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Thoughts on the 23

Started by Greene, July 03, 2012, 05:28:53 PM

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Greene

B and just came home from four nights at anchor on our local lake. So now that we have had our new to us 23 on the water for about 10 total days of sailing we thought we would share our thoughts on going from the 19 to the 23.

Overall we are very happy with our decision to sail the 23, but at the same time we miss the no-stress flat sailing of the 19.  We are getting reacquainted with the heeling and reefing that we remember from our Com-Pac 16 days.  The 19 rarely made us think about reefing as it was perfectly happy sailing flat even in stronger winds.  The 23 (with well worn out sails) really likes to snap heel to about 15 or 20 degrees with even moderate gusts of wind.  We hope this will be improved when we receive our new mainsail next week.  We have to actively sail the 23 and pay more attention to the water surfaces for clues about incoming gusts and their strength.

We enjoy the 23's ability to sail in lower winds than the 19.  We have marveled at Wrinkles ability to maintain way in nearly dead winds. 

The interior of the 19 is classy and functional, but it does lack a comfortable seating spot for taller sailors.  The 23 gives us good headroom and a variety of sitting positions for relaxing and reading.  Storage in the 23 is a huge improvement over the 19.  We use a sailboat for multiple day trips and rarely day sail, so storage is important to us.

The 19 took us about 40 - 50 minutes to rig and launch.  Admittedly we go about rigging in a slow and relaxed way.  The 23 does take an additional 30 minutes or so, but we haven't actually been able to fully rig her without being hailed by passers-by to talk about Wrinkles.  The 19's mast could be hand raised as opposed to the 23 needing a mechanical device to achieve this task.  Launching each was fairly simple although you need to get your rear tires in the water unless you have some kind of tongue extender.   Retrieval is pretty straight forward with our only issue being the winch strap hook doesn't like to go over the bow roller on the trailer.  Trailering is similar for these two boats.  You just need the right vehicle to handle the load. 

So which is the better boat?  The answer comes from the sailors intended use.  If you like the ease of mast raising, flat sailing, and tend to go for daysails with an occasional multiple night trip then the 19 is the best.  If you want a little more speed, a lot more storage,  active sailing and use it for primarily multiple night trips then the 23 is the winner.  You get a great boat with either of these Com-Pac's, you just need to pick the one that best meets your needs.

Mike and B





'84 CP-16 (sold) - '88 CP-19II (sold) - '88 Com-Pac 23/3 (sold)
http://s613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/


"I'm just one bad decision away from a really good time."

http://wrinklesinoursails.blogspot.com

wes

"...we haven't actually been able to fully rig her without being hailed by passers-by to talk about Wrinkles."

Ah, yes, the passers-by. This is a remarkable phenomenon, isn't it? Rigging our 19 could be done in half an hour, but it ALWAYS takes 45 minutes to an hour because at least one curious sailor, or power boater, or random passer-by will stop and pepper us with questions. I swear it happens even when the parking lot seems deserted when we arrive. They seem to materialize out of nowhere. This used to bother me, because I was anxious to get out on the water. Then I realized it was unavoidable, so now I just accept it as part of the process. It seems to be an inherent aspect of Com-Pac ownership.

Wes
"Sophie", 1988 CP 27/2 #74
"Bella", 1988 CP 19/3 #453
Bath, North Carolina

Shawn

"The 23 (with well worn out sails) really likes to snap heel to about 15 or 20 degrees with even moderate gusts of wind.  We hope this will be improved when we receive our new mainsail next week."

I think you will find that is improved. I am noticing that on mine with the new main sail. Using the boom vang and outhaul to flatten the sail when the wind is picking up helps too.

What was the 19 like in higher winds? I would think the flatter bottom could mean that when that stability is gone it will heel over pretty quickly until the keel balances it out again. But I don't know if that happens in practice. I have seen comments that the rounder hull of the 23 (and the 16) handles chop better than the 19, less pounding.  The heel of the 23 takes a little getting use to but she does stiffen up at about 20 degrees.

Shawn

Bob23

I like the feel of the heel. Seems like a real sailboat. I only sailed aboard a 19 a few times. Yeah, she sailed flatter but that felt wierd to me. I think a monohull should heel a bit. The waterline increases thus bringing up the hull speed. Maybe.
Mike: When you get your new main on, you'll be amazed at how the power is transferred to forward motion instead of sideways motion. I was and still am.
I'd pick the 23 anyday. Although I do admit to being biased.
bob23

Greene

When we sailed the 19 in winds over 20 mph we took off the genoa and put the regular jib on.  I think we actually only reefed the mainsail once or twice in two seasons.  If the sails are in good shape they just lean slightly and sail away. 

We do tighten the boom vang and the out haul when the winds are fresh, but the sail still balloons out.

As far as chop we found the flat bottom of the 19 would pound pretty loudly.  So far the 23's wineglass hull seems to slice through the chop much more smoothly.

The 23 will work well for us even with her blown out sails, but we will always smile at and admire any 19's we see on the water.

Mike and B

'84 CP-16 (sold) - '88 CP-19II (sold) - '88 Com-Pac 23/3 (sold)
http://s613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/


"I'm just one bad decision away from a really good time."

http://wrinklesinoursails.blogspot.com