 according to the weather guessers. Whitecaps with a
2' chop. We were nearly the only boat on the entire lake, it was great! The
boat handled beautifully and was always under control with unreefed main and
standard jib. The only problem we had was the placement of the mainsheet
cleat. Singlehanding would not be a problem but with two aboard in such a
small cockpit and trying to stay forward for trim, the bridgedeck location
just doesn't work. I know many have used a fiddleblock at the stern, in fact
Sukoshi was rigged this way when we bought her. The fiddleblock was a big
polished stainless Garhauer unit without bearings that must weigh over a
pound in itself. Pretty but overkill so I went back to the 'stock'
configuration with a Harken ratchamatic and swivel camcleat mounted on the
bridgedeck. In the Potter Yachter rig variant pix section 'Popeye' uses a
headknocker on a lateen rig. I would anticipate replacing the forward block
in the standard configuration with a Harken 140 'headknocker'. I'd like to
hear comments from anyone using a 'headknocker' and how it works on a
standard rig P-15. I also have a question for those using the fiddleblock
set up: In a worst case situation with the mainsheet free and the boat
<hopefully> headed into the wind; how much does the fiddle block thrash
around? Does it hit the tiller and destroy the finish or worse yet, does it
hit you while starting your outboard? These are the reasons I'm reluctant to
reinstall same, even with a lighter fiddleblock.

Bill de Ment P-15 #1044 'Sukoshi'
Eagle, Idaho