New Trailer

[Jasmid53]

I just bought a Com-Pac 16' the other day and I need a trailer. I have made several calls to some dealers but haven't heard from them yet. Any advice about which trailer to get. I live in Rhode Island the boat is Connecticut. So if anyone knows of a dealer in this area and you had a good experience please let me know.

[mikew]

Hello, a source of good info for a trailer would be the factory in Clearwater Florida, or email Keith at this address: http://www.sailboatrichlands.com/, he was a Compac dealer for a long time, is a wealth of good info , and  does mods on used boats. I know you live up North but you may find a local dealer for the trailers they recommend. The Compac  trailers support most all of the weight of the boat on the keel. Two side bunks help to keep the hull stable on the trailer. There are also wood or PVC keel guides to keep the keel straight while winching in the boat. If you google, Compac 16 sailboat trailers, images, you will get an idea what they look like. I had a Magic Tilt trailer on my 1981 Cp-16, they are still in business in Clearwater, Fl.

Mike

[Jasmid53]

Thanks for the reply. I have tried some of those suggestions. And I just sent an e-mail to Keith. If you have a 16', what brand/type of trailer do you have? Anyone else with a 16' that uses a trailer other the one from Hutchins, what do you have? I did order a manual which may help me.

Thanks

[MHardy]

I use a Road King trailer for my 16. Purchased the boat and trailer from Keith. The boat was old, but the trailer was new. He was a Road King dealer then - likely still is. It is a perfect fit for the boat.

[Jasmid53]

I ended up buying a used Load Rite 5-Star trailer. It's bigger than I need; the 16' is the smallest size boat that will fit on the trailer. I wasn't having much luck with dealers. And I needed to get the boat home. The guy that sold it to me was nice enough to let me keep it  at their summer house till I bought a trailer. The boat is home now, as of Sunday with some help from my brother. The trailer needs some tweaking, such as moving the tires forward so the weight of the boat is on them and not the tongue. Also used the drain holes in the cross beams to bolt a keel platform on. Didn't know they were drain holes. My brother spotted this as we rolled away from the landing.

Spent the day setting the boat up to see what I really bought. No surprises were found. I do need a new jib and I will probably buy a new main at the same time.  I plan on painting the sides as the decals are all pealing an the colors have faded. With a little effort I think I can get her looking really sharp. Thanks to those who helped and you can expect more questions as I restore my boat and start sailing.

[Mike]

Just a not on used trailers.  I have a 19 that came with a Hutch trailer which I believe is a Magic Tilt knock off.  Please beware of the round pipe supports for hull support runners...they will rust as will the connectors at the frame and runners.  Square tube aluminum is a much better arrangement on the trailer regardless of manufacturer.

[mikew]

Glad you found a trailer that would work and got the boat home. You commented on painting the hull.
Is it possible you could instead use a hot air gun or blow dryer to loosen those decals. The factory in
Clearwater may still have replacement decals and gold colored pin stripping. The gel coat on these boats are of good quality and may compound and wax back to a good shine. It's a lot less work then painting. Just an idea.
Mike