West Wight Potter 14

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ssjpiv

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Just gone a bit mad and bought myself a West Wight Potter 14 for something to do over the winter months, I hope to have it on my mooring and use the flexibility of its shallow draft to catch a few hours sailing here and there over the winter months.

Has anyone ever had one of these? If so what size outboard do you use?

Also how are there sea keeping abilities do they tip over and if so do they float?

Thanks
 
My parents bought a West Wight Potter in the early 60's. I think that this was one of the early fibreglass ones, known as the "B Type". I think that we used a Seagull outboard but cannot remember whether it was a 40 or a Century.

As I remember it was quite stable. My brother and I preferred to sail a dinghy as the Potter was a bit staid for us at that time.

One interesting feature of this model that we had was that the cabin top could be removed to make an open boat. Unfortunately, we could never persuade our father to try this option out!

You do not say which model you have bought. If it is that same as ours then I can remember quite a lot of details of how they were originally set up if you are interested.
 
Originally would have used a Seagull Century + long shaft, but a modern 4hp would be fine. Check the transom height to the waterline. If around 15" it is a short shaft, 20" a long shaft.
 
West Wight Potter

I am not sure of the date/vintage.... sail number 133, alloy spars so was guessing early 80's.

A bit rough round the edges, has been painted badly at some stage but with a bit of tlc should be fun.

The other thing that led me to smiling is how easy they are to tow!! really feels like you are pulling very little.

I will be using it around the Wash and will probably pull it over to North Norfolk and explore the inlets that I can't in my Cinder 22.

I was hoping to go for a smaller outboard around the 2.5 hp if it would work as I used to sail a Skipper 17 and wrestling my 4hp mercury over the back was no joke.... also a smaller one can be used with my blow up tender.

I may well however look for a Seagull until i have saved enough.

Thanks
 
ssjpiv said:
...really feels like you are pulling very little.
Click to expand...

That really made me chuckle! It sounds just the thing to play with over winter or to go exploring by car any time. You can pop it in and out the water like a dinghy if that suits. Also, like a dinghy, I'd keep an eye out for a 2nd hand Tohatsu 3.5 2 stroke. Nice and light, good power output and the only downside against a new 4 stroke is the fuel consumption if you're going any distance.

Rob.
 
More wizardly than Harry Potter.

Perfectly magic is the West Wight Potter - my first cruiser, full kneeling headroom for one in the spacious forward cabin and aft cabins a plenty (outside). Had some lovely cruises in her. Once went up the Medway and moored along one of the old disused quays. Woke the next morning sat nicely in the mud at low tide surrounded by swans - and a few feet to our stern was a vertical iron girder sticking straight up out of the mud - that might have smarted if we had sat down on it.
WWP.jpg

Had her adequately powered - Seagull Kingfisher Long shaft and a 40 Featherweight auxiliary. Great wee sea boat - never gave me a moment's worry but much fun.
Happy pottering.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5
 
West Wight Potters have achieved some impressive passages, including transatlantic (I am sure I read about one) and transpacific (as per the link below).
Here is some info about them, from an American sailboat directory published in 1978.

WestWightPotter.jpg
 
rob2 said:
That really made me chuckle! It sounds just the thing to play with over winter or to go exploring by car any time. You can pop it in and out the water like a dinghy if that suits. Also, like a dinghy, I'd keep an eye out for a 2nd hand Tohatsu 3.5 2 stroke. Nice and light, good power output and the only downside against a new 4 stroke is the fuel consumption if you're going any distance.

Rob.
Click to expand...

+1
 
all I would say to creek crawlers is....

if you are going to be going up all sorts of creeks around the norfolk coast please consider buying a four stroke

really, the pollution from a two stroke is terrible

even the non seagulls

run one in a barrel for ten minutes and then ask yourself if you would be prepared to drink the water or even empty it onto your own lawn?

with a four stroke - no worries

using a tiny two stroke for the three minute dinghy trip to and from the mooring in a decent sized estuary is a different game from spending days in the upper reaches of some really sensitive environments

an air cooled engine is wonderful - if you are picking up a mooring then the stern will come out of the water

it is good to know that the engine wil not overheat

Dylan
 
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West Wight Potter

Thanks for the insight Dylan, the environmental impact is not something that I had considered but should have!!

How much would you think for a second hand air cooled?

Also, a more general maitainence issue, as mentioned the hull has been painted but this paint is now peeling off in a few places, should I try to get it all off or just the loose stiff and paint over?

What product is useful if it all needs to come off?

Thanks
 
You don't say if it's wood or grp. If it's wood you really need to strip it and deal with any soft bits, let it dry and then epoxy coat it. Then repaint it.
If it's grp you really only need to patch paint it unless you want to make a proper job of it.
 
WW Potter

Is GRP..... Not bothered about making an amazing job of it just something to brighten it up a bit as its a flat yellow at the moment with patches of light blue.

Product reccomendations?
 
Aargh don't look Dylan, don't look

Pleiades said:
Perfectly magic is the West Wight Potter - my first cruiser, full kneeling headroom for one in the spacious forward cabin and aft cabins a plenty (outside). Had some lovely cruises in her. Once went up the Medway and moored along one of the old disused quays. Woke the next morning sat nicely in the mud at low tide surrounded by swans - and a few feet to our stern was a vertical iron girder sticking straight up out of the mud - that might have smarted if we had sat down on it.
WWP.jpg

Had her adequately powered - Seagull Kingfisher Long shaft and a 40 Featherweight auxiliary. Great wee sea boat - never gave me a moment's worry but much fun.
Happy pottering.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5
Click to expand...

Two Seagulls OMG!
 
screwfix floor paint

ssjpiv said:
Is GRP..... Not bothered about making an amazing job of it just something to brighten it up a bit as its a flat yellow at the moment with patches of light blue.

Product reccomendations?
Click to expand...

I would just roughen up the loose stuff and slap some screwfix floor paint overthe hull it and start sailing

leave the decks for a better job later

but there are those who would wish to spend more time and more money

outboard

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_n...dkw=honda+2.0+hp+outboard&_osacat=0&_from=R40


Dylan
 
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WW Potter

Anyone gone any memories of the inside of one. I was in mine this afternoong thinking how reasonable the cabin is for a lone sailor to bed down in.

Tow has a closed in area that sort of looks like it would/should have been buoyancy, is this the case?
 
West Wight Pottering

Not spacious by any means but managed to sleep two adults in her, snuggly! Comfy for one with gear and mini cooker etc on the other bunk. Buoyancy tank forard. I found that when coming off waves water tended to get forced up the centreboard slot and soak sleeping bags etc so check/renew the gasket/seal on the slot. My mast tabernacle was timber and had a bit of rot so I re-made it. Tiny bit of osmosis on the side decks where standing water gathered when she was on her trailer. The only other structural problem was that when standing in the cockpit the floor flexed down and caused a water leak into the main cabin just below the washboard slot if there was rain/ sea sloshing about the sole - required re-sealing with sikaflex regularly. As well as pootling on the Medway I sailed her all over the Solent and also trailed her up to Mid Wales sailing between Aberdovey and Aberystwth - perhaps not everyone's idea of an offshore yacht but at least I had the Gulls to get me home if the wind stopped ;)!

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5
 
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