Message: Thanks for your excellent site! I've been looking at your site as I learn more about my pre-compac Suncat. With a LWL of 16, a Displacement of 1100 and sail area of 165 sq ft (marconi), your calculator gives me a SADISP of 24.82 and a DISPWL of 119.89; quite different from the compac suncat which is shorter at the water, heavier and has a smaller sail area but different sail shape. I think because of the beam of the catboats, it's probably hard to compare these ratios with boats sloops, but what do these numbers tell me at least with regard to thefor s suncats. I'm guessing my is a bit faster and substantially less stable in higher wind. Can you give me a more robust comparision than that and explain how these ratios inform that comparison? Thanks!

Answer: You are using the calculator as it was intended and you came up with the right answer. You can compare all sailboats by their displacement, sail area and water line length. The best comparison is between boats of about the same general size. We have lots of new sailors that buy a lake boat (a light boat with lots of sail area) to sail in coastal conditions where we have lots of wind. They never learn to sail and quit sailing because it's just too hard to do. You need wind to learn how to sail and you need ballast and a moderate sail plan to see cause and effect while you are learning. The old salt knows what is suppose to happen before it happens. The new sailor needs to see it happen. If I remember correctly, I owned 8 lake boats before I really learned to sail in a boat that had enough ballast. When I owned a boat like yours, I did lots of reefing and sometimes I had a tiger by the tail. It was a great boat in moderate conditions. One time I jibed the boat in a big gust and did a 180. I wet my pants because I was on the low side. I didn't look like an experienced sailor when I did that maneuver in a high traffic area.

I think Clark Mill's designed your boat to have some speed in moderate conditions. Everyone back in the old days wanted clubs to buy and race their boats.

Message: I would like your take on westerbeke vs. yanmar diesal in the horizan cats.

Answer: The little Westerbeke has some problems. The engine is really a German engine that runs well most of the time. The problem with the engine was the accessories. Starting with problem one, the fan belt is located between the engine and the transmission requiring a tool link belt to make it work (no one wants to remove the engine and separate the engine from the transmission to change a fan belt). The second problem was the link belt had some stretch that didn't work well with the magneto styled alternator. A magneto has magnets that produce drag at startup causing belt adjustment problems. Probl three was parts. I think Westerbeke has discontinued sales of this engine.

The Yanmar works great and has lots of parts available. No problems.

Message: I plan to reseal the teak trim and metal fittings on my Compac. Based on your experience what do you think is the best caulk to use. Thanks.

Answer: We use 3M5200. We only seal the screws the hold the metal and teak in place. Remove a screw, clean the old caulk and then caulk only the screw. This procedure makes your boat dry and keeps the mess to a minimum.

Message: Congratulations on your article regarding how to fix leaks on a SunCat. It shows your great experience fixing boats.

Answer: Thanks for the kind words.

Added Answer to Message below: I forgot to list the best option a Sun Cat can have. The rudder raising and lowering handle option works great and Com-Pac has a model for the Sun Cat. The handle locks the rudder in the down position (except when you hit something). That option keeps the owner from hanging over the tramsom as he or she tries to secure the screw clamp that keeps the rudder down. You need long arms to secure the rudder at water level over the transom and you don't use the screw clamp with the handle option. I don't think Com-Pac list the rudder handle as as option for the Sun Cat, but it is available. It's also available as an add on for an existing boat. They are easy to install.

Message: Ordered a new Suncat back in December. I expect delivery near the end of Marc or early April. Just curious what equipment/extras you would suggest for the boat. Also, is there an option for easier reefing than that which comes standard. Thanks. I really enjoy this forum of questions and answers.

Answer: A gaff rig is self-reefing in big wind. As the wind builds, the gaff spar will swing out and dump sail power from the top of the sail. You could say that reefing is automatic.

I would varnish your tiller when you receive your boat. Com-Pac doesn't varnish tillers. Check to make sure that you have a dry boat. Leaks can happen around the mast. Look for water in the anchor locker. We have a solution for most configurations (lights or no lights). Check to see if you have leaks at the ports. Water will puddle under the cushions. It's rare to have leaks on a Com-Pac, but we check to make sure. We have installed several anchor rollers on Sun Cats. Installing them after the boat is built cost more money and takes more time. I think all Sun Cats need a gaff sock. The current plan is to rap a piece of rug around gaff's end to prevent the spar from making a hole in the sail as you go down the road. The sock cost $25 and that's cheap compared to a sail repair. Most current Magic Tilt trailers have bad fenders. The fenders are too close to the tires. We have been installing spacers to make them work without hitting the tires. They may have the problem fixed by the time you get your boat. The other options for a Sun Cat is a long list of items. Anything and everything is possible. We are currently putting a diesel in a Sun Cat chassis

Message: Hi, Keith. I'm enjoying the CP16 you helped me buy last July. I'm still sailing inland water with the standard jib and need some help downwind. Please recommend a suitable whisker pole and fittings for this boat. Is a whisker pole even appropriate for a standard jib, or should I consider going to a genoa? Are used sails worth considering? If so, can you recommend a good source? What would you consider a reasonable price for a used 150 genoa? Thanks.

Answer: A standard pole that we have used for years and years is the Forespar ADJ 4-8. It comes with a mast fitting and screws. The West Marine part number is 111153. Used genoas are like heeth. Not many around these days. A new genoa for your boat cost $400 including shipping.

Message: Hi Folks, I have been considering installing a boomkicker on my Sun Cat,what do you think? Also would a boom vang be required to make it work properly? I'm hoping that the kicker will make sailing solo easier. Your opinions are respected and appreciated. thanks

Answer: I don't have any experience with a boomkicker on a small boat. I did try a rigid boom vang on a larger boat several years ago and I didn't think it worked all that well. I had to play with the trim adjustments all the time. That rig maintained the boom at a predetermined level like a topping lift. Solo sailors use tricks to beat the odds. Raising and lowering your sails in a wind shadow is one that I use all the time.

Message: you mentioned a possable new horizon cat in a power boat type. what did you mean by power boat. did you mean outboard motor. Many thanks

Answer: I think the "Power Boat" that Com-Pac might build on a Horizon Cat chassis would have a diesel. They normally give a customer a choice of power and this could be the case with this boat.

Gerry (Com-Pac CEO) mentioned building a power launch built on a Horizon Cat chassis several weeks ago. I told him a trawler would be my choice for that modification. I'm sure the plans for the boat that I mentioned on the Web are still in the development stage.

The Sailboat Company thinks that a house on a Horizon Cat deck and hull would be a great looking boat. We plan on doing a custom house a Horizon Cat as soon as we have a willing volunteer for the first modification. With 6 feet of standing headroom and the wide deck and hull of a Horizon Cat, you might be able to square dance in the main cabin.

The Sun Cat that we are currently modifying gained lots of room on the inside and has the same configuration as the diesel Horizon Cat.

Message: I am planning on installing an electrical system on my 1983 Compac 16. What part numbers do you recommend and also locations for a bow light, stern light, cabin light and fuse panel.Thanks.

Answer: Boats 16 feet long or less in length do not require lights at night. This rule allows rowboats and other small boats that do not have a power system to be used at night. An all-around white light is normally used on small boats (16 feet or less) for safety purposes. Com-Pac decided in 1986 to install a standard set of running lights on the Com-Pac 16 Mark II as standard equipment and currently offers running lights on their Legacy and Sun Cat models as an option. Mounting running lights on a small boat has always been a problem because we have limited space on deck for a good installation.

To keep you’re cost down and because lights are rarely used on a Com-Pac 16, I would use the battery-operated light sold by West Marine. The part numbers are Bi-Color 8633380 and All-Round White 8633372. The inside light can be a 6-volt battery powered lamp. If you decide on a 12-volt system, a good fuse panel from West Marine is part number 1954874. Aqua Signal's series 25 lights from West Marine are currently used by Com-Pac. The part numbers are Bi-Color 174367 and Stern 174375. Mounts are required for installation and they are Rail Mount 203844 and Deck Mount 176347. Any 12 light will work as a cabin light.

The location for the bow light in this installation is on the bow pulpit. The stern light is on the deck next to the rudder. Other locations will work with different types of lights. The fuse panel is located on the inside bulkhead on the starboard side. West Marine sells several different lights that will work on a Com-Pac 16. The West Marine Advisor explains the rules for Navigation Lights in their catalog and reading the rules will ease your installation.

Message: A couple of comments and questions. First the Suncat is really easy to sail and rig solo as long as you have a decent way to get in and out at a ramp. I don't think you can turn the thing over at least not on a reach ultimately she starts to point up while dumping wind. It gets strange when you can't loose speed no matter how much sheet you let out. What was your wind guage ripples, all white caps etc? Lazy jacks would be nice solo in big wind as the boat blows off the wind fairly quickly and the sail gets hard to handle, tough to reef solo in big wind for the same reason small boat! How much slack do you want in the rig on the lee stay with the sail loaded? By the way, I think thae best point of sail is a run, easy to average 6 mph with a good wind 5 in a strong breeze On a reach by bearing off a tad and letting the sail out to about the edge of the cabin I have surfed to 7.5 and held over 6 mph. Another point is on a long run I find it is worth moving the traveler outboard so you can flatten the sail some and pull it off the stay some. She will sail herself pretty well on a run. Last, she points very good for a cat, but it is too much work to keep it in the groove really pinched, easier to bear off a tad, go faster and make it up the difference with a tack, afterall, tacking is nothing with no jib. Still happy with her.

Answer: My analysis of the Sun Cat's sailing ability is the same. She is a great sailing boat. Clark Mills did good. My wind reference for white caps everywhere is 12 knots. The rest of the reference is listed in my Sailing School link on the left. The slack in the leeward shroud isn’t too important. The sailing rig on those points of sail is really 2 shrouds and the mast or a tripod.

Message: Your site is great! I'm moving to Surf City in the spring and look forward to visting your shop. My question is about removing the swing keel from a Clark Mills Suncat. I want to remove it to paint it and replace the halyard, and to paint the keel pocket. My hull is a 1982 Clearwater Bay, I think hull 401. It's a cabin model with a swing keel encased in a wood finished center keel pocket inside the cabin. The keel looks like it's fiberglass, but there could be some ballast encapsulated inside it. I removed the port and starboard access pieces on the keel housing and I found ¾ inch brass nuts on each side. Each of the nuts has a 3/8 inch brass plug in the middle of it. I'm guessing the method to use is to jack the keel up slightly to take pressure off the pin, remove both the brass plugs and use a smaller diameter bolt or other pin to knock the pin through from one side to the other. Is that right, or do I have to remove the 3/4 inch brass nuts and do more? I guess the next step is to jack the boat up to get at the keel.

Answer: We normally don't remove a centerboard to paint the centerboard and it’s housing. Only a small part of the centerboard and the centerboard housing is below the water line when the boat is in the water. We normally pickup a centerboard boat with a crane and lower the centerboard to the ground. We paint the board that's visible, making sure the part that's in the water is well covered. The same thing applies to the housing. While the boat is in the air, we change the centerboard pennant and any hardware that looks bad.

I don't know for sure, but I think your centerboard has some ballast installed in the board and it should be heavy. Be careful if you remove the board.

Message: I recently found your web site. It is quite informative. To my surprise, you described the Com-Pac 16 Trawler conversion! I am presently converting a Com-Pac 23 to a motor sailor-trawler. The cost you estimated is very close to my expenses as it is being completed. ($6000). My question is, I plan to install a 9.9 Evinrude as calculations made to date indicate this will take it to hull speed. I don't want an inboard as my plan is to use it year around. What are your thoughts on HP and wbest to attach it? Lower the transom, or hang it on an adjustable bracket?

Thanks agin for a great web site.

Answer: Your Evinrude may be a little large. A 5hp Honda is the perfect outboard motor for 23s in North Carolina and a remote control is available. Florida 23 owners like even smaller motors. Their standard motor for the 23 is a 4hp model. In my opinion, the boat sails best with a diesel that's mounted low in the middle of the boat. A diesel can be retrofitted anytime.

I like a jack plate for mounting an outboard. T-H Marine's jack plates are inexpensive and they look good. A long shaft motor should tilt up over the transom with the jack plate mounted high enough on the transom to make tilting possible. Check the top of the motor (adjustable mount in down the position) to its transom position on an average 23 as a good starting location for your installation. You may need to move your outboard up a little to make everything work as it should.

Message: Hi Keith,

Will a Horizon Cat's bow sprit fit on a Sun Cat? What needs to be done to make this happen?

Answer: Yes. Fold the forward inside bulkhead back after removing the 4 screws holding the bulkhead in place (See my last DIY article). You don't have to remove or disconnect the wiring. Remove the forestay tack fitting and fill the old holes with 3M5200. This will leave a flat surface on the bow for the new bowsprit installation. Drill new holes and install the new bowsprit. A new tack fitting will be required for the forestay and in most cases, a solid bobstay should be installed. If yoyour forestay longer and move the tack to the end of the bowsprit, a new jib could be installed. A gaff headed sloop is a pretty boat and this rig should sail well. This type of rig is what the English sailed 100 years ago.

Message: Greetings Keith,

Are there any major differences between a 1987 and a 1982 model CP 19. My old boat Sanity (the 1987) was a mark II, I am being told the 1982 I have located for purchase is also a mark II. I have not been able to see the boat yet and would like to know what changes or modifications may have been made between those years.

I have another question for you.

I seem to recall seeing a price breakdown and work scope of the different restorations offered by the Sailboat Company on your web site a while back.

Is that information still available?

Thanks again Keith you guys are the best in the business, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards.

Answer: A 1982 Com-Pac 19 is a Mark I. The Mark I was a very plain boat with aluminum pulpits. The pulpits were an option on the 19, but most 19s had them installed. Almost everything on the boat was an option when we sold them and we ordered a standard set of options for most of our boats. Our options included genoa tracks and the pulpits for the Mark I. The Mark II was a big improvement and it had a teak interior, stainless steel pulpits, a bowsprit and the late model Mark II boats also had halyards lead aft. Some Mark I owners may have modified their boats with some of the new Mark II improvements over time. The difference in value between a used Mark I and a used Mark II Com-Pac 19 is substantial.

Business has been too good. We took our improvement list off the Web because we had a hard time keeping up with all the work. We still do most of the Com-Pac repairs, changes and improvements for our Com-Pac customers, but we don't advertise that capability. We will be glad to talk to you about your new boat when the time comes.

Message: What would the approximate cost of having the bottom painted on my Seaward?

Thanks.

Answer: We only paint bottoms on boats that we sell. We recommend Terry's Boatworks in New Bern, NC for general bottom painting. Her phone number is 252 259 7052 and her email address is tmb221@yahoo.com.

Message: I have a 1980 Compac 16 (#1278). I want to add Genoa Tracks. Do you sell these? Also, do you sell a Traveller for the main sheet? I am interested in any other upgrade suggestions you might have, too.

Thanks very much

Answer: The Genoa Tracks are available from West Marine, part number 184046. They are a Schaefer product, part number 75-05-72. I would look fo encaps on Schaefer's Web site. West may have them or they can get them for you with a special order. The same tracks with the right blocks will work as a mid-boom traveler. A less expensive way to do the same thing is to use a boom vang. Set the vang to a position that will limit boom lift. This will maintain mainsail twist as you adjust your main sheet. A traveler is designed to change mainsail trim while maintaining sail twist. Both systems will do the same thing and the vang cost less.

Good options for the Mark I 16 are a ladder and the boom tender system with the mast gallows (See the DIY section on this Web site). There are lots of other options that are available, but they are more customer specific .

Message: Greetings from sunny Florida. While I enjoy my Slipper 17, she has some issues when it comes to the kind of shallow water sailing that is common down here. I begrudge her fixed rudder and the difficulty in mounting a ladder. I am buying a old school suncat (twin bilgeboards, no keel, and open cockpit) from a friend up the road. Do you know anything about the history? Hulls look pretty similar except for the stub keel. Any known weaknesses? She is in amazing shape for her age and being sailed regularly. Wish me luck.\ Lee (can I join the Com-Pac group?}.

Answer: I remember the old Clark Mills Sun Cats. The most popular boat was the cabin model with the centerboard in the cabin. Clark hired the glasswork done by someone else and his marina assembled and the finished boats. I purchased 1 new boat way back when and it had some glass issues. The cabin wood on the inside was wonderful because Clark employed some excellent carpenters at the time. Clark also had one other builder building Sun Cats in Tennessee at about the same time. I'm not sure how many boats he built.

A Sun Cat sails like it's glued to the water. I followed a Sun Cat across the Pamilico Sound one time in some strong winds. I was amazed at well she rode the waves with 1 sailor on board. I was on larger boat that didn't do as well. I once put a Com-Pac 23 bowsprit on a Sun Cat. I noticed that the bowsprit fit like it was made for the Sun Cat. I have concluded that most designers may use parts of a good design on several different boats. I think the Com-Pac 23 may have a little Sun Cat in its bow.

Sorry, you have to own a Com-Pac to be a member of the CPYANC.

Message: Sir,

I noticed in your "What's New" section that you installed a "Summer Cabin" on the Sun Cat Lagniappe. I was wondering how much it cost, and did you do the sewing or did you have it made elsewhere and just installed it. It looks very nice and quite use full.

Answer: We make the Sun Cat "Summer Cabin" in house. The cost is $1,200 plus shipping.

Message: I made the dumb mistake last Spring of seeing my boat newly rigged & splashed, and going for a sail without adequetly inspecting the rigging. It turns out that the standing rigging was too loose, and we quickly retreated, but not until damage had been sustained to the mast step. Specifically, the plastic work surrounding the interior bulkhead door on both sides was broken (door to vee-berth). Aside from the damage to the plastic parts (they were obviously chrushed), I can see nor feel any other problems; however, I wonder if any damage to the internal structure of the mast step may exist. I assume that the mast step portion of the cabin roof is plywood, and not any other type of coring. Is this correct? Should I get a survey? If no other work is required, how tough is it to simply replace the plastic parts?

Answer: The short answer is "no problem", just replace the plastic parts. Ask Com-Pac for 2 new replacement bulkhead blocks and they will put them in the mail. The bulkhead blocks were made out of teak on previous models and they had the same problem. The purpose of the blocks is to keep the bulkheads from moving towards the center of the boat. The bulkheads between the cabins function as a mast compression post on the Com-Pac 23. When you tension the mast, the sides of the hull and the bulkheads move towards the center of the boat. We have a point where the rigid deck, hull construction and the blocks will stop this movement. We are talking about some very small distances. Because your boat was new and the initial block placement is only a guess, your blocks were doing all the work on the first sail and they failed. Now that the hull and deck are doing part of the work, drill new holes in the new parts and install the new blocks in the old screw holes. If the bulkheads have moved where you can't use the old holes, consider drilling new holes in the overhead or moving the bulkheads out a little to hit the old holes.

I don't think a loose rig will damage a Com-Pac 23. Your boat should be fine with a little adjustment.

Message: I have a 1998 CP16 CB. A great boat in so many ways, except for the lack of a stern mounted boarding ladder. I think they are essential for saftey. Do you carry them or can you recommend a manufacture that offers one that would fit?

Answer: Com-Pac makes a ladder for your boat. It's a stainless fold-up ladder that will fit your boat. We sell the ladder for $272 plus $35 for shipping. We can have Com-Pac drop-ship it to your address if you prepay the above amount. A personal check is satisfactory and you can mail it to The Sailboat Company, PO Box 575, Richlands, NC 28574. It will make a great Christmas gift. Thanks.

Message: I would like to get sail numbers for my Compac 16 MK III. Who determines the numbers and where can I get them? I'm having fun with this beautiful boat acquired through your company last summer. I enjoy visiting your informative website. Thanks!

Answer: Almost all sailmakers will make numbers for your 16. The correct number is part of the serial number on the top port side of the transom. It will start with the letters ABV. That's the code letters for Com-Pac and then you will see a long number. Your number should be 4 numbers because you have a late model 16. Those 4 numbers are your sail number. The numbers are iron on and easy to install. One of the best sailmakers for Com-Pac sails is Super Sailmakers. Their address http://www.supersailmakers.com. Thanks for the nice words.

Message: Hi Keith; I'm working on safety planning for my 2001 Suncat. I'm using the Small Craft Advisor seaworthiness quiz as a means to identify weak points and will fix as many as are practical. What is the flotation situation for the 2001 model Suncat, does it have foam flotation or a designed air flotation scheme? Another thing they talk about that may not be practical is some way to lock the centerboard down in rough weather so if it rolls the board doesn't slam back into the trunk which makes self-righting more unlikely and could cause a big leak even if it rights. Any ideas on that front? I'm a little torn on that as another tactic I'm familiar with if being hit by a squall is get the sail down, pull the board up to let the boat slip. Obviously my first plan would be to stay out of dangerous weather but planning for the worst is usually a good thing to do. I will be adding hasps to cockpit locker covers and have plugged both mast and stub. I know enough to have hatch closed with board in if it gets rough and will be doing some light air reefing drills to learn how to do it and look for reef system improvements. Have a good Thanksgiving and thanks for everything...

Answer: The Sun Cat doesn't have positive foam floatation. The amount of foam required to make a boat with ballast float when it's full of water would require lots of foam and that would reduce the space for people and gear inside the boat. The Sun Cat does have foam built into the hull and deck, but it there for structural purposes and not for floatation purposes. The weight of a Sun Cat centerboard is about 40 pounds. The stainless centerboard falling into a stainless housing isn't going to do any damage. I have never heard of a Com-Pac turning over to prove my point.

All of your heavy weather precautions sound good to me. As a general rule, I like to think that shallow draft boats with ballast can't turnover when the waves are smaller than the length of the boat. A good general rule for small boats is to stay out of the ocean in bad weather.

Message: My catboat sideswiped a dock and got some superficial scrapes on the dark green hull. I tried getting them out with rubbing compound... didn't work. I then used some dark green gelcoat from the factory mixed with MEK and brush-painted over the long scratches. I had no idea how much MEK to use. When everything dried, the color match was quite good. But the sheen is dulled where I painted and the brush strokes are somewhat visible.

I read somewhere that there's a minute amount of wax in gelcoat and you should wipe some acetone over it to remove the wax. Then you should buff your heart out. Am I on the right track?

By the way, I love your website and have learned a great deal every time I drop in.

Answer: The first decision we have to make when we have a gel-coat scrape is the extent of the damage. Can you see glass in the damaged area? If you can't see glass under the gel-coat in the damaged area, we normally don't add more gel-coat. We buff the scrape or scratch to remove the damage. If we need to add gel-coat to the problem area, we mix 2% MEK with our gel-coat. In the real World, we add a drop of MEK to a dab of gel-coat. The gel-coat can't be worked until the next day. Wet-sand the raised gel-coat repair with 1K sandpaper. A sanding block helps and you should protect the undamaged area with tape. When the gel-coat repair is level with the surrounding area, buff the area to a high gloss. The wax in the gel-coat is not a problem. It is designed to cover the gel-coat surface after the repair and make it kick. Using too much MEK normally causes a dull appearance. If you don't have a super strong professional buffer, buffing anything normally doesn't work. Good luck with the repair.

Message: I currently sail a Potter 15 on NY State Mountain lakes. Lake George is surrounded by mountains on the E and W. The lake runs N to S and generally the wind blows from the south. The Potter does well for the most part but it's cockpit is so small that even one guest is cramped. I'm looking for a boat with a larger cockpit to sail on the lakes of the Adirondaks. The bottom is often rock and a centerboard is a good thing. It is more important to me to be able to launch and recover from a trailer singlehanded, than it is to have a cabin to store equipment. I daysail or camp on the shore. Many lakes are accessed by streams that go under bridges. The ability to raise and lower the on the water gives access to alot of new lakes. I don't care to race, I cruise. I'd like to take 3 or 4 guests with me on occasion. I've sailed for a many years but still consider myself a novice. I think I should sell the Potter and move to a Com-Pac. In your opinion, would the out of production CP-16 III be appropiate or should I stear clear of a cabin and go to the Picnic Cat? The Sun Cat would be my third choice but it's more boat than I really want.(need?) Final question: My wife has family in Virginia and she alwas wants me to come with her to visit them. When is the next time you will be at a boat show, and how far is the show from Norfolk ? You have a really great site, and your "Sailing School" answered a lot of questions that have benn puzzleing me for years..

Answer: I'm glad our "Sailing School" helped. I really like the finesse of sailing small boats and I know the more you sail, the better you get. You never stop learning when it comes to sailing.

The CP-16 III would be my choice. It has the centerboard for the rocks and it also has the ballast you need for lowering and raising the mast on the water. I would add a "Boom Tender" with a mast gallow to make lowering and raising mast work. You can sail a shoal draft ballasted boat in almost any wind condition. That's me sailing a CP-16 III on 2Jun06 by myself. Click Results under Com-Pac Performance on the left. There are 2 pictures that shows the wind conditions on that day. I can remember that it was blowing pretty good that day.

Finding a used CP-16 Mark III for sale will be difficult. The new CP-16 (Legacy) is really a modified CP-16 and it has the centerboard and "Boom Tender" system. It also has 40% of its total displacement in ballast making it a great boat to sail. Sailing 4 people at the same time is no problem.

Our next boat show is Raleigh, NC in February 2008.

Message: Hello Keith; Could you tell me how much work it is to install the factory folding ladder on my 2001 Sun Cat? I've come to the conclusion this ladder is the best one for the boat and the boat will typically be moored just offshore at my place up north, not docked, so the ladder will be the primary boarding method. What kind of backing plates or support is there at the transom bolt locations? How do you get access to the transom and how should the ladder be located? Should I order it from Hutchins or do you have one you want to sell? Thanks in advance.

Answer: It's a big job if you do it the hard way. If you were going to do lots of work on the4 4ransom, you would remove the tiller horn from the cockpit and gain access that way. Removing the tiller horn is a 3-day job and that's the hard way. The 3M5200 really works well on the tiller horn. If I was going to install a ladder, I would cut an access hole and install an access port (a round port that screws into a base that's available from West Marine). The access port would be centered under the folded ladder when it was installed. If you have a white hull, a white port will work well and also look good. The transom on the Sun Cat has a built-in backing plate. I would use 3M5200 and washers under the ladder bolts and nuts. The mounting procedure is put the ladder halfway between the rudder and the starboard edge of the boat. Make sure the ladder's vertical dimension (left side of ladder) is parallel with the rudder when you look at the ladder and rudder from the stern.

You can order your ladder either way. You may have to wait 2 weeks to have 1 made. Business has been good.

Message: Hi Keith

In the design for this boat boat, what is the specification for mast rake?

Answer: The rake of your mast is a dynamic specification. If you normally carry and sail with 4 large people in the cockpit, you would move the top of the mast as far forward as possible to obtain a balanced boat sailing on the wind in 10 knots of wind. If you normally sail with 2 small people in the cockpit, only would only move the top of the mast forward enough of balance your boat. A well balanced Com-Pac 23 has a small amount of weather helm sailing on the wind in 12 knots of wind. 12 knots of wind can be identified when you see whitecaps everywhere, 11 knots of wind is 1 whitecap now and then and 10 knots is darks spots everywhere.

Message: I have a West Wight Potter 19 but I find it cramped inside and shes very slow in light wind. At times I also find it tedious to raise the sails. I'm thinking of getting a catboat with just one sail to worry about. Howeverm the WWP 19 does have floatation that I like and it's relatively cheap ( I bought it new in 2003) Should I trade it in for a Horizon? I also hate the lack of privacy when using the head.

Answer: We can take a West Wright Potter as a trade-in on a Horizon Cat. Back when I was learning how to sail, dealers didn't take trade-ins on new sailboats and it was hard to go from boat to boat. We now do trade-ins when we can and most sailors go from boat to boat as they gain their sailing experience.

I remember owning 9 sailboats before I really learned how to sail. Most sailors have a hard time learning sail shape and trim on a light boat and my budget required a light boat at that time. Light and cheap go hand in hand when you’re talking sailboats. Light air sailing is the most difficult type of sailing. Making a boat go in flat water and no wind is close to magic.

Message: Would like to lead halyards aft and looking for used bronze Barlow 15 for the cabin top to match existing. Do you have one available? Thanks

Answer: Sorry. Good used Barlow 15s with the composite top ring are few and far between. The ring cracks after many years in the sun and makes the winch useless.

Message: I see you are redesigning the Compac 16 "trawler". The picture on your site shows a simpler "mock-up" of the wheelhouse. What is the material used and how will it be finished? Also you state the motor size is up to 25 HP- are you stengthing the stock transom for this ?

Answer: There are several materials that will work. The house on our first boat used 1/4 inch "Luan" panels covered with fiberglass cloth and paint. Our current building material of choice is a foam and fiberglass composite called "Coosa". This material is lighter, waterproof and works like wood. We cover the "Coosa" with a thin fiberglass panel that has a white gel-coat on one side. Both materials are available at marine supply stores like Paxton in Norfolk, VA. We spray paint the finished boat with "AWLGRIP". They say you can use a roller with that paint, but we always use a spray gun with good results.

The "mock-up" picture shows how we build our templates. We make templates so we can check fit and appearance before we start cutting our more expensive materials. The best engine for the Trawler is a 10-hp model that doesn't require lots of reinforcement. An added backing plate for a 10-hp motor will work. A Mini jack plate from T-H Marine mounts the motor in the middle of the transom and we use a long shaft motor.

We plan on writing a "How To" section on Trawler construction this coming winter. The flat floor on the inside and other building steps need to be covered in detail. Look for it on this Web site soon. The most difficult part of Trawler construction is the top of the house. The top will be available early next year as a mail order item. It will be a fiberglass laminate that can be shipped by truck and will cost about $500 and shipping cost.

Message: Is it possible to retrofit the garage package option to a used suncat? If so, is it possible to schedule such a update during a two week vacation in your area. You have a great web site.

Thanks for your help.

Answer: Yes, a retrofit is possible. See the DIY project #13 on our Web site. We can mail you 2 short pieces of stainless steel tubing that's used as boom gallows splices. You cut your gallows using a hack saw, finish the ends and then glue the splices we send you inside the existing pipes (See Project #10). The upper part of the gallows is removed from the lower part of the gallows by pulling it up and out and laying it down. The mast, boom and gaff lay on top of the boat.oject #13 shows how to handle the front end of the mast in some detail. Doing both ends will work using a standard 7 foot garage door.

We can do the work for you if you desire. Let us know your vacation schedule so we can schedule your work. Thanks.

Message: I stopped in last Wednesday and wanted to thank you for the time spent with me and the information provided. On the drive back to Hampstead, in my mind, I was set on the 82 Compac 16 we discussed. However, my family advisors indicate that "I may sometimes need to carry four or five passengers, and the Compac 17's are still within the 2,000 lb. towing capability of my Wrangler".

You and I did discuss the 01 Compac 17's but my impression was that these may not be the best sailboat for a beginner. I thought the ballast was significantly lower than on the Compac 16 which might be the issue with learning to sail.

What our your thoughts on this?

Answer: I think a sloop with 2 sails is the best boat when it comes to learning how to sail. You can see how the wind is flowing in and off the jib and how it modifies the main. Once you master sail shape with a sloop, sailing a cat boat with 1 sail and gaff is the next step up. The gaff is a fine sail shape adjustment tool. Fine adjustments to sail shape are possible with a gaff. I miss the gaff sail shaping capability when I'm sailing a sloop. The Sun Cat has less ballast, but it is really stiff and feels the same as other Com-Pac Yachts.

Message: The com-pac 16 with the picnic cat rig- did you guys set that up or was it a trade in? Would the sun cat rig be too big?

Answer: We modified the Com-Pac 16 that's listed on our Web site several years ago. The extra sail area from a Sun Cat rig would work fine in light wind areas like some lakes. I think the Sun Cat rig could be a handful in some windy locations. Most sailboats should be customized for your local sailing area.

Message: I have been considering a Suncat sailboat for its ease of transportation and set up. I have two questions that I have not found an answer. The garage option apparently requires only 6 foot height, but I cannot find the total length required for the boat and trailer. Is there a folding option for the front of the trailer? Also, how does the set up and ease of use from a trailer compare between the suncat and the Horizion cat. Your web site has been very enjoyable and informative.

Thanks for your help.

Answer: The length of a Sun Cat on a trailer is about 17 feet including the rudder and another 4.5 feet from the boat's bow to the trailer hitch. You can reduce this length by putting the boat in the garage at an angle. A standard garage door has a 7 foot clearance from top to bottom. The trailer cannot be folded.

The Sun Cat mast is the easy mast to raise. Most small people can raise the Sun Cat mast without any help. The Horizon Cat has a standard remote system for raising the mast and requires more effort. I can raise the Horizon Cat mast manually by myself, but I prefer the electric winch system I installed on my Horizon Cat rigged Com-Pac 23. I would never install an electric winch on a Sun Cat because it's too easy to raise by hand.

Message: Keith, although I know you addressed this issue a couple of years ago on your Answers board, we are interested to know if there is a retrofit possible for a small, removable fill-in section with a cushion insert to increase the area near the forward bulkhead for the upper torso when we are sleeping aboard inside (I usually sleep outside on the converted teak floorboards that I fitted with fold-out feet to be flush with the cockpit bride deck and seats) the cabin. I remember that the Hutchins Bros. offered this at the start of the Suncat production run, but pretty quickly eliminated it. We would like to know if a kit is available. Thanks for any help.

Answer: Good n The Sun Cat kit is avale for $350 plus shipping and installation. The cushions in the kit can be used as seat backs when they are not being used to make a larger bunk. I think the official name for this modification is the "Honeymoon" option. Two people can sleep side by side on the beam-ends of the boat.

Message: My Sun Cat sits on a Performance single axle trailer and there is one roller under the centerboard trunk. I have a word of caution and a question. The word of caution is the roller does not contact the shoal keel and so there is a few inches of clearance between the leading edge of the centerboard and the roller if the centerboard lanyard is cleated up tight. When the boat is trailered down often bumpy ramp roads to the launch site that centerboard penant takes a beating as the centerboard's mass reacts to jounce and rebound of the trailer going over those bumps. I always uncleat the centerboard penant and let the board rest on the trailer roller to avoid impact loads on the lanyard which will likely break it over time. Some centerboard boats use a thru-pin to lock the board up but the Com Pac does not have this. Of course you have to remember to pull the centerboard back up and cleat the penant before launch or retrieval. Now my question having read about the centerboard electrolysis problems does this 2001 boat have a zinc on the centerboard and if yes, where is it on the board? If the keel roller were temporarily removed from the trailer could the board be lowered enough to service the zinc on the trailer? If not could you install a zinc on the bottom leading edge of the board that would be accessible by removing the roller and dropping the board on the trailer? Thanks as always for any ideas.

Answer: Early Sun Cats didn't have zincs installed on their centerboards. Our yard installed zincs on those early boats when owners purchased bottom paint. Com-Pac started installing zincs on all Sun Cats centerboard soon thereafter. The installed zincs are small and need to be replaced often. We replace them when the boat is being removed from the trailer for bottom paint and they always need to be replaced. I do not know if they can be replaced with a roller removed from the trailer. I think a new set could be installed in the visible part of the centerboard when a roller is removed. I think the stock location for the zincs might be too high on the board.

If I was going to put an early model Sun Cat in a slip, I think I would do something else. Because the centerboard housing is very difficult to replace on early model Sun Cats and a zinc on the centerboard itself may only protect the board and not the housing, I think I would try plan "B". I would connect a large zinc to a flexible wire and drop it over the side. The other end should be connected to the centerboard housing pennant tube inside the boat through the seat hatch. The electrical connection between the centerboard zinc and the housing is through the bolt.

Message: Hi Folks, You have stated that you have installed lazy jacks on a sun-cat 17. I sail alone in coatal N.J. where we often have winds of 15-20 mph, I would like to hear your opinion on whether or not you feel the installation of lazy jacks are worth the effort. I realize there are many variables ,the biggest might be individual expierience. Just wanted to hear your take on this, as you guys know what you're talking about. Thanks

Answer: We have more experience installing Lazy Jacks than we have sailing with them. I plan on sailing a modified Com-Pac 23 with a Horizon Cat rig when the weather cools off some. I need to install a set of Lazy Jacks on that boat before I go sailing. Last yeai, the biggestisle on that boat was folding the sail when it was time to come home. My sail is larger than your Sun Cat and in 15 to 20 mph, it can be a tiger by the tail. On a Sun Cat, Lazy Jacks may be a tossup because of sail size. I'm sure Lazy Jacks will help me with my sail-folding problem when the wind is blowing big time.

Message: Hello Keith; I got through a major first round of getting my 2001 Sun Cat ready for sailing and garage storage. I successfully rigged the boat and got the sail re-installed on the trailer so that mystery is solved. Once you have seen it rigged it is pretty simple. for the garage storage I cut the gallows off using a brand new Rigid pipe cutter (sharp wheel) which left virtually no marks on the stainless gallows uprights even without any polishing. The upright tubes turned out to be 1" OD and I bonded 3" of the 6" long 7/8" pipe sections you sent me into the uprights on the boat. The Gallows slides on and off nicely and when installed it is hard to see any evidence of modification. On the mast plugs I deviated slightly from your method. I visited West Marine and the smallest piece of Starboard they had was about 12'x24" and $30. I decided that was too much. I did buy their small Evercoat polyester fiberglass repair kit, mainly to do the cockpit drain reinforcement you reccomended as a leak fix, then went down the street to the hobby shop and bought a piece of 1/4" thick balsa for less than $4 and cut a couple small pieces of the fiberglass cloth from the evercoat kit and bonded to each side of a couple of 4" square pieces of the balsa. I used a piece of construction paper set over the mast stub and very lightly tapped around the inside edge of the mast stub with the ball end of a ball pein hammer to get a nice accurate template, traced around the template onto the laminated balsa pieces, cut with a jigsaw, trim sanded to press fit, coated edges with polyester and tapped in. Perfect. The trailer can now be backed into the garage far enough to get the axle onto the flat floor of the garage floor with the gallows removed. To get the mast stub into the garage I have to remove the 2 mast hinge bolts and push the mast down flush with the top of the stub. I then have to disconnect the trailer, remove tongue and so far have used a floor jack to allow the jack wheel to be folded and let the frame down to where it just clears the floor. I will replace the folding jack wheel with a fixed jack wheel assembly that will allow the front of the frame to drop to the same height without messing around with a floor jack. Here then are my next projects and questions: I am working on several anchor schemes. For sure I am installing a deck pipe to utilize the anchor rope locker. From there I am torn between installing an anchor roller or installing a bow pulpit with the West Marine anchor rail straps that pick up the stock either side of the flukes. The roller has mechanical advantage but limits anchor size to one that fits the roller and requires more hole fastener holes. Also I plan to install an electrical system including battery, nav lights, bulkhead mounted sounder, knot meter and compass with lights. I will be starting from scratch as the boat was not equipped with the factory electrical pkg. Where does the factory locate the bow light, stern light and switch panel? Can the factory pkg parts be purchased from Com Pac and how much for the parts roughly? Back to the bow pulpit, you now offer a pulpit and it looks like it has a bow light bracket. This item could make both the anchor scheme and bow light scheme come together nicely. How much is the pulpit and mounting hardware? Thanks a ton for your help.

Answer: I think working on your own boat is almost as good as sailing and I think that you have a handle on that part of our sport. We have installed 2 different pulpits on Sun Cats. I like the Com-Pac 16 pulpit the best. The other pulpit we used was a Com-Pac 23 pulpit and it was a little high. The 16 pulpit cost $230 plus shipping. Installation can be a problem. We had to cut the feet off of 1 pulpit and re-weld to get the right angle. I think that was the 23 pulpit, but I'm not sure. Both pulpits come with a bow light holder that can be removed if you don't have lights.

The standard factory bow light on a Sun Cat (cats eye lights) are no longer available. The current bow light is mounted on the mast with the steaming light while the stern light is mounted on the boom gallows. I think I would find someplace else to mount the stern light because the wires need to be inside the gallows uprights. You might be able to make it work if your upright splice is close to the bottom. Making the hole for the wires at the bottom of uprights can be hard work. The circuit breaker panel is mounted on the starboard side of the forward bulkhead and the battery is installed behind the door. In most cases, a light installation kit will cost more than individual components from West Marine. You have to search for the correct circuit breaker panel that's inexpensive from West Marine. Maybe buying what you can from West Marine and then getting the rest from the factory would be a good solution.

It sounds like you are going to have a great boat. They sail really well.

Message: Hi. Do you sell or know about a kit that could give me a jib for my Sun Cat? I think that even a small jib would help me in pointing higher with this boat. I also wanted to know how much a bimini cost, as well as any special things that would make the inside of the boat more livable, such as custom shelving or something along those lines? Thanks for the reply.

Answer: A small jib can be added for light air performance. A modified Com-Pac 16 Mark I jib would cost about $350 and the hardware to make it work would cost another $350 (owner installed). You can compare your pointing ability to what we did with a Sun Cat last year. Look at our Com-Pac Yacht Performance Results on the left side of our Home Page and run the Sun Cat race. I think the Sun Cat pointed very well in those wind conditions. I also think a Sun Cat could use some added horsepower in light air.

A bimini cost $562 plus shipping and it can be shipped UPS.

We customize Com-Pac Yachts. Shelves, louvered doors, seat backs and other inside modifications are all possible. We call these modifications winter projects and we need your boat on our yard to perform most of these modifications.

Message: In yacht specifications what is PHRF

Thanks

Answer: PHRF (Performance Hanicap Racing Fleet) is a racing handicap system for sailboats. A local committee determines a new boat's PHRF based on other sailboats with similar specifications. Your PHRF is listed on our Yacht Database on the left. Handicaps can vary from area to area.

Message: Who manufactures the portlights. I need to replace the hard and cracked rubber seals. Love the website and plan to stop by and say Hi soon. Thanks

Answer: Several different vendors made the bronze ports for the CPac 27. Most of those vendors were located in the Far East. I don't think replacement gaskets are available for your ports and I would only replace a gasket if it leaked. Make sure you adjust your ports before you replace a gasket. Some of the gaskets in new ports were hard and cracked. Most automobile parts stores sell cork gasket material. Use gasket cement to seal the cork gasket to the port. Adjust the port (top and bottom) so the high point on the glass part of the port leaves an impression 360 degrees around the cork. Most ports that leak only seal at the bottom. The top part of the port needs to be adjusted on most ports that leak.

Stop by and see us anytime. We like to talk boats.

Message: Hi Folks, Really great site! I was going to ask about lazy jacks for my Sun Cat but I see that you have already answered it in your questions section. I would like to be considered for your owners club if it is open to yankee out of staters like me. My boat is new this year, I only wish that I lived closer to your shop so that I could have purchased it from you, my dealer was ok but sells mostly big boats and didn't seem very interested in after market options like you guys are. Thanks again for the great site.

Answer: Thanks for the kinds words. You are now a member of the CPYANC. An email will explain the password procedure.

Message: I just purchased a 2001 Com Pac Sun Cat from Yacht Works in Sister Bay, WI. The boat was sailed exactly once by the previous owner who then carefully stored it away for the winter in a closed garage, then died, so the boat is essentially a brand new boat. The boat was completely de-rigged and sail removed for a 235 mile trip to it's new home, my summer home in Garden, MI on Lk Michigan where it will spend part of it's time sitting outside but on the trailer, some of the time moored in the water and I want to store it in my new garage there for the winter.

I have 2 questions: Not being familiar with cat-rig sail rigging I ordered an owner's manual from Hutchins. Will the manual have good pictorials and pictures on how the mast is rigged for sail handling? If not how could I get a pictorial diagram showing proper routing of throat halyard/gaff halyard/boom and gaff connections to mast, boom control rigging, etc and explanation of how the center board depth is controlled?

Second question has to do with how best to reduce the overall height of the boat on the trailer to get it through my standard 84" high garage door openings for winter storage. It looks like the gallows is the worst problem as it measures about 96" off the ground with the boat trailer frame fairly level and the mast at the stub is about the same height when folded. If the gallows and standing rigging including mast and stub were removed I think the boat would go right into the garage. It looks like removing the gallows is a big project because the bolts on the tube flanges at the deck are probably secured under the deck with lock nuts and you would have to take off the rudder pass-thru to get to these nuts. I'm thinking an easier way is to use a tubing cutter and cut the gallows uprights about 6" above the deck then finding some close fitting tube sections to insert at the cut to make a sleeve joint similar to your DIY project on the C16 bow pulpit. This way the pulpit could be lifted off to store the boat and slid back on for sailing. As for the mast stub is it feasible to remove the base bolt below deck and un-step the stub provided it is properly re-sealed when it is re-installed? Is there anything else holding the stub in place? I'm thinking halyards could be removed from deck routing hardware, boom control could be outfitted with a snap swivel at the car for easy removal, side stays could be disconnected from deck stays and the sail could remain on the boom with sail cover and mast/boom/gaff could all be lashed together and removed as a unit from the boat. With all of that standing rigging and gallows off the boat it should be just a matter of rolling th boat into the garage. Any ideas or comment on this lunacy is welcomed. Thanks in advance for your time.

Answer: If I remember correctly, the Sun Cat manual isn't going to help all that much with your rigging problem. The Sun Cat brochure has the best rigging picture. The good news is that when you start rigging your boat, you will figure out how it done by trial and error. The sail should only be removed for major maintenance or replacement because it takes a long time to reinstall. I don't think you will have any major problems when you rig your boat. The centerboard is either up or down. We normally forget to secure the centerboard line when we launch our boat and the centerboard will get stuck on the last trailer roller. Then we have to bring the boat back on the trailer and secure the line with the board up.

You are right about the boom gallows. Cut the tubes about 12 inches above the deck. I use a cut off saw with a metal blade. I strap the saw to the tubes. The mast stub can be reduced in height by installing another hinge above the deck. Install the new hinge backwards and fold the stub forward for the garage. Your idea will work, but unsealing the 3M5200 will be a job. Keep as many parts and pieces connected as possible. Good luck with the project.

Message: What are the most important differences between the ComPac 16, 16II and 16III?

Answer: The Com-Pac 16 Mark I is a very basic boat with an aluminum bow pulpit and a 3/4th headsail rig. The Com-Pac 16 Mark II, vintage late 1985, cost $1,600 more retail than the previous Mark I and had lots of improvements. The Mark II has a stainless steel pulpit, 7/8th headsail rig with a bowsprit, genoa tracks, 5 square feet more sail area and some fancy teak on the inside. The Mark III came along in 1988 and added an opening see-through hatch on the foredeck and room for a gas tank in the cockpit.

Message: The portlights on my recently purchased 87 19/II have that salty green look to them. How do I get them back to the clean looking bronzes again. 2Thanks and really enjoy your web site.

Answer: We use a solution of vinegar, salt and water to remove the ugly stuff. Remove the ports and soak the bronze parts overnight in this solution. Clean and polish the ports after the soak and then spray a light mist of varnish for a lasting finish.

Message: My wife and I have 2 small children, ages 3 and 4. We are looking for our first sailboat. We have never sailed before and wish to daysail / trailer. Want an easy to rig and launch used boat that will give us a positive learing experience, and then upgrade / upsize down the road. we would use a smaller boat more than a big one, and have been looking in the 16-20 foot range. What do you have available in a quality boat, and what models would you recommend? Thanks, great site.

Answer: Almost all small cabin boats built in the 80s will work on most lakes. You can have fun with just about all of them. Most of the boats built in the 80s have their ballast inside a stub keel and this is the most popular configuration for small boats on a trailer today. You can learn more about sailing from a boat that has extra ballast. Light boats are cheap to build and make money for the builder. Heavy boats are more expensive to build, cost the buyer more and provide a better learning experience. An experienced sailor can take a light performance boat and do some great sailing. They all learned how to sail on heavy stiff boats or they wouldn't have become experienced sailor. I think sailboats should be sold by the pound.

Almost all sailboats are a compromise. When it comes to launching and maintenance, a 16 is better than a 20. A 20 may be better than a 16 when it comes to its physical mass or displacement. It all depends on your passenger requirements, your age and where you plan on doing most of your sailing. The mast raising on smaller boats is very easy. When boats get to be 20 feet long, the mast is longer and is more difficult to raise. You will sail more if the parking lot business is quick and easy. We can say that all sailboats have a territorial character, categorized as performance or cruising and that we should not expect standing headroom and air conditioning in a 16 foot sailboat.

Message: Good aftenoon. 1. isn't thee somewhere i might peruse 'costs ' of up-grades, IE: bottom painting / life lines / etc. Also, the cost of a new trailer for said 16 / 11.

Thanks

Answer: Com-Pac still sells most of the parts and pieces for your 16. They will answer your emails and phone calls concerning parts and prices. The best way to get a trailer (the Legacy trailer is the same trailer) is from a dealer. We pickup more than one trailer at a time when we pickup boats in Florida. That saves some of the cost of transportation from Florida. A trailer cost $1,575 at my yard. Sternrails and lifelines cost $345.87 plus shipping to your location and bottom paint cost $500 on my yard.

Message: Scott, we are having one major problem with t. When raising the sail, we can't get the boom to rise at the gooseneck as high as it can go just beneath the mast hinge. Even with the downhaul for the tack, we can't get raise it at all unless we go forward and push up the boom at the tack. This is just not possible when single-handing. Nothing is fouled above -- when we lift the boom, the gaff throat halyard works smoothly. We can't figure out what the problem is.

The other problem is that the reef hook and the extension from the slug at the top of the gaff throat where the halyard is attached both are repeatedly fouled from the two square brackets that frame the mast just above the hinge. We have had to repeatedly strike the sail to unfoul either or both hooked onto especially the starboard bracket.

Are these brackets really necessary? We keep speculating on what they are for, but we can't figure it out!

Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: The reason the boom doesn't move that last few inches is because you are lifting everything at that time including the boom. When you get to the point where the gooseneck stops moving, look at the boom on the gallows end and you will see that the boom has just lifted off the gallows. You can sail like that, but not very well. I use a barber haul system to get the gooseneck and the boom up where it should be. You lock the throat halyard in its cleat at highest point. I then pull sideways on the halyard from a spot in front of the cleat. This gives you the extra power you need to hoist the weight of the rigging and the boom those last few inches.

The wire brackets on both sides of the mast are not required. They were designed to guide the slugs through the joint between the stub and the mast. A normal cure without removing the brackets is to make sure you are moving directing into the wind when you raise your sail. At least during the first part of the maneuver where you are having a problem. The brackets are suppose to guide the slugs into the groove if you fall off after that time.

Message: I would like to put an 8 hp electric start outboard motor on my com-pac 19/II. Is the weight of about 94 lbs too much for the original motor mount which is in good condition? I have also been considering a 6 hp 4 stroke Nissan motor. What is your advice re: purchase of a motor. Love your website as I have found a lot of good information on it.

Answer: If you have the aluminum mount and not the stainless steel mount, I would upgrade the motor mount for the big Honda and most other 4 stroke outboards of that size. I think the aluminum mount has too much sideways play for that much weight. If you decide to change your motor mount, I would add another backing plate at that time. That will reduce the transom flexing with that much weight going up and down. I think a 5hp Honda really works well on your boat. It will start on the first or second pull every time. The 56 pound motor is really easy to put up and down on your mount and you wouldn't have to change anything on your 19 to accommodate that motor. The power is more than enough to take you to hull speed in most conditions. We use the 5hp on our 23s.

Message: is it possible to install a jib on a suncat,will it help up wind purformance.is it even worth the effert

Answer: Most sailboats including your Sun Cat would benefit from more sail area if they are used in the light wind conditions. A Sun Cat will sail up wind really well above a specific (bottom end) wind speed. If you look at the Com-Pac Performance link on the left, you will see a Sun Cat sailing upwind in 10 to 15 mph. It really sailed well at that wind speed. All sailboats have a bottom end wind speed where they can't go upwind. I don't know the Sun Cat's bottom end wind speed, but I do know that it's 9 mph for a Com-Pac 23. If the wind falls below that speed, you don't have enough sail power to make a boat move to windward. The Sun Cat should do better than a 23 because of the displacement difference between the 2 boats. I think the Sun Cat's bottom wind speed may be around 5 mph. That's dark spots on the water and a Sun Cat should sail really well in the 6-9 range, dark spots everywhere.

If the water is flat (wind speed of 0-3 knots), you can use a loose jib to flag the wind and its direction. Then you need to move your boat and jib into the best position to start sailing on the wind. If you can squeeze the air between the jib and the main, the boat will start sailing (you will need a small slot between the two sails that will open up with boat speed, you hold the jib clew with your hand close to the main). In flat water, you can only sail on the wind (pointing). The relative wind is what makes it work in flat water and relative wind is not as great on other points of sail. You also can't use a small slot on a beam or broad reach to get started.

A jib, bowsprit and the running rigging for a Sun Cat will cost about $4,000 installed. This type of installation will work in heavy and light air. The installation is a winter project for us and needs to be scheduled. Using a small jib connected to the anchor roller or the bow will work as a light air test system for this summer. I would borrow a small jib from a friend and see if you can make it work. This may solve your light air problems. They say that lake sailors are the best sailors in the World because they do so much with so little.

Message: Thank you for the great advice you offer here. We appreciate it!

Saw your recommendation for Pettit Trinidad bottom paint, and it raised a couple of questions:

1. I have a two year old Suncat which has been trailer sailed, and has no bottom paint and no blisters. The boat will now be kept at a dock for the season. Will the Trinidad provide protection against osmosis, or do you still recommend epoxy before the antifouling?

2. Can the Trinidad also be used on the rudder and centerboard? If not, what type of coating do you recommend for those surfaces?

Thank you for your time.

Answer: We have been using an undercoater (epoxy) on new boats (boats without bottom paint) since 1989. All fiberglass boats that live in hot water areas like theo southern United States may develop blisters and need protection. Boats that live in cold water areas (like Canada) may not need as much protection because blisters are not normally associated with those cold water areas. I would check with a local marina in your area and see if your local boats have blisters. If your local marina repairs blisters, I would undercoat my boat. Trinidad or any paint (even house paint) will provide some protection against blisters. Undercoater and bottom paint together is an excellent blister protection plan for our area.

Trinidad is copper bottom paint. You can't use copper bottom paint on metal parts. It will make the metal parts into an anode and the metal will be destroyed through electrolysis. We use tin bottom paint for metal parts. That type of paint was designed for the inboard/outboard lower units in powerboats. It comes in a spray can and you should cover the centerboard and the centerboard housing. I would pickup or fold the rudder at a dock. It will be above the water level and shouldn't need anti-fouling.

Make sure you replace your zinc on the centerboard when you paint your bottom. I think they should be inspected and/or replaced every year. I wish we had an easy way to do this without picking up the boat. I have considered making a removable zinc that connects to the pennant tube in our older Sun Cats. Dropping a zinc over the side at the dock would solve our electrolysis problem in these boats. See the DIY Maintenance link on the left concerning Sun Cat leaks.

Message: Thinking of trying a mooring or a slip; have NO bottom paint, and wonder if you have a summary on what to put on for a Lake like Kerr, a river like the Pamlico, or even saltish water like Oriental. Thanks; is there any kind that is good for all of it?

Answer: We use Pettit Trinidad for all our applications. You need bottom paint for protection from blisters on most southern lakes (any paint will do) and a good antifouling paint for the coast. Of course, an antifouling paint will work for both situations. You scrub your bottom with a soft brush to renew your antifouling paint on the coast. Locations like Oriental will need more scrubbing than places up river from Oriental. An up river location like New Bern may only need 1 scrubbing per year.

Message: My rub rail is pretty nasty looking. I'm already planning a paint job, and would like to replace the rub rail at the same timWhere do you get the right stuff, and what kind of adhesive is used? Any other thoughts on the subject would be very helpful. Thanks.

Answer: Older Com-Pac 16s through 23s use the same rub rail. Com-Pac recently purchased the machine and the rights to make this type of rub rail from a local vendor. The best place to buy this rub rail is from the Factory because that will save shipping it twice.

The tape under the rub is installed when the caulking is still wet. Com-Pac wants to keep the rub rail clean and that's why they use tape under the rub rail. It is not required for subsequent installations. Pull the rub rail off the side of the boat with your hands. Warm weather helps the installation and removal process. Remove the end caps. Remove the screws that are holding the rub rail ends. The rub rail will fall off the boat. Start the installation by cleaning the rub rail joint. Remove the old tape and clean the joint. Start at one end and install a screw to hold the rub rail in place. I would try to put it in the old hole. Pull the rub rail in the opposite direction while keeping it on top of the deck. The rub rail needs to be installed as tight as possible between the two ends. This prevents too much sag when the weather is hot and also saves material. Put a screw in the other end. After the ends are secured, put the rub rail on the hull to deck joint by hand or with a rubber mallet and replace the end caps. The job is finished and the boat looks much better. No adhesive is required or needed for installation.

With the rub rail off, it's a good time to repair the hull to deck joint if it shows some voids. If you see spots between the glass that needs caulking, add some 3M5200 to those spots. Removing the screws or the rivets is not a good idea. Clean and groove the exterior joint for the 3M5200. It takes several days for the caulking to get hard. Cover the caulking with white duct tape if you want to proceed with your rub rail installation at that time.

Message: I understand from the Compac owners website that there is a leaking problem with some older Suncats. What causes this and what is the cure?

Answer: Not having a dealer that repairs leaks is the big problem. Some boats go from the Factory to the buyer's home without stopping at a dealer's yard. These buyers are located in an area where we don't have a dealer and the leaks were not identified and repaired when the boat was new. I have helped lots of Sun Cat owners with leak problems and they were all successful. The owners fixed most of the leaks with a little email help from me.

Places to check for leaks: Ports, centerboard pennant hole, gas hatch, mast entry and the centerboard housing. The centerboard housing screws can corrode if the boat stays in the water and the centerboard is not protec om electrolysis.

The most common leak for all Sun Cats is at the seat hatch. The gutter around the seat is shallow on its aft edge. The boat can be on its trailer and in a bad position where water will puddle in that area. The angle of the boat's deck when it is on a trailer is very important. If it is in a bad position, water will drain into the aft bilge during a rainstorm and can't be seen. The water in the aft bilge will not move to the forward bilge where it can be seen until the boat is moved on it's trailer or the boat is launched.

Message: Hi Keith,

First, congratulations on the nice piece on the CP 16 trawler in Small Craft Advisor.

We are starting our second season on the Picnic Cat we got from you last year, and we are having a great time sailing Cape Cod Bay -what a fabulous boat.

But perhaps you could help me with one problem I am having.

I find a small amount of water forward of the structural bulkhead under the forward hatch. I thought it was only rainwater that came down the open mast groove, and indeed that may be happening. But I dried it all out Saturday, went sailing Sunday and found it again. No rain.

Since the PC is never stern higher than the bow, indeed the opposite on launch and retrieval, and there is not much water, I am thinking that the water most come in forward of the centerboard trunk. The only hole through the hull that might be responsible is the bow eye.

Can I back those nuts off and rebed the bow eye without fear of losing the backing plate in a difficult -to-impossible to get-to spot?

Also, the grey paint has worn off where the puddle has been sitting showing pink(?) fiberglass mat. What do I paint that with (when dry)?

And lastly, I fear that I have created the problem as when fully winched-in the bow hangs on the bow eye. There is a padded bunk beneath it, and a roller aft of that but they only come into play as the boat winches onto the trailer.

Should I be moving the winch to a different position so that the bow actually has some weight on that forward pad?

Thanks for being such a resource to all us Com-Pac sailors!

Answer: I think Small Craft Advisor did a super job on their Trawler layout. I was pleased with what they published.

Picnic Cats have a built in low spot in the forward part of the hull. Another way to say the same thing is that we have a dam between the bow and where you see the water. Water that collects in this area is hard to remove. The water will move around as the boat starts and stops while it is on the road. We keep seeing water from time to time and wonder where it came from. The way to remove all the water from the bow is to tip the bow up high, maybe 3 or 4 feet by putting a long 2X6 under the trailer hitch. All the water in the hull will drain to the rear and can be removed. Rainwater from the mast area should have caused your leak.

Use a good quality enamel paint from the hardware store to touch-up your interior gray paint. Making it match is the hard part.

You have to prove that a boat leaks at a certain point before you attempt to repair a leak at that point. It is doubtful that the trailer eye leaks. It is put together with lots of 3M5200. If you can prove that it leaks (water hose with a dry boat on the inside), we can talk about a repair at that fitting.

The trailer bow roller belongs on top of the boat's trailer eye. This position prevents the bow of the boat from bouncing up and down as you trailer down the road. The pull of the winch locks the bow of the boat to the roller. The pad on the trailer frame is designed to prevent the hull from hitting the trailer on launch and retrieval. It is not designed to support the hull while the boat is on the trailer.

Message: Would a 4hp motor be too much for a C-16? Also, any thoughts on how to charge the battery on a boat kept stored on trailer at the lake? No elec. available.If solar, who makes a good panel, waterproof, etc? Thanks.

Message: Should have put this into my previous message, sorry. My 16 has motor mount that lifts. Do I use a short shaft, or long shaft motor. Read somewhere that it takes a short shaft. Thanks.

Answer: A 4hp, 2 stroke will work fine. A 4hp, 4 stroke may be a little heavy. We use the flexible solar panels sold by West Marine. The part number is 8632945. The Com-Pac 16 was designed to use a short shaft motor.

Message: I have a 1987 CP23/2 with the brown cove stripe.It is getting a little faded. Polishing helps for a little while,but half way through the summer it is faded again. I was wondering if the paint was still available, if not is there a different brand that would be a good match? I really like the look of the brown, besides I don't want to change my sail cover,tiller cover and the sunband on my jib and genoa which are also brown. Thank you for your help.

Answer: The brown cove stripe on your boat is gel-coat. That's why is fades as fast as it does. We use a 2-part AWLGRIP paint to fix the problem. The paint can be applied with a roller and it can be buffed to a smooth super shine after it gets hard. The paint color is Sable Brown and the part number is G6001.

Message: Hi. Saw the reconditioned 16 on the Web-Site, and fell in love. Is that topside paint over the entire hull, or matching bottom paint? How the heck does a guy on a budget get the boat off the trailer to paint below the waterline? What paint did you use, two part, or one part? Are the stripes painted or tape? Since I just joined this weekend, that's probably enough bothering you. Thanks

Answer: We normally don't paint decks. The decks are repaired and then reconditioned with compound and wax. The hulls are painted with AWLCRAFT, a 2-part paint. Paint is much better than gel-coat for a long lasting finish. We paint 16s inside our shop. A floor jack picks the boat off the trailer. We put wood blocks under the keel and then move the blocks back and forth until we can remove the trailer. The boat is held in an upright position with lines tied to cleats on the shop walls. All of our stripes are tape. We use a crane to apply anti-fouling paint outside the shop. We don't find too many 16s without anti-fouling paint these days. We think the best anti-fouling paint for an old boat that's going to stay on its trailer is a new Pettit paint called Vivid. You can get this paint with a white color and that makes the boat look like it doesn't have bottom paint. Good questions.

Message: Are catbird seats available to order for my Com Pac 19/3? If so, how much are they and what is the order time? I saw the pics of Hildegard ...beautiful job! What does a refurbish similar to this cost?

Many thanks

Answer: The catbird seats cost $636.30 plus shipping. If the boat was on the yard, the installation labor would be about $300.00. The installation also requires new life lines at $200.00. The catbird stern pulpit is a Com-Pac 23D pulpit. The Factory needs about 4 weeks of lead time to build this special purpose pulpit.

The basic restoration cost of a Com-Pac 19 is about $6,450. The waiting period for a restoration is 1 year.

Message: Hello

Do you have any of your "trawl boat" conversions?

Answer: I have the plug on the yard, but it's not for sale. We hope to build some trawlers this winter.

Message: I am interested in locating a Picnic Cat, used preferred but might have to go to new. Anything available? Price? Trailer? Motor? Thanks.

Answer: I'm sorry, we don't have a used Picnic Cat. A new boat, including a sailcover cost $8696. A trailer cost $985.50 and a 2hp Honda cost $900.

Message: In preparing the Suncat to get back in the water, I noticed that I am missing one of the plastic slides that attaches to the sail and slides up the mast. Do you know where I can get several new ones? Are they specific to the Suncat, so that I would need to ask the folks at Hutchins, or are they generic? There is a Hutchins dealer near here, but they were certainly not knowledgable about the the boats a year ago. That's why I went all the way to N. Carolina to buy from you. Also, is there an add-on kit for lazy jacks recommended for the Suncat, or is the boat too small to make that worthwhile? On a windy, choppy day, getting the sail down quickly and into the the boat singlehanded can be a little tricky. Thanks.

Answer: The sail slides are generic. The slide that fits the Sun Cat are called sail slugs at West Marine and the part number is 2690840. You will also need a plastic shackle to install the new slug. I think the correct shackle part number is 2690949. The new slugs will look different, but they will fit the groove in the mast and the front to back length should be the same or almost the same.

We have installed a lazy jacks on a Sun Cat and it worked well. The system is a Harken product from West Marine, part number 336461. The pre-swaged wires had to be cut and re-swaged because they were too long for our Sun Cat. We used our inexpensive life line swaging tool for that job that's also available from West Marine. We plan on installing a system on a Horizon Cat soon. I think we can install lazy jacks on that boat without any modifications.

Message: Hello, I enjoy you site very much and you've inspired me to consider converting my 1976 Com-pac 16 to a catboat. You mentioned that you carry the hardware needed, could you give me an idea of the cost? I'm trying to compare the upgrade to the cost of a new mainail and standing rigging. Thanks in advance.

Answer: Thank you for the kind words. The cost of a conversion is going to be more money. The modification cost about $1,500 for the basic parts. You use your existing mast and standing rigging with our modification. We also haven't developed a good boom gallows that can be owner installed. We do some welding after we fit the gallows to the boat. The current teak and stainless gallows is an extra $500. We would like to develop a stainless gallows that could be owner installed and cost less. Itiitho's on our list of things to do.

Message: The Sock for the mast stub looks like it will work much better than the plug since I have wiring for Nav lights, etc.

What is the cost for the Sock that goes on the Mast Stub and the one that goes on the end of the gaff?

Available in Sunbrella color: Toast?

All my other canvas is Toast.

Thanks

Answer: The cost of the mast sock is $95 and the gaff sock is $45. They come in Sunbrella colors including Toast. It takes about 3 weeks to make the socks and the shipping is extra.

Answer to Message below continued: The seat back filler option for the Sun Cat is available for $397.00.

Message: On your ad for a Sun Cat you listed "The inside options include seat backs with the ability to make a filler for wall to wall sleeping" Could you please send more information about this and a Bimini?

Thank you.

Answer: The seat back and filler option was designed for new boats. We are currently asking Com-Pac if this option is available for any Sun Cat. I don't know how they would match the cushion cloth for a used boat. They may come up with a solution if they can solve the cloth problem. The bimini comes in a choice of colors and moves forward and back on an included track. In the stowed position, the bimini rest against the boom gallows below the boom and is out of the way. It comes with a boot and can be shipped in 2 parts (UPS). The cost of a Sun Cat bimini is $562 plus shipping.

Message: Hi,

I read a few places, most recently in a review of the Picnic Cat for a small craft magazine, that some people optimize their boats by replacing he factory rudder with a foil rudder ( idasailor.com). Do you he any insights in the value of these? As always, I enjpy your site. ( Semper Fi)

Answer: All of my customers that own a foiled rudder like their rudders. Some have complained about the rudder's construction, but most of them seem satisfied with the Company's warranty program.

As a technical person, I like the original flat aluminum rudder best. The lift created by a rudder is caused by the difference in pressure between the sides. The rudders on all sailboats are the same shape on the both sides. This means that a rudder cannot create lift like an aircraft's wing. Lift from a rudder is created when the boat slips sideways sailing on the wind (keels work the same because all sails create sideslip). The reason large rudders are shaped like an airfoil is to reduce drag. The rudders on large sailboats have to be thick enough to be strong. I think if we compared the drag generated by the flat aluminum rudder and a foiled rudder on a Picnic Cat, the flat aluminum rudder would have less drag. (Semper Fi)

Message: Hello Keith,

On my 89 model CP23, I noticed the gaskets on the ports are very hard and brittle and that there is evidence of some leaks. How hard is it to replace these and do you stock them?

Thanks!

Answer: Gaskets for the 89 ports are no longer available. The old port gaskets work longer than most people think. Look at the seal line between the moveable part of the port and the gasket. There should be a line on the gasket that makes contact 360 degrees around the gasket. The ports can be adjusted at the top hinges to make this happen. Most bronze ports that we see do not make contact at the top and they will leak after a hard rain. Adjustment should fix the problem.

Message: I absolutely love your site for all your sailboat information. It is very informative and really helps prospective buyers.

I have a couple of questions. Com-pac doesn't advertise any positive floatation in the Suncat or new Legacy. Sailboats like Monygomery 15, Catalina 18, Sanibel 18, Potter 15 & 19 do have it. Please give your views on this. The new Legacy has a low slung transom. Your views on safety as far as following seas and being pooped.

Thanks

Answer: Thanks for the kind words.

Com-Pac also has floatation. They had foam in their boats back in the 70s when no one else did. Com-Pac Yachts are NMMA (National Marine Manufactures Association) certified. That's like the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification on electrical appliances. Foam floatation is part of that certification. Check out my "What's New" link on the left.

Com-Pac doesn't advertise as much as some builders. They think their customers are their best advertising tool.

The time it takes to get a trailer sailboat ready to launch is very important. You use the easy access transom in the parking lot every time you use your boat. Com-Pac really works at making launching easy. You will use your boat more if launching is fast and easy.

The low transom on some of our Com-Pac Yachts might be problem if you were sailing around the World. We don't recommend sailing around the World in a Com-Pac Yacht. Following seas on lakes and coastal waters hasn’t been a problem. The hull has lots of buoyancy and moves up and down with the waves. The perceived transom problem isn't a problem after you sail the boat.

Message: Thanks for your reply regarding the trailability of the CP16&19.You mentioned the 19 would trailer better with a longer trailer.Are you talking about the entire trailer or a longer bed from the wheels back to give it a longer keel guide and shoe for the keel to sit on?The CP16 on your web site has the exact color scheme I thought of for restoring a boat. Can you tell me what brand and color you used in restoring the boat's topsides and waterline? Thanks for your reply.

Answer: I was talking about the 19 trailer being too short overall. The tow vehicle gets wet on most ramps with the stock trailer. A longer trailer will float the boat off without any problems. A 23 trailer can launch a 19 without the vehicle or my feet getting wet.

WeW use AWLCRAFT paint on our hulls. We try to avoid painting the decks because of the time and money it takes to paint a deck. Dirt in the air falls on horizontal surfaces when you spray paint decks. Vertical surfaces like hulls avoid that problem. Gel-coat on the decks can be restored in most cases. We do gel-coat repair and then compound and wax. If a deck is really bad, painting may be the only option.

AWLCRAFT paint is made for spraying by a professional. AWLGRIP paint can be sprayed or applied with a roller by almost anyone. In both cases, the paint needs to be compounded after it gets hard. I have seen some good results using AWLGRIP with a roller. The secret to both processes is the buffer and the person doing the compound work after the paint gets hard.

The color of our green hulls are Forest Green and the decks are the originals off white gel-coat in most cases.

Message: Good afternoon. I currently own a Marshall Sanderling catboat that I sail on Currituck Sound, and am considering moving to an easier-to-trailer model like the Com Pac Elipse, 19, or the new Legacy. Do you take other boats in trade, and if so, how do you determine the trade in value? also, do you service what you sell? Thanks!

Answer: We do take sailboats in trade on sailboats. We can't take a sailboat in trade that cost more than a sailboat that's being purchased. We determine the trade-in value of sailboats by identifying a market value "asking price" less 10%. The value of used sailboats varies greatly by location and condition. If the value of a trade-in is greater than the new boat, we recommend a broker sale for the old boat.

I think we may be the last dealer in the World that services what we sell. We have lots of experience.

Message: Thank you for your answer to my fire extinguisher question. However, in your answer you used a term I've not heard before. You mentioned you were getting ready to put a "Summer Cabin" option on a Sun Cat. Could you please clarify what that is? Do you have any photos?

Answer: Your welcome. The summer cabin that we are building is a canvas cover for the cockpit. It's going to look like a cockpit awning with sides. The Sun Cat owner that ordered the summer cabin is going to sleep in the cockpit when anchored. We hope to have his summer cabin built by the end of this month and we will publish pictures when it's finished.

Message: would it help if i insalled a vang on my suncat

Answer: I don't think so. The primary purpose of a vang is to flatten your sail while sailing downwind. If you are sailing downwind and you want maximum sail-area perpendicular to the wind, a vang might help. The mainsheet on the Sun Cat uses mid-boom sheeting and it is almost as good as a vang installation going downwind.

Message: I have owned sailboats from a Sea Sprite 23 to a Cape Dory Typhoon. I have been out of sailing for several years restoring wooden motorboats.I am now back in the market looking for a sailboat.I was looking for another Typhoon.I have become interested in the Com-Pac boats.When I saw your website it convinced me to look further. Your website is very good and your interest in your boats and customers is outstanding.The two boats that interest me are the CP16 and 19.I belong to a sailing club that does not allow a boat less than 22' to have a slip so I will have to trailer it. I can use a land parking place so I can leave the boat rigged.I like the roomer 19 but I do not know how hard it is to trailer.Is the 16'a lot easier to trailer than the 19'? What year did they start putting centerboards in the keel of the 16' and 19'? I understand it points better.Thanks for your reply.

Answer: Thanks for your kind words. I owned a Cape Dory 27 for 5 years and I think people that like Cape Dory boats like Com-Pac boats. We are traditional boat people.

Launching a 19 would be easy if you had it on a longer trailer and the mast was already in an upright position. The 19s were a little tall on the trailer and you needed a ladder to gain access to the cockpit in the parking lot. Both problems were solved when they designed the Eclipse. I think the 19 would work for you if you had a longer trailer. Pulling a 2000-pound boat down the road was never a problem.

The older Com-Pac 16s has the same room on the inside as the Cape Dory Typhoon. The new Legacy has more room on the inside. Both boats are great daysailors and they launch from powerboat ramps.

Being a Com-Pac Dealer, I normally pick my boat for its intended purpose. If I planned on daysailing from a trailer, I would select a 16 (Legacy). If I planned on spending a week at some location that I had accessed with an automobile and trailer, I would select a 19 (Eclipse or Sun Cat). Boats that live in the water follow the same general rule. An overnight works well using a Com-Pac 23 (Horizon Cat). If I planned on staying a week at some remote location (like the outer banks), the standing headroom under the bimini and in the cabin makes the Com-Pac 25 the perfect boat. I know that most people can't own a boat for every purpose, but you can pick the boat that best suits your current needs. Changing the boat when you needs change is pretty easy.

I think Com-Pac only made a few 19s with centerboards. I never sold one. The Mark III 16 had a centerboard and it did point higher (about 5 degrees) in light wind. You could normally gain back the lost time with a Mark I or II on a beam reach and downwind because they have less drag.

Message: do you have a mast tender to fit a compac sixteen and will it make it easy for a handy cap person to raise.

I have had two sixteens and the only problem with keeping them on the trailer is putting the boom and sail on each time also what is the cost thanks

Answer: I think we have a new system that will be less expensive than the Mast Tender system. The new system is the Boom Tender system that's standard equipment on the new Legacy. I haven't modified an older 16 yet, but I plan on doing so soon. North Carolina sailors developed a mast and boom stand about 25 years ago. The mast base stays in the tabernacle and the top of mast lays in the mast stand at the stern of the boat. The mast sticks out about 4 feet beyond a raised rudder blade. The angle ost prevents any contact wagth a following automobile on the road and you can hang a red flag on the mast if desired. I think this angle between the tabernacle and the stand will provide the room necessary to fold the boom on the mast with the sail inside a sailcover and still connected to the mast and the boom. An older Mark I Com-Pac 16 with a boltrope main wouldn't work, but the newer boats with slugs should work well. I will document the Boom Tender modification on the Web when we do our first boat. Details for making a NC mast stand for older 16 will be published in our DIY section at the same time. Installing the Boom Tender modification will be easy and can be owner installed.

Message: Ok, I'm convinced. She is the one. Could you quote a price F.O.B your facility? what would be earliest delivery date?. What would be a shipping cost to Virginia? and lastly, I'm curious to know if a jib roller furler could be installed.

By the way, your website is awsom!

Answer: Thanks for the nice comments.

A new Lagacy cost $12,365.50 at our location in North Carolina. The current build time is about 4 weeks with your choice of boot stripe and canvas colors. The price above includes a sailcover and a trailer. A ladder cost $166.50 and the cockpit padded backrest lines cost an additional $327.60. We like those options for the Legacy. The boat including all the options has a 10% discount off the retail price. The transportation from Florida to Nor Carolina is $400 and that's also included the price above.

As a Dealer preparation function, we varnish the tiller and inspect the boat and trailer before customer pickup. We also provide a short course on basic trailer and mast raising techniques at pickup time.

We have a new boat in stock with the options listed above. We can offer free transportation to Virginia on that boat. The canvas and boot stripe are dark blue. An additional transportation cost from North Carolina to Virginia would be around $200 on a boat ordered from the factory.

We don't recommend jib furling on the Legacy if the boat is going to be launched from a trailer on a routine basis. If the boat is going to be in the water at a slip, jib furling is recommended and can be installed by us. Thanks.

Message: Not a question, but a few thoughts. I recently worked the Com-Pac display at the Grand Rapids, Michigan show and got my first look at the Legacy. She's pretty (which really doesn't need to be said about CP's), but no one has sailed her yet (water gets very hard around here in Feb), so everything is just speculation so far. It appears to me that the Sun Cat may be the more efficient weekender for two people. She appears better laid out, but time will tell. However, my reason for writing is that it seems the small sailboat folks are overlooking the CP23, at least as far as new one's go. Used boats are still demanding a respectable price, and just try finding a used diesel. I know for a new one she's a bit pricey, and add the diesel you're looking at around 44K, but after two years of ownership, I think I can now voice my opinion on the boat. Simply put, I am one proud & happy camper... er, sailor (although, we do spend most weekends aboard). She's simple to sail, even single handed, and as I reach my mid-fifties, ease of process becomes more of an issue. She'll stand up to blow like you wouldn't believe. I've sailed her fully canvased (150% genoa)in 25 knots steady, and she behaved quite nicely. I won't say she wasn't flying too much cloth, but my son was handling the jib sheet, so it wasn't like I was the one getting beat up! We held a steady 5.7 knots, and that will get your attention in a 23 foot boat. We were on a small lake that connects to Lake Michigan, so wave height wasn't much of a problem; we simply blasted right through them. And NO, you do not want to be on a Great Lake in 25 knots steady if there's any fetch at all. I think you could do it, and I'm almost sure you'd be safe, but face it, at 3,200 pounds the 5 and 6 foot saw-tooth waves that form on the Lakes are going to Scare you plenty. So, I guess I do have a question afterall, when it starts blowing on the Big Blue, and the waves get up to 20 feet, how does the CP23 perform? We sometimes get 15 footers on the Great Lakes, with the occasional 20-25 footer, but that kind of weather sinks 1,000 foot freighters (rolls 'em, breaks 'em in half, or drives the bow under). Us kids on the Lakes just can't imagine sailing on big rollers like you folks on the Ocean enjoy. Fair winds.

Answer: Well said. I agree with your observations.

No one sails a 23 foot boat in 20 seas and lives. My son sailed a 23 foot Hunter from the Bahamas to the mainland last year in 12 foot seas. He really didn't sail his boat in those seas because he wasn't in control of his vessel. He washed up on the beach 70 miles north of his intended destination and had the wind and the Gulf Stream been moving in a different direction, he could have ended up in Eroupe or dead. Com-Pac Yachts are great coastal sailboats, but they are not designed or built as ocean going vessels. We have sailed a 23 foot Com-Pac in 50 knots of wind with 2 foot seas on a coastal river. The 23 likes the wind. You need a big boat for big seas.

Message: I saw your DIY section and was wondering if you could help me.

I would like to mount my fire extinguisher just inside the cabin on the starboard side where I can get to it easily.

However I'm worried about drilling into the bulkhead. I am planning to mount a small piece of teak there and mount the fire extinguisher to it. Could you inform me how to go about it? Other people may want this info also and I think it would be an excellent topic for the DIY section.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Answer: We all have our own opinion about boats and how they should be configured. My opinion about fire extinguishers is that they should be easy to access and out of sight. I always mount my fire extinguisher inside a seat locker if possible. Using finishing washers, nuts and bolts, you drill through the cockpit foot well bulkhead for a through bolt installation. A fire extinguisher has mass and you need to through bolt that type of installation. I would mount the fire extinguisher inside the seat locker at the forward edge of the hatch. That's my opinion.

An installation inside the cabin of a Sun Cat would need to be through bolted for the same reason as stated above. We have a small space between the cabin liner and the outside bulkhead. The liner is thin and designed for appearance purposes. We mount instruments in the forward facing bulkhead on Sun Cats and then use the space between the cabin and the liner to run wires. There is very little space between the two surfaces and it varies. You could do an installation without compressing the liner and then use self-locking nuts for a loose fit. I'm not wild about that type of installation because you may have sealing problems.

We will be installing a depth sounder in the same Sun Cat that's getting the Summer Cabin installation. I will make sure we do a DIY article on that installation. We plan on doing that installation in March.

Thanks for an excellent question.

Message: Hello--I am looking for a Compac 16, preferably with trailer, but motor is not necessary. Got anything? I understand you don't sell project boats, but I would consider one in any condition. Thank you.

Answer: We have an 82 Com-Pac 16 with a trailer for $1,800. Come by and take a look.

Message: How does setup time and effort with the Legacy / Boomtendr compare to the SunCat or Picnic Cat / Mastendr? If it takes 15 minutes to set up and launch one of the catboats, how much longer would you expect it to take to set up and launch the Legacy?

Answer: A measured reference for setup time in the parking lot for a Com-Pac 16 is 10 minutes. All the Cats and the Legacy are faster. The Sun Cat is the fastest, followed by the Picnic Cat and then the Legacy. The Sun Cat can be launched ke a powerboat and the mast raised on the water. The boat is that stiff and raising the mast is that easy.

Message: I recently attended the Phila sailboat show hoping to see the Compaq Eclipse. No luck. Don't see any mention of it on your site. Nothing at local dealers either. What's with this boat? I would have thought it would be a popular boat, but does not seem to be. Thanks.

Answer: The Eclipse is a great boat and it is very popular in some areas. It has many improvements over its predecessor, the Com-Pac 19. I think the Eclipse has some stiff competition from older boats in areas with a large population of used Com-Pacs. We have sold over 500 new Com-Pacs and we did sell our share of the popular 19. We currently have a used 19 on our yard.

I think the current hot boat from the factory is the Sun Cat and the Picnic Cat. I always count the types of boats being built when I go to the factory for a pickup. The Legacy should be moving up soon.

Message: What are the dates (again) and location of the Raleigh Boatshow.

Nice to be in touch again.

Answer: The Raleigh Boat Show will be held at the State Fair Grounds on 16 through 18 February. I hope we have some nice weather. See you there.

Message: You mentioned that you would be bringing the Legacy to the Raleigh Boat show in February. Are you bringing any other boats?

Answer: The Legacy will be the only Com-Pac sailboat at the show. We currently have examples of all the other Com-Pac sailboats on our yard in Richlands with the exception of the Picnic Cat, Eclipse and the Com-Pac 35. We hope to have a Picnic Cat on the yard by the time warm weather arrives.

Message: Dear sir, I was told, by a friend, that you are now able to order a low trailer from Magictilt, for the Com-Pac 23/3. Could you possibly send me the name of the dealer that you are ordering these trailers from? Do you have a model number for that trailer. Is that model number the same at all dealers? Thank you for any help that you can give me.

Answer: We order our trailers from Com-Pac. Com-Pac currently sells Magic Tilt trailers for their boats. You can buy this new low 23 trailer from most Com-Pac Dealers. Com-Pac's 23 trailer is really a Horizon Cat trailer with a few modifications. We like the launching capabilities of this new trailer.

The new trailer can be a problem for some owners. The trailer has a 5-inch road clearance that drags the ground in rough terrain. We have 1 owner that keeps his boat in the woods and getting his rig to his parking space is almost impossible with his boat on the trailer. He really needs the old 23 trailer that has more clearance for this situation.

If you don't have a terrain problem, the new trailer is a big improvement for getting on and off the boat (you can almost get on and off the boat from the fender) and launching will be much easier.

The cost of trailers has gone up. A new law in Florida requires brakes on both axles. That's an extra $500 for most trailers.

Message: What Com-Pac boats will you have at the boat show in Raleigh next month. We're getting back into sailing and are intrigued with the SunCat, the Legacy and the 19. We want a trailerable boat that is quick to rig, stable and that two can spend the night in.

Answer: The Com-Pac Legacy will be at the Raleigh Boat Show in February. That's the show that held at the State Fair Grounds and not the Convention Center Boat Show. Everyone gets the two shows confused and they don't have sailboats at the Convention Center Show.

The Legacy and the Sun Cat are really good at quick setup in the parking lot and launching at the ramp. The Com-Pac 19 is an earlier version of the Com-Pac Eclipse that has 4 bunks and a 2000-pound displacement. Most sailors that I know put their 19s in a slip if possible.

We are currently building a summer cabin for customer with a Sun Cat. We will have pictures on this Web site when it's finished. A big cockpit makes this type of installation possible. My customer plans on sleeping in the cockpit. The Legacy is a great daysailor with 2 bunks that can used for overnighting on rare occasions. You will sleep on it more often if you are very young.

Message: Thanks for the great answer about light air sailing. I have a couple of more specific follow-up questions. Although I love the look of the Suncat, the Picnic Cat is probably a better choice for the type of sailing I will do (and it would fit in my garage easily). The PC appears to have a much higher SADISP and a much lower DISPWL than the SC. Does that mean that the PC should be more responsive in light air than the SC? Or are you suggesting a jib on the PC would likely still be required in light air?

Also, have you seen anyone fit a porta-potty and a tent/tarp/dodger in a PC to allow longer day sailing without making stops?

Thanks for your help and congrats on a great website!

Answer: I think the Picnic Cat will work fine on a lake without a jib. The SADISP (sail area to displacement ratio) is high for the Picnic Cat. That figure is high for all non-ballasted daysailors. And that's why the Picnic Cat is going to sail well in light air. I like the jib solution when it appears that there isn't any wind. I use a little jib to find the wind that's normally not visible by any other means and then move the boat to catch or direct the wind to the mainsail. I think sailing when there isn't any visible wind on the water is pretty cool.

I think the forward hatch on the Picnic Cat could be made into a water closet or head area. The picture below shows a 2 bimini Picnic Cat and I think the forward bimini could have curtains installed for privacy.

You had some good questions. Thanks.

Message: I live in the upstate of SC, and will sail on local lakes. Strong winds are pretty unusual, and at least half of the days where I might be able to go sailing will have winds of 3-5 knots.

I used to sail an old American 18, and setup took a while. I love the easy of setup of the Com-pac cats. But I'm concerned that they may not be well suited for lake sailing in light air. What do you think?

Answer: In general, you are correct. The Com-Pac Cats could use a little more sail area for your 3-5 knots of wind.

Some of the best sailors in the World are Lake Sailors. Making a sailboat sail with very little wind that changes direction all the time requires experience and finesse. Sailors that are blessed with good wind most ofy the time do not develop the same skills that lake sailor do.

Most Lake Sailors are experienced with sail surface drag where a smaller sail may out perform a larger sail in light wind. You need to add a small jib to the bow of the Cats to catch the air and direct it towards the main in super light air. What blows over the main makes boats go in light air. The Cat's gaff can be adjusted to give the mainsail the right camber for light air performance without dropping the boom in the cockpit. A non-gaff sloop can't do this. A flat mainsail doesn't have the right shape for light air or no air lake sailing. If you own a Com-Pac Cat, I recommend using a small (maybe used) jib as a light air catcher for lake sailing. If you own a sloop, it's cool to figure out when the surface drag becomes greater than the lift generated by the wind in the sail. It's easy to figure out when lift is greater than drag because your boat will be sailing.

Message: Thank you for your very knowledagable opinion about the Legacy vs other similar sailboats. I was wondering what if any modifications you would recommend for this boat. For example, the boat will live on its trailer, but I was thinking of adding a roller furling systen to the jib. Is this a good idea? If so which model would you recommend. Also, is the 5 hp Honda 4 stroke outboard motor suitable for this boat? I will be sailing it on Pohick Bay on the Potomac River and have noticed that the weather can change quickly making a quick trip to shore necessary. BTW, you have a great web site and have provided me with a great deal of valuable information. Thanks for your help and insight.

Answer: Most furling systems are rigid and that means the sail must be stored in rizontal position when the mast is down. The sail doesn't drain well in this position and the sail gets ugly in a short period of time. The extra weight of the furling system and the sail doesn't aid raising and lowering the mast. You will sail more if the hassle in the parking lot is easy. We like and recommend furling systems for little sailboats if they live in a boat slip.

We recommend the 2hp Honda outboard. The 5hp works well with the 3000 pound Com-Pac 23. I think the 5hp outboard would never get to half speed installed on the 1000 pound Legacy. A 5hp Legacy would also be moving very fast at idle speed. Docking could be exciting. The 2hp can move the Legacy at hull speed and that's as good as it gets. You will sail as much as possible with the Legacy and that will make the motor less important.

Thanks for the good questions.

Message: Thanks for your comparison of the Com-Pac Legacy with the CP-19. How does the Legacy trailer, sail, etc as compared to the Sun-Cat? We have two adults and three smaller kids in the family and are looking for a boat that will single-hand, carry the family, or carry 2 or three cub scouts and two dads. Thanks for your help.

Answer: The difference between the 2 boats is 500 pounds. Most V-6 sedans can trailer either boat without any problems. The Legacy can also be trailered by a small 4 cylinder car. Any car can pull a small boat out of the water with their low gear.

The best way to see the differences between how they sail is to study the race results on this Web site. The only difference between the recorded race results was the wind. The Sun Cat had more wind and it was on the nose. Both boats sailed well. I'm sure I was at the helm when the boats pointed well and had that extra burst of speed. We did have 2 people on board both boats and we did share the helm.

If everyone in your family is going sailing at the same time (2 adults and 3 children), the Sun Cat will have more cockpit room and would be your best choice. Besides the space for people, the biggest difference between the 2 boats is the sailing rig and the cost. I recommend a sloop for most sailors wanting to learn the technical aspects of sailing. A cat boat can sail itself in many situations. Both boats have individual sailing capabilities. An experienced sailor will find the sloop to be more interesting as the learning experience continues. That learning experience for the technical sailor is a life-long experience.

Message: After sailing the Com-Pac Legacy, how do you feel that it compares with the Com-Pac 16 and other similar boats of its size?

Answer: The last part of your question is a big question. I can't think of very many small sailboats that sail like a Com-Pac 16 or a Com-Pac Legacy. A Montgomery from the West Coast might be very similar, but I have never sailed a Montgomery. Both Com-Pac boats have more mass than other small sailboats and they both sail like larger sailboats.

Both the 16 and the Legacy have 40% of their total displacement in their keels. The Legacy has a centerboard like the older late model Com-Pac 16s. This is an imprr the 16s without a centerboard. The Legacy has a little more sail area and its total displacement is 100 pounds less than the older models. These changes will help performance in light air. These small performance changes are like shades of gray. If you liked the older Com-Pac 16, you are going to love the Legacy.

After sailing the Legacy, I found the boat was well balanced and was easy to sail just like the older boat. When most builders build a new model, they solve as many problems as they can from the last production run. The improvements for the Legacy are a larger cabin, a lower boat on the trailer and a boom tender system. I think I could spend a weekend on this boat without any problems and I'm a big person. Most of the major changes were physical change, not performance changes. The new boat is going to sail a little better in light air and is going to be much easier to rig in the parking lot.

Message: Hello,
Just came across your site. I recently purchased a 2003 Sun Cat. Do you have any ideas or products, dodger, boomtent, ect., that can be used as a rig for privacy for a portable head? I thoght of a dodger with a curtain type door. Thanks in advance.

Answer: The most available item at the best price would be a bimini. Roll up curtains can be added to all four sides for privacy. A b for your boat can be shipped by UPS. It comes with the metal frame cut in half and needs to be assembled with rivets. It has instructions.

The curtains need to be made by a local person after the bimini has been installed.

Your idea of making a dodger work sounds pretty good. I have only seen 1 pretty dodger for a small boat in the past 40 years. Most small sailboat dodgers are too square to be pretty in my opinion. A boomtent would lack privacy.

Message: I'm interested in gaining access to your "members area." Also, do you have pictures and details of the jib kit for the SunCat?

Answer: To be a member of the CPYANC, you must be a Com-Pac Yacht owner. If you are an owner, please send me your phone number, including area code, and the type of Com-Pac that you own. The jib kithen Cat is currently out of production.

Message: I'm interested in the Compac-16 that was made into a trawler with the 40hp and the cost of the 4500.00 conversion. How much time would that take to convert? How seaworthy with the fixed keel? average crusing speed with the 40?

Answer: The little 16 Trawler conversion is not currently in production. Sorry about that.

The 40-hp motor in the pictures was too large. The best motor for this boat is an 18 hp motor or smaller. The 18-hp motor gets the boat up to 10 knots. The Trawler is very seaworthy with its fixed keel. The keel solves the problem that most sailors have when they dock their flat bottom Trawlers. The house causes windage while docking and some of the larger boats use 2 engines or thrusters to maintain control at the dock.

The little boat on a trailer was designed for storage in a garage with a standard 7-foot door. It is self-bailing and very stable. We will advertise the boat again when we resume production.

Message: I have enjoyed reading your site, thanks. I recently purchased an Oday 25 (centerboard model) As I read your database the Oday should be slow in light wind and a moderate cruiser. Is this correct? What does moderate cruiser mean. I live on Lake Norman and in my dreams take the boat occasionally to Charleston to sail in the harbor and maybe a little off shore. Are these reasonable fantasies? You can burst my bubble, what do you think of the 25?

Answer: I think you are talking about the middle O'Day sailboat. The O'Day name was owned by three different companies. We normally have to identify which O'Day when we talk about O'Day sailboats. They all had character differences. The 25 with the tall cabin and good sailing qualities was a member of the middle group of boats. I think your boat is from that popular class of sailboats.

Sailing on Lake Norman in the middle of the summertime will not be that exciting, but its not that good for any cruising sailboat. The secret to sailing a moderate cruiser in a no wind condition is practice and experience. Learn to make your boat sail when the water is slick. It can be done. Use your jib to catch the wind and direct it towards the mainsail. Sometimes, a jib can be faster than a genoa because the jib has less surface drag.

I once had a friend that owned a boat like yours. He sailed it from New York to Florida on the outside several times. On one trip, he went aground off the coast of South Carolina. In the process of going aground, he broke his rudder and he had to do some fancy sailing to save his life. He only had 1 arm. We always said he did lots of single-handed sailing. His 25 had a shoal keel and a fixed rudder. I think your O'Day will like coastal sailing best. I think the designer made your boat sail like a coastal sailboat (heavy boat with less sail area) because the cabin had standing headroom. Nice boat in my opinion

Message: Would the SS bowsprit for the new 16' CP Legacy fit on an older CP16 as a retrofit? I like that it uses a SS brace instead of the jackstay that has been reported as prone to be broken by trailer hardware; also (more importantly, perhaps), its installation wouldn't require removal of the bow eye.

Answer: It will fit. I plan on using the new Legacy system on my 1977 model 16 without a fixed keel (We call the boat Slick). That's the boat with the centerboard and the ballast on the inside. An older Mark I boat will also need a Mark II bow pulpit for forestay clearance.

Slick also has a new set of Mark II sails that has 5 square feet more sail area in the headsail. The Mark I came with a 3/4 rig and the Mark II has a 7/8th rig.

The other good news is thater we think the boom tender system will work on the order boats. We plan on adding that feature to Slick. We will do pictures and details when we get her finished.

Message: We sold our Catalina 22 fixed keel when we moved to Colorado 4 years ago. My folks are on the west coast (Washington) and her's are on the East Coast (Rhode Island). I want to sail both coasts and need a trailerable boat that won't make my wife claustrophobic. I've been looking at you CP 16's, 19's, Suncat, and the Capre Dory 19. Any thoughts on something that can trailer coast to coast every summer and be comfortable and safe for a week or so on the water? Is a 12 mile sail to Block Island out of the question in a CP 16? Love your site and want your job! Kevin

Answer: You can't have my job. I'm having a great time playing with sailboats and talking to people that enjoy them as much as I do.

The word compromise comes to mind when I read your question. I think everything in sailing can be a compromise except safety. That's safety on the water and the road.

Cross-country travel means you need to think small when it comes to trailering. The distance you travel makes a 1500-pound boat or smaller a good safety features for most people. Boats in the 2000-pound category are great for trips of 1000 miles or less now and then. If you were pulling them cross-country, your fun would soon turn into work. You wouldn't think 500 pounds would make that much difference.

Most Cape Dory Typhoons (19) were not designed for ramp launching. They don't have a trailer eye on their bow. They launch them in the Northeast with a crane connected to the ballast. Some of them have had eyes added.

You picked some great small boats for coastal sailing. Small boat safety at sea depends on sea conditions and the weather. All the boats mentioned above can sail the 12 miles to Block Island with the right wind and sea conditions. They all would have great difficulty trying to sail that distance with a wind on the nose and 2 foot seas. A motor might solve the 2-foot wave problem, but 3 or more would make small boat progress to windward with a motor difficult and very wet. The Cape Dory Typhoon is the best ocean boat. It was designed for ocean sailing in the Northeast. They don't have the barrier islands that we have in the Southeast. The Com-Pacs have more room on the inside and they also have more buoyancy. More buoyancy in the ends means that you can get seasick in ocean waves.

I spent 1 night at Cape Lookout with a claustrophobic sailor. The boat was a Sun Cat with a bimini and a large cockpit. I slept inside and he snored outside in the cockpit and that solved 2 problems. The Sun Cat is a good size for the road, coastal capable and big on the inside.

Message: have you made any boomtent covers or have a pattern for one? thanks

Answer: We have a local person make boom tent covers for 16s. They are reinforced along the boom, secured around the mast like a sailcover, come with zippers and a choice of colors. He likes to make a custom cover for each model 16. He uses 1 of our boats to cut his material. He doesn't use a pattern. The cost is about $400 for one of his boom tents.

Message: Wanted to let you know that our address has changed from ************** to *************** - everything else is the same.

Also, I was thinking of making the conversion of the port side pullman berths to a double berth like the newer 27s. I haven't seen a newer 27 in pelcome any recomendations and tips.

Thanks

Answer: Your address has been changed. The berth is installed with long piano hinges. The berth itself folds over the existing bunk and lays under your existing cushions. You need to make the modification as flat as possible for good looks. You also need to make a cut out to miss the table as it swings into position. What supports the berth in the open position is folding teak legs. I think I remember 3 legs in the factory installation. We sell all the parts for the modification. We get them from the factory and transport them up here when we make a trip to Florida for a boat pickup.

Message: Hi, I'm shopping for a used Compac 23, and I expect to have the cash to buy within a couple months. I've been a little concerned about reports that they don't perform well into the wind. My question is whether you ever modify the 23's shoal draft keel to have a center board like the Compac 19? If so, how much do you charge. Thanks.

Answer: We measure the performance of Com-Pac sailboats and we just did one measurement that we reported with a graphic on our "What's New" link on the left. The wind during that measurement was about 10 knots. Keel lift and pointing ability becomes apparent on a Com-Pac 23 in about 8 to 9 knots of wind. The 23 points like large cruising sailboats in light wind (not very well). A centerboard would improve light air performance. A Sun Cat centerboard installed in a Com-Pac 23 would cost about $8K.

Message: Hello Keith,

I need to replace the glass (Lexan) in my 2 larger ports because cracks have developed. Are there gaskets associated with these and if so, would Hutchins carry them or do I need to make them from scratch? Thanks Keith.

Answer: I'm sorry I'm slow with a response. We have been getting a price for the ports. The ports do not have gaskets. They are bedded to the coach roof with 3M-5200. We use the tan color to match the bronze frames. The frames are installed with more 5200 and you do lots of cleaning. The Lexan ports are available at $34 each and we can drop ship them if we have your current address. Sorry about being slow.

Message: Keith: thanks very much for the deck gelcoat and the directions for application on the Suncat. The small void I had is filled and it is hard to see where the repair was made. Thanks again for your knowledge and good service.

Thought that I would pass on that I was out on the local lake in some very strong and gusty winds, and the trip through the whitecaps and spray was fun. The other boats went in or reefed but since we were already down the lake, reefing was not a practical choice and we just adjusted the sail angle and went on through the waves. The suncat still seems safe in a blow, even when some of the waves came from odd angles.

We seem to have a small leak in the side opening port, and rain drips along into the cabin after a rainstorm. The window closes tightly, and I assume that the rubber seal may need replacement. Are those best found through Compac, (oval shaped port) or are there replacements elsewhere? Or are there other things to do that would stop the dripping? It would be nice to get this done at the end of this season so we are ready when it gets warm again.

I hope that you are still sailing in warm weather in North Carolina.

Answer: I'm glad the gelcoat worked. The Sun Cat is a very versatile sailboat. She sails well in heavy and light air.

The ports can leak at 2 different locations. If you can see the port leaking on the inside of the cabin, the problem should be the gasket material. Look at it good and you should see the problem. We have that material in stock. The other possibility is the caulking that seals the port. This can be repaired by removing the trim ring on the outside of the port. The water inside the boat from this leak comes down the hull and normally can't be seen that well. The cushion still gets wet. Re-caulk the joint surface on the outside without removing the port if that's the leak point and replace the trim ring.

A test for a leaking port is to put water in the low spot between the glass and the frame on both ports. The water puddle will disappear from the leaking port.

Let me know if you need the gasket material.

Message: Hello, thank you for the great answer to my question about using the Minn Kota Riptide 55S for auxillary power the Picnic Cat -- with the fixed motor mount.

BUT -- now it looks like I will be closing a deal on a Picnic Cat with an ADJUSTABLE mount, rather than fixed.

I'm thinking that I should still go with the Riptide short shaft, or no? Or maybe the long shaft with the mount kept in the UP position would be better... Your comments please.

Answer: Both will work. I like the short shaft the best. It's less motor to get in the way when you are working the boat.

Message: Your conversions show enormous imagination, hope your business continues to prosper. My question is, how possible is it to convert a fixed full keel that draws 3' to a fixed shoal keel drawing 2'3". And how practical would that be? Considering the purchase of a 20' vessel I've always admired that the owner has offered at a greatly reduced price. Is this practical, boat might be worth $4 to $5,000 if so equipped.

Answer: Thank you for your kind words.

I'm doing something very similar to what you want to do and I can walk you through my project as an example. What you say about the value of a sailboat is very true. They can be very cheap if they can't sail at their current location. I have found that most sailboats are territorial and only perform well in certain locations and conditions.

My project boat is a 1977 Yamaha 25 with a draft of 5 feet 5 inches. It's a quality boat that was made with a European type of construction. It's an ocean going vessel because it was made in Japan and designed for that market. That means the ballast to displacement ratio will be heavy and this boat has more than 40 percent of its displacement in the keel. It has a modest sail plan for its displacement and that follows the basic design parameters for this type of sailboat. My plan is to reduce the boat's draft to 4 feet. That will remove approximately 150 pounds of ballast from the bottom the keel. 4 feet of draft is satisfactory for coastal sailing in North Carolina. The boat has a fin keel and removing the bottom 17 inches will not remove that much keel area.

I fist looked at possible uses for this boat in its present condition and location. The best location around here would be in the Wilmington area where they race offshore. This boat would be handicapped because it has limited sail area for our light wind conditions. Old heavy race boats are pretty cheap and this boat would fall into that category. It would be a nice boat for someone, but it would be hard to sell and it wouldn't win many races.

The coastal cruising category is the next best place for this type of boat. The boat's problem is its draft. Because sailboats are designed for specific locations and uses, you can take an ocean going sailboat, cut off some the keel and make it into a coastal sailboat. The next type of sailboats after coastal are lake boats. Lake boats are normally lighter with more sailarea. A great lake boat is a Catalina 22 that has a ballast ratio of 19 percent. You need to identify your boat's character and check its specifications before you do any physical work. The way you fine-tune your ballast after you cut off the keel is to add internal lead pigs. Lead inside the hull will not increase the draft that much. A smaller keel may prevent a modified boat from pointing as high as it did with its larger deeper keel. All keels are really a compromise. At some wind speeds, they may have too much surface drag and at other times, they may need more area to stop the boat from going sideways. Lift is generated from the keel going sideways. Some sideways is necessary if you want to walk to weather. The percentage of keel area being removed from my project boat is small, about 20 percent. It's a fin keelboat.

Your reduction from 36 inches to 27 inches sounds like it might work. If your keel design has lots of keel area down low, that's not good. Fin keels work best when your cutting a keel off. Evaluate your boat's specifications and see if it’s going to work. Semi-heavy displacement with less sail area will work best. I think your boat is a coastal boat and its going to keep its keel in the water most of the time. Using it in light wind will always work with your modified keel and maybe some internal ballast. At what heel angle will the boat start going sideways is the big question. We like shoal draft boat to go sideways at 45 degrees. It's a good safety feature and we can still power up to that point. If your keel starts sideways sooner, you will have to sail a finer line upwind. Good luck with the project.

Message: Hi Keith, I'm almost ready to get back into sailing! Can you tell me which options are included with the new Legacy at $13000?

Answer: The retail prices for our new boat in stock is: (Base Boat, $11,500; Boarding Ladder, $185; Sail Cover, $220; Cockpit Backrest Lines, $295; Hatch Screen, $16 and Trailer, $1575). We are selling this boat with a 10 percent discount for $12,412. We also add a $500 transportation charge from Florida to North Carolina. Anyone picking up his or her boat in Florida wouldn't pay this fee. The boat in stock has Cetol teak at no extra charge.

The new Legacy currently has low introductory prices. I anticipate a price go up in January 2007 with a substantial waiting period for new boats after the October Annapolis Boat Show. A deposit before the price goes up will save the old price.

Message: Hello, I am considering the purchase of a Picnic Cat. Regarding the standard fixed motor mount, I only want electric, and would like to know (a) if the Minn Kota Riptide 55S is what I am looking for with the standard Picnic Cat mount. It must be easy to raise and lower, and do I want the 36 inch lenght or the 42 inch length? (PS- A net search showed a picture of Keith standing in water last year, and I hope things are better int 2006!)

Answer: The short shaft electric motor should be an excellent auxiliary. The fixed mount position is designed for a short shaft gasoline motor. We haven't installed an electric motor on a Picnic Cat, but we have installed electric motors on Com-Pac 16s and other daysailors. The electric motors work fine.

A problem with electric motors is the battery location and it's installation. To maintain good weight and balance, we normally install the battery in a forward compartment. The battery has to be in a battery box and secured to the boat. When you put the battery forward, you will need some heavy wires and connectors for the run aft to the motor. Normally number 8 wires should work for the Picnic Cat and they should be installed and secured inside the hull. An inline fuse should be located next to the battery for fire protection. West Marine sells through deck connectors that will allow the motor to be disconnected near the transom. This is where we connect a solar panel for charging the battery when the motor is not being used.

We have been thinking about having some small sailboat racing on the yard after hurricanes. The wind shadow caused by the trees and buildings could be a problem. 2006 has been better than 2005, but we still have a few weeks to go before the hurricane season is over. Thanks for asking.

Message: I saw your answer to Keith about the groove for the Compac 16. What do you recommend as the groove for the Sun Cat? Mine seems to like 10 degrees.

Also could you post some info especially photos of how you would rig Lazyjacks on a Sun Cat?

My Sun Cat "Merry Joy" has certainly lived up to her name.

Thanks

Answer: I think your right about the Sun Cat's best angle of heel. The groove for the Sun Cat is about 10 degrees, maybe a little more. I put everyone on the low side when I'm sailing a Sun Cat in light air.

We installed a Lazy Jack System on a new Sun Cat several months ago. We used the Harken system sold by West Marine (Part Number 336461). That system comes with pre-swaged wires that needs to be shorted for the Sun Cat. They also sell a lifeline hand-crimping tool that solves that problem. You can see a small picture of this system on the Web by going to http://www.westmarine.com and typing "Harken Lazy Jacks" in the search box.

Lazy jacks require adjustment by the user each time the sail is raised and lowered. The system needs to be loose while your sailing or it will effect sail shape. It has to be tight to flake the sail on the boom and control the gaff when you lower your sail. This single line adjustment is at the aft end of the boom. This system has some drag because the whole system moves as a single line. An added feature of this system is that it works as a topping lift.

Message: Could the used 2004 Sun Cat that you have listed be retrofit with the removeable mast option for storage in garage-if so at what cost? thanks for info.

Answer: Yes. A used Sun Cat can be modified for about $500. The mast uses another hinge to rotate it lower and forward and the boom gallows is reduced in height with sleeves and fast pins.

Message: Hi Keith - This boat has turned me into a sailor. But alas, she sits in the water in Back Creek from March to Sept and I need new bottom paint. What brand do you recommend. I would like to redo it with whatever you used last, as it has worked well for several summers now..... Thanks.

Answer: Congratulatio Becoming a sailor is a wonderf I think most of us sailors will live longer and enjoy it more. Sailing is good for your health.

Your bottom paint brand is Pettit and the type is Trinidad. We have been using it for many, many years and we like the results.

Message: I'm looking for an easier boat to rig with overnight/weekend capability. Can you tell me your opinion on sleeping space and ease of rigging on the Legacy vs. the Sun Cat? Also will Sun Cat fit on a standard 7' garage door opening? Thanks! Mike

Answer: I think the Sun Cat is the easiest boat to rig. The mast tender system on the Sun Cat is really quick. The Legacy requires more work during setup because you have to disconnect and move the mast forward. It's not that hard to do, but it does require more work than the Sun Cat.

I think the Sun Cat has more cabin space and a larger cockpit. It would be the best camper for most weekend sailors. The Sun Cat has a factory option that makes the boat low enough to fit under a 7 foot garage door

The big difference between the 2 boats is the price. The Legacy's base price is $11,500 and the Sun Cat's base price is $16,795. We may be comparing apples and oranges for that reason. Taking either boat on a vacation to Maine during the summer months is my idea of a great adventure. Sailing those waters and enjoying their seafood could become a habit.

Message: Can you tell me anything about a 1972 Dickerson 36 Ketch? I would appreciate any help...I have located or perhaps it has located me, and I am somewhat interested in it. I would need someone with a vast knowledge of what it is I would be looking for and someone to help me make sure what I am buying is what I want or need. Thanks

Answer: Your Dickerson 36 is on my 4000 boat database and you can access it with your computer. The Yacht Database link is on the left. Type Dickerson in the Yacht Input Box and click the Filter By Name button. Write down all of the data for the Dickerson 36. The 2 most important numbers are the sail area displacement ratio (SADISP) and the displacement water line length ratio (DISPWL). Click the Calculator link that's below the Yacht Database link and compare your numbers to the chart at the top of that page. This chart comparison will give you the design purpose of your Dickerson 36.

You will need the services of a good surveyor to determine the Dickerson's current condition. You will find one on our NC Sail Links. Also on the left.

Message: You state that "The best grove for the 16 is 25 degrees". I have never heard the word grove used in a boating context before and don't see it in my sailing dictionary. Please explain.

Answer: You can find that word on my list of misspelled words. I have corrected my answer below. I can use all the help I can get when it comes to good communications. Let me know if you see any other mistakes. Thanks for your help. Keith

Message: Mary and I have been out five times and we are enjoying the experience of learning to sail. We've seen calm winds where we had to give it up and 15 kt winds whith lots of heel. One question though; Is it advisable to run the jib sheets inside of the shrouds in order to trim the jib closer to the center of the boat? Thanks

Answer: The 16 is designed to sail with its jib sheets outside the shrouds. I move them inside when there isn't any wind. The idea is to squeeze what little air you have between the jib and the main. Getting airflow to the main is where all the power comes from. I grab the clew and hold it at the right distance from the main with my hand. I call that cheating when I'm racing

The best groove for the 16 is 25 degrees. If you’re healing too much, point up some more and bring her back to 25 degrees. It sounds like your doing a good job on learning how to sail.

Message: Just talked with Johnnie. Good to hear you guys are still going strong and selling boats. My bob stay broke while out sailing this past weekend (it is now fixed) but it brought up the fact that my rigging is now 11 years old. What is your experience about replacing it in a salt water environment? Also, I am examining the swaged fittings for cracks but cant get at the lower fittings on the front stay because of the CDI furler. Is there an EASY way of lifting up the furler so I can see the Turnbuckle and fittings? Either write or I can call you back at your convenience. Best regards

Answer: The bobstay is the only problem. It lives down next to the water and keeps a coating of saltwater most of the time. You normally check your swaged fitting on the bobstay for cracks each time you have your bottom done. If the fitting is cracked, it needs to be replaced because corrosion is growing inside the fitting. The turnbuckle on the forestay can be inspected by removing the sail, removing the pin at the top of the furler (the one that the downhaul uses) and then moving the furling drum up over the extrusion. If you don't have lots of saltwater coming over the bow (ocean sailing), the forestay should be fine. The 25 should be the perfect Bahamas boat. I hope you can go soon.

Message: I am looking for a used sunfish sailboat for my kids. Do you ever run across any?

Answer: We have 1 boat in stock that's meeds to be restored. The boat will cost $600 when it's finished. We can do the job in about a week and this boat doesn't have a trailer.

Message: Hey folks,
It's been a long tme since Debbie and I have been to your boatyard. We hope that both of you are doing well. We're still landlocked in TN, but we're wanting to get back in a boat, Compac, if we can. We found a '79 16 for sale and wanted to ask a question. When did Compac stop using the plywood core? I think that I read somewhere that they stopped in 78, but I may have that wrong. Thanks for the info.

Answer: It's been a while. I'm glad you are doing well without any water.

I have always considered the 80 model as the first boat with all the good stuff. The sailcloth was too light and the core was made out of balsa wood on the early models. If a 16 doesn't have delamination inside under the hatch slides, I'm guessing the boat has glass fibers and resin for a core. I have had several 77 models with that type of core problem. We have been removing the top and replacing the wood with the same core material used by the Factory today. The boat looks good and sails great with a new set of modern sails.

Message: Keith: The Suncat is getting a fair amount of use, but I have a question about a maintenance issue. There was a crack (crazing) in the gelcoat of the fiberglass of the cabin top, on the ridged area where the cabin hatch slides on the starboard side. The hatch does not really slide ON the ridge as much as it slides OVER the ridge. When one of my passengers put their hand on the cracked area when going into the cabin, their fingers went through the gelcoat, which seems to have covered over an air bubble or void in that area. The "hole" is maybe an inch to two inches in size, but doesn't go through to the cabin. It doesn't seem to be structural, but I would like to fill it and restore the look and surface so it is smooth. Is there a filler on the market to fill this? Do I need to then use a gelcoat product or paint to get a reasonable match to the cabin top color? I would like to get this done this summer when the temperatures are warm, so the boat is ready to go when taken from storage in the spring.

Thanks.

Answer: I'm glad you’re using your boat and I'm sorry to hear about the void. It's not a big problem, but experience with this type of repair helps if you want the repair to look good after doing the work. There are several ways to address the problem. The easy way normally doesn't work because everyone removes the gel-coat over the void. If the gel-coat was still there, you could inject some resin into one end of the void and then fix the injection hole with a drop of gel-coat. This would work for most field repairs. The job would be finished and it would look good. The next type of repair is more complicated. Since you are going to fill a little void above the water line, the filler material doesn't really matter. I think I would use automotive filler from the local car parts store. It's easy to obtain, cheap and easy to work with. After filling the void, bring the filler down to something less than the surrounding area (in most cases, only fill the void to within an 1/8 or 3/16th of inch from the top). You tape the area around the void to avoid any damage to the surrounding gel-coat. The filler has to be less than the surrounding area because we need room for the new gel-coat. Most people don't leave enough room for the finish material and you can see through the gel-coat. A lot of gel-coat and less filler works best. When the surface of void has been covered, you remove the tape and start blending the old and the new finish together with sandpaper and a compound.

The Factory is mailing you a small amount of gel-coat today. You buy some PKP harder at the car parts store and use 1 drop of harder with a little gel-coat. You can put it on with a brush. Gel-coat is soft and can be smoothed with 1500 wet sandpaper. After making the repair level with the surrounding area, compound both surfaces with a light rubbing compound and finish the job with some wax. Good luck with the repair. I'm sure it's going to look good.

Message: Hi,Keith. What's the scoop on the new Com-Pac Legacy? Your feelings about the CP-16 have always been favorable. Only info I have been able to find is on the Com-Pac site and it's pretty brief. Boomtendr looks interesting, but mast still has to be muscled around when down for trailering. Have you heard when the Legacy will be available to see up-close?

Answer: I'm currently waiting on my first Legacy to be built. It's suppose to be ready soon and I plan on showing it at the Raleigh Boat Show in August. I would like to have enough time to sail the boat before the boat show, but the weather and the mechanics of getting the boat may prevent a test sail before the show. A race course comparison between the old stub keel bol with anterboard, our 16 with only a centerboard (Slick) and the new Legacy should be interesting. We should be able to sail all the boats and get some good performance data when our weather gets better (cooler). Look for the results under my Sailboat Racing link on the left. We have recorded performance data on a Raven rigged 16 with a stub keel and a centerboard.

What I understand about the design of the Legacy mast and boom system is that it uses a Dutchman system on the mainsail. Pull a line or maybe 2 lines and the sail and boom are captured in a vertical position against the mast (pictures on the Factory Web site). I think most people will lower the mast, sail and boom on the boom gallows, install the sailcover and stop there. Some people will continue stowing their mast by moving it forward to the bow pulpit. I don't think many sailors will move the mast forward unless they are moving the boat over a long distance. Time will tell.

The Dealers that have a priority on new boats are Dealers that have a new boat sold. I fall into the second category, a Dealer going to a boat show. The Factory has its hands full building the new boats and trying to satisfy the initial demand. I think it's going to be a winner and I'm looking forward to seeing and sailing my first boat.

Message: Can I take a Com-Pac 23 to the Bahamas?

Answer: It has been done before. The secret to a short run across the Gulf Stream is the weather. A small sailboat with an outboard motor needs flat water to make miles in the ocean. Waves of 3 feet or more lift the stern and drop the bow where the outboard motor is pushing air instead of water. Boats built in England have motor wells built into their cockpits. That prevents prop cavition in ocean waves. Almost all of their sailboats are built to sail in the ocean. Most of our little sailboats are not.

We recently had 2 sailors return from Freeport, Bahamas in a 23-foot sailboat (brand X) equipped with an outboard motor. They left Freeport in good weather with a pretty good forecast. They ran into 12 seas and some big winds as a tropical depression moved thought the area. Their outboard motor was useless and they though they were going to die. They used an extra small jib for stability and went north with the Gulf Stream and west with the prevailing winds. The little sailboat missed 1 large commercial ship by only 75 feet. The sailboat couldn't be controlled or sailed and missing that ship was pure luck. Had the wind been blowing east, they would have ended up in Bermuda. As it was, they ended up 40 miles north of their intended destination. Had the sailboat been a Com-Pac with a diesel, the situation would have been better, but 12 foot seas in the Gulf Stream is a bad situation for any little sailboat. Both sailors said "never again".

Message: I just broke a spreader on my boat. Do you have them and how much?

Answer: We don't normally stock CP-16 spreaders because they can be repaired in the field. The spreaders normally break at the clevis pin hole next to the mast. We cut that end off the spreader and drill a new hole. The spreader will function again with a new hole. The difference in length between spreaders isn't important and the repair will not effect sailing performance. For people that trailer a lot, you can remove both spreaders and adjust the turnbuckles on both sides. The boat will sail the same with or without spreaders. Keep in mind that the mast should be leaning forward when it's on the trailer for good balance when you’re on the water.

A new spreader cost about $15 plus shipping and it will take about 1 week to get one from the factory.

Message: The main sheet was replace by the previous owner before he sold it. It hangs up and dosen't run through the pulleys without pushing the boom out by hand. Coould you tell me what the correct diameter line should be used? Thank you

Answer: The correct diameter line for a Com-Pac 16 mainsheet is 1/4 inch. The real line diameters of different brands of lines vary. West Marine sells three different 5/16 inch lines made by the same company. They fall into good, better and best categories with the best having the highest price. The best also has the largest diameter of the three lines. Small is good when it comes to sheets on a 16.

Message: Hello, Keith: I thought I would repose my question that I put to you in my e-mail to see if it has any interest for other Suncat owners. I had my new, 2006 Suncat rigged with the stern transom mounted double, corner blocks as is done for the daysailer version of the Suncat. The reason was my wanting to raise the cockpit teak floorboards to seat height so that the cockpit would be open from companionway to stern as a sleep platform. A bridge deck traveler would only get in the way. Also, we had the bridge deck traveler for years on our 1986 Compac 27. We loved the boat, but we weren't fond of the bridge deck traveler setup. To put it simply, we hate, hate, HATE the corner block system for the sheet. It is a poor design. I would like to change to a center, single block system at 4:1 purchase, either a fixed block or a block on a short rod or traveler mounted on the stern coaming just in front of the boom gallows supports. I have gotten conflicting arguments over sail twist with a centered, fixed block as against a block that can travel from side to side. I don't know who is right on more or less sail twist, especially when trying to point as much as possible. In any event, do you think it would be hard to install a single block system in lieu of the double, corner block system we have now? We want to change this as soon as we can.

Answer: To answer the sailing question first, most people don't use a traveler unless they are racing. Com-Pac puts the traveler on the bridge deck to give owners the ability to move the mainsheet to one side for cabin access. I don't think many owners use the traveler as a sail shape control. I would like to suggest a test to determine if your new mainsheet location is suitable. I think I would tie a line between the boom gallows uprights adding a loop at its center point. Put as much tension on the line as possible and make sure that it's tied through the gallows bracket to prevent it from lifting. Tie another line to the loop and then run the tail through the block on your boom and back through the loop. This kind of test on a light wind day will tell you if like operating your mainsheet above the tiller. Boats like the Precision and O'Day use a mainsheet block that's connected to the backstay. I never did like my mainsheet tail and my tiller using the same space.

A mainsheet system can be installed almost anywhere within reason. The construction details are the easy part after the best location has been determined. If you discount the benefit of a traveler, then a fixed point between the boom gallows made out of stainless steel or a fixed mount on the fiberglass should work well. A big spring to hold the bottom block upright would be a desirable feature and we can hope that the mainsheet tail and the tiller become good friends. Bring the boat and we will make the changes.

Message: We're looking for a couple of things for our Com-Pac 23:
1. A bimini or other cockpit awning.
2. A cover for the mainsail. Ours has finally become threadbare.
3. Seals, hardware, screens, etc. for the original bronze Perko ports.

Thanks for the info!

Answer: We sell the bimini and the sailcover. The bimini cost $542 and the sailcover is $255 in your choice of colors. Replacement parts for our old Perko ports are not available. We normally make our own seals from cork gasket material or some other type of gasket material. Screens can be fabricated with screen material and embroidery hoops. You will have to search for the right size hoop at a sewing store and you can purchase the screen material at a hardware store. Hoops made from plastic should work best.

Message: I would like to purchase a quick release forestay lever. Can you give me some direction on what type is recommended for the Compac 19? I would like to be able to "screw" it onto the threaded end of the existing forstay cable cable and be able to attach it to the existing original equipment forestay connection at the bow.

Answer: It's not that easy to make that type of modification. When we do a modification like that, we normally cut the forestay and remove the turnbuckle. We use a Norseman Swageless Terminal to make the connection between the forestay and a Johnson Marine Quick Release Shroud Lever. You need to measure real good to avoid a mistake. Both parts are available at West Marine. We did that type of modification last year on a mast tender 19. We used the available backstay as a new modified forestay with the quick release lever. The owner had the option of using the quick release lever for trailering or the old forestay when the boat was in a slip. With a standard 19, I think I would settle for a fast pin to replace the standard clevis pin. Making the shroud lever modification is a real job.

Message: What is the performance of your Suncat modification of adding a jib sail? Does it point better? Could you heave to with this sail combination?

Answer: As you can see with our Race Results on the left, the standard Sun Cat points to 45 degrees without any problems if you have wind. I believe we measured 41 degrees with a lift on one tack. The jib modification is designed for those super light days on lakes. Finding a little air and squeezing it between the jib and main will make the main come alive on a no wind day. Without the jib, a light wind day on a lake would be a no sail day for the standard boat. I once heaved to in a Com-Pac 23 when it was blowing 50 knots. It worked great with just the main sail. The main sail was reefed and trimmed for sailing on the wind. The boat would makes some forward progress into the wind (not much) and then the sail would luff just a little, the boat would fall back and repeat the process again. In this case, the boat's hull and rig was enough to push the boat back. Most people practice heaving to in moderate wind conditions and that requires a lot of work to make the boat balance. I always had a hard time heaving to in light air and I was happy to find out that heaving to in big wind was easy. Lying a hull with the wind on the beam and sails down is a good alternative to heaving to in moderate conditions.

I think the jib modification would have to be overbuilt to perform in big wind conditions. Not flying the jib on a Sun Cat in winds over 12 knots would be appropriate. Good question. Thanks.

Message: What size clevis pins are required for the com-pac 16 mark 2? Are cotter rings ok to use in place of cotter pins on the standing rigging?

Answer: The Com-Pac 16 Mark II uses a 1/4 inch clevis pin that's 3/4 inch long with a 5/8 inch reach. West Marine part number 242750 will work for the clevis pin. We use both cotter pins and rings to secure clevis pins.

Message: I need new bunk boards and supports for a compac 16 trailer and would like to get a ballpark price also the kit for the keel rollers

Answer: We have had several different trailers made for the Com-Pac 16. The bunks and rollers are all about the same for all the models. We use salt treated 2X4 studs for the bunks and keel guides and we purchase our black indoor outdoor carpet from Lowes. The rollers are between $10 and $15 each if you only need the roller. All the other parts like axles, axle nuts and brackets for the rollers cost extra if they are required. We charge $225 for most bunk and roller repair including labor and parts. If the trailer needs brackets for the rollers, the cost could be as high as $300.

Message: Keith; several months ago I asked you about a putting a pilothouse on a cp23. You answered in the questions/answers forum. Well, I went ahead and built one myself by raising the cabin roof 2 feet and now have just over 6' standing headroom (very similar in looks to your 16 trawler). I have not yet put the boat in the water, as I still have some finishing touches to do. An awful thought occured to me tho, will this boat be top heavy and subject to capsize when heeling? Would you know anyway to calculate the possibility? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: My answer is that you are not going to capsize. I will tell why in a moment. I remember you showing me the pictures of your boat at the boat show. It's a very handsome boat and I liked your modification. One of the problems associated with this type of modification is that the cabin blocks some of the breeze in the cockpit. Opening ports in the cabin and removable canvas for a rear bulkhead would solve that problem. Back to the boat’s weight and balance. Estimate the weight of the ports and the other material used in the new construction. If they are 200 pounds, that would be the same as a man sitting at the mast while you are sailing. The Com-Pac 23 can handle a man at the mast without any problems. I once had 12 people topside on a Com-Pac 27 in some pretty good wind and the boat didn’t feel right. I sent 6 down below and they took turns topside. The boat went back to feeling normal. Some other boats that I have sold in the past cannot have a man standing at the mast during an accidental knock down. The man at the mast would have to go swimming for the unnamed boat to right itself. The real reason that you can’t capsize a Com-Pac 23 is that the keel is shoal and the boat starts slipping sideways when you heel 45 degrees. You would never have any sailboats capsize from heavy wind if they all had shoal keels. It’s a reassuring feature of thin water sailing. Making you’re cabin as light as possible will insure good sailing balance and a boat that feels good.

I can tell you from experience that the Com-Pac 23 handles better with a diesel motor down low in the middle of the boat and a 23 doesn’t handle as well with the mast removed in choppy seas. The mast acts as a shock absorber in the sky that smooths out the bumps. I think your cabin will do fine as long as you make the walls and roof as light as possible. Good luck with the project.

Message: i was wondering about the com-pac 19 that u have on the home page and would like to know alittle about the 1988 com-pac that you have and the 94 com-pac thanks.

Answer: The Com-Pac 19 on the home page is a customer's boat that we restored last year. We are in the Com-Pac restoration business and this 19 is a super example of that process. Com-Pac 19s are hard to find as used boats and the replacement new factory boat is the Eclipse. Early model 19s are more available in the used boat market and are less desirable. They don't have the good stuff found on later boats. Sale of the 94 Com-Pac 16 is pending a check in the mail. The 88 model Com-Pac 16 is still available and a super boat with lots of accessories. This boat is a Mark II with a stainless steel pulpit and lots of teak on the inside. I think this vintage Com-Pac may have been the best boat for the dollar that Com-Pac ever built.

Message: Have you ever heard of the Paul C. Schreck Boat Company? I am considering buying a 27' Wayout. I don't see anything on the internet.

Answer: I think I remember the builder's name. I think (guess) Schreck was a California builder. What I remember is that their name was very similar to the popular California builder W. P. Schock, builder of Schock sailboats. I don't remember anything more, sorry.

Message: I’ve admired the various Com-pac conversion projects/restorations you’ve posted on your web site (http://www.ipass.net/sailboat/), and was wondering whether you might offer any advice/assistance with a small project I am considering?

I have a 2002 Suncat daysailer which, as you know, has a mainsheet bridle that consists of a triple block on the boom and two fiddle blocks on the aft cockpit corners. I think the (6:1 ??) mechanical advantage in this mainsheet rig is more than is needed, unnecessarily complicating some maneuvers (e.g. jibing) and results in a lot of line at one’s feet!

Accordingly, I wanted to try shifting to a 4:1 tackle, perhaps using a ratchet block with cam mounted on the centerline aft of the tiller. I then recalled, however, the attached post to the Trailersailor Catboat forum from last year (which another bbs member had saved and was able to forward along to me) where Tom Black fashioned a traveler that attached to the boom gallows uprights on the Suncat.

I like the idea of not having to permanently mount new hardware in the fiberglass. If I want to go this route, can you help fabricate a similar traveler, and gallows attachments, to that described in the attached file but that would permit me to use standard (e.g. Harken) car/blocks? Also, based upon your experience with the Com-pac boats, do you see any problems or issues with such an arrangement, or with shifting to the 4:1 tackle? Unfortunately, the original poster, Tom Black, no longer appears in the Catboat forum, and no one has been able to provide any contact details where I could contact him directly with his experience with this rig. So, I’d be most interested in your thoughts or suggestions….

Answer: Thank you for your nice comments about our Web site. We have been a dealer for Com-Pac since 1979 and we think they are great boats. We also enjoy messing around with sailboats like most other sailors.

I was talking to a new customer about the traveler on his Sun Cat cabin model and I couldn't come up with a good reason for having one (standard equipment), except to gets the main sheet out of the way for easy cabin access. The traveler on a performance sloop does one important function. It moves the mainsail's angle of attack without changing the main sail's shape. If you were sailing a cabin model Sun Cat and had perfect sail shape for the course that you were on and you wanted to change course by 10 degrees, you would change course and then move the main sheet on the traveler with the traveler control. If you use the main sheet to adjust the angle of attack, you would change the twist in the sail. Com-Pac has done a pretty good job of providing a method to move the main sheet on the traveler, but it is still hard to use and no one ever uses that feature to my knowledge. Performance is OK when it's easy to do. The Sun Cats also change twist with the gaff and that's an almost automatic feature. I like gaff sails.

Since I don't see a reason for a traveler on a Sun Cat, I think I would attach my main sheet to something else. Travelers are expensive and the gap between the poles is large enough where a heavy traveler like Mr. Black's system is required. You would normally weld a stainless beam between the poles and bolt a smaller traveler to the beam. The boom gallows will work as an anchor point and they make stainless fittings that clamp around the poles. I think changing your tackle ratio is worth a try. Changing the hardware to the fittings that clamp on the poles should be easy and a method for testing your new rig without making any major changes.

Good question. Thanks

Message: Hi, Is the 1994 CP-16 in the used boat section of your website still available? If so, can it be fitted w/Mast'ender system and for how much?

Answer: The 1994 Com-Pac 16 is still available. It can be fitted with the mast tender system for an additional cost of $1,773. That includes the boom gallows, mast modifications, main sheet moved to the bridge deck and a new sailcover.

Message: I recently repaired a section of the boat. I did the glass work but I am having trouble finding gell coat to spray it with. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction?

Answer: The most convenient source for gel-coat for most people is West Marine. Their part number for a pint of "Waxed, Non-Laminating, Finish Gel Coat" is 3745478. There are many other sources for gel-coat on the Web and we like the Fibre Glast Company the best. Their address on the Web is http://www.fibreglast.com.

Message: I have a very soft spot on the top of my starboard hull about mid way between the pylon and the bow. Can you refer me to a link or a source that can advise me as to how to repair this. I have heard alot about gell coat and I suspect this plays into this but I have alot ot learn. Any advise you can offer would be greatly appreciated. The season is on us and I am anxious to get out again. I have already been out once this year, in March. It was pretty cold but a beautiful ride. Thank you in advance.

Answer: Most things we own are a little less than perfect. All boats fall into this category and flaws in fiberglass construction are very common. Knowing how your fiberglass boat is constructed is the secret to a good repair. Most boats have a core material built into their decks. This is what provides the stiffness for the overall laminate and provides a solid feel for our feet when we walk on the deck. We can identify a core failure when you feel the differences in stiffness in the area of the flaw. Normally you can't see this type of flaw.

How can we repair this problem with a minimum amount of effort and make it invisible? That's the big question. We could do an excellent job of glassing the core failure and then repainting the whole boat. That's lots of work and not something we would do with an older Hobi 16. Our first possibility and the easiest repair would be adding an access port to our damaged area. The problem with this repair is that our core failure may not be in the best location for this type of repair. It's hard to put an access port on a curved surface. If you have a flat surface, a small access port in the middle of the problem area would allow access to the bad core. Remove the bad core material from the area between the glass panels with a bent nail. Core material is held in place with a sheet of glass on the inside. Use a filler to fill the gap between the panels and then install the access port. This job is easy to do and looks good.

The next solution is more difficult. Cut the top deck glass with a hole-saw. Do not cut deeper than the outer or first layer of glass. Do not cut through the glass coverning the core on the inside. Lift the round glass plug out and save it because you will be using this plug again in the finished product. Remove the bad core material using the nail procedure above and then fill the core area with a filler. The inside glass coverning the core will hold the filler. With the filler still wet, press the deck plug back into the hole and check for proper alignment. Clean and buff the area with rubbing compound. You can touch up the remaining circle with some paint or gel-coat using a brush.

Gel-coat repairs on older boats should be avoided unless you want to finish a very large area. Trying to match old and new gel-coat is the problem. The way we finish a gel-coat repair is with rubbing compound and wax. This makes the repair look great and the rest of the boat look bad. If you want to spend lots of hours doing the repair and then lots of hours working on the rest of the boat, you could have a new looking boat for awhile. Gel-coat repairs to new boats are easy and they look good over time. Sometimes gel-coat on older boats look pretty good when you do the repair and then look pretty bad a year later. Old gel-coat has small holes in the surface from the sun and the weather. The old and new gel-coats are not going to age well together no matter what you do. We like the new paints to finish older boats. They keep their shine longer and wear better overtime. Good question. Thanks.

Message: Keith,

I'm looking for a CP-23 Diesel with trailer, for under $20k. Let me know if you happen across one.

Thanks,

Answer: I have one. Come see it when you can. Keith

Message: Hello,

If possible I would like receive some information about the Com-Pac 16 trawler, maybe a PDF brochure. My mailing address is currently outside of the U.S., but I should be returning permanently next year.

Any info on prices and specifications will be appreciated.

Thank you

Answer: We have been slow building our first production Com-Pac 16 Trawler. We hope to correct that problem this coming summer. A picture of the first prototype is on our Web site under the "Answers" link towards the bottom of the page. Our design is based on a recycled Com-Pac 16 sailboat.

The Com-Pac 16 has the stability and the basic good looks required for a suitable small Down East Lobster Boat conversion. Our modified boat is designed to live in a garage with a standard 7-foot door. The large hatch is large enough for a person to stand up, steer and operate the motor from that position. Two people can also sit and operate our little trawler in a more comfortable position inside the cabin. The boat in the picture requires lots of man-hours to build and we decided that maybe a more inexpensive boat might be a better boat for most people. Our solution to the expense problem is to build a boat that looks like the prototype, but will have more bolt together components. The house moves back some on the new design and we use the cockpit bridge deck for a seat platform. This design keeps the bunks and space for a toilet. The template for the new design is pictured below.

The new boat will have the same windows, a hatch, remote steering, canvas to close off the cabin and a trailer. The cost will be around $10,000. Motor options will be extra. The basic boat comes with the sailboat's stub keel and 450 pounds of ballast. That boat has a maximum speed of 10 knots. Another version will be available with internal ballast and a smaller keel. This version may reach speeds of 15 knots or more.

Specifications for the standard boat is 1100 pounds displacement, LOA 16 feet, LWL 14 feet, Draft 18 inches with a maximum 25 horsepower outboard.

Besides being a fun boat to own, this little trawler can be the perfect fishing boat with a pedestal seat mounted in the cockpit. It can also be a great photography platform. You can stand up in the hatch, rest your camera on top of the cabin and take some excellent pictures from the water.

Message: In considering the Suncat or one of your used Compac 16s, I have a few additional questions:

For launching purposes, are the Compac 16 and the Suncat about the same in terms of needed depth of water, steepness of grade? The Suncat is bigger but seems to require less depth with the centerboard raised.

I would be sailing on inland lakes as well as Finger Lakes and Lake Michigan. I am interested in the conversion to add a jib to the Suncat, but am not sure if that is necessary, as have not sailed the Suncat before. Can that be added later using your materials, or does the hardware for the bowsprit, etc. need to be added at your shop. Your site refers to the jib as equipment that can be added at time of launch, but presumably that assumes basic modification has already been added?

Will the Compac 16 with Picnic Cat sail rig have similar performance to regular Suncat?

Thanks for very informative site.

Answer: The launch depth capabilities of the 16 and the Sun Cat are about the same. The Sun Cat has less draft, but it has a larger trailer and taller wheels. The 16 has more draft, but the trailer is lower. Both are super easy to launch and can be launched from most power boat ramps.

All sailboats are territorial. What that means is a sailboat may be perfect for some areas, but not for all the other sailing locations in the United States. It has to do the prevailing winds in your area. Most sailboats need to be adjusted for their sailing area. I think heavy boats in general are more tolerate when it comes to different sailing locations. A light boat can be a handful when you’re sailing on the coast. One Sun Cat improvement we can make is to add extra sail area for light wind locations. We normally add extra sail area to the headsail (genoa) on a sloop in light wind areas and we can do the same thing by adding a jib to your Sun Cat. The Sun Cat jib and it's spars (bowsprit) comes in kit form and can be installed by an owner that can drill holes and install nuts and bolts. It can be removed in the spring and fall by removing a few fasteners when the winds are stronger and you don't want the extra sail area. Your Sun Cat becomes a cat boat again.

Having sailed both boats, I think the only difference may be in boat size. The Sun Cat is a much larger boat. The Sun Cat gets it's stiffness from the boat's width and harder chines. The 16 has more ballast and softer chines. The Sun Cat points higher because it has a centerboard that create lift and keeps it from going sideways. All cat boats with a gaff mainsails point very high. A great sailing feature of all of these boats is the gaff. You can adjust your sail for perfect shape going upwind in light air. Getting good at sailing with a gaff mainsail in light wind is lots of fun. Thanks for the question.

Message: I saw your answer concerning the removal of the outboard while towing. How do you recommend carrying the motor. Laying down in the boat or tow vehicle, or on some sort of fixture on the trailer. If the latter what kind do you recommend. Do you sell a bracket of some sort that would attach to the trailer for carrying the motor.

Thanks for your answer.

Answer: Not all sailboats, motors and the journey from the house to the water are the same. Little boats with little motors (2.5 hp motors and 26 pounds) are easy to remove from the boat and transport in a car trunk. When you take the motor off the boat at the ramp, you lay the motor horizontal on ground before you put it in the car and that drains the gas from the carburetor. You get less smell in the car and if it's the last sail of the year, you get rid of the old gas for the next sailing season. Leaving gas in the carburetor from season to season will cause outboard problems for most sailors.

If your motor is too large to remove from the boat (5 hp motors and 56 pounds), you put the motor in reverse and that will keep the engine from bouncing up and down as you go over bumps in the road. I think I would also tie it down. If it's too large for you to remove from the boat, it may be too large for a thief to steal it while you’re on the road. I would remove a motor for long distance trips like moving a boat across country. We don't sell a trailer bracket for outboard motors. The boat's bracket will handle most outboard motors. Big motors (8 hp and 110 pounds) may need a bigger bracket and a reinforced transom. Most older sailboats were not designed for the new 4 cycle motors that are extra heavy for their size. The factory says and I agree that most sailors buy motors that are too large for their intended use. Thanks for the question.

Message: I am very interested in the used suncat and/or in the catboat conversion of the compac 16. However, I am in Wisconsin. Can you describe whether shipment can be arranged to Wisconsin and the approximate cost? Also, do you have any photos of the interior of the converted 16, that apparently has a widened hatch entry? Does the 16 have a centerboard or just the stub keel?

Answer: Paying someone to transport a small boat over a long distance is not normally a good idea. Several small boats need to be transported at the same time to make the price of transportation more reasonable. We may be able to find a person to transport a boat to your location for about $1.25 per mile one way. I think I would use that figure as a planning estimate for transportation cost. Sometimes a moving van company can carry a single boat on a truck's return trip. It takes lots of looking to find the best solution.

Our converted 16 is very plain on the inside. We think it would look better if we jazzed up the interior with some new teak bulkheads and a new teak deck with teak trim around the compression post. The new interior would add an additional $300 to the boat's selling price. The current owner is willing to negotiate the asking price. This boat has a stub keel and it does have a modified hatch.

Message: Are you familiar with the Briggs & Stratton 5Hp, 4-cycle air-cooled outboard engines? They are for fresh water only which is not a problem, but would they be suitable for summer motoring in this climate on a Com-pac 16?

Answer: We don't have any experience with the Briggs & Stratton motors. Sorry. We normally use 2.5 or 3-hp water-cooled motors on 16s. Large horsepower motors may cause your sailboat to move at hull speed (Com-Pac 16 is 5.5 knots) when your motor is running at idle. Docking would require that you cycle between neutral and forward for a slow approach. We don't like to use reverse when we come to a stop. The little boat has mass and getting good at judging when the boat is going to stop is part of sailing. The 5hp B&S may work OK.

The weight of a motor is very important. We like to take the motor off the boat when we trailer down the road for several reasons. The motor can be stolen off the back of the boat and bouncing down the road isn't good for the motor or the mount. Laying a motor down on its side dumps the gas out of the carburetor and old gas left in a carburetor over the winter is bad news. Fuel stabilizer for people that can't dump their gas really works and is recommended. Most 4 stroke motors need to be stored in a vertical position.

Message: Ha Keith,do you still have the little 16 that was from New Bern? If you do what would you want for the boat as is? I would like a project 16 that I can give my personal touch to.

Answer: That boat is long gone. The only 16s that we have for sale are on the Web site. Thanks.

Message: What is a pocket cruiser?

Answer: Pocket cruiser is a general term used for small cabin sailboats. Sailboats can be divided into three major categories by use. A daysailer is normally an open sailboat used in moderate wind conditions on lakes. You stay in the general area of where your car is parked. They can be as large as 18 feet, but most are 14 or 15 feet in length. They do not have a cabin, but they do have storage areas. The next category is sometimes called a pocket cruiser. They normally range in size from 15 to 23 feet and they all have cabins. The smaller boats can be trailered and the bigger boats normally live in a slip. They can be day sailed and the larger boats can be used for weekend trips to remote locations. Staying aboard for a longer period of time without standing headroom will depend on your age and income level. Sailboats that are larger than pocket cruisers are normally used for extended periods of time afloat. In most cases, they can be day sailed like the smaller boats, but staying aboard for a longer period of time is more enjoyable and maintenance can be more expensive. A good question. Thanks.

Message: I have a 2000 Com-Pac 19, green hull, with a centerboard and trunk nested in the fixed keel. The boat has been sitting too long in fresh water and now has "boat pox" covering the fixed keel. None have burst and they are about the size of a green pea. How extensive will this repair be?
Thank you.

Answer: We call your problem gel-coat blisters and dust and other contamination in the air produced them when your boat's gel-coat was sprayed in the mold. If you have wind blowing your way and a truck going down a dirt road several miles away, that's enough contamination to cause gel-coat blisters. You can't see the dust particle in the gel-coat when the boat is new, but they dissolve after the boat has been in the water for some time causing small surface blisters. Some boats only have them on one side because the wind was blowing from that direction.

We don't consider gel-coat blisters a serious problem and we don't charge extra for that type of repair when we paint a bottom. A good barrier coat applied when the boat is painted for the first time should reduce gel-coat blisters. When we paint an old bottom, we always sand the bottom smooth first. That cuts the tops off any gel-coat blisters that may be present with some exceptions. We wait for the blister to drain and then fill the low spots with an epoxy filler before we paint with a quality bottom paint. The exceptions are blisters that disappear while the boat is waiting to be sanded. The pressure equalizes inside the hull when the boat is out of the water and some blisters disappear. You can't cut a blister if it’s not there.

The reason we consider gel-coat blisters cosmetic and not serious is that they don't effect the hull laminate and do not produce a wet hull. Serious blisters are large in size and introduce water into the hull laminate. When you cut a serious blister, it never stops leaking and you can't fix a wet hull. To my knowledge, Com-Pac has never had a wet hull or a blister that never stopped leaking.

Good luck with the repairs.

Message: I am interested in one of your conversions or perhaps a Picnic. I sail at South Topsail sound and/or inland lakes so shallow draft is important. I liked the 3" comment you made at the boat show. I am going to Atlantic Beach Monday afternoon and could stop by your shop late afternoon if you are going to be around. Do you have any photos of you 16' conversions? Or other options?

Answer: We have a converted boat on our yard. It doesn't have the centerboard installed yet and still needs category 2 cosmetics. That boat should be finished by June or July. Pictures of the centerboard boat are on our Web site under the "What's New" link. We plan on being in Richlands on Monday afternoon. Stop by and see us on your way to Atlantic Beach. Thanks.

Message: On this site-there is a com-pac club that needs a password to enter. I ustand ther

Answer: You have to be a Com-Pac owner to be a member. Anyone that owns a Com-Pac can join the CPYANC. We need your name, address with the zip code, phone number with area code and the type of Com-Pac owned. Request membership with an email message containing the above information.

The first boat should be available by next month. We may have more pictures in the next few weeks. Thanks

Message: You folks have always been quick with a good answer to the questions I've posed over the years even though I live in Michigan, and am an unlikely customer. I thought you might get a kick out of the fact that the new official picture of the CP23/IV being used on the Com-Pac website is my boat. I took the picture of Sea Bird in her slip in Holland, Michigan where Lake Macatawa has an outlet to Lake Michigan, which provides both small inland lake sailing combined with sailing on a Great Lake. What could be better? Does this qualify me to join the CPYANC? If so, how do I go about joining?

Answer: That's a good-looking sailboat in a beautiful location. I bet the sailing up there is great. Anyone that owns a Com-Pac Yacht is qualified to be a CPYANC member. We only discriminate against brand X sailboats. We have all the information we need for your membership except your phone number. You will use that number as a password to access the CPYANC Web site. Most people can remember their phone number from year to year and that eliminates password problems. I will send you an email requesting your phone number. Thanks.

Message: Have you done any conversions of the Com-Pac SunCat to increase its sail area for lake sailing?

Athough, one might add a bow sprit and a head sail; that would, in my opinion, harm the character appeal of the boat, as it would become a (gaff rigged) sloop. Would it be possible to lengthen the upper gaffhead spar to increase sail area? That would probably bring the center of effort aftward if not done carefully.

But, merely increasing the mast height, makes it unreasonably long for the hinged trailering rig.

Do you have an experience with these? Or any desire to consider making these modifications?

Thanks for your consideration.

Answer: I think all sailboats are territorial. What sailboat works best for you is the big question that's very important. I normally look at what's popular in a specific region and work from there. Normally a sailboat builder makes the right boat for his area. He wants to sell that first boat. A sailboat with 5 feet of draft isn't going to be very popular in some coastal waters and a boat with a modest sailplan isn't going to sail very well on a lake with high sides and no wind.

Just about every builder considers a plan "B" boat. The Sun Cat has the flat space behind the deck hatch for the sloop's mast. Had the Sun Cat been a slow seller, the Sun Cat would have become a sloop at the factory several years ago.

The following information should answer most of your questions. I have sailed a Com-Pac 19 with a Com-Pac 23 mast and sails. We are currently sailing a Com-Pac 23 with a Horizon Cat rig and a 150 genoa. Some sailors think the most beautiful sailboat ever built was a Herreshoff, New York 30. The New York 30 is a gaff headed sloop. Our Com-Pac 23 is self-reefing with the gaff and has one finger balance. It's still a coastal boat because its displacement is 3000 pounds. The mast tender rig with the electric mast makes the $40 slip behind a bridge very workable. I have a customer that sails his Sun Cat on a South Carolina lake and he needs more sail area for his lake sailing. I recommended making a change to the gaff headed sloop configuration. His centerboard and 1500 pounds of displacement will make for a fast boat that points high in light air. A cheaper solution is a bowsprit and a small jib. The Com-Pac 23 bowsprit fits the shape of the Sun Cat's bow. Do you think Clark Mills used the same tooling? I think so.

As long as you add sail area forward, the little Sun Cat is going to balance. I don't think I would change the length of the gaff. You could increase the mast height by 4 feet and not worry about going down the road. A raised rudder adds 4 feet. A sail maker could add the extra cloth to the bottom of the sail.

As the Sun Cat's get older, I think modifications like the gaff headed sloop will become more common. Thanks for the question.

Message: Can you provide a PHRF or Portsmouth rating for a Horizon Cat made by compac.

Answer: I can't help with a Portsmouth rating. That rating system is not in my area of expertise. I don't have a Performance Handicap Rating Factor (PHRF) rating for a Horizon Cat, but I can tell you how a local committee determines ratings for new boats. They get together and compare the specifications between a new boat and the existing fleet. They vote on a temporary handicap that's good until the new boat proves the handicap is good or bad with real race results. A committee may have rated the Horizon Cat somewhere in the country. Race committees also use ratings from other local committees as a temporary rating. When a boat hasn't been rated, a committee compares the ratings and specifications from other similar sailboats. They use displacement, water line length and sail area to compare sailboats.

I have collected ratings and specifications on 4000 boats and they are in a database on my web site. You start off with a guess concerning what the rating should be. You type that rating into the input box that says RATING. After you click the button FILTER BY RATING, you will see all the boats and specifications for boats that have that rating. You are looking for a boat that is 20 feet long overall, 2500 pounds of displacement, 205 square feet of sail area and has a water line length of 17 feet 9 inches. That's the specifications for a Horizon Cat. I started with a rating of 250 and worked my way up. The best boat I found was an Able 20 with a overall length of 20 feet, displacement of 2500 pounds, sail area of 201 square feet and a water line length of 16 feet. The rating for the Able 20 is 291 and that's what I would shoot for. You might find a better comparison if you play with the database, but you want the highest rating with some published specifications that back up a good rating. I think I would print the Able 20 page from your browser as a reference. I think the Horizon Cat is going to be fast. Good luck.

Message: After a few years of being sail-less, I am ready to jump back in. I think you have the best web site and am particularily pleased you deal in "small" boats. I have a condo near Morehead City on Bogue Sound and have saied/boated there for over 50 years. Looking for a daysailer - big enough for 2-4 people, trailerable, easy to launch and rig. Something 14-18 feet - shoal draft needless to say - not new but well constructed. Trying to keep budget below $4000 - I am somewhat handy and can do cosmetic work but not willing to tackle anything too major. I have built several boats ( first at age 15)- sail and power and know my abiliities. Something like the Chrysler Mutineer up to an ODay Mariner. Please advise whether you have anything like that or expect to have something in the not too distant future. I owned a CP16 in the late 70's and liked it a lot but not sure I want that again. Your response would be most appreciated. I am in the area quite frequently and could stop! by to inspect.

Thanks!

Answer: Have you noticed that locating a good used sailboat is a little like finding hen's teeth. They are normally hard to find. We had a few good sailboats built back in the 70s. You mentioned 2 above. Many, many years in the sun and a few structural problems associated with that period of time has made most of them unusable today. The cost of replacing a wood deck core (common in the 70s), new sails and other repairs like a new trailer will normally make rebuilding an old daysailor unworkable. The other problem with old daysailors is that they were for the most part, performance boats. The idea of club racing and buying a bunch of daysailors for that purpose was common in those days. A performance sailboat is a handful when you use it for coastal sailing. We have been working on a solution for this problem.

You have some experience with our little Com-Pac 16 and I'm sure you remember its capabilities. We can look at its capabilities for your sailing area and work from there. You need ballast and a moderate sail plan for your wind conditions. You need super shallow draft to sail in and around Bogue Sound. The Com-Pac 16's 18 inches of draft is a little large for your area. Our solution for sailing in your area is to modify an older Com-Pac 16. They all have the deck core problem that I talked about above. We remove the deck, repair the core and paint the inside. Then we remove the keel and install a new stainless centerboard built by the factory. We replace the ballast by pouring concrete on the floor around the centerboard. The cost of this modification is $3K; the boat has a draft of 3 inches and still sails like a Com-Pac 16. If you can find an old Com-Pac 16 for $1K, you can stay with your budget for a sailboat with us doing the heavy work and you doing the cosmetics. When we find a suitable candidate for modification, we buy new sails and restore the whole boat. A restored 70s boat with a centerboard retails for about $7K.

We put all the boats we have for sale on our "New, Used Boats" list on our web site. We may have something other than a Com-Pac during the summer time. Stop by and see us when you can. Thanks.

Message: Do yo sell a bimini or other cockpit shade system for the CP-16?

Answer: Yes. The cost of a bimini for your boat is $475 including shipping. The bimini is shipped UPS in a cut down condition. It comes with tube splices for reconnection with a pop rivet gun. Most customers can install a bimini on their boat with a little help from us. We need the color and the bimini needs to be prepaid. We drop ship the bimini to your location from a builder in Florida. Normal build time is about 3 weeks.

Message: I am interested in selling my boat. It's in reasonable condition for its age and I'm also interested in a used 16 foot Compaq. My daughter helped me sail, but she is not available very often. I am about two hours away from your location. I could trailer my boat to your yard if you have some interest in my boat.

Answer: We sell all the boats we get and we have sold several MacGregor 25s. We need your boat on our yard if you want us to sell your boat. We charge a fee of 15% of the selling price if your boat sells for less than $10,000. We also charge a $1 per foot/month fee while your boat is on our yard. Bring your boat when you can. Thanks.

Message: I noticed under CP16 restorations the installation of bearings in the rudder. My rudder has some "slop" and I was wondering if you sell the materials for the repair or can the unit be sent to you for repair.

Your web site is excellent....

Answer: Com-Pac sells rudder bearings. We recommend that you order your bearings from Com-Pac. That’s where we buy our bearings.

You need a long drill bit to drill the rudder housing that's attached to the boat. If you remove that part from your boat, you can use a standard drill bit. The longer drill bit allows the drill to occupy the space above and below the boat while you do your drilling. Drill a hole that’s a tight fit for the outside of the bearing and only drill to a depth that matches the height of the bearing. Then use a soft hammer to install the bearings in the soft aluminum. Use the same technique for the movable rudder housing. Normally the brass bearings are shorter than the housing holes. Make sure that the bearings match each other at the pivot points. Fill the space between the bearing and the bolt head with a spacer if necessary. If you didn’t drill all the way through, you won’t have to worry about a spacer. If you don't want to do the work yourself, a local machine shop will be glad to do the work if they have the bearings and the boat.

If you ever put an autopilot on your Com-Pac Yacht, you will have to have rudder bearings or the autopilot will work itself into battery failure. Bearings make a rudder feel good and gives us a way to detect boat balance. Boat balance is what sailing is all about.

That’s a good question. Thanks.

Message: I have owned 2 cp 19s, a seaward 25, a southcoast 21, and a cat 22. the cp is the best built boat I have sailed. I am looking for a good cp 23 with trailer. what boats do you currently have and what prices? I enjoy restoring older boats and would prefer an 1980s model. North Carolina is not to far to drive for the right boat.

thank for your assistance.

Thank you.

Answer: We are in the business of restoring older Com-Pac Yachts. We agree with your evaluation of their construction and we think most older Com-Pacs are excellent candidates for restoration. We also have the opportunity to upgrade an older boat with new features when we do a restoration. We hope to have a list on our web site soon listing all of the restoration and upgrade items by boat type. This should help present and future Com-Pac owners with there maintenance requirements and their own wish list.

We normally don't sell older boats before restoration. Thanks.

Message: Will you be at the Raleigh boat show this year? With what boats? And do you know when this is?

Answer: We are going to be at the Raleigh Boat Show from February 17th through February 19th. That's the show at the State Fairgrounds. We always have some confusion between our show at the Fairgrounds and the powerboat show at the Convention Center. I think they moved to Aviation Parkway.

We will have the electric mast raising Com-Pac 23 and a Com-Pac Picnic Cat at the show. The new Com-Pac 15 isn't going to be completed in time for our show. Sorry about that. I hope everyone can come to the show and talk sailing. Good question. Thanks.

Message: I'm interested in buying a CP 16. Do you have any available?

Answer: The Com-Pac 16s that we have for sale are listed under the "New, Used Boats" link on our web site. Our web address is http://www.ipass.net/sailboat. Thanks.

Message: Do you have a used Compac-19 or Compac-23 for sale?

Answer: We don't have any used Com-Pac 19s available for sale. We do have 1 Com-Pac 23 waiting to be restored. It's not going to be available until sometime in June or July and used boats are normally sold to someone before we start our restoration work. Thanks.

Message: How would you compare the CP19 to the new Eclipse -- sailing performance, ease of trailering, comfort in cockpit & cabin, etc. I understand that later CP19's were available with a centerboard which would seem to make them very similar. I am moving to a larger trailerable and both are on my short list. What's your opinion?

Answer: Sailboats that are built over a period of time get better every year. A model change gives the builder the opportunity to improve their product and Com-Pac did that with the Eclipse. They Com-Pac 19 didn't have a centerboard, was a little too high on the trailer (required a ladder for boarding) and had too much standing rigging for a small boat. All of these items were corrected or modified with the Eclipse. You can think of an Eclipse as being a newer version of a Com-Pac 19. The centerboard will give you some added performance in light air and we like the Eclipse trailer for a Com-Pac 19 because it is lower and longer. The old Com-Pac 19 trailer didn't work that well. The bottom line between these two boats is their present condition and cost.

Message: I am downsizing from my Beneteau First 310 that lives at my dock here at my house. I want something smaller, easier to maintain, easier to hop in and make short jaunts to visit neighbors on the creek but also useful for daysailing and occasional weekending. Top on my list is a Suncat, but my head has been turned by your Retro 18 Pilothouse. Please send me the details on the 2002 Suncat and on the 18 Pilothouse. If I go with the Suncat, I probably will order a new one, but the 2002 looks a lot like what I want. I would like to know if it has electrical, nav lights, compass, lazy jacks, topping lift, etc. Thanks.

Answer: The Retro 18 Pilothouse is a cool looking boat. It's not currently available in this country because it doesn't have the floatation capabilities for boats less than 20 feet in length. Canada doesn't have that requirement for boats built in their country. The floatation requirement in this country is that a boat (powerboats only) has to float on its lines (below the gunnel) with a normal load and be full of water. Little boats have to have light construction and be full of foam. Substantial boats like the Retro 18 may have a problem satisfying this requirement. The operating environment in the coastal areas around Nova Scotia and our U.S. floatation requirements requiring light construction don't match in reality. Bass boats work well with the floatation requirement.

Sailboats don't have the floatation requirement problem. Most sailboats under 20 feet do have foam, but they do it on a volunteer basis and they don't have to meet the floatation rule.

The used Sun Cat doesn't have any of the optional gear you want. We can install any or all of that equipment here before it leaves our yard. We also offer a 10% discount off the retail price of new Com-Pac sailboats and their optional equipment. The owner of the used Sun Cat may take a $13,500 offer. The extra $1,000 saved could pay for the optional equipment. This boat has an almost new 5hp Honda. Nice motor. Thanks.

Message: What is the price of a new set of Com-Pac 16 sails?

Answer: We think the best deal we can find on a set of sails is buying them from Com-Pac. A set cost $981 plus $12 for shipping. That's for a main and jib and includes a 10% discount off retail. The main cost $657 and the jib $324 if you want to buy them separately. They could be ready by January 2006. Have a Merry Christmas. Keith

Message: Keith,
Hope all is well. I enjoy your web site. Question, where is a good source for quality sails for my Com-Pac 16. I currently have the full batten main. It performs well, but I find it difficult to reef or furl. I'm thinking of getting a more traditional main sail. I may replace the jib as well. Who is a good source for sails? I will also be replacing my rudder with one from Ida Sailor. Thanks.

Answer: Our source for sails in Charleston, SC (Air Force Sails) is no longer in business (Chapter Eleven). Com-Pac is currently getting their sails from JSI in St. Petersburg, FL (Doyle Sailmakers). We called them for a quote on a set of Mark I, Com-Pac 16 sails. They said they would forward one by email and I will publish those prices when they arrive. The people that made the original sails for most sailboats normally make the best replacement sails for that boat. When you have a sail maker build a set of replacement sails for the first time, they are going to make all the mistakes we all make doing anything for the first time. A good set of sails at a reasonable price is better than a bad set of sails at a cheap price.

Message: Hi,found your site in the N&O classifieds. I'm looking to sell my boat as I hardly get it out on the water. Wondering how to figure out a good price for it. It's a blue-hulled Kingfisher, 14' with 2 sails and a second set of sails. Drop keel, wooden rudder, seats 3 adults, good condition, has been under a tarp when not in the water. Has a trailer with working lights. I'm in Durham between Falls Lake and Lake Jordan. What do you think? Also, I bought it from a friend in SC, who bought it from an in-law and there isn't any paper work on it. How do I go about getting it documented?? Thanks a bunch for any advice, oh and cool website too.

Answer: South Carolina has always been a trailer paper work problem for sailors. You need a bill of sale and a South Carolina registration to process your trailer for a North Carolina title. They don't use trailer titles in South Carolina. Your trailer is almost worthless in North Carolina without the proper paper work.

Your trailer situation is going to effect your boat's value. Not that many people want a boat on a trailer that can't be licensed. I always tell people that their boat is worth what they paid for it when they purchased their boat. Small boats in good condition maintain their value and do not depreciate. The reason they become cheap is because they have problems like the paper work problem you mentioned or other physical problems.

Message: Com-Pac Cat owners often refer to their boats as "pre-reefed" because they have much less sail area than other, more traditional cat boats. You folks often take pieces from one boat and put them on another to create a better hybrid. A few of us were wondering -- have you ever though about mounting the spars and sail from a Horizon Cat onto a Sun Cat? Doing that would make the Sun Cat's SA/D more like other cat boats. Do you think it would work? Snow is about a foot deep here so maybe I am just in a winter fantasy land!!

Answer: Some of us on the coast like the modest sail plan. A Horizon Cat rig on a Sun Cat would increase the sail area displacement ratio and that would improve light wind performance on some lakes. That modification would also kill the boat's balance. A better modification for most Sun Cat owners would be to make the Sun Cat into a sloop. The flat space in front of the hatch was designed for that purpose. Adding a bowsprit would move the jib forward a little and balance the rig with a much higher SA/D ratio. The current boat is a pretty good light wind performer because it has a displacement of only 1500 pounds and the gaff allows excellent camber adjustments over a large range of wind speeds. I can remember sailing a Sun Cat built by Clark Mills 25 years ago. It had a large Marconi rig and was a tiger by the tail in 20 knots of wind. I wet my pants one time with an accidental jibe. The cockpit seat was full of water.

I think all sailboats are territorial and most generic sailboats should be modified for their sailing environment. The Com-Pac 23 with the mast tender rig (the Com-Pac Conversions link) is designed for people that need to trailer or go under bridges. The standard boat is a great boat that needs to live in a slip. It requires too much work to setup and go sailing if you launch from a trailer. The converted Com-Pac 23 uses a Horizon Cat rig with a custom jib. That makes it a gaff headed sloop. We sailed the boat last Tuesday and it has perfect balance in light wind. We only had 5 knots and really wanted more. 12 knots of wind would have been a better test to verify the boat’s balance (white caps everywhere). The standard boat gets some weather helm at 8 to 9 knots of wind. I think the low aspect rig with the big main is going to have less weather helm. I really like to see small sailboats balance through 12 knots of wind.

We hope the snow departs your area soon. What I do in the wintertime is work on my sailing performance programs and think about how I’m going to improve my sail shape. Good sailboat performance is normally in the hands of the sailor. Look for those lifts and avoid those headers when you’re on the water. You have the rest of life to get good at sailing.

Message: See below. Can you tell me more about this? I don't see any detail on your website. Thanks.

We should have our electric mast raising and lowing system finished and installed early next year. --- from "Our Mast Tender Com-Pac 23 is almost ready"; Sailing Events Page, 21 November 2005

Answer: We have designed a mast raising system that uses an electric winch that's installed inside the boat. The winch has a remote control that allows the user to control winch operation from outside the boat. The other component that makes this system wrst raising lever. We plan on having pictures of the Com-Pac 23 ready soon. The mast raising lever for a Horizon Cat will be a little different, but the other equipment will be the same.

Show time for the electric mast on the 23 should be early January. Thanks. Keith

Message: After sailing classes I'm starting to look at boats. I'm in NJ the state parks (Lake Lenape) have a 20' length, 20' mast height, and the 10 hp restriction. A few rivers (Tuckahoe) have low bridge areas and a few miles to the bay (need a motor). The Com-Pac mastender solves one but when looking at boat specs, very few stae their mast height. When they are stated is it above water or the deck? I like the features on the Com-Pac and your conversions look great. The question... is there a Com-Pac under the 20' height?
LWL - length at waterline
LOA - length overall
LOD - length on deck

Answer: I appreciate your kind words about Com-Pac and the conversions.

We once modified a Com-Pac 27 by reducing the height of the mast by 12 inches. The boat had to go under a bridge in the Kitty Hawk, NC area. After the mast was reduced by 12 inches, the owner tapped the bridge with his mast light on a high tide and he decided he wanted 6 more inches removed. Mast reduction works fine when it comes to sailing, but it can be expensive on some boats. The 27 had furling gear and a bimini to engineer into our mast reduction plan.

Com-Pac mast specifications are for the mast height above the water line. The Com-Pac 19/Eclipse mast height is 25/26 feet above the water line. I think this height would require too much work to engineer into your 20 foot limit. The Com-Pac 16 or the new Com-Pac of the same size that hasn't been released yet should work for your situation. The Com-Pac 16 is 21 feet above the water line and that extra 12 inches can be removed at minimum cost. We don't have the specification for the new boat yet, but I understand that the boat will have a mast tender system as standard equipment. A used Com-Pac 16 can be ordered to meet your operational requirements. We also modify new boats to meet specific requirements.

The LWL for the Com-Pac 16 (Mark II) is 14 feet. The LOA is 16 feet 11 inches and the LOD is 16 feet.

Message: Please help. I have just purchased an Oday Javelin and it is missing one of the turnbuckles for a shroud. No turnbuckle, no stepping the mast.
Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me.

Answer: We have some old turnbuckles that may work. The only other solution is to order one and wait. For us to order a turnbuckle, we need the shroud for measurement purposes. Thanks.

Message: Hey Keith,
I own the CP-23d Epiphany that you refited years ago with a Universal m2-12 engine. Do you have much experience with the fuel systems? I am having a problem with the fuel injection pump. The injector pump will feed fuel to the forward injector but not to the back one. The injector pump goes for about a "grand" so I am trying to figure out what may be the cause besides a new injector pump.
It ran fine for about 20 hours, but as I was leaving the marina at Jordan lake it was running at idle and then just stopped... Never would refire. Trouble-guessing lead me to what I mentioned before... no fuel to the back injecter from the injector pump. oh well, just wanted to pick your brain. Hope all is well.

Answer: Most diesel problems are the result of fuel contamination. Recreational vessels that have little use are especially prone to this type of problem. The first test after the engine stops running is to check the electric fuel pump for sound. Turn the key on and listen for a running pump. The pump should run fast and then slow down as it builds pressure. The next step is to bleed the engine fuel filter. The bleed screw is on top of the engine fuel filter. Turn on the key, listen for the pump noise and then back off the bleeder screw until you get fuel from the bleeder with no bubbles. This procedure will identify most fuel problems. Bleeding the system between the injector pump and the injector is more complicated. Once you are sure that the injector pump has a good source of fuel, bleed each individual injector at the injector by cracking the engine. To my knowledge, we have never had an injector pump failure. We have had injectors fail. Your engine should fire on one cylinder if your trouble shooting is correct. Good luck with the repairs.

Message: I want to run wires for a masthead light. Do you know of a source from which to buy a waterproof through-cabin connector for this purpose?

Answer: Com-Pac uses a West Marine connector, model 181867. I found it on page 648 of my West Marine catalog.

Message: My name is Randy and I am interested in trading a Grady-White for the new Nova Scotia boat that you described. When can we meet. Will bring boat down for your inspection and consideration. Also will consider trading for a diesel sailboat that you have. Please respond. Thanks.

Answer: How much do you want for your boat? The trade-in dollars and cents is most important part of any trade. Let me know your bottom dollar for the Grady-White and then I can figure a trade-in difference. After we know the approximate difference, we can see if a trade-in is possible. The next step after doing the approximate difference, we look at the Grady-White's condition and the boat's optional equipment to fine tune the difference value. Talk to you soon. Keith

Message: You have an awesome site! A world of useful information. I've pretty much decided on a Com-Pac 16 and am very interested in both the restored 1986 model and the 1996. My plan would be to give a large deposit to hold the boat and the balance when I come to pick it up late January. Please let me know if we can come to some arrangement on this. I would appreciate more pics of both boats.
Regards

Answer: Thanks for the kind words. We think the web is a great way to communicate.
The 96 pictures are on the way. I plan on sending the 86 model pictures tomorrow. We have some local rain today. A deposit now and picking the boat in January will work for us. Thanks. Keith

Message: Hi Jonnie or Keith,
I recently visited your business on my way back from surf fishing on Camp Lejuene and noticed the Com-Pac and Cat sailboats. Would you consider trading a 1999 Grady-White boat?

Answer: Your boat is worth more than what we can normally trade for in most cases. We do have two owners of brokerage boats that may be interested in your boat. One boat is a Com-Pac 25 and the other boat is a Com-Pac Horizon Cat. Both boats are listed on my web site. I need to know the configuration details of your boat before I contact the sailboat owners. Thanks.

Message: Please information on your Trawlers. Thanks.

Answer: Brochure and prices are in the mail. Thanks.

Message: I have a new CP23D that I've been running the engine at about 2,500 RPM. I've gotten conflicting advice that say's I may be lugging the engine at this speed, but she seems to be just fine, and it wouldn't seem like spinning a prop in the water would place enough strain on an engine to "lug" it. WOT is 3,600 RPM. Any thoughts?

Answer: I agree. I don't think you can lug a diesel engine installed in a sailboat. I always found a smooth spot in the rpm range that gave me the boat speed I wanted. I think Richard Summers on his journey up the East Coast, accross the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi River ran his engine at 2,600 RPM. That engine is still running today.

Message: Wondering if anyone has tried or seen a CP23 cabin raised to make for standing headroon inside? Would this even be a possibility??

Answer: I have considered building a Com-Pac 23 motor-sailor. It would look like the Com-Pac 16 Trawler (picture below) and have steering outside and inside. The forward v-berth area would stay the same and I would add a house over the main cabin. That part of the boat would have 6 feet of standing headroom. The only problem is cost. I estimate the cost could be as high as $6,000 for a conversion.

Message: Do you ship CP16's to the west coast if you have a buyer? Had several projects in mind for ours but local boatyard won't peoceed without plans from a marine architect (good thinking on their part.) Subsequently we found mention of your boatyard and see that you do these modifications. Now we wonder about buying from back there.

Answer: I inquired about shipping a Com-Pac 16 to Washington State from here. Roadway Freight Lines quoted me a price of $3,000. They ship the boat inside one of their 18-wheelers and build an enclosure around the boat. We also charge a small fee for boat preparation on our end.

Message: We sail in Puget Sound, about 20 miles north of Seattle. We were wondering if you sell plans for the modification changing the Compac 16 to a catboat rig?

Answer: I think you can convert a Com-Pac 16 into a catboat rig without using plans. The 16 and Com-Pac Picnic Cat have the same mast size and we use Picnic Cat parts for our modification. We sell the Picnic Cat sail, gaff, hinge and the boom. We also sell a mast stub (you use your existing mast plus a stub to extend the mast to a point inside the boat) and a special boom gallows. You need to change your main sheet to the bridge deck and buy a new sailcover. All of these items can be shipped by truck. We help you during installation by answering your questions by email. You will need a few important measurements for an easy installation.

Message: I'm the retired Marine that came down from Maneo about 10 days ago to see you. The restored 19' Com-Pac that you have on the lead page of your web page.. Was that boat on the lot when I was there? Price on it please. Thanks, Semper Fi

Answer: Hello. I hope you are doing well. The Com-Pac 19 on my home page belongs to a Doctor in Boone, NC. I use that picture to show what we can do with our boat restoration work. It's a great looking boat if I do say so myself.

I have another 19 coming on the market in October. It's the 19 featured on the "Com-Pac Conversions" link on my web site (the boat with the green cove stripe). The boat has a new Eclipse trailer and a new 8hp Honda motor. The asking price is going to be $15,900 for the boat, motor and trailer.

I'm looking for cooler weather soon. I'm ready to go sailing. SF. Keith

Message: I plan to spend a lot of time in NC as my daughter lives in Durham. Can I join the compac NC club and if so, how can I register and establish a password?

Answer: Anyone that owns a Com-Pac Yacht can join the Club. The only additional information we need is your phone number. We use the phone number as a password.

Message: Just had the sun cat out yesterday in light breezez with 4 aboard. It was a very nice little sail. The boat does very well and I was quite pleased. The only problem we had was getting the sail high enough on the mast so that the boom cleared the gallows completely. It slightly touched when it came about. I was wondering if a greaseless lubricant like they use on racing bicycles might not give sufficient lubrication to the track without attracting dirt. Any thoughts or other suggestions. Also, if ever I wanted to replace the engine with a 4 stroke, do you think 4 hp is sufficient. The 6 that is currently on it loafs along and seems like it might be a bit more power than needed. Of course, if it were blowing a gale, that might be a different story. Nice boat Keith, thanks for your help in getting us into it.

Answer: I glad you like your boat. The secret to getting the sail up all the way is the barber haul trick. Get it to where you had it last time with the halyard cleat locked. Then grab the halyard in front of the cleat and pull sideways. I stand in the cabin. With the mainsheet slack and the boat pointing into the wind, you should be able to move the gaff, sail and boom up another 6 inches. Holding the halyard with your left hand, pull the lazy end of the halyard further into the self-locking cleat with your right hand. The boom will have about 6 inches of clearance over the boom gallows. You use the barber haul method when you don't have a winch. Lubrication doesn't help very much and it can be messy. I think a 4hp or 5hp 4 stroke will work fine. Sometimes we can't go upwind in 4-foot seas. The motor will come out of the water no matter what horsepower you may have. Avoid trying to get home with big winds and waves on the nose. When we go to Silver Lake on the Outer Banks, we are prepared to stay there or take the Ferry if the wind is big enough and from the wrong direction .

Message: The previous owner of my CP16 had extended the mast by 18 inches, for more headroom under a bimini. I've not sailed her yet, but expect she will heel more than as designed. This seems an unusual modification; is it? I'm wondering if it might reduce safety and might be an "improvement" I should consider undoing.

Answer: That's an improvement that I wouldn't recommend for a sailboat. The previous owner may have wanted a power boat with shade.

Message: Hey Keith,

I was loking for info on the AC system on the 23. How is it still working and how was the installation process?

Thanks,

Answer: It's a woodworking project. The A/C is installed on a shelf and the shelf is attached to the existing partition between the cabin and the seat locker. The hot part of the A/C is in the seat locker and cold part is in the cabin. The stove that was located in that location is history. We finished the open space between the cabin and the seat locker in teak plywood on both sides of the boat. This basic system has been used for years with good results. The downside of previous installations was the A/C was positioned in the hatchway and you had to step over the unit to get into the cabin. The A/C had to be stored somewhere else when you went sailing. The permanent installation solves both of these problems. Of course the A/C drains into the bilge. We like the Sears model A/C for about $125 with a remote control. We tested the unit and got 62 degrees inside and 98 degrees in the seat locker. You can open the hatch if it's not raining. The small Honda generator powers the A/C at idle and everyone can get a good nights sleep at anchor. You have to be careful with the generator's exhaust fumes. Of course shore power is used at the dock.

Message: What is the replacement bulb type/number for the navigation light on the mast? Is it different from the other navigation light bulbs for the bow and stern? Thanks for your assistance.

Answer: The bulb for the mast light is different than the bow and stern light bulbs. Different manufacturers use different bulbs. West Marine has a Perko replacement bulb listed as model 4810883 for your mast light. The bulb is low amperage and almost never burns out. The main problem is contact corrosion. Check the connection at the deck first. Clean and spread the connectors. Check the light after dark because you can't see it during the daylight hours. If that fails, the next fix is when the mast is down. Good luck.

Message: I am thinking about the purchase of a trailerable sailboat and would like info in comparing the Compac 16 and one of the newer models. Are the 16's easier to both sail and set up than the new designs and more stable? I reall like the look of different models but there seems to be a lot of support for the 16. Any help in the decision will be greatly appreciated.

Answer: These are the items that I would put on the plus side for the Com-Pac 16: Can't turn one over in big winds. 10 minutes to raise the mast and bend on the sails. Sails like a large boat with ballast and new sailors can see cause and effect. All Com-Pac 16 sailors become sailors. You can go sailing any time you have time to go sailing because the boat can be sailed in almost any wind condition. It's a popular boat that's a good money investment. Most people get their money back on the next boat. It's a boat people learn to sail on and in some cases it may be the last boat they will ever own. A great beginning and end boat. The items on the negative side are that it's small in size and heavy. It's not the best boat on a lake with very little wind and sleeping and using the head if your an old man like me. It's not a big boat that should be in a slip.

Most small sailboats are territorial. You need to look at where and how you are going to use your boat. Most new sailors don't know the answer to that question and they look for the boat first and then hope they picked the right boat for their area. The most popular boat is normally the right boat. If you’re going to learn how to sail, you will need a heavy boat where you can see what happens when you trim your sails. No one ever learned how to sail on a tippy boat. The way you tell about a new boat is with it's ballast ratio. The little 16 has 40% of its weight in the keel. An old Catalina 22 has a 19% ballast ratio. The Catalina is a great lake boat that can't be trailered for an afternoon sail because of it's size.

That was a good question. Thanks. Keith

Message: Good day Keith! Spending the holiday weekend with daughter and son in law sailing on Lake Murray in Columbia, SC. It would appear my tiller is going to require replacement. Do you have "stock" tillers or will this require a made to order part. Please advise. We purchased our boat about two years aback from you. Would you be so kind to send me a brochure on the Eclipse Com-Pac. Have a safe holiday weekend and please say hello to your wife from Tenia and I.

Answer: Hello, The tiller is a stock item. Send a check for $100 and we put one in the mail. The price may be more or less because of shipping charges. We are glad you like your boat. This looks like a good sailing year. We will put an Eclipse brochure in the mail tomorrow. Tell Tenia hello.

Message: I am looking for a daysailor in the 14-19' range with retractable keel; I would also be interested in a pocket cruiser, ie, a small trailerable boat with cabin and shallow draft with keel up (such as a West Wight Potter). I am looking for a sloop-rigged boat sicne I want to learn how to sail a sloop. I have just $2500 to spend, including trailer. Also: I might be interested in the sunfish for $800. Does the price include trailer?

Answer: We have an 18-foot Buccaneer trade-in that will we listed soon. It has a trailer and will be priced at $1,000 for both the boat and trailer. The $800 price for the Sunfish doesn’t include a trailer. We have a used trailer for $200 that will work with that boat.

Message: Hello

I purchased my 1994 16 from you a few years ago. Love it ... have kept it under carport when out of water and constantly spending time (and $) to restore when I can. This year I put lots of effort in trailer: new electical system, new hitch, replaced rusted harware throughout, new galvanized rims, new axle and leafs. I want to install a roller furler next and have been having a tough time finding one online. Do you have any recommendations and if you sell them how much (in the box vs installed)?

Thanx

Answer: It sounds like your little 16 found a great home. Cruising Design and Harken are my favorite furling systems. CD furling is very inexpensive and it will furl a sail. Harken cost more and is the better system. You buy furling gear from a dealer because your stock sail has to be measured and modified for furling. The best time to have your sail modified is when the Sailmaker is not that busy. Late summer is a good time. The 16s take the smallest furling system they make. There is a downside to furling on a 16. Furling makes trailing more complicated (mast up and down) and the sail must be stored in a horizontal position when the mast is down. Storing it on the carport will be a requirement. 16s in a wet slip do well with furling. I currently have a boat on our yard with CD furling installed. Stop by and take a look when you have a chance.

Message: Keith

You have such good information on you site-it is a good refresher to much of what I have long forgotten about sailing and need once again to remember. I would love to see a commentary on your site about sailing the gaff-rig catboat style of boat and how it differs from sailing one with headsails. It looks like you are doing a number of the conversions and the information might prove to be very helpful for cat neophytes like myself. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Answer: That's a good idea. I will put that on my list of projects.

Message: I have an old version of Voyager and would like to upgrade to the newer program. I see links to the manuals but not the software. Is it still available?

Thanks BTW, I love the look of the new trawler!!

Answer: We ran out of space on our server for the downloaded software. We can mail you the software on a CD at our cost. We send an invoice for $15 with the disk. You can send us a check after you receive the software. The new version is the same as the old version except it has the moving map GPS tracking capability included. It's made for a shipboard laptop computer. We also include some addition nautical software programs on the disk.

Message: Looking for used trailer for my boat. Any ideas?

Answer: We have some used junk trailers. I don't recommend them. We do sell new trailers and we have a link on our web site to our trailer builder. The link is under "NC Sail Links". Trailer prices and pictures are included on that link.

Message: Hey Keith,

I bought my Precision 21 from you in August 2001. Great boat! A lot of size in a small space, and I love the way she sails.

I haven't communicated with you in a couple of years, so I thought I would send an update. I've been lake sailing. I've got her home at the moment to add some electronics for coastal sailing and to repaint the bottom. She's a sweet honey of a boat.

I notice that you do not advertise Precisions any more on your web site. Have you quit dealing with them? If so, what a shame! It's the most stable, versatile, well built small trailerable sailboat/cruiser I've ever owned.

Answer: Hello. I'm glad you like your boat. The Precision Sailboat Company builds great sailboats. We started selling them in 1980. They are boats that have very few problems. We really like the owners, two brothers that own the company and build the boats. We called them boys back when. They are going to retire soon and sell their business. I'm sure the new owners will be as nice as they are and they will continue to build great boats. Larry Norris passed away two years ago. He was the person that sold the boats to us. We really miss Larry. He was an honest salesman with lots of knowledge about his business and sailboats in general.

We have a new Precision Dealer in North Carolina. He is a sailboat dealer that stocks boats. He had 4 Precision sailboats at the Raleigh Boat Show in February. In the real business world of sailboats, stocking boats is life threatening. A dealer pays interest on boats in stock and the boats get older and cheaper on the yard. I think staying in business is one important feature of any sailboat business. We watched the last North Carolina Precision dealer go out of business in Greensboro. It wasn't a pretty sight. Our policy was to stock one new Precision sailboat and order anything else that a customer wanted at a good price. That's the best deal for the customer, the dealer and in the long run, the builder.

If you ever need service or help with your boat, let us know. The person that works on our yard has been here for 27 years. David is very good at anything that has to do with sailboats. We still give great trade-in deals on all the boats that we sell. Precision owners really like their boats and tend to keep them forever. Good luck on that coastal sailing.

Message: Russ Browne put toe rails on his Sun Cat. He later sold the boat to a guy in Texas. If anyone needs to get the info for this, email me and I will relay the message. Bruce

Answer: His email address is bruce_woods@yahoo.com.

Message: we are interested in becoming members of the CPYA of NC---how do we join? Do you have a membership packet or application?

Answer: I will sign you up. I have everything I need except your phone number. Send me your phone number by email. Thanks

Message: Hi Keith
Did the fellow who wanted a Sun Cat with a pulpit ever buy one? Who made the pulpit? What was the cost? Somewhere I read that toe rails had been installed on a Sun Cat. Ever hear of this? By the way I found a Windmill over in NC and bought it.

Answer: We have used Com-Pac 16 and 23 pulpits on Sun Cats in the past. They both work well. The 23 is a little larger. We cut the feet off the pulpit legs and re-weld them at the proper angle to make them fit the deck. The cost of a pulpit is about $300. I haven't heard of a toe rail being installed on a Sun Cat. I purchased a wood Windmill 30 years ago. I think the Windmill class of boat was very popular in North Carolina during that period of time.

Message: I noticed a lifting rod for the rudder on Jammer XV. Is this something you sell? Does it work much better than just using a line?

Answer: The problem with the standard rudder configuration is that you have to get down over the transom to tighten the rudder handle before you go sailing. The standard bolt and handle keeps the rudder down while you are sailing with surface tension between the rudder and the rudder housing. The handle's location is a long reach for most people. Our rudder extension handle is designed for easy operation with kick up capabilities. It secures the rudder in a down position when sailing and an up position at the dock. The cost of the handle extension is $125.00 plus shipping .

Message: Keith, it has been awhile, and I may have misunderstood you, but seems like you have said there isn't a need to grease the hubs of my trailer...is that correct? Thanks

Answer: That's not correct. You should check the grease in bearing once a year. You should not over grease the bearing. Put your grease gun on the fitting and put some grease in the wheel. Look for a wheel cavity that's full of grease. If you have grease coming out the back of the bearing inside the wheel, that's too much grease. I check the condition of bearing by jacking up the wheel and checking the free play at the wheel. A small amount of free play is normal. Noise that sounds like rocks in the bearing when you spin the wheel in normally a bad bearing.

Message: Hi Keith

We are thinking of getting a smaller car. Can't remember what the boat, trailer and motor weigh (for towing purposes). Would appreciate your informed guess.

Answer: The Com-Pac 16 weighs 1100 pounds and most trailers weigh about 250 pounds. Motors vary between 22 pounds and 40 pounds. Most little cars can pull the Com-Pac 16 in flat terrain without a problem. Brakes are a big problem in the mountains.

Message: I've been sailboat-less over 15 years now and want to correct that. I missed the boat show, but am intrigued by the ComPac 16 of which you are obviously a fan. The used ones you advertise in the $4,000-$5,000 range, I assume, are in your Richlands location. What kind of financing is available on a 20-year old boat?

Answer: We have one Com-Pac 16 for $4,200 with a new motor. That boat and trailer are worth $3,500 without the new motor. We have used motors for $300 that look and run well. You can mix and match boats and motors to suit your needs and price range. All of our boats are in Richlands. I'm sorry we missed us at the boat show. We could have talked boats. Most people finance older boats with a personal loan. Most Banks and Credit Unions will finance late model boats, motors and trailers like our used 97 Com-Pac 16.

Message: Sirs,

I have been watching your web site for quite a few weeks. I have been thinking about buying a small boat for cruising purposes. I have pretty much narrowed my selection to a Com-Pac, a Montgomery, or a Rhodes.

I have so many questions to ask that I don't know where to start. I should tell you that I have some sailing experience and won a replica 18th century ships "Jolly Boat". I use this to do 18th century re-enacting. I like this boat, but it requires a crew and is an open boat. I'm looking for a cabin boat 16 - 21 feet long that I can launch and recover alone. I am used to living under a tent on my boat so even a small cabin would seem at least like a Motel 6.

I have looked long and hard at the Com-Pac 16's that you show on your web site. I am 6' tall and weigh 230 lbs. Is this boat too small for me? I know I won't be able to stand up in the cabin, but I would like to sit up on the quarter berths to possibly cook or use the porta-pottie. I have not yet seen any 19's on your site. Do you ever handle any of them?

I should also add that as this is my first purchase of a cabin boat I am looking for a previously owned boat rather than a new one.

Thank you for any information you can give me

Answer: I like both the Com-Pac and the Montgomery. I don't have any experience with the Rhodes. The reason I like the Com-Pac and the Montgomery is that they are stiff. They both have substantial amounts of ballast for their size. That's important for a cruising boat and not normally available in small boats. Both boats are shoal draft and that helps if you want to go almost anywhere. Shoal draft also prevent a sailboat from capsizing. Most shoal draft boats heel to about 45 degrees in big winds and then loose their grip on the water and go sideways. Deep draft boats will continue to heel. We call this behavior "stupid proof" in small sailboats. It's an important feature for a small cruising sailboat.

The Com-Pac 19 has become more popular with time. We sold over 500 new Com-Pac Yachts from our dealership since 1979. Most of those boats were Com-Pac 16s and 23s. The best trailer Com-Pac was the 16 and the best "in the water" boat was the 23. The 19 was the middle boat and was the third boat built. It was for people that needed to trailer sometimes and the boat could be an "in the water" boat when required. The trailering capability of the Com-Pac 19 has been improved with the Master Tender system and a new Eclipse trailer. The old trailer was short and the putting the mast up with two uppers; two lowers, a backstay and using a stepladder to get on the boat in the parking lot didn't help the launching process. The Com-Pac 19 conversion solved most of the trailering problems. The sail and the boom stay in place for trailering. Finding a good used Com-Pac 19 will be a problem.

We are physically the same size and I sleep in a Com-Pac 16 about twice a year. We eat in the cockpit with a bimini when we have rain or lots of sun. The cabin is small, but you can sit and sleep when required. You can use the porta-pottie with the hatch board installed. The Montgomery 17 cabin is much larger. The Com-Pac 16 will launch better and faster than the Com-Pac 19 or the Montgomery. We don't see used Com-Pac 19s for sale very often. The new replacement boat is the Com-Pac Eclipse.

Message: Regarding the CP19 mast-tender conversion:

Great job on the conversion and really made the CP19 a true single-handeld trailer sailor. For what I can gather from the description and picture posted, in order to have a boom gallow at the stern, the boom had to be longer, thus the backstay had to go, so the lower shroud had to be moved aft to support the mast for downwind. So, if one willing to have the boom gallow moved foreward using the existing boom, then all these changes won't be necessary?

Answer: Yes and No. In my opinion, the boom gallows further forward would put it very close to the middle of the cockpit and it would be in the way when getting off and on the boat, using the seat lockers and the bimini. The stock spreaders on the CP19 are not very useful and they get in the way when putting the mast up and down. Removing them is an improvement. We used the backstay to replace the forestay because we needed to add a tension device to the forestay and the boom was too long for a backstay. We saved the cost of a new forestay by using the backstay. Most trailable boats don't use backstays. The CP16 and the Eclipse are good examples. The cost of a new boom is a little over $100. The distance between the mast stub and the boom gallows is about right for good looks and the right amount of support for the mast while trailing. We think removing the stern pulpit was an improvement for motoring.

A minimum installation would be a boom gallows, mast stub, hinge and the mainsheet rigging moved to the bridge deck. That type of installation may not increase the boat's resale value. A full installation with a new Eclipse trailer should increase a CP19's resale value by $3,000.

Mainsheet bolt holes for the old rigging was filled and refinished on the example boat. White gel-coat boats are easy to refinish and the old cream-colored gel-coat boats are more difficult.

Message: Hey Keith, What is the condition of the sails and the trailer? The trailer looks like new almost. Do you have any more inside oictures? Thanks

Answer: This reconditioned 23 should be at the Raleigh Boat Show in February. You could come and take a look then. The trailer is used and is not included in the boat price. We like to sell new trailers because the used trailers normally do not have brakes and other safety related items.

Message: Hello, I'd like to receive your performance software, but I didn't understand if I can directly use it on my PocketPc Thank you

Answer: There are parts of the software that are useful without using a Pocket PC. Most of the database recordings that come with the software were recorded using a Pocket PC. However, you can do a performance analysis with just a GPS receiver, your home PC and the software. Pocket PC software is available. It is expensive because the Pocket PC uses several different versions of the same operating system and the sailboat performance market is very small.

We don't have maps for Italy. Sorry about that. You should find the Recorder and Statistics applications useful. We are emailing the software package now.

Message: I took my tiller off to sand and re-varnish it. When I did, I saw there are two thin pieces of wood about 6 inches long at the butt end of the tiller. I am guessing these are like shims to make the plates fit better. I pried them loose. Looks like these pieces of wood were held on by thin finishing nails that were very short. I have varnished the tiller and these pieces of thin wood.

Now, the question: would just tacking them on with short finishing nail be the right thing to do? Is gluing the wrong thing to do? Are replacement pieces available?

Answer: I would put them back in place with the short finishing nails. Replacement pieces are not available. Each tiller is built as a custom made component. Com-Pac sells new tillers, but those tillers may not be built the same way as your tiller. The tiller builder at Com-Pac changed about 12 months ago.

Message: I would like to receive the software to analyze my sailboat performance.Tks in advance Victor

Answer: It's on the way via email.

Message: I would like to join the North Carolina Compac Yacht Association. Can you email me information or application?

Answer: Any Com-Pac owner can join. We need your address with a zip code and a phone number with an area code. We will sign you up when we get the information.

Message: Keith, Thank you for the Christmas card and the stickers. I love them! I don't usually stick stuff on my car but this one will defintely go on the car.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Answer: I hope you have Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Message: Hi,

Not that I'm in the market for a boat but.... I was just wondering if the Sailfish is fiberglass or not?

Also what is the cost of a Picnic Cat at "discount?"

Answer: The Sailfish is fiberglass. A Picnic Cat on a trailer with normal options and a discount price sells for about $9,800.

Message: I would like info on how to join the Cpyanc.

Answer: You have to be a Com-Pac Yacht owner. An owner will send me their name, type of boat, address with zip code and phone number with area code via email and I sign them up. You qualify because you own a Com-Pac 16. I still need your phone number for membership. Please send me your phone number via email and I will sign you up.

Message: Can a Com-Pac 23 be reffited with a diesel engine? How difficult of a job is it? Anybody having sucess using a trolling motor on a 23? I guess my bias against gas outboards must be showing.

Answer: We have done several conversions. The factory makes and sells all the parts. It takes one man about two days to install a diesel. Another day to clean up the holes for the outboard mount. Most diesels in the 10 to 12 hp will fit fine. I can't think of anyone using an electric trolling motor. It would work, but the boat would be very slow.

Message: I noticed water inside the cabin, which appears to come in from the starboard porthole. Looking outside, it seems like the caulk has shrunk. I have no experience taking these off to re-caulk; what am I getting into here? Also, have heard of some kind of creeping crack (sounds bad, eh?) stuff to put behind without having to take everything off.

Answer: Determine if the leak is between the glass and the frame or between the frame and the boat. Put some water in the area between the frame and the glass. It should stay there and not leak into the boat. If that's the case, the leak should be between the frame and the boat. When the port leaks in that area, we remove the port and re-caulk. The port has a plastic frame and can be damaged in the removal process. We like to have a new port standing by when we re-caulk.

Message: I am interested in your Yacht Performance download. How do I download the software and will it work to analyze down wind VMG?

Answer: I'm downloading the Yacht Performance Program to your email address now. It will arrive as 4 executable files. Execute the 4 files with a double click. This will put the program files into a directory on your hard drive called voyagerUSA. Double click setup.exe in voyagerUSA for a normal installation.

Our program wasn't designed for downwind analysis. I think you can make it work with some small modifications. Use a stopwatch and your GPS for the start and finish points. Send me your first recording and I will send you a calibrated map of your sailing area. By recording your start and finish times and measuring your visible track on the map with Yacht Performance, you can determine downwind VMG.

Message: Cool; I will check out West Marine for some alternatives...also, maybe I will see if I can get better at doing the Marine Tex...oh, and thanks for the heads up on everything...wonder how many trials before I don't have as many errors!

FYI, Keel Guard is a strip of urethane that you can get; several widths and lengths, but it covers the keel, and supposedly keeps it from being damaged....the smallest amount costs $100....about 4 or 5 feet of it around 6 inches wide...I was just thinking of putting some on that leading edge...see if it holds, works, etc..but for $100 bucks I may not try it...PS, beautiful sailing today (Sunday)

Message: I realize you make the answer to the general audience, but I already use the straps, so that isn't really addressing my situation. The straps don't work as well on the Sun Cat as the CP-19 or 16, because there is not much height difference between the bunks and the guides....to get the straps in the water too far, the boat floats over them. To get them not far enough, the bow is riding over everything and the boat doesn't stay aimed properly.

Regarding the bondo-gelcoat idea, I could try something like that, but knowing nothing about it, I didn't really see enough info in the suggestion. I will have to do some research to see how gelcoat works. Knowing what you guys do is quite helpful though.

I guess you haven't seen the Keel Guard; it is marketed mostly to motorboaters. I may just get some and try it, though, because I believe the real problem I am having will not be addressed without something to protect the keel.

Answer: Your right about Keel Guard. I don't know anything about that type of product.

Most problem solving is trial and error testing. As professional marine maintenance people, we don't use Bondo on a customer's boat. We do recommend it as an alternative to Marine Tex for individual sailors and it's easy to use. The best way to learn about gel coat is to buy some and try it. Your West Marine Store sells small amounts of gel coat with a coloring agent. The package comes with instructions and it's inexpensive.

We use West Marine Epoxy products. That Company has a "how to book" for their products that should be available at your local marine retail store. I think it's a free publication. It may be available on line. This is the bible for professional maintenance personnel. West Marine details fillers and their application.

Message: I have bumped the surface off the leading edge of my keel more than once. Have put Marine Tex on, and tried to smooth it with saran wrap, etc..then sand...it isn't that smooth though. I have also tried to prevent the problem, but it seems to happen when there are swells I can't control at time of retrieval. Any ideas on material to put there, like Keel guard (urethane that glues on) to keep this from happening? I really can't afford to get it professionally done, and my version of fixing it just doesn't seem like the best way, either...

Answer: Marine Tex is a hard filler that can be very difficult to work and make smooth after it has cured. I use automobile fillers like Bondo for small areas and then use gel coat for a final finish. Bondo is easy to work, but it's not a one step repair like Marine Tex. Bondo is the wrong color for most applications. Gel coat is a soft finish that can be worked, polished and then gel coat makes the repair waterproof.

The way to prevent the ding problem is to add straps between the bunks and the keel guides. This keeps the keel off the metals parts of the trailer. During heavy weather and swells, we don't put the trailer in the water as far as we normally would. We bring the boat into the trailer and make sure the keel hits the first roller and the hull makes contact with the bunks. We connect the winch strap and secure the boat in this position. The boat is captured and can't move in this position. We then move the car, trailer and boat down the ramp a small amount until the boat floats a little higher. You winch the boat on the trailer and you are in control.

Message: Hello My Friend...

This has been a season of remarkable weather...I suspect the residents of N. Carolina are no stranger to this phenomenon in recent years past. We have been most fortunate in S. Carolina! So what have you been sailing lately? We have done well with our com-pac. We likely will move up to a little larger boat in the next two years...I would like to bring our boat your way this December and have you work a little magic cosmetically again. Perhaps leave the boat with you through March...may I presume you remain in the business of bringing good service and joy to people via sailboating? Have you been aboard a 23 foot com-pac...my son in law and I would certainly like to find a day's sailing on one of these...any suggestions...we'll cover beverages and dinner. Did the weather in Florida compromise our boat building compound? ... Tell me about your summer adventures sailing. Do you adhere to N. Carolina State athletic adventures...I work with a spendid lady who played basketball for the U.of N. Carolina...who is the real deal! I'm most fortunate to have a work colleague like this who is wise and likes sports.. I ended up purchasing a 4hp Yamaha....yes I understand this is a clear sign I plan on buying a larger boat...4 stroke with forward, neutral and reverse gear...I have to confess I love the different gears. Ok ...call me shallow! or lazy...Yet we have been several miles outward into the Atlantic and I truely enjoy the comfort of knowing I have a little horse power off my stern.Charleston has proven to be a very appropriate bay to sail our shaol keel boat... the water table is not foregiving to a deep/full ballast boat. So many people who are good sailers run a ground ...with tide issues...I'm not so good yet lucky! Please let me know your thoughts. I have advise my son in law B. Davis to talk with you in regards to his own budding sail boating thoughts.

Be good and remain out of harm's way

Answer: I'm glad you had a good summer. We didn't do much sailing ourselves. We had lots of business and this was a hot summer. We are going to put a 16 in the water and do some sailing this fall.

You can bring your boat any time. We still do cosmetic work on Com-Pacs.

We have several 23 Com-Pacs on our yard. We don't currently have one in the water. The 23 is a non-trailable boat for the most part. We have been restoring 23s with air conditioning and other nice options. I normally sell them before we finish with the restoration process. We have sold several new Horizon Cats this year. The factory in Clearwater is doing well and building a bunch of boats. They didn't get hit by the hurricanes.

I think you might like a Sun Cat if you don't want to put a boat in a slip. They trailer well and it's a much bigger boat. I have had 5 people day sailing on a Sun Cat at the same time. The Sun Cats have been out for awhile and we have some used boats.

We have been involved with a canoe trail behind our business. My son is selling kayaks and canoes. We have a 16 in the water behind the house and I use it as a work boat. It's a very stable platform and we use it to cut trees that fall across the creek. The canoe trail is 14 miles from our business to Jacksonville, NC. We have some white water now and then. It depends on rain fall. Picture attached. The water is currently very low.

We will looking forward to seeing you in December. Take care and we will talk soon.

Message: I would like to download a copy of the Yacht Performance software.

Thank you.

Answer: I'm sending you all 4 program files at the same time. They are executable files that will put all of the application files into one directory. Double click each file. The installation directory is C:\voyagerUSA. Find Setup.exe in the installation directory and double click that file. Follow the on screen instructions. The installation files can be transferred to floppy disks and passed around if desired.

Let me know if you questions or installation problems. Keith

Message: Trying to figure out total weight for car to pull. Boat is 1,100 I think but how much for trailer and motor. Thanks, and hope to see you Wed or Thursday. Very excited!!

Answer: The weight of the Com-Pac 16 trailer and motor is about 250 pounds. Total for the rig is about 1350 pounds.

Message: I think I remember you saying that you put a hinge in a Sun Cat tiller...how did you do that? Could I have it so a pin kept it from opening, and then release the pin for when it needs to be raised?

Answer: We were going to do that, but never did. You need to cut the tiller at the right spot for length and then use two more metal straps like the straps that secure the tiller to the rudder now. If you cut your tiller at the proper angle, it would hinge up like most other Com-Pac Yachts. When it hinged down, it would stop in a horizontal position because the front and back pieces would make contact. I would buy the straps and then practice making the cuts on scrapes of lumber before I made the all-important cut on my tiller.

Message: Keith, is the 10% just on new boats? I am in the market for a small boat at a good price. thanks, edwin

Answer: The 10% discount is for new boats. We always consider offers on used boats.

Message: Just wondering what will it take to convert CP19 to the Mast-tender system. I know you have done such conversion on Ted's CP16. Thank you.

Answer: We will be doing a Com-Pac 19 next month. You need to come down and see the conversion when it's finished. The boat's home port is Swansboro. We will have an exact price soon.

Message: At some point I want to replace my small round deckpipe with a larger one so my shackle will goe through it. Found one on internet that is spring-clamping like the current one. It is 49 dollars...do you know of a better deal, or have you got a boat junkyard I can go to and take off a part like this...not an emergency at all, but something I would like to do if affordable...

Answer: We don't have an old one around. The new price sounds reasonable.

Message: Thanks; my block of wood is actually two of them. The lower one is stuck to the deck, the upper is stuck to that one. I only need to get the top one off. Sounds difficult at best, so will put that off. Other idea is to get a piece of bronze to cover it (stainless would work, but is too bright, I think). What do you think of that? could get it sized and holes drilled to attach this to block of wood, and the cleat and tube could go through that...any suggestions on this metal? I would like it to be something dull but good looking...not in a big hurry to decide, since my fix is at least functional.

Answer: I don't think the blocks will come apart without doing some damage. I like the metal cover idea. I will let you know if I see something that will work.

Message: Next thing is fix the block that the centerboard hole is in. I covered the bad spot with a brass piece that is off-centered, but works...I don't like it for long term, though.

Here is the question: what holds that block on? I don't want to get into a situation where I have to use a crowbar. It had a couple plugs in it that if I drill out, might be screw holes covered up...is it glued on to the base block? Since I have the pennant through the hole, I don't want to have to do too much violence to get it off, and mess up my new pennant...

Answer: Your block of wood is held on with screws and 3M5200. It's not easy to remove. 3M5200 is an adhesive. We use a thin blade to cut the adhesive between the wood and the deck. Be careful not to cut or damage the penant.

Message: I recently saw a CP-23 at Jordan Lake...nice looking boat...I noticed it was mast-head rigged. Always wondered what the ramifications of mast-head vs. fractional rig was. Eight stays is a lot of stays, compared to my boat which has 2 shrouds and a headstay...Guess that makes it take a long time to rig.

Answer: Your right about the time it takes to step the mast. A fractional rig is designed to bend the mast while sailing on the wind. We use a backstay tensioner to increase tension on the forestay when we are going to weather. We do the opposite going downwind. That procedure changes the amount of chamber and the shape of the headsail. On the wind sailing requires less chamber and off the wind sailing needs more chamber for good sail shape. Performance boats normally have fractional rigs. Cruising boats normally have masthead rigs. Cruising boats need more sail power for their added weight and a substantial rig to keep it aloft.

Message: I refinished this wee 13' yawl this pass summer, and of course, she's now my "baby". However, the urge to cruise is strong, and I'd like a bigger boat. Here's my question, is a 13' wooden boat (190 lbs. displacement) a viable candidate for a dinghy? I guess what I'm asking is, how big of a boat would I need to be able to use her? Is it even possible to tow a dinghy, or do I really need to hoist her up?

Answer: The cruise of the Harriet II (Com-Pac 23 Cruise link) on this web site was done pulling a dinghy for part of that voyage. The down side of towing a dinghy is the work required to manage the tow. Big seas and waves complicate towing a dinghy and docking is always exciting. Weather conditions are a limiting factor if you're pulling a boat. The up side of towing a dinghy is the convenience of having a sizable boat at anchorage or around the dock. Keeping your trash and garbage in a dinghy that's being towed is a common practice.

Putting a dinghy of your size on deck would be a problem. You would really need a big cruising boat to carry a 13 foot dinghy.

Message: Next step is the backing to the new cleat. They hid an off center 5/8" hole that is overlapped by the hole the pennant goes through. I can get 5/8" bung from WM. To get it to fit, I will have to dremel it out on one side.

I also would like something smooth to use with the real hole, and I remember you folks put something brass in the hole you drilled in the center of the seat in a Sun Cat...where can I get something like that?

My other choice is going to be replacing that backing plate and trying to drill my own new pennant hole in the right place...

Answer: The drain hole in the Sun Cat seat is a Moeller Drain Tube. They cost about $3 and are 1 inch in diameter. West Marine should have them in stock. A new backing plate for your installation may be the best solution.

Message: This is a good compromise regarding getting the message sent....

You said earlier that a tool for drilling hole for the teak plug could be got from hardware store; wouldn't it just be drilling a hole? Thanks!

Answer: Yes and No. The hole in the wood that holds the screw is smaller than the hole above it that holds the bung. The hole below is what centers the hole above with the bung tool. The head the screw should be centered below the bung. Some people use a common drill for this procedure, but it's a more difficult procedure with drills.

Message: Thanks for two horn cleat answer. What should I do about the screw holes that will show by changing?

How I did it:

I taped a small starter line to the old pennant with board up...lowered it till it hit bottom (was in 3 feet of water)...friend went down and pulled starter line while I taped new line to it...so we had 3 lines in the chute: original, starter line, and new pennant.

When new pennant was in, I went down, cut old line and got it out...then tried to put new line in that shackle-gizmo that is surprisingly hard to deal with.

Had to move to 5 feet of water to let board all the way down because the board was always slicing into the bottom mud and fouling that shackle.

Got shackle free, and in 3 or 4 dives, hit upon the way to get new line in from stern side of the shackle. Couldn't really see any detail at Jordan because the water is translucent, but not clear.

Got line in, and then in 2 dives got knot tied...

Pulled starter line out from cockpit. And as the Brits say, "Bob's your uncle."

Regards,

Answer: Sounds like a great solution to a difficult problem. I would use teak bungs to fill the holes. You can get the bungs from us or from most marine retail stores. The tool for drilling bung holes can be purchased at hardware stores.

Message: Replaced centerboard pennant. It was tough getting new one into the end of the centerboard because I bought 1/4 instead of 3/16...

It doesn't want to stay in that cleat; never did like that cleat for the original. Is there something better to hold that line, to keep centerboard up tight for launching?

PS, am I going to have to fill in all that address stuff every time I ask a question here?

Answer: Congratulations on changing the pennant. That's not a small job. A small standard two horn cleat will work. It will hold better than the original design.

I could cut the address stuff down to name, email and home town.

Message: Tell me about the $4200 Com-Pac 16.

Answer: This boat has new trailer rollers, tail lights, fenders and almost new tires. The Honda 2hp and the compass is new. The boat is a dry boat with nice cushions. The sails are in excellent shape. The cabin top on the inside needs painting.