"Starter" Sailboat

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by sunnypm

OK, so I offered $5000 plus a week at our beach house for the 19' West Wight Potter. If she takes the offer, I'll be asking for help about the mast and rigging the sail. I did find the manual online, so that should help. In the mean time I'm still looking at others. Thanks again for all the advice!

If they do accept your offer I think you'll be getting a good deal if there aren't too many parts and pieces missing.

I will be more than happy to help with advice and hints to make your sailing experiences on the WWP more enjoyable.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Showsea

I'm only flexible when it pays me to be lol! But thanks. I completely agree, the key to me is to buy the least amount of project you can afford. C-27's btw are bigger but the 25's are faster especially the tall rig.

I was looking at both and noticed that the 25 had a longer waterline.

[Showsea]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

I was looking at both and noticed that the 25 had a longer waterline.

Yes it does which makes it faster because it is lighter. If you are club racing you even get a handicap for having the 25... crazy but true.

[campuscab]

Showcases had a good point about buying the least amount of project. To start you want to be out on the water. I am cheap so I am always getting projects. It can get old. I have three cars in my driveway now so no sailing this week for me. I am looking for a boat now and I have been looking at boats that are clean and ready to go. In the fall I do not mind taking on project if the price is right.

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[sunnypm]

Well back to square one. Offer on West Wight Potter 19 was not taken. Also looking at a Seaward 17, though I don't know if it would be good for coast sailing.

From Murrells Inlet, SC, we'd like to be able to do weekenders. Of course we could trailer to Georgetown Harbor, Southport, NC. We also looked at a 21' AMF, but it was going to be a project, and definitely just want to get on the water.

Anyone here have something for sale to newbies? 300 miles from Myrtle Beach is about as far as I want to travel for one, closer hopefully.

[sunnypm]

Well, we're taking the plunge with a West Wight Potter 19', and seller is delivering it Sunday. Can anyone explain what the "Premium Blue Water Lay-up" does? Is it better paint on bottom for salt water, or just cosmetic. Now to see if it will fit in our garage. Mostly worried about the height, and not sure if the mast can be tucked lower for storage.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by sunnypm

Well, we're taking the plunge with a West Wight Potter 19', and seller is delivering it Sunday. Can anyone explain what the "Premium Blue Water Lay-up" does? Is it better paint on bottom for salt water, or just cosmetic. Now to see if it will fit in our garage. Mostly worried about the height, and not sure if the mast can be tucked lower for storage.

Let me Google that for you - LOL.

West Wight Potter :: premium

Looks like a $2,000 better equipment list - not paint. Compare "Premium" to "Select" packages.

Congrats on the boat!

[sunnypm]

@ex-calif, I was hoping "Blue Water" meant the premium level, but was afraid buyers could just add on ala carte to the standard features. This one has a 5hp Nissan outboard with it, and also a small bimini.
We have company coming Wednesday, from Sweden, who have been avid sailors for many years and we hope to get some pointers from them. They have an Arcona, that they sail the Baltic Sea on.

[campuscab]

Congrats, great boat you will have a blast on it.

Sent from my Huawei Y301A1 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SkiprJohn]

Congratulations!

Yes, the bluewater thing is good. The bimini is nice.

The mast sets on a crutch attached to the gudgeons where the rudder goes when you are trailering. The mast lays in the mast step for transport and the mast foot sets in the forward chainplate. You can lower that arrangement for the garage by lifting it off the crutch and laying the mast on the side deck.

The boat sometimes comes with a kickup style rudder and a straight rudder. For gunkholing (shallow water) the kickup is a nice feature. The straight rudder is great for deeper water and going faster to weather. Make certain you have a way to secure the rudder in the gudgeons. Sometimes a pin through the top pintle or just take a shore piece of line and tie it in place. You don't want the rudder to jump off the boat.

Our WWP was donated to the club and came with a spinnaker, genoa, lapper and working jib. Start out using the working jib unless you have experienced crew with you.

As you raise the mast keep checking to see that none of the shrouds and stays are hooked around things on deck and preventing the mast from going up easily. It's pretty easy to raise the mast with a tall person stradling the cockpit and pushing up as high as possible and a shorter person pulling forward on the forestay. They sometimes have a kit set up for mast raising by one person. If you want to make one let me know I can send pictures of ours.

Best of luck and happy sailing.

[sunnypm]

@Skipper John...that was a relief about lowering the mast to fit in our garage. My only worry, was height. Thanks for all the advice on the Potter!

[sunnypm]

Thanks, I'd appreciate any photos of self mast raising, and any other tips to rig the Potter quicker and more efficiently. We bought the blue layup 19" WWP, and sailed it yesterday for the first time. We had Swedish friends visiting who have sailed many years, and they were extremely helpful. Our mast is pinned by two thick cotter pins, but it seems like there should be something better? And are there any easier pins to use on stays etc. without using the key ring style locks...maybe something like the quick pin for the jib? Disappointed with the 5hp Nissan outboard, as we couldn't get it to idle correctly. We ended up sailing it directly from the dock near the boat ramp under wind power only.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by sunnypm

Thanks, I'd appreciate any photos of self mast raising,

Ex-Calif kinda suggested that you use Google. There have been so many posts on different sailing forums about this that you are sure to find one. But on our C22 we regularly raised it with the two of us. Sometimes investing in A frames is simply never necessary.

Take it step-by-step first.

Congratulations.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by sunnypm

Thanks, I'd appreciate any photos of self mast raising, and any other tips to rig the Potter quicker and more efficiently. We bought the blue layup 19" WWP, and sailed it yesterday for the first time. We had Swedish friends visiting who have sailed many years, and they were extremely helpful. Our mast is pinned by two thick cotter pins, but it seems like there should be something better? And are there any easier pins to use on stays etc. without using the key ring style locks...maybe something like the quick pin for the jib? Disappointed with the 5hp Nissan outboard, as we couldn't get it to idle correctly. We ended up sailing it directly from the dock near the boat ramp under wind power only.

Here is a video about self raising the mast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIXH9jos-cI

My experience on small outboards is they need lots of care. I tune mine up every 4-6 months regardless of how much use it got. Spark plug gaps, fuel filter, check all wires for tightness, eliminate and signs of corrosion.

[sunnypm]

If this picture comes through it shows our WWP 19' garaged along with our parrot head golf cart. We went out on the Inter Coastal Waterway today, just to test out the 4 hp Mercury. My preference is to steer with the rudder, and leave the outboard locked straight. As soon as I get replacement pins for the mast, we'll be sailing in this wide area of ICW.