Re: P-15 Sailors Ahoy

From: Bruce Hood (bhood@sunset.net)
Date: Sun Jan 30 2000 - 22:59:27 PST


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Dennis: I have been sailing my P-15 since 1985. I have had one
180degree knockdown, boat on its side, water coming into cockpit,
Mast parallel to water.. My fault.. I had deliberately been sheeting
down the jib and the full mainsail tighter and tighter to test just how much
the boat would tolerate, was hit by a windburst that was probably 30kn or
more,and knocked flat. I was trying to learn what would knock the boat down.
This was on a January day in San Diego, outer Mission Bay.
I started to climb out on the high side in order to stand on the centerboard
to right the boat, and before I could stand on the board, the boat slowly
righted herself from my weight outside the rail.. and came back upright.I
boosted myself back into the water filled cockpit. The little cockpit
drain took several minutes to drain all the water out. I agree with Geoff,
Jerry Barrileaux and others, that the P-15 is a very forgiving and
seaworthy little boat, but it is a dinghy weighing only 500lbs or so,
and it is important to develop the necessary sailing experience to sail
in heavy winds. I think it is almost intuitive for most beginning sailors
to be able to see if the conditions are O.K. for them to sail in, having
sense enough not to go out if conditions are on the edge of their comfort
level.... then as ability and knowledge grow on "easy sailing"days, many will
then give the tougher days a brief try in calculated circumstances,
gradually working up to sailing in winds above 15-20mph. Early in the
days of my Potter sailing, about the fourth time I took her out, Kathryn
and I sailed out of Monterey harbor to look at the tall ship "Californian",
not realizing that it was blowing 20knots or more outside the breakwater.
I had not gotten reef points yet.. (didn't know what they were ) and found
myself letting go the main till it flogged furiously, sheeting it in a little
to
get a little movement on the boat, letting it out again, as the wind would
begin to crank the boat up on the leeward chine , scaring the daylights
out of me... ( Kathryn bravely feigning unconcern as she got out
our lifejackets...) We finally managed to get back into the windshadowed
safety of the inner harbor ( and next week got reefing points put in the
sails!). My point: The Potter's inherent stability had given me a chance
to quickly learn how to luff the main and de-power the boat.. Her design
had given us the bit of "forgiveness" we badly needed as such rank
beginners. Since then we've been out in some pretty high winds,and
the P-15 continues to get us home safely... (albeit sometimes with the
sails dropped and the motor driving us!) I remember a sail of a couple
of years ago at Brannan's Island on the delta, with Jerry Barrileaux,
Larry Costa, Greg Yu ( who had only recently gotten his P-15)
and we had some really fierce 30kn or more winds for several hours,
which we all safely sailed in on reefed main and jib.. very much a
tribute to the ability of the P-15 to stay right side up.
Cheers,
Bruce
Bruce Hood, P-15 Aillte, Sail no. 1246
Chico,CA



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