Originally called the HMS 18, it became the West Wight Potter 19 after Stewart sold the company to Joe Edwards. Edwards included the outboard motor bracket in the overall length measurement, and the boat gained a foot. International Marine has built the boats since the early 1990s, carrying the line forward. More than 1,600 of these pocket cruisers have been launched over a 35-year production run.
Design and Construction
The Potter 19 measures 18 feet 6 inches overall, with a 16-foot 6-inch waterline. Every example has a solid fiberglass hull, while International Marine switched the deck core from plywood to balsa during its tenure.
The 300-pound retractable keel lifts vertically into the hull and can be set at various depths. The centerboard itself is a simple, dependable design with no moving parts. Fully lowered, it gives the boat a draft of 3 feet 7 inches; raised, draft shrinks to just 8 inches. Together with the kick-up rudder, this allows the Potter 19 to sail right up onto a beach.
Closed-cell foam enclosed fore and aft makes the boat unsinkable, a reassuring feature in a boat intended to be sailed off beaches.
Rig and Handling
The fractional rig carries a good-size mainsail, and a husky bowsprit has always been part of the deck package. A clever mast-raising system allows one person to hoist the 22-foot 6-inch mast section. Most owners report that they can be sailing within an hour of arriving at the launching ramp.
The lines are typically led aft, and both the jib sheets and centerboard winch are well placed. The mainsheet is less convenient: it angles down from the end of the boom, so the helmsman must keep clear of the boom-end tackle.
With an air draft of around 25 feet, the Potter 19 is well balanced on a reach. Owners report reaching speeds of 5 knots in winds of 10 knots and above. Upwind sailing isn’t the boat’s strong suit, however; it doesn’t like to sail much closer than 50 degrees apparent.
Cockpit and Accommodations
Below, headroom is just five feet, but the layout makes good use of the available volume. A galley of sorts is sandwiched between the berths, with a butane stove to starboard and a sink to port. Lockers are fitted beneath the berths, sink, and stove, with additional stowage in seat-back bins.
In the cockpit, two adults have enough room to stretch their legs, and visibility is excellent. The forward chine tends to deflect water aside, keeping the cockpit relatively dry even in choppy conditions.
Handrails on both the raised and lower sections of the cabintrunk help crews move around on deck. Newer boats also have a much-improved nonskid pattern.
Known Issues
Some owners of older, mid-1980s boats have reported slight structural problems with the centerboard trunk. Beyond that, the principal quirk is the mainsheet geometry, which requires the helmsman to stay clear of the boom-end tackle.
Equipment, Refits, and Ownership
Most boats on the used market have overlapping genoas in place of a working jib, and many used Potter 19s have CDI flexible furling on the headstay.
New boats come standard with an overlapping 110 percent headsail and five-horsepower long-shaft Tohatsu outboards. Most used boats carry five- or six-horsepower outboards from various manufacturers. An adjustable motor bracket makes the outboard more efficient and easier to lift clear while sailing.
Newer boats also include a chain locker, a useful addition for crews who anchor.
The Verdict
The West Wight Potter 19 is a remarkably capable cruiser for its length, combining beachable shallow draft with a genuinely unsinkable hull and a rig suited to solo sailing. It rewards sailors who keep it on a reach and carry plenty of headsail, while its straightforward trailer launching has helped keep it in production for decades.
Reports of centerboard-trunk problems on some mid-1980s boats and the awkward mainsheet are the only real caveats to an otherwise clever pocket cruiser.
Pros
- Vertically lifting keel and kick-up rudder allow the boat to sail right up onto a beach
- Solid fiberglass hull and closed-cell foam make the boat unsinkable
- One-person mast raising and lines led aft suit short-handed sailing
- Roomy cockpit, with a relatively dry ride as the forward chine deflects water
Cons
- Upwind performance is limited to about 50 degrees apparent
- Awkward boom-end mainsheet requires the helmsman to keep clear
- Slight centerboard-trunk structural problems reported on some mid-1980s boats
- Five-foot headroom limits standing comfort below
