Mine had a screw in plug on the bottom of the center skeg which drained the
boats bilges quite well. One thing to remember is the load on the trailer
from the water is the difference between the water level inside the boat and
the water outside. Jim, help me out here: A cubic foot of water weighs
62.4 lb. or more (depending on the salinity). If we consider a P15 as
stretched pentagon, the maximum cross-sectional area is approximately 62
square feet. Therefore, for every inch of water difference, the load on the
trailer increases by 322 lb..
Richard Dickerson, Ph.D., DABT
Associate Professor, TIEHH and
Department of Pharmacology
Texas Tech Medical Campus
3601 4th Street
Lubbock Texas 79430
806 743 2425 xt 232
806 743 2744 fax
> ----------
> From: Robert Skinner
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 1:24 PM
> To: Jim Nolan
> Cc: wwpotter@tscnet.com; ECPA
> Subject: Re: Unidentified subject! - flotation
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Mailing List maintainer
> dfarrell@ridgecrest.ca.us
> List hosted by www.tscnet.com
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> As I carry a big battery, generator, etc. heavy gear in Little Dipper
> for overnight trips, I am concerned with the possibility of her
> sinking if holed, capsized, or broached, and with a way to get water
> out of the cabin, should I be knocked down when the hatch is open,
> etc. A sealable (gasketed) main hatch cockpit door would allow the
> cabin to be pumped out from the top of the roof, albeit slowly, even
> if the water level were up to the windows. You would have to caulk up
> the centerboard trunk to keep water from flowing in there, but this is
> possible with rags, etc. But if the hatch and CB trunk cannot be
> sealed, you will require a tow to the shore.
>
> In addition to modifying the hatch, I am also toying with the idea of
> using something like the auto-inflating mechanism of a life jacket
> mounted on the inside of the cabin roof. I have not heard of anything
> like this being on the market, but I'd buy one or two in a flash. To
> me, they would be as essential as a ballistic parachute on a hang
> glider. One major downside: If it deployed when you were in the
> cabin, you might have to cut your way out. I _always_ carry a knife,
> but some don't.
>
> I note that at least one very checked-out sailor attempted to get IM
> to install a small gasketed bail-out hatch in the aft floor of the
> cockpit of the p15 he bought -- to no avail. Based on his advice, and
> Jim's dire analysis of the consequences of flooding, I am installing a
> bail-out port in the center of the cockpit floor adjacent to the
> scupper. BoatUS sells one with a transparent screw-in cover -- ideal
> for a quick check for water in the bilge.
>
> Note that with this installed (and opened after a flooding), you can
> s-l-o-w-l-y winch the potter up onto a trailer, allowing the water
> level time to drop between cranks. It will flow out of the cabin
> bilge into the cockpit, and from there out of the scupper. The last
> bit of water (below scupper level) may then be pumped out with your
> $20 2-lb manual plastic bilge pump.
>
> --
> Robert Skinner, Rockville, MD
> '87 Potter 15 HMS #1618 "Little Dipper"
>
> Jim Nolan wrote:
> > ... If you attempt to pull it up on the trailer
> > full of water you will strip the gears of the winch. If you pull it up
> on
> > the trailer full of water via a 4wd truck you will collapse the cross
> > members of the trailer. It is very difficult to get the water out from
> under
> > the cockpit with a bucket...
>
> > >From: "Bill and Linda Farris" <eaglesv@mwt.net>
> > >... The Potter 15 is advertised as unsinkable and is shown afloat with
> > >holes drilled through the hull. Why then is there so much discussion
> about
> > >adding additional flotation to them in the form of foam, inner tubes
> and
> > >air bags. Why is the additional floatation needed? There must be
> > >something I am missing here.
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Jan 31 2000 - 03:27:10 PST