October 28, 2003
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WWPs
West Wight Potter people crack me up. They are usually pretty good-natured folks. In a boat this tiny, you have to leave your ego on the shore. (Or back in your garage, where you store the boat trailer.)
This guy posted some suggestions for trailer sailoring, which, although he wrote them for West Wight Potter owners, can actually apply to a number of different pocket cruisers with centerboards.
Potter P-14 and P-15 Safety Tips1. Keep the centerboard lashed down so that in the event of a capsize, the centerboard will stay down.
2. Don’t go on the foredeck when sailing alone.
3. If you are not comfortable with the weather, return to shore or stay ashore.
4. Keep the main sheet free unless you are very sure of the conditions.
5. Keep weight forward.
6. Have proper safety equipment – life jackets with whistles, flares, VHF radio.
7. Reef before you need to.
8. Have enough gas to return under power.
9. Let someone know where you will be sailing and when you will return.
10. Do not heel over beyond about 10 degrees. Nothing will be gained in terms of performance.
11. Watch out for other boats and navigational hazards.Sometimes the best map will not guide you
You can’t see what’s round the bend
Sometimes the road leads through dark places
Sometimes the darkness is your friendJimmy Buffett
(Although I don’t know if I agree with the not going up on foredeck suggestion. Sometimes you don’t have a choice. I mean, I’m not gonna leave the helm just to go sun myself. But sometimes you don’t have a choice. ex. jib sheets get stuck on shrouds or lifelines, etc. etc.)
One of the cool things about the West Wight Potter is its incredibly shallow draft. Since the centerboard can be raised, you can basically park this baby on the beach. (Not that it would stay there, with the tides and all, anyway.)
However, many people argue the retractable keel is not best for blue water sailing.
I totally admire this one family who refitted their Potter with a removable solar panel over the hatch.
Solar panel on the Pedersons’ WWP Necessity
from http://www.nutfarm.org/boatmods/solar.htmlThey made a bunch of other modifications which allowed them to cruise the Great Lakes in relative comfort.
Eric L. Pederson’s Necessity
Beached at the Apostle Islands
on Lake Superior
http://www.nutfarm.org/boat.html
