Kents private wwpotter archive : Sunken Potter

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It's ironic that my first contribution to the digest is made when the =
reason for joining was within a whisker of lying on the seabed. But then =
I am (possibly) one of the few Brit subscribers and we have had =
something of a hand in the invention of irony (and, I suppose, the dear =
old Potter!)

By way of background, I sail my Potter (1989 vintage and one of the last =
produce by the West Wight builders on the Isle of Wight) on the East =
coast of England (52.2N 1.5E). I keep her moored in a tidal creek called =
the Butley River which joins the River Ore which in turn empties into =
the North Sea about 5 miles from my mooring.

This past weekend (the one I had planned to take her out for the winter) =
an Atlantic depression rolled through and gave southerly force six on =
the 24th. On it's skirts however a little wave depression blasted =
through around midday raising the wind strength to 7 gusting 8. for two =
hours. The Potter remained on the mooring during this time, or so I =
thought.

What actually happened, so runs my theory, was the wind strength held =
the boat at 90 degrees to the river flow and as the waves mounted she =
broached, was overwhelmed and the eye on the mooring line slipped off =
the forward cleat and she was off upriver.=20

Come Monday I discovered the Potter stuck on the end of a jetty on her =
beam, held fast by a strong ebb flow. Without warning, whatever was =
holding her parted, and she was off at 4 knots towards the sea. I was =
able to catch her in a small rowing dingy and get a line on but couldn't =
drag her into shallow water. The Potter turned turtle eventually and by =
chance got stuck in an eddy at the confluence of the two rivers. The =
situation was saved by the appearance of ferry man Brian Rogers (God =
Bless him) in a powerful motor boat.

To return to Mike Stallings point about recovery of a swamped Potter I =
can tell you the following:

I lost almost all buoyancy (below cockpit flotation was not installed - =
confession!!) as the forward buoyancy compartment had taken in water. I =
would strongly suggest pressure testing this forward compartment for =
integrity.

With aft buoyancy installed I think you would stand a chance of getting =
the top of the centreboard case clear of the water level but you would =
need to ensure the efficiency of the non return valve in the cockpit =
drainer and have ideal weather conditions.=20

I was able to right her from the complete capsize position fairly easily =
but, with so much water on board, she was very unstable and went over =
again a couple of times before we got into shallow water.

We had to rely on beaching as the stern was not breaking the surface =
when upright. As soon as she grounded on the falling tide I was able to =
bail her out using a large bucket.

Weather conditions now were ideal - flat calm air temperature 55 F water =
temperature 40 F. The recovery would have been impossible if colder/ =
windier/ rougher - I was wet through and pretty exhausted by the end (5 =
hours later!).

Damage is limited to a snapped top section of mast and the sorry sight =
is now sitting on the trailer in my yard. I will report on the success =
of reviving a Yamaha Malta after 24hrs total immersion.

If there is a lesson here it is don't put yourselves in harms way - =
recovery in conditions that would cause a Potter to capsize would be =
impossible to manage unaided and a grisly experience with powered =
support.

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It's ironic that my first contribution = to the=20 digest is made when the reason for joining was within a whisker of lying = on the=20 seabed. But then I am (possibly) one of the few Brit subscribers and we = have had=20 something of a hand in the invention of irony (and, I suppose, the dear = old=20 Potter!)

By way of background, I sail my Potter = (1989=20 vintage and one of the last produce by the West Wight builders on the = Isle of=20 Wight) on the East coast of England (52.2N 1.5E). I keep her moored in a = tidal=20 creek called the Butley River which joins the River Ore which in turn = empties=20 into the North Sea about 5 miles from my mooring.

This past weekend (the one I had = planned to take=20 her out for the winter) an Atlantic depression rolled through and gave = southerly=20 force six on the 24th. On it's skirts however a little wave depression = blasted=20 through around midday raising the wind strength to 7 gusting 8. for two=20 hours. The Potter remained on the mooring during this time, or so I = thought.

What actually happened, so runs my = theory, was the=20 wind strength held the boat at 90 degrees to the river flow and as the = waves=20 mounted she broached, was overwhelmed and the eye on the mooring line = slipped=20 off the forward cleat and she was off upriver.

Come Monday I discovered the = Potter stuck on=20 the end of a jetty on her beam, held fast by a strong ebb flow. Without = warning,=20 whatever was holding her parted, and she was off at 4 knots towards = the=20 sea. I was able to catch her in a small rowing dingy and get a line on = but=20 couldn't drag her into shallow water. The Potter turned turtle = eventually=20 and by chance got stuck in an eddy at the confluence of the two rivers. = The=20 situation was saved by the appearance of ferry man Brian Rogers (God = Bless him)=20 in a powerful motor boat.

I lost almost all buoyancy (below = cockpit flotation=20 was not installed - confession!!) as the forward buoyancy = compartment had=20 taken in water. I would strongly suggest pressure testing this forward=20 compartment for integrity.

With aft buoyancy installed I think = you would=20 stand a chance of getting the top of the centreboard case clear of = the=20 water level but you would need to ensure the efficiency of the non = return valve=20 in the cockpit drainer and have ideal weather conditions.

I was able to right her from the = complete capsize=20 position fairly easily but, with so much water on board, she was very = unstable=20 and went over again a couple of times before we got into shallow=20 water.

We had to rely on beaching as the stern = was not=20 breaking the surface when upright. As soon as she grounded on the = falling tide I=20 was able to bail her out using a large bucket.

Weather conditions now were ideal - = flat calm air=20 temperature 55 F water temperature 40 F. The recovery would have been = impossible=20 if colder/ windier/ rougher - I was wet through and pretty exhausted by = the end=20 (5 hours later!).

Damage is limited to a snapped top = section of mast=20 and the sorry sight is now sitting on the trailer in my yard. I will = report on=20 the success of reviving a Yamaha Malta after 24hrs total = immersion.

If there is a lesson here it is don't = put=20 yourselves in harms way - recovery in conditions that would cause a = Potter to=20 capsize would be impossible to manage unaided and a grisly experience = with=20 powered support.