Recently bought a West Wight Potter P19. With sailing moderate experience, is a P19 seaworthy enough to coastal sail, say SC to tip of FL?
West Wight Potter P19
- Thread starter TaterYot
- Start date
Well, I don't know... 30 years ago I saw a guy paddling a surf board on the ICW,
south of Stuart Fl. on the way to Miami, with a black garbage bag for clothes.
So, it's possible. I also saw two 20 something guys pull into West End, Grand Bahama
in a 25 ft. Catalina after a rough crossing of the Gulf Stream.
Now, choosing your route, time of year for passage, number of crew,
the funds for dockage, food , fuel, etc. will tell you if it's advisable!
south of Stuart Fl. on the way to Miami, with a black garbage bag for clothes.
So, it's possible. I also saw two 20 something guys pull into West End, Grand Bahama
in a 25 ft. Catalina after a rough crossing of the Gulf Stream.
Now, choosing your route, time of year for passage, number of crew,
the funds for dockage, food , fuel, etc. will tell you if it's advisable!
People sail all kinds of boats all over the place. Webb Chiles sailed a Drascombe Luger, an open boat about the size of the WWP 16 almost all the way around the world and recently sailed a Merit 24 around the world. Many years ago, 2 guys I knew sailed a Catalina 22 from Lake Ontario to Florida. So in broad terms, yes it would be possible.
The biggest limitation from my perspective would be boat speed, can you cover enough distance in a day? The boat's speed may limit you to only sailing/motoring in the ICW which would probably be not that much fun. The other issue is boat size and carrying capacity. How many crew? What supplies will you be carrying, i.e., food, fuel, water, adult beverages, etc.
Since the boat is trailerable, it might be better to look at the places you want to visit, tow the boat there, sail around, move to the next location and repeat. That could be a fun and interesting trip.
I’d say no problem in the ICW. It’s all pretty protected water. The question about accommodations and speed are relevant, but you can answer them for yourself With some local cruising.
She is a 19 ft boat. If you can sail her I suspect she can do the trip. Preparing the boat properly for the trip, assuring she and her rig are in sound seaworthy condition would be important.
You'll find it like trek camping in a 2 person tent, only on the water. Going out in winter storms will not be good. I recently read the account of a sailor who crossed the English Channel in a small boat. He survived. (no spoiler alert - he wrote the book) "A Foolish Voyage, by Neil Hawkesford" just not as he had intended.
Fair winds with your WWP 19 and your dreams.
You'll find it like trek camping in a 2 person tent, only on the water. Going out in winter storms will not be good. I recently read the account of a sailor who crossed the English Channel in a small boat. He survived. (no spoiler alert - he wrote the book) "A Foolish Voyage, by Neil Hawkesford" just not as he had intended.
Fair winds with your WWP 19 and your dreams.
I guess that depends on the definition of "seaworthy." If you try it, and make it, and have a good trip, does that make the craft seaworthy of open coastal sailing? In my definition, seaworthy is a craft that that can "take care of itself and its crew" whenever needed, such as in rough or outright bad conditions. If you must, or wish to, heave-to the vessel in 12-ft cross-seas, or claw off a lee shore against strong winds, will you be "safe?" Avoiding bad weather, as we all seek to do, and can do, is not a testament to the seaworthiness of a craft that got to where it headed. It's been reported that a Catalina 30 can make it from California (Dana Point) to the Hawaiian Islands with no one aboard.
Last edited:
This one drifted from Japan to the Queen Charlotte Islands with no one aboard. Now part of the Fisherman’s Memorial in Prince Rupert B.C.
Here is a story of a 10' sailboat that crossed the atlantic...It's been reported that a Catalina 30 can make it from California (Dana Point) to the Hawaiian Islands with no one aboard.
Robot boat sails into history by finishing Atlantic crossing
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — All summer, the small boat drifted steadily eastward across the churning North Atlantic until it neared the Irish coast, where it made history by becoming the first unmanned sailboat to cross the Atlantic. The SB Met, built by Norwegian company Offshore Sensing AS...
apnews.com