I’ll say this right up front I’m biased here and some of the below is my opinion …John this isn’t meant in anyway other than to try to clear some things up. Bottom line everyone is proud of THEIR boat
If any of this is inaccurate please someone point us in the right direction
Does anyone know of a 23 or 20 prior to 1968 ??? I
Think Finsters boat (1971) is close to one of the first 23’s out there (as per B. Potter if I recall...Finster ??) and Trayders 20 (1969??) is in the same league. I
believe that once B. Potter purchased the company in 1968 production of these boats started … So I would consider these Potter boats
Yes, he was using the variable degree deadrise
design of C. Mosley, I thought I even heard that B. Potter may have worked with Mosley at some point with regards to that design ??…To achieve the ride which makes these hull legendary required a blend of the proper hull weight, length and beam …In other words I’m pretty sure Potter adapted the original VD design and engineered those hulls. The hull that Mosley manufactured I believe was a 19’ ….A member here Pipedreams (Don) I believe has a “Mosley” hull.
Also … B. Potter sold the company to Caribbean Sailing Yachts (CSY) in late 1979 early 1980 … not to Tracker …. And in fact I think CSY then turned it over to SeaCraft Industries…. In the summer of 1987 it was then sold to Tracker…These are time lines that kick around the site every now and again.... there was no direct Potter to Tracker transfer.
I think the whole thing of the “Potter Hull” is that the reputation for the hull, which was, and still could be, considered one of the best designs out there. WE all benefit from that. Look at how many boat companies have copied and used that shape for their current hulls. Around the docks and in the boat yards Potter Hulls have an enduring reputation as some of the best hulls in this size class ever produced …I’m frequently asked …”Is it a Potter built??” Even fishing/boating magazines as of late have expressed the desire for these hull ….This hull is often mentioned/regarded in the same elite company as the old Formulas, Bertrams ( My personal opinion is that the 31 is almost a reference standard for restorations), and some other Ray Hunt designs…Classic Boats …..All time proven shapes that are still highly sought after.
Bottom Line …. That “Potter” name
in my opinion … right or wrong … does a lot for the boats value.