Re: My day on the Bay

CyrusWD@aol.com
Mon, 11 Oct 1999 02:06:17 EDT


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

Thank you for sharing your experiences. It reminds me of some of my
adventures when I first got my P-15 #629 back in the early 80's. They were
published in the Potter Yachter under the name of Cy Eaton.

If you are open, I would like to offer some suggestions. During the 17 years
I have had my boat, there were times I had no motor. It was a powerful
experience because it really taught me about tides and currents. Up in the
San Juan Islands, we have a current atlas that shows us in detail the
direction and strength of the current every hour. For a Potter that has a
hull speed that is less that currents in SF, this is a must know (knowing
tides and currents). So when I go sailing, I study the current atlas and go
with the flow sort to speak.

I strongly suggest learning how to use your charts and to plot your position.
Only use the gadgets as a back up. Let me explain. They can fail and will
when you might need them the most.

Back in 1981, I learned using the sexton to plot my position in blue water
sailing. My teacher was clear that he wanted us to learn the "old way."
This meant taking sights and figuring out the position using math and tables.
Down in Mexico I was hired to help bring up a 91 ft. motor sailer back to
the States. I walked aboard with my sexton and tables and the captain
laughed at me. "Throw it away. We got it all the latest in terms of
navigation equipment." On the way up the generators over charged and burned
out all the navigation equipment. All that was left was my sexton and
tables. So I became the navigator and plotted our course back to the states
within five miles. When I was getting off, the captain said that never again
would he laugh at someone bringing aboard "the old way of navigating."

You have some excellent sailors in the Potter Club of your area who can teach
you much. Maybe they can offer a class to the new comers. The Potter 15 is
a wonderful boat. I am planning to rebuild mine and have it ready for the
next season.

Cyrus Wind Dancer
Bellingham, WA #629