RE:p15 results cruiser challenge

hlg@pacbell.net
Wed, 10 Nov 1999 11:09:04 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>So was the reason the Montgomery 15 won due to it having a 125% Genoa
>compared to the 50% storm jibs of the p15's. I noticed for the big boat race
>that Jerry won using a 110% Lapper over an Mont.17 and P19 with 150%
>Genoa's. How would inquisitive minds come to a conclusion regarding these
>descrepidating (that word almost broke my spellchecker) facts!
>
>Dave L.

Dave Kautz's answer pretty much tells the tale. It appears that the
skipper's experience and luck of the wind made more difference than the
type of boat or sail area. My 1967 lateen rigged P14, with less than 80 sq
ft of sail, was 4th in the 15 ft class, and 3rd among P15s. It finished
ahead of four P19s, which had a 5-minute head start. It was my first
opportunity to compare the lateen performance with the sloops in an actual
(declared) race.

I was right at the starting line when the go whistle sounded and was so
proud of myself that I forgot to sail the boat and found that P15ers Todd
Barrilleaux and Bruce Hood were way out in front and I was dicing with Dave
Kautz and Bill Boyer. Dave Kautz got in front of me and stayed there, and I
managed to move in front of Bill's beautiful yellow P15, Lil. We seemed to
be closing on the big-boat fleet. I could see the tanbark sails of Judy's
P19 "Redwing." Incredibly, Redwing looked like she was parked. I wondered
if she had grounded or had just run out of wind. As we know now, she was
more or less in irons, as Judy and Dave were learning how to come about
with their brand new genoa.

I had a couple of unique advantages with the lateen rig, both related to
having only one sail. I find I can detect and adjust to wind shifts much
more easily, and my tacks are more precise with only one sail to attend.
That makes up for my own sloppy jib handling, but a good sloop driver will
beat me upwind in a P15, as my sparring partner, Dave Kautz, has been
demonstrating regularly of late.

Downwind, my advantage is that the entire sail area is in use all the time.
I don't have a jib being blanketed by a mainsail and don't have to struggle
with a whisker pole or hold just the right heading to keep the jib full.
Also I've read that a low-aspect-ratio sail like my Sunfish sail has an
advantage over a tall narrow rig off the wind. Dave Kautz, Bruce Hood, and
another boat were in a cluster well ahead of me near the left side of the
channel when I was running down the center. I had the CB mostly retracted,
which seemed safe enough in the relatively smooth water (not recommended
for P19s or rough water). I also eased the "vang" that pulls down on the
gooseneck, which allowed the boom to rise to rise 2 or 3 inches, putting a
belly in the sail, and I felt the boat accelerate. I may also have had more
wind out in the center because I was overtaking the other boats so quickly
that I felt I was going twice as fast, and I caught up with them right at
the downwind mark, just too late to get an overlap inside, and had to fall
in line behind them to head back upwind for the finish line.

Although I was single handed, old Manatee wasn't all that light. She weighs
over 100 lb more than the newer boats empty and was carrying 90 lb of
batteries, a 28 lb MinnKota, an 18 lb battery charger, plus weekend
stuff. I weigh 180.

I was a little vague about the last leg to the finish line, but I managed
to blunder across the line a little ahead of Bruce and Kathryn Hood (how
did that happen?), who had been far ahead for most of the race. I was still
behind Dave, so Manatee finished just out of the money.

The wind picked up and as Dave and I steamed back up the Estuary to the
marina, I suddenly realized, "Hey, we didn't do too lousy!" I got a big
grin on my face that lasted all the way back to the slip!

Most spectacular was Todd Barrilleaux, in Jerry's P14, Breezy, which was
second OVERALL at the upwind mark (behind his father, Jerry, in an HMS-18).
I'm told Todd had to stop to answer a call of nature on the downwind leg,
which reduced his lead considerably. Jerry sailed Breezy for many years
before he bought his HMS18, and he had it set up perfectly. Both Jerry and
Todd seem to be natural sailors, who always appear relaxed and casual while
leaving the rest of us in the dust. They make it look so easy.

Breezy was sans outboard, which should have helped downwind, but it was
faster upwind. Jerry believes the smaller, taller, nonoverlapping jib of
the Mk I P14 works better than the lapper used on the Mk II and later P15s.
Larry Costa had reached the same conclusion when he also had a P14 rigged
with Mk II main and Mk I jib. Breezy also has the mast raked back slightly,
which improves pointing.

Enough racing talk; we are Potterers, not racers, right? But, damn, that
was fun!

Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA