preparing for 4 day , great lakes cruises

[Jason]

Hi Everyone

Having run the ship through its initial sea trials this year, I am planning some 4-7 day cruises at Washington island / rock island lake Michigan and  apostle islands lake superior .  Looking for your ideas on good safety or convenience upgrades.

Already done
. Foil rudder and rebuilt bushings
. New sails, including mainsail with one reef
. Added elec system nav lights, int lights, fan, aux jack, bilge pump
. Added 10lb claw anchor + small danforth
. Added jib downhaul / halyard to cockpit
. Re did hull deck joint
.  Added lifelines, swim ladder
. Built whisker pole (will post some photos)
. New interior and cockpit cushions
.  New mainsheet blocks
. Depth finder

The projects were fun and were appreciated by captain and crew , and we had a great 1st season on a 81 compac16.

Now to fit out for my planned trips, I am looking at:
.  Handheld vhf
.  Upgraded horseshoe class v pfd, mounted on sternrail ...any ideas welcome
.  Need to store spare fuel tank somewhere
.  Will be adding harness attachment points , ideas welcome
.  Stove? Ideas welcome
.  I will add a storm jib (sailing on lake Michigan I learned I need a plan to reduce sail)
.  Solar trickle charger? Thoughts
.  Do we need to worry about sealing up the companion way hatch?
.  Oars.....I'm on the fence
.  I am planning to add a bright 360deg light that I can hoist up the mast, any ideas? I am planning for a battery powered pole mounted light that will hoist up the mast
. Fishing rod holder
. Worth it to pack an inflatable dinghy...some very good threads on this, I'm thinking about it
. And very most importantly, apply the name: Lillyanna ,( after the kids)

As we (well some of us) freeze through winter, these are projects to think of.   I will be sailing my ice shanty till mid march.

Cheers! Jason  

[jthatcher]

Hi jason..  not sure that i am qualified to comment on the list of essentials for lake Michigan sailing, but  i thought that i would tell you that i love the name of your boat!  what a great idea. 

  i am also contemplating a trip next season  - moving our boat from new jersey to lake champlain..  it will include just a little ocean sailing - a day or two, and then pretty protected the rest of the way up the hudson and the champlain canal..   it sure is exciting to plan and think about the trip..   from the little research that i have done, it sounds like your trip will take you to some beautiful areas..  we will be looking forward to pictures and stories!   will you be taking family members along?   it seems to me that a dinghy of some sort is pretty essential..    i have not yet settled on my plan for that, but my inclination is to take a hard dinghy that can safely take 3 people..   that puts it on the large size, but  i enjoy rowing, and  my understanding is that the inflatable dinghies are not very good for rowing at all..    good luck with your planning and with the ice fishing in the meantime!  jt

[skip1930]

" Having run the ship through its initial sea trials this year, I am planning some 4-7 day cruises at Washington island / rock island lake Michigan and  apostle islands lake superior. "

Well skipper, me thinks just looking at the framed chart number 14902 on my living room wall, your going to need more than four to seven days sailing in a CP-16.

From Green Island just 6 miles off Marionette-Menominee to Chambers Island or up to Cedar River. One day and over night.
Chambers Island or Cedar River to Gills Rock for night two.
Gills Rock to Washington Island, 7 hours on a good day, to Rock Island State Park thirty minutes. Third night.
I would not do this. But around Death's Door into Lake Michigan another day. Bare in mind you'll be hard pressed to make port or even a harbor of refuge if the weather turns sour on this West side of the lake this far North. There will be no place for a fourth night except on the hook. Then if you do, The Apostle's ? Maybe.

I'd deviate East to Big Bay De Noc and follow the shore up to Fayette State Park. For the fourth night. And then back home again.

" Upgraded horseshoe class v pfd, mounted on sternrail ...any ideas welcome " Not enough room on a stern rail of a 16, or a 19 for that matter.
REDUCE CLUTTER!! You will be required to have a throwable cushion. I park mine over the gas tank cover ready to toss out.

If your sailing and not motoring, toss 30 foot of nylon line out the stern hooked to the ladder with a bobber at it's end.
Just in case you go over, this is your last chance to grab something.

" I am planning to add a bright 360deg light that I can hoist up the mast, any ideas? I am planning for a battery powered pole mounted light that will hoist up the mast " It is only legal if used for a anchor light. If the boat is moving, that light is out.

Forget the oars, maybe a paddle. Stash 2-1/2 gallon tank in addition to the service fuel tank.

In these waters, if the Coast Guard sees a " Fishing rod holder " and there is no fishing licence, your toast.

I don't know if I'd bring a dinghy. Swim or wade ashore?

Take the main over to a sail maker and have two reinforced Jiffy reef points added. Forget the roller business.

On a hot day, out in these BIG waters it's going to be cold. Especially day after day.

How many people are going on this journey on a CP-16? Pee in a can, toss it over the side.
You could always Heave-Too, jump over the side for #2. Well fish, bear, coons, birds, moose do...WTH?

OHHH be sure by a test that everyone on board be able to climb back on board using the ladder.



skip.

[NateD]

.  Handheld vhf  -   Make sure it is waterproof and preferably floating
.  Upgraded horseshoe class v pfd, mounted on sternrail - I've never bothered, just kept a throwable cushion in the cockpit locker
.  Need to store spare fuel tank somewhere - I considered glassing off the rear cockpit locker on my previous 81 CP16 to store a gas can, but sold it before I got around to the modification. I did keep a 2 gallon gas can (with no vent hole and spout cap that sealed well) in the locker when sailing, then put it in the cockpit when at anchor. Not the safest way to do it, and it always made me nervous.
.  Will be adding harness attachment points - I had a Wichard u-bolt through the cabin top near the companion way. That way I could use a 6' tether and reach all the way aft in the cockpit, or make it to the mast with the tether still attached.
.  Stove? - Cheap butane stove from Amazon
.  I will add a storm jib (sailing on lake Michigan I learned I need a plan to reduce sail)
.  Solar trickle charger? - If you have LED lights and nothing else on the boat battery, it won't be neccessary.
.  Do we need to worry about sealing up the companion way hatch? - I worried about this too, but it was never a problem.
.  Oars.....I'm on the fence - I wouldn't, then again I've never cared for rowing.
.  I am planning to add a bright 360deg light that I can hoist up the mast, any ideas? I am planning for a battery powered pole mounted light that will hoist up the mast - Personally I would put a fixed anchor light at the top of the mast, but if you're against that idea and want something that can be hoisted, check out the Bebi lights (http://www.bebi-electronics.com/owl.html)
. Fishing rod holder - I don't fish.
. Worth it to pack an inflatable dinghy...some very good threads on this, I'm thinking about it - If you are sailing alone you could probably fit a small inflatable inside, but with crew any dinghy is going to end up on deck or towed the entire time. With the 16 you can beach it just about anywhere and a dinghy really isn't needed unless you have to make frequent


Honestly I think the biggest obstacle you're going to face is fresh water and toilet, at least if you follow the letter of the law and are wilderness cruising. If you're hitting a marina every other night it isn't a problem. Personally I like my coffee, diet coke, and water, so maybe I produce more liquid waste than the average person, but if all of it goes into a small porta-a-pottie the thing is getting pretty full by the end of day 3. If there are two people onboard then I am rationing my fluid intake to get the thing to last 3 days, otherwise I'm going over the side (just liquid) when no one is looking. For 1 person carrying enough water isn't too big of a deal, figure 0.5-1 gallon per person per day for cooking, drinking, and general cleanup. So 2 people for 3 days is 6 gallons of water, which takes up more room than you would think.

In general the less gear you can carry, the better (after you have all the safety stuff). With only 1 person it isn't so bad because you can store a lot of stuff in the other berth, but with 2 people bed time means emptying most of the stuff out of the cabin into the cockpit. Below is a picture of our CP16 cabin loaded with gear/rations for 2 people for 3 days. You can't see it in the picture, but the berths are loaded too (sleeping bags, fenders, etc.).



That was packing light. No cooler, no oars, no dinghy.

[kickingbug1]

   dont look now but someone stole your compression post

[NateD]

   dont look now but someone stole your compression post

Haha, that's pretty good, and you're right. The previous owner removed it, and I never added one back in.

[kickingbug1]

   i think if it was mine i would put another post in.

[NateD]

   i think if it was mine i would put another post in.

I know, I'm a bit of a renegade on the topic (check other posts: http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=5083.0). My 16 was missing the post when I bought it, and it still didn't have a post 3 years later when I sold it. I beat the living snot out of the thing on the biggest waters Minnesota has to offer and the mast step/cabin trunk didn't look any worse for the wear. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe it wasn't enough time for the damage to show up.

[Jason]

Great advice, thanks.  Will skip the horseshoe pfd and stick with the throwable I have now, will skip the oars also.  We've been practicing on lake Michigan and look forward to sailing some new locations next year.  -Jason

[capt_nemo]

Jason,

In lieu of a Porta Potty recommend you give serious consideration to the disposable double layered toilet waste bags that fit inside a bucket. They require NO water, have a chemical powder inside that solidifies liquids, and also contain a deodorizer. After use just seal up, place in a garbage bag, and store in a cockpit locker until you get to a garbage can ashore.

Least expensive ones can be found in the camping gear section at Wal Mart.

A friend, experienced with their use, advised me to cut short lengths of the round tube-like foam float noodles to press onto the top edge of the bucket for comfort. Worked like a charm!

Have fun - and stay safe out there.

capt_nemo

[brackish]

I second the recommendation by Capt_Nemo.  I have a porta-potty on my 23 but rarely use it for other than a seat to use the Wag Bags (Phillips brand name for what he described).  For short cruises they are much easier to use than the porta potty.  The big advantage is in disposal.  When you compare disconnecting a holding tank from the porta-potty and taking it to someplace where it can be dumped and going through the process of dumping and recharging it, dropping off a trash bag of used Wag Bags is the clear winner.

[mikew]

Jason, I own a 1983 Cp-16 and enjoy overnight cruising on the boat, my longest trip was 5 days. You have some good ideas so far. Let me add a few:

Ice- just to keep drinks cool or preserve opened food, I upgraded to a 3 day cooler which helps keep things longer. This depends on if you anchor out every night or find a marina after 2 days.
Mosquito screens- You mentioned a fan but it is nice to have the main hatch open at night and still keep the bugs out. I bought a marine kit for hatches that had the netting, glue and velcro. I glued the fuzzy velcro along the inside edge of the companionway opening, the hooked velcro is glued to the netting. This works well and rolls up for storage, also a can of repellent to get the stray buggers.
DC power- change the cabin light to an LED bulb, they draw about 1/10 less current. They do make small Solar chargers or maintainers for cars that you could plug into your aux. outlet during the day. These may not fully charge your battery on the trip but help to extend the charge.
Anchor light- add an extension wire and 12v cigar plug to a white 360deg. LED nav light, to hoist in the rigging at night.
Bimini- On hot summer days these are a must with long hours on the boat. I made one patterned off of Bob Burgess's article in his book Trailersailing and it works great.
Small tool kit- tools to make repairs to rigging or motor, Duck tape, galvanized wire, and spare rigging pins,cotters and rings. Spare bulbs and fuses.
It is nice to have all these things on an extended trip, but a 16' boat fills up fast, so consider what you really need for safety items first, then go from there.  
Mike  

[Jason]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all the input. My brother and I completed our 1st 4 day trip , around Washington and Rock Islands in Lake Michigan,  last weekend.  Trip report is posted in the "journeys and destinations" section of the forum.  As for the compac 16, she was a good boat for the trip.  We were ready for essentially backpack-camping on a small boat, and that's what it was.  Pack light and keep the boat tidy n shipshape and enjoy the adventure.

Jason Talbot , Sussex WI