Re: P-15 Flotation and Capsizing

From: hlg@pacbell.net
Date: Wed Apr 05 2000 - 13:44:31 PDT


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
        West Wight Potter Mailing List maintainer
                dfarrell@ridgecrest.ca.us
           List hosted by www.tscnet.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you are aware that your boat can turtle, you'll probably never let it happen. I've had my P14 for 30 years and it's never been turtled or swamped or taken water into the cockpit.

To learn what not to do, read the turtle tales on the Potter Yachters web site: http://potter-yachters.org/story/turtles.html

My suggestions for avoiding turning turtle in a P15:

1. Keep the mainsheet free so you can let it run when necessary, that is, don't let anybody sit on it. I use a "headknocker" cleat on the boom but keep the end in my hand so I can instantly uncleat the sheet and let it run.

2. Shorten sail if you find yourself heeling more than 10-12 degrees.

3. Don't carry more than two adults on a windy day.

4. When the wind is up and/or the sea is rough, tie down the centerboard and secure the hatch.

Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA

>All this talk about turtling, flooding, capsizing, etc is making me worry.
>How likely is it that one will actually capsize or turtle one's P-15?
>Coming from a Thistle, capsizing was a common occurrence, although easily
>remedied. How many of you have actually had to deal with this in a P-15?
>
>Eric Henry
>P-15 Perrito
>Trevorton PA



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Apr 30 2000 - 03:27:09 PDT