Compac Cruising and Camping

[PalmettoSailor]

Nice looking set up dub. Mind telling me (us) where you put in? Interested in sailing in the lake this Fall in my CP 16 II.

[Duckie]

It has been my experience that I have to carry at least twice the amount of water that I think I should have.  On my first cruises, I always ran out of water within a couple days.  Quicker if it was hot out.  Packing that much water has had its challenges.  I like to keep it in the pointy end for trim balance, but then it is inconvenient to reach.  I would be interested in how people pack their water and how much they use cruising a 16. 

Al

[Shawn]

Nice looking setup! I can't tell for sure but it looks like your rigging doesn't have cotter pins/rings in it. Always a good idea to have those to help prevent accidentally demasting.

Shawn

[Citroen/Dave]

It is so good to see someone modifying to suit, and actually using a sailboat.  So many marinas are loaded with monster boat dying on their trailers or rotting at their berths.  Dreams gone sorry. 

The ComPac 16 is what sailing is all about; small, stable, practical, loved, and used.

I have "solved" some of the CP 16 storage problems by using water tight long and low plastic storage bins that commercial fish are shipped in.  They can be stacked. With lines attached to the bottom bins I slide them down the births during the day to create cabin space to be pulled out as needed. I put them in the foot well of the cockpit during the night beneath my queen sized cockpit bed.  If it should rain during the night, I can retire below decks without having to move and repack anything except the deck bridge plywood pieces, mattresses, and the central throw cushion fillers. Water stores best in square quart plastic milk jugs.  At Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, we usually have no bugs.

Dave

[DaleM]

Very nice photo journal of your trip and sailboat.
I'm inspired to order a skeeter net and try this too.
Continued success in all you do.

[Seadub]

Been a very busy summer and I've neglected the forum...shame on me. Palmetto, I put in at Jake's Landing on the Lexington side of the dam. Lots of choices, but it's close, the double ramp is steep and there's a nice little store with clean bathrooms. I can launch and retrieve solo pretty easily there, that counts for a lot. Let me know when you get ready to head fhis way, it's be great to see another 16 II.

Shawn, good advice, but the cotter rings just don't show in the pics. They're there...along with extras in the toolbox when Murphy's Law kicks in.

Al, I think Dave's advice about storing water in gallon jugs is spot-on, and Dave, the square jug idea is genius (the storage bins, too). We mostly sail on fresh water, so I also carry a pump-style water filter that I re-purposed from my camping gear. Takes a few extra minutes to fill the coffee pot or water bottle, but the water supply is endless and I don't have to store much.

Dale, glad you enjoyed the photos of our first overnighter. The skeeter net was a cheap and easy solution and I've also hung it over our camping hammock and my daughter's sandbox, so it does triple duty. Highly recommended.

Clint