Let Me Introduce Myself

[Wiggs]

My wife and I live in Southwest Florida with our dog and boat Anna (named after my mother-in-law (no tjokes please, she is a great lady, well ok, some jokes)). I learned to sail in CA way back in the sixties on a little Sabat. My next boat was a Chrysler 17 that I sailed for several years. Then some kind of madness took over and I became a power boater. Many miles, up and down the west coast, a trip from New Jersey to Oklahoma (New York Harbor to Erie Barge Canal, thru the Great Lakes, down Mississippi, up Arkansas to Oklahoma. At a max speed of nine knots, took about thirty five days). After a move to Florida around 2000 I got back into sailing. I saw a Com-Pac 16 for sail and fell in love with it. My wife and I sailed it for a few years and then spotted a 19' at an auction, price was so good I could not turn it down. So now I had the two Com-Pacs and a 44' trawler. Then we had a little weather incident called hurricane Charlie. Well Charlie came right over the top of our heads (Punta Gorda). We live on a canal system so all boats were in the water at the time. The hurricane was supposed to go north of us, so I did not step the masts (stupid me) on either boat, just made sure boats were well secured. Trawler was fine, both sailboats had the masts removed by the storm, the 16' recieved a hole in the hull about two feet square. Lost the lifelines on the 19 as well as the mast (two pieces), and a good size hole in the deck where a lifeline stanchion was torn loose. Then life got in the way. My father became ill and we got to take care of him, until he died. Mother was lost, so we moved her in with us and took care of her. She died about a year ago. (not telling you this looking for your sympathy, we looked at it as a priviledge). Sold the trawler and the 16 and was left with the 19. Have been putting her back together for the last six months or so (using much of the advice I mined from here) and she is just about ready. Ok not totally complete as the interior needs quite a bit of work, but if you do not look below, she looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Bought a 150 genny from North Sails, using what I think is the original main (pretty weak, but I think it will still hold air),Schaffer Pro Furl roller furling, new standing and running rigging, musch sanding and varnish and we are ready. Looks like sat will be the day and boy I am looking forward to it. Sorry about this long ramble, but you know how us sailors are when we start talking about our boats. So, to wrap this up, hello to all, my name is
Michael (my friends call me wiggs (last name wigglesworth) and I consider you all potential friends, so call me what you want)).

[brackish]

Wiggs it is then and welcome to the madhouse, glad to have you aboard.  As you've already discovered, a wealth of knowledge about the Compac boats here, and opinions on everything else.

[newt]

Good to have a seasoned sailor like you aboard. I am sure we will find you an asset with the knowledge you have acquired redoing Compacs. Glad you got rid of the motorized monster...

[cdaxj]

Good to meet you Wiggs.  I'm Chad, brand new sailor and Compac 16 owner (1976).  I live in Dunedin, just north of Clearwater.   Drop me a line if you're ever sailing up this direction.
Chad

[Glenn Basore]

Welcome aboard, lookingforward to reading some more post by you..........

Glenn

[Bob23]

Hey, Wiggs:
   As alluded to previously, here at the site you will find a wealth of wisdom, good advice on anything from sailboats to rum, opinions on just about everything, and mucho humor with a bit of sarcastic wit thrown in for the bargain. Fron the sound of your post, you're gonna fit in just fine.
   Saturday's weather up here is supposed to be fine...hope it's the same for you. What's your ship's name?
Bob23, at your service here; skipper of the 1985 23/2 "Koinonia" home port Surf City, NJ.

[ka8uet]

 Wiggs, I can sympathize!  My aunt and uncle lived in Punta Gorda, and had a wonderful view of the water.  Needless to say, Charlie did a number on their apartment.  My uncle had been collecting jazz recordings for 70+ years.  They were able to save some of them.  Everything else in the apartment was gone.   So they went to stay with their daughter in Miami.  To shorten the story, they got hit by all four hurricanes that year!  They were able to get back in their restored apartment, and refurnish it so my aunt, who had begun the early stages of Altazheimers, felt she was home.  They were able to stay there two more years before it became necessary for them to have more assistance.  They moved in with my cousin.  So your wstory of being able to restore your 19 is heartening news!  Good on you, and fair winds, as well.  I'm a bit cautious about following seas, lest you get pooped!