Why did you choose the Sun Cat over all the other Com-Pac trailerables?

[esterhazyinoz]

Hi,
I am a newbie to this site who is undertaking some research on what my next boat will be.  I am very drawn to both the cats and the sloops in the trailerable range and, from I have seen so far, I'd be surprised if a Com-Pac is not my next boat.  I have about 20 years sailing experience, on and off. I used to race an Australian designed & manufactured daysailer (similar to a Hunter 212 in the USA).  Currently I have a new Hunter 15 for sailing on our lovely Swan River but want something more substantial and with a porta potty after I retire and move across the continent to Melbourne (sailing on Port Phillip Bay, where the weather can turn bad in a blink and the Gippsland Lakes).
So far all the Com-Pacs look great to me.  I am tending to favour the cats because I will usually be sailing either with non sailors or single handed.  I figure that having only one sail allows me to handle the boat in both those situations although I don't know the details of the sloop rig (are there winches or just blocks to trim the foresail?)
Although the Horizon Cat looks great I really don't want to have the size of car necessary to tow it so I am therefore looking at the 17-19 footers.
I would love to hear from Com-Pac owners about what drove their decision to buy what they did.
Cheers from Australia

[cavie]

The first thing that got my attention to the Suncat was the "Salty Look".  The price at the time drove me away 2002 and there were no used ones on the market. Went to the Precision 18 sloop. More of the modern st-right line  looking boat purchased because the price was right and very trailerable. Fast forward to 2010. Want a new boat. That salty look came back to me. Single hand most of the time. Getting older. Wanting less to do. Saw the video's on youtube, Went to local dealer for a looksee. Found a local sailor to take me for a ride and was sold. Found a 2002 on line in Kentucky and drove up to get it. Suncat will point within 10 degrees of racing sloop but Suncats aren't built for racing anyway. To quote the builder Gerry Hutchins, We build 'em to "Not spill the beer". Got my attention.  Had dinner with him last night at the "Suncat Nationals"  in Punta Gorda Fl. Don't let the one sail fool you, there is a lot to learn about how to trim that one sail. The biggest thing to learn about sailing a catboat is to unlearn everything you know about sailing a sloop. When in dout let it out is very hard learn if you are a sloop sailor. You can drop the mast on the water with no effort and go where no sailboat has gone before with the suncat. Good looks, easy to rig and sail. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Tom Ray]

For me the great draw of the Sun Cat was the fantastic one-design racing opportunities it opens up. LOL! Well, we have had a blast with them this weekend anyway.

I used to work at a sailboat dealership here, and made many masts on various trailerable boats go up and down over the course of many hours at boat ramps.

I can raise drop my mast on land or on water in under a minute by myself. That's huge to me.

I like sailing the boat, and my wife likes the boat. Even my dogs like it, and they're picky!

WRT the Sun Cat vs Horizon Cat, I'd say the Horizon Cat really does not give you much more cockpit, so unless you're overnighting and want the interior amenities it's better to keep it small and simple. More fun and less work! In either boat, you really don't want to have more than 4 adults aboard. It's a bit more crowded in the Sun Cat, but workable.

And Butch, get your Hutchins brothers straight! That was Rich last night, Gerry could not make it.

[cavie]

Rich, Gerry, Terry. The minds the first thing to go. I slept since then.

[esterhazyinoz]

More fun and less work works for me!  If wives and dogs like it who could ask for anything more, LOL.
Although I have only sailed sloops, I find every boat I have sailed on has its own personality. 
Thanks for you input, much appreciated and I hope to hear more.
You guys really have a great 'esprit de corps' when it comes to these boats.  I can't wait to join.  One Lotto win and the hell with having to move it across the continent when I move to Melbourne!
Cheers

[Tom Ray]

Just out of curiousity, how much would it cost to ship a Sun Cat all the way to Australia and pay any import duties?

More importantly, how much would the tab be every year when you hauled it all the way to Florida for the Sun Cat World Championships? It might be cheaper just to buy two and keep one here!

[esterhazyinoz]

For boats manufactured in the USA there are no import duties into Australia (mutual free trade agreement), but there is a flat 10% sales tax.
Shipping, I would suggest $6-7,000, maybe a little less if via a roll on, roll off vessel.

[Tom Ray]

That's not as bad as I thought it might be!

[Joseph]

Because... the SunCat is unbeatable as an amphibious trailer-sailer for an old single-hander still wishing to explore new shores and cruise on sail different inland waters. Anything larger would be too big... anything smaller would be too little...  It also makes for a great (and beautiful!) floating refuge for a philosopher sailor coming to terms with his own limitations and place in the World... or lack thereof.

J.

[esterhazyinoz]

Ah! Zen and the art of Sun Cat sailing.