Greetings from Sewalls Point, FL

[TrinkaDink]

Hello to everyone on this very nice forum.  My screen name is also my current boat, a Trinka 12, designed by Bruce Kirby.  Fun boat, but I'd like to "move up" to something that may provide a more leisurely sailing outing without sacrificing excellent performance.  I've been sailing since I was a kid, over 50 yrs, but really enjoy small boats that I can single hand.  In about 1981 I bought a new Com-Pac 16 that was a replacement for a Typhoon that I had owned.  I loved the shallow keel, and the build quality but hated the up-wind performance of the old style 16.  Years and boats have gone by and now I am looking for a boat with a more easy going sailing style than my Trinka.

My research steers me towards a Picnic Cat, or possibly a Legacy, now that there is a larger jib/genoa, and cb to help with windward performance.  I live on a spit of land with the ICW on one side and the St. Lucie River on the other.  I'm a member of the US Sailing Center, Martin County, Fl that is a couple of miles away, where I stash my 1974 Sunfish.  Decent weather year round, and fantastic amenities for boaters in the county.  Living the dream, in my "Golden Years"
;-)

jim

[Tim Gardner]

Welcome to the forum, Jim!

TG

[Bob23]

Wow! Jim, allow me to be the first to welcome you to this daffy group of Compac-o-nauts. I can see how you'd be disappointed in the upwind performance of a CP 16 compared to a Typhoon. The Typhoon is one beautiful boat and I'd love to own one. But don't tell my wife!
As you probably observed, there is a wealth of hands on information here on Compacs of all sizes.
Feel free to contribute...looking forward to following your adventures.
Bob23 and "Koinonia" - 1985 23/2 in Southern NJ

Ok...the second. I was typing while Tim was posting. At least he's faster at this!

[Bob23]

Jim:
   A friend of mine sails a Norwalk Island Sharpie 29 up here in NJ. An incredible boat with standing headroom in a boat that draws only 18" with the board up. Someone rigged it with a tall rig but I like them with rigged as a cat catch. If he ever sells it...well, it'd be hard to resist.
Bob23

[Tom L.]

Hey Jim,

I am new to this message board and new to my Sun Cat, but not new to sailing. I think you will find this group informative, friendly and fun. I don't know your plans but the Sun Cat is by far the easiest and fastest sailboat to set up and break down if you are thinking trailer sailor. The Picnic cat is similar  but we wanted an overnighter.  It is not as fast as a sloop nor will it point as close to the wind but it is exceptionally easy to sail (a self tending main) and the cockpit with it's relatively high coaming is very comfortable. Off the wind it's fairly fast. We really like moving 200 miles in a few hours to experience a new sailing area. And Florida is loaded with places to explore. We live inland near Lake County. We sail Lake Harris and the chain of lakes. We have plans to do other areas on the east and west coast ICW and the Panhandle.

BTW I past your house several times in my cruising days. We stayed at the Stewart mooring field from time to time and spent the 2004  Hurricane season at Indiantown. Hurricanes, Ivan, Charley and Frances being the most memorable.

Tom L.

[TrinkaDink]

Thanks everyone for the kind welcome.  This is a very nice forum, with friendly encouragement, enthusiasm about an admirable boat builder, and some great boats that really fit my criteria for future enjoyment.  I've been fortunate to have lived and sailed in some great locations over the years.  Around 1960 my parents, who were non-sailors, finally gave in and bought me a used wooden Penguin.  We had a small waterfront house in Barnegat Light, NJ that my parents bought for $12,000. About the same price as a new Picnic Cat.  They gave me a "How to Sail" book and turned me loose on Barnegat Bay.  I can still remember the first few outings that were very frustrating until.......I pulled on the curved wooden handle, and down went the centerboard.  From then on, it was just fun.  Times have changed, but not the fun part.  It is still fun to sail, and nowadays fun is high on my priority list.   

I've got to stick whatever boat into my garage.  So I pretty much think I am looking at the Picnic Cat or possibly a Legacy.  It's an older home and in Florida that means low ceilings, but a bigger garage.  Right now my Trinka, as well as an Edgewater 16' power boat are in the garage, and in a pinch, I can put the Sunfish in as well.  The search continues.  Again, thanks.

jim

[Bob23]

Interesting, Jim
  I work on Long Beach Island and my 23 is moored in Surf City during the summer and I sail in Barnegat Bay. If you ever find yourself in NJ, give me a shout- we'll go out for a sail and a beer. Barnegat Light is my favorite town on LBI.
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

Welcome to the board.  It sounds like you have figured out what you want to get.

It sounds like you have a nice location to sail as well.  The rest of us in northerly areas are probably secretly cussing at you since you have year round sailing and we are freezing our butts off.

[alsantini]

Hi Jim.  Welcome to the group.  I am pretty new to the forum also since I purchased an Eclipse just last April.  If you are up for a road trip someday, I am in Nokomis Florida and would be available to take you out sailing on my Eclipse.  I trailer sail her so you would get to see the Mastender system in action plus enjoy the day on the Gulf.  I am a snowbird from northern Illinois and will be here through the beginning of April.
This is a great group to get information and reviews from even though each of us choose different Com Pac models.  I see from your post that you are looking at a SunCat.  I sailed on one down here for 2 years over the winter and it was great.  Getting from the road to the water is what made me look at Com Pac when I decided to move from the Precision 21 to the Eclipse.  Send me a message over the "my Message" section and I can get you E Mail and phone information, should you want it.
Al