2011 Picnic Cat - $2,800

[passagesfromtheheart]

Not my boat/no affiliation.

Looks nice and the price seems pretty darn amazing to me - thoughts, Bruce, if you're seeing this? 

https://rockford.craigslist.org/boa/d/rockford-sailboat/7867429813.html

[crazycarl]

That is just north from where I used to live. If I  stilled lived there, I would be very tempted. One can never have too many boats.

[bruce]

Why so cheap? The boat looks fine from what I can see. Dark blue hull shows scratches easily, looks good. Boarding ladder and bow roller, good accessories. I have a Lehr 2.5. It was OK until one of the pressed gas fittings leaked. Drained the tank I was using but I had a spare, but knowing I had a live leak when motoring back to the ramp wasn't comforting. Other leaks were from tightening fittings too much or too little. Use with caution.

Not sure why we're seeing a shroud or head stay in the stbd locker. The "gin pole" rigged to the mast is baffling. It isn't needed, the mast is easily lifted by hand. I don't see how pulling on the attached line raises anything. Stock Magic Tilt trailer, very clean. Sail? Most owners leave it bent on unless it's removed for maintenance or cleaning.

The two biggest concerns are damage to the mast track from improperly lowering the mast with gear above the hinge and leaks in the bilge. In photo 11 you can see the track just above the hinge and it looks OK, minor spreading can easily be bent back. PCs are usually very dry. The most common leak is through transom fittings that has been discussed widely. The second most common is water from the cockpit getting by the CB trunk cover where it is flanged to the sole. Not too hard to fix. The third is the SS CB trunk flange mounted on the keel. That can be hard to reseal. The CB pivot rarely seems to leak.

So, if the mast and sail can be raised readily (a few minutes), and the bilge is dry, it's probably already sold!

Glad to answer any questions, but I wanted to get this back as soon as I saw it.

[passagesfromtheheart]

Bruce, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this PC. Honestly, I am baffled about the price on this boat being so low -- other PCs I've seen, this season, up on the market are considerably more expensive and this rings true even for boats that are older and do not appear as in good of shape as this one does -- at least to my untrained PC mind.

I didn't see the gin pole late last night/early morning when this ad caught my eye. I am confused by this - this was not a factory-installed option for PCs, was it, by chance?

Of course I'm no expert on the matter, but is the 5 hp engine posing any sort of risk with excessive weight on the boat's stern? I have a 5 hp on my 23, so 5 hp on a PC seems like a lot. My Legacy has a 3.5 hp. I don't know what Com-Pac recommended for PCs, however, for the Legacy and 23, I am within the ballpark on those figures.

It would have been nice to have had a bit more details provided by the seller in the ad, but I do see that he's specified to call him, so I may just do that. I'd be curious what may lie in wait; with a price like that, I can't help but wonder there IS some reason for that price being so low. Typically, folks with Com-Pacs 'know what they have' and, in my experience, it seems most are, in general, priced accordingly. Again, the price on this PC seems too good to be true, IMHO.


I really appreciate you examining those pics and giving your impressions, Bruce.

[bruce]

Yeah, the price is very low. Typically for two reasons, there is a serious issue, like no sail, the SS CB trunk flange is leaking, or significant damage to the hull. I have seen PCs kept in a marina with serious stray current issues, such that portions of the CB trunk flange had corroded away. The second reason is they just want to get rid of it, and don't know what it's worth or don't care. Divorce, death of the owner, whatever. Worth following up on either way.

No, a gin pole was never an option on the PC. There was a Mastendr Plus for Sun Cats and Horizon Cats, I've never heard on one being installed on a PC although it would probably be possible. Complete overkill unless the owner had a significant handicap. Better photos would help explain how this might work, but, bottom line, it's just attached with the hinge pivot bolts. Easy to remove.

I missed that the Lehr was 5hp. Too much weight on the stern of a PC, it will squat, 40 lbs. is about max. Trim is important, I carry 100 lbs. of ballast (sand bags) in the forward locker to get the trim right. That's with my wife and our Scottie sitting forward, me at the helm. I've used a Honda 2, the Lehr 2.5, a Torqeedo 1003, and a Propulsion Spirit 1.0. Hull speed with all of those is reached at about 60-70% power.

I would call and get a read on what's going on. It won't last long unless it's a complete dog.

[Jon898]

Another possibility on the low price is that it's based on the NADA (now J.D. Power) estimate, which would give a similar low price - $4200 retail. So $2800 private w/o sail could be rational if you base it only on J.D. Power and no knowledge of the true market.

Jon

[KObek]

It looks like it's been sold; the ad is gone. Sometimes, a seller just needs a quick sell for reasons we may not need to know.

[passagesfromtheheart]

Yep, I noticed the boat sold (or is at least removed from CL), too, when I had last checked -- probably at least a couple of days ago.

[passagesfromtheheart]

So, interestingly, I discovered the boat is  listed on CL — it came up under my "Hutchins" search (listing date is 7/27):

https://madison.craigslist.org/boa/d/madison-sailboat-hutchins/7869091377.html

[bruce]

I see they are using rollers on the sides to guide the boat on the trailer. I use short carpeted bunks, stout enough to actually pivot the boat on, very useful. Goal posts help visually, but bend too easily IMO.

You'd get something for the Lehr 5 if you didn't want to keep it. They list the condition as excellent. I'd make the call!

[bruce]

I doubt this is still available, but if no one is going to act on it I'll post it on the Picnic Cat Group at groups.io tomorrow. I don't know of anyone there looking for a PC currently, but some new members join just to learn more about the boat. Someone may be tempted.

Let me know, in this thread or by PM, and I'll hold off.

[crazycarl]

I have a Lehr 5 hp o/b. It came with the rib I bought this spring. P.O. said it was sitting for over 6 years. Brought it home and it started on the 2nd pull. Seriously thinking of getting a long shaft propane o/b for the 19.

[passagesfromtheheart]

I have a Lehr 5 hp o/b. It came with the rib I bought this spring. P.O. said it was sitting for over 6 years. Brought it home and it started on the 2nd pull. Seriously thinking of getting a long shaft propane o/b for the 19.

Ken J on the forum used to have a long shaft propane on his 23, if memory serves me.