THIS is our new boat. And, at the bottom, our old boat. Vic went up to Northeast Sailboat Rescue (Freeport, ME) today and fell for the mini sheila. The little Com-Pac will be delivered the week after Independence Day.
Vic's van does not actually have a trailer hitch; he parked it so as to be able to "visualize" a trailer hitch.
And yes, John and Sue and Tress, this means we should be able to take you out sailing. As soon as the licensing and permitting and transferring and stickering phase is done.
You'll have fun as this is one of the premier small sailing boats. Even if it is from 1984 like mine, she'll still sail well with 4 people and be very stable.
ReplyDeleteTry to find a 2-3 hp motor. You don't need any more power than that. It will power you through currents and wind for its size.
If you can afford it, get roller furling on the headsail (use a 120 genoa). You'll be glad you did!
My husband found a 2hp, I believe. The Com-Pac came with a brightly colored genoa as well as the jib. I keep saying I want roller furling; we had it on our 23' O'Day. But my husband is the guy with the $$. I have to hope that once he has sailed it, he'll see the benefits.
ReplyDeleteRight now I am having slugs sewed onto my main instead of having to insert the rope of the sail into the track.....what a pain! This way, I can leave the sail on the mast even when it is down (without having to reinsert the sail into track to raise it.)
ReplyDeleteAs far as roller furling, I will NEVER EVER own another boat without it! I've done it all from sophisticated boats to sweating down the lines on a schooner. And to paraphrase what Pearl Bailey said, "I been rich and I been poor. Rich is better." The same with roller furling.
LOL. I hadn't even thought about running ropes in tracks. I wonder if my husband has. We had slugs on the previous boat (and roller furling). I have to count on his enthusiasm holding up. If I can rely on it sailing well, that'll be most of the battle won.
ReplyDeleteSo, have you sailed this boat yet? Any reports? We've been up to Squam Lake in NH last week and can report it is a great lake to sail in.
ReplyDeleteWe are supposed to launch it tomorrow morning! For weeks my husband has been hard at work prepping it. I'll let you know how it goes!
ReplyDeleteI have just had a new sail made for mine. It is a gaff rig main. Very unusual for a Compac 16 but I look fwd to using it next week on the Penobscot in Maine.
ReplyDeleteWe took her out on the 15th! My husband had actually picked up a Suzuki 6hp, same weight as the 4hp, which is the upper limit for the boat. But see my post from Monday -- he had to counterbalance it with a dead car battery.
ReplyDeleteWe had no difficulty raising the jib, but getting it down was a pain. We're thinking, get a downhaul. The main was a breeze, and the accessibility of everything from the companionway was outstanding!
Unfortunately, the light breeze died down almost as soon as we started sailing. She came about nicely, then... nothing. The sea was not calm, and the boat's movement without wind in a light chop was a bit sickening. HOWEVER, I am optimistic that when we take her out in actual sailing weather, we will thoroughly enjoy ourselves.