Potter 15 Help Needed

[tbodine88]

I have a 19, I bought the mast raising system, but don't use it. Once you have the mast in the mast step with the aft pin in, stand on the hatch, grab the mast with your strong arm and lift. Then while holding it up with one hand sit in front of it and slide the other pin in. Then Use the mast rasing system, basically a block and tackle giving four to one purchase, to bend the mast enough to attach the forstay. You are done.

I worried a lot about this when I first got the boat, used the mast raising system as designed a few times, but found the above method faster and easier. I have had her 16 years, no problems so far.

More info is available at : West Wight Potter Forum - Message Index


a 15's mast must be lighter than mine.

[advocate777]

I had a Potter 15. I made the seller spend 1.5 hours instructing me and I camcordered him as he explained. Was wondering why '10 minutes' was okay with you when you were paying good money to buy the boat? Me, I needed someone to show me before I drove away with it. I'm sure you will find another Potter owner who can show you the ropes. The good news: once you learn it its real simple. Enjoy the boat!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Sfkjeld

I have been on many forums back to the BBS days, mostly cars and guitars. Beginners are generally encouraged and other posters tend to be more than generous. Occasionally, there are snarky comments, like one comparing rigging to tent raising. Was that helpful? Yes, civility goes a long way.

Civility is a two way thing.......

No idea what the old people used to get up to on the Internet, but nowadays not having a thin skin is kinda useful.

I have the mast up, easy. But my boat has the single handling package with extra lines and cletes and blocks all over, most of which are no longer rigged. The boom vang is a mess. It is impossible to know where the lines are supposed to go without detailed photos.

In any case, I suspect this forum is too general to be helpful in this regard. I love the pic of the potter on the beach and the kid in the foreground. It is why I bought this boat. But as for helping me direct all the lines in the cockpit? Not helpful.

Thanks tho!

Likely the West Wight Owners Group forum is the place to ask , but failing that am pretty sure can google up enough pics and youtube to work things out for self, especially as you have a manual.

The approach I would use is one line (Halyard) at a time - my guess is that you only have two of those....and then when your pile of string (and blocks) is smaller things should be a bit clearer to puzzle out for the rest. Just be glad she ain't Gaff rigged!

A few pics of the boat and deck (and bits you have to play with) would help, either here or for the WW Owners Group.

If the mast has never been up before (fully rigged) quite possible you were not given all the bits needed!, or some additional bits that are not needed (or are spares).

[ohdrinkboy]

Originally Posted by Sfkjeld

"Please read the instruction manual and then ask questions here about what it says that you don't understand."

No, I am not going to learn how to set this boat up with question/answer on a web forum. The manual is written for sailors, not beginners. I need to see how the boat is rigged. Thanks tho!

your snarkyness came before the tent comment. good luck to you.

[Sfkjeld]

Thanks Boatman.... I was not clear about standing vs running rigging. I should have been.

I have reviewed the online and the actual Potter manual that came with the boat (which has the same production qualities as my 8th grade report on sharks written in 1967). And I have seen all the Youtubes on the subject. Nothing with enough detail to help. I did find a nice write up on rigging the boom tho, sans boom vang. If I had one for the mast, I think I'd be good.

[kmacdonald]

This is just common sense but I will post it for your benefit:

CHECK FOR POWER LINES BEFORE RAISING MAST!!!!!!

This also includes trees between the setup location and the ramp.

Good Luck

[sesmith]

You may find more help here.

West Wight Potter Forum - Message Index

[patn44]

I would strongly suggest that if you are completely new to sailing, get experience from others on their boats before you go out. Good friend of mine listening to others talk about sailing decided to buy a boat and go. He didn't know how to tack and did not come back....

[Sfkjeld]

I would strongly suggest that you look at the post dates before replying. My post is two years old. Sorry about your friend.

[David_Old_Jersey]

But to be fair, many lessons are timeless. Lol.

[SkiprJohn]

I came back to this thread since it was revised.

There is a lot of difference between the Potter 15 and 19 and the original post was about the 15. Many CF contributors sent in photos and you tube videos of the 19 which is different.

The original instructions that came with our 19 back in the 80s were obviously written for a beginner but I don't know what factory instructions are given now. I have a 15 too and it is very simple to rig but for someone who has never seen one rigged or ever rigged a boat it can be a bit confusing.

Sometimes snarkiness is a matter of perception. In what I read to my first response was that he didn't want to learn on this forum and said "Thanks tho." That's when I decided not to come back to it.