Another (drum roll) new Compac 16 owner!

[NormD]

By now you guys must be tired of hearing this! I've been studying and lurking, and studying some more and finally decided to pull the switch and purchase a 1996 Com-Pac 16 III CB from The Sailboat Company in NC.
I have owned a number of 22 - 27 foot sailboats in the past but this will be my first one in 9 years!
It's worth the 650 mile trip from Ontario, Canada to NC to pick up my new Com-Pac as our market is seriously lacking in selection of small trailerables. Any remaining Canadian manufacturers seem to be concentrating on much bigger boats.
I did most of my research on boats such as the Montgomery 15, West Wight Potter 15 and Com-Pac Suncat and finally realized the 16 offered everything I wanted in a more seaworthy design.
Let me explain what I mean by seaworthy; I want a small, easily trailerable sailboat which sails well but allows the "crew" to partake of the head or a bunk without seriously affecting the "trim" of the boat.
The Potter was ruled out early on. I find the design a little scary to be honest with an all up weight of 450lbs and most of the stability coming from the hull form- yikes! How does one use a Porta Potty on the Potter anyway?
The Montgomery 15 was my next choice, but I felt again it is too light at 750lbs and dependent to a large extent on crew weight for stabiltity.
Added to this is the balsa cored deck of the Monty which is a future problem sooner or later.
The Suncat attracted my attention for a while but I want a sloop. It's a little pricey too. Anyway, playing with "one rope" would never keep me satisfied for long! Again too, there's the ballast issue with the Suncat relying on hull shape for stability.
So, here I am with the final choice, a beatifull 1996 Com-Pac 16 with everything I want and at a price I can truly afford without robbing a bank.
I'm really excited to pick her up next January and hope to add a little sailing trip at that time, perhaps a little farther south!
I will conclude by praising the efforts of Keith at The Sailboat company for his prompt replies and requested pics of the boat. This company must be unique in their combination of service and in-depth modifications.
Our new Com-Pac 16 III CB will be named "Miss Penny" and will sail on Lake Erie at Rondeau bay with trailering trips to The North Channel of Lake Huron and the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario.
Thanks to all on this site who provided a background of useful information.

[Ralph Erickson]

Congratulations, Norm, on your purchase.  You made the right choice, in my opinion.  The stability of the CP 16 is the main reason I bought mine, and I couldn't be happier.  I look forward to hearing about your first sail on "Miss Penny".

Ralph
CP16 #2245
"Patricia Lee"
www.sailaway.smugmug.com/boats

[K3v1n]

Welcome to the club Norm!  

[TroyVB]

Congratulations!  These boats are a blast!

[bro t]

Hi Norm, congratulations and what a long way to travel to get a boat!  I think you will be very happy about the stability of the cp16, especially where you are going to sail the Great Lakes.  We sail lakes in western Maine, and our cp16 has handled some very serious weather (our preferred conditions).  Last August, my wife and I sailed a couple days on Mooselookmeguntic, and one afternoon it had been blowing a steady 20+ and kicked up a notch to over 25, by the time we were out across 3 miles of fetch, we were in 3-foot rollers with spray breaking off the whitecaps.  We rigged with a 85% jib and main roller-reefed just short of the reef grommets on the sail.  It was SUCH a rush, especially beating back (where we camped was to windward shore).  After an hour's beat, we chose to motor in so as to cook and eat before dark, and man, did I get a soaking then!  We stayed quite dry while sailing because the wind blew all the spray to leeward, but motoring dead upwind, YIKES!  The wife had more than one reason to hang me out to dry that eve! :lol:   Have a great time learning your new big-little boat!
bro t. from Upwest Maine