MAKING THE SWITCH

Following are some methods for adding a Lateen rig to a Potter 15. Most of the photos are of my boat, but some clever ideas from others are included as well.

- Paul Stovner

The most common approach is to add a Sunfish rig. And when done you can sail the boat with either of the rigs. First, some useful numbers for this conversion:

• The Sunfish mast is 2.25 inches in diameter

• The mast sits in a hole that is 10.5 inches deep on a Sunfish. It will be set deeper on the Potter.

• Hole size for the mast on a Sunfish is 2.46 inches in diameter.

To make the conversion, a mast sleeve needs to be installed to receive the Sunfish mast. I used standard available Drawn Aluminum Tube 6061 T6 with a 2.5-inch OD, 0.065 wall thickness, and 2.370 inch ID. This gives a little wiggle room so the mast drops down easily. Start with about 3 feet of tube length. (The height from the v-berth to the top of the cabin is about 2’-6.”) The final sleeve length may end up being longer depending on what kind of mounts you use at the top and base.