Tom Grimes gunter-model West Wight Potter on its trailer at the boat dealer, as he purchased it. This page of photos and captions shows how Tom transformed this early-model Potter into a "second-generation" model. The boat is gunter-rigged, but has the sliding hatch and the hinged vertical companionway hatch board of later boats, and hoists the larger 4-sided "pseudo gaff" mainsail with the full-length batten, rather than the original, smaller 3-sided mainsail.

The interior (looking forward) of the fiberglass hull after the rotted wooden floor and frames have been stripped out. The dark sheets in the foreground are rotted 1/4-inch plywood that was bonded to the glass bottom for stiffening. That, too, was stripped out when Tom discovered water under the ply, and that it was bonded in only a few places.

The new 1/4-inch plywood bottom stiffening sheets have been bonded in place, and the two transverse bulkheads and longitudinal member and brace (brace not seen) installed with a place for the base of the mast. The rear bulkhead is set right against the forward edge of the centerboard trunk.

Strips of styrofoam floatation are cut to fit from 2-inch thick stock, and laid on edge under the vee-berth. Note that the shiny, dark look of the new wood is not varnish, but West System epoxy. Everything except the vee-berth decking is epoxied in place. The vee-berth cover was fastened down with screws to allow removal when needed.

Looking aft, the vee-berth floor is in place, and partial bulkheads are installed with a vertical slot cut for the upright braces that will support the berth/storage extensions alongside the centerboard trunk.

Originally, the centerboard slot (behind the trim strip) had been open below the edge of the vee-berth. Tom filled the slot under the keel arm with a 4-inch long epoxy-coated wood block. The centerboard trunks are reputed to spit water when the boat hits a wave. Tom reports that he has not had any problems with water squirting from the trunk since making this modification. He estimated the internal freeboard was formerly 2 inches (!) but has been raised to 6 inches with this trunk modification.

Looking forward: the bottom of this view shows the berth lids installed, and the foot well on either side of the centerboard trunk. The mast base stand in the center of the vee-berth area.

This flanged opening in the cabin top receives the mast, which is lowered until it steps on the vee-berth support. The flange around the orginal opening was cracked and broken, and much lower than this new version.

The refinished mast is shown stepped through the cabin-top opening, and a new boot which Tom's wife made is lashed in place as a weather seal. The turning block leads one of the halyards back to the cockpit. The line cleated on the mast is an adjustable lazy jack.

This view of Tom's boat shows the refinished spars (note the very nice spar rack set into the cabin-top mast opening), the cabin-top grab handle (now replaced with a three-hole model), and the new companionway hatch board, fashioned after the later model Potter hinged version. Tom also mounted a wheeled dolly on the trailer tongue for easier handling on pavement.

This homemade hook on the gunter spar is a reefing position hook for the mainsail halyard (an idea from Harry Gordon). A gunter rig is reefed by lowering the gunter spar with the sail attached. This hook allows the sail to be reset without retying the halyard: simply lower the spar, run the halyard under this hook, secure the reef grommet down, and rehoist the halyard to fly the reefed mainsail.

This rudder shows another Harry Gorden modification which has been adopted by many Potter owners. The vertical push-pull rod on the trailing edge raises and lowers the pivoted rubber blade, and shows at a glance whether the blade is up or down. This view also shows how the tiller is fitted to the rudder head on the early Gunter Potters.

Tom's Gunter Potter flies a Mk II mainsail, rather than the smaller original 3-sided Gunter sail. Sail slugs are required, because the luff bolt rope on the Mk II main is too large to fit into the Gunter spar slot. This view also shows Tom's roller-furling jib rig, and the 4-to-1 mainsheet tackle on the outboard end of the boom. (This photo was taken the first day Tom took his restored Potter on the water.)

Tom's potter on her trailer, cover lashed down and spars covered, ready for the road.

Sailing on a reservoir in central Indiana. Most of the rigging modifications show well in these views, as does the way that the gunter spar rides on the mast.

The lazy jack (a line from the masthead to the boom) which contains the mainsail when it is lowered is visible. Note the mainsheet rigged from the boom end. The "geezer" with the white hat and whiskers is Tom Grimes.

Tom shows a boom awning adapted for his Potter from another boat. It rests on the boom, which is supported by the lazy jack moved to the end of the boom. The awning ties off to existing cleats, the mast, and stanchions.

This small plywood assembly is a hinged platform that attaches to the berth cabinets, to provide support for the mattress pads. The fold-down legs are linked with the pivoted dowel.

This view shows the legs partially folded up, and the shelf folded partly down. When stowed, the legs fold against the shelf, and the shelf hangs downward from the berth top.

Looking straight down at the centerboard trunk, with the berth cabinets on either side. The right side extension panel is folded closed and hanging down out of the way of the footwell. The left side panel is extended for use.

A good view of the boom vang, a tackle rigged for a downward pull on the boom when sailing downwind or broad reached. This is an essential addition if the mainsheet is moved to the boom end.

Tom replaced the original jib sheet cam cleats with these swivel cleats. The cockpit coaming was too narrow for the base, so a wooden shim block was installed along side the coaming. Tom says the new swivel cleat works very well.

This circular inspection hatch has a twist-out panel that allows easy access to the fittings holding the swivel cleat and shim. Note: other Potter owners have installed similar inspection openings at the rear of the cockpit for access to the rudder mounts.