Got our compac in the in the water.

[Bbarry]

We finally got our com-pac in the water this weekend!

It was a beautiful day on lake Winnebago.76 degrees, sunny. Wind was 10-15 knots and jib and main felt like plenty of sail. Its been 20 years since I have sailed and 15 since the boat has, so we were a bit rusty. Ok, I was. The boat was great! I found the jib really pushed the bow of the boat around and I found that the comments I've seen on the forums about tacking thru the wind were not kidding. Hey I got her around on the third try. I had way more trouble keeping her in the wind for raising and lowering the sails that I would have thought. Releasing the helm turns me into the wind and right on thru and back out again and rapidly back in.. you get the picture. Never done doughnuts in a sailboat before. I've added a picture of us figuring things out and having a blast.

Since then I've been watching the weather like a hawk for another day of decent weather. Our lake regularly sees a lot of wind in the summer and I have a friend coming to visit this week but the winds are predicted to be 15 to 20 knots with gusts of 35! So I am wondering if I should stay off the lake until things calm down a bit.

I think I can handle 15-20 knots if I just leave the jib down but if there are gusts of more I am hesitant. I don't have grommets to put reefs on my mainsail. I've considered trying to reef the main with a wide strap and keeping the topping lift on to keep the stress off the sail. Is this a terrible idea?

[daveofds]

I got mine out for the 1st time Memorial Day.  It was a blast! Plenty of wind.  Dipped the gunwales on numerous occasions.  Had to hold the tiller with both arms at times and use my tiller stay to help me hold course into the wind.
Found out I made an error in rigging the forestay so all was a bit loose. The boat is almost impossible turn turn over.  I was solo, launching and navigating the crowd of boats at the dock was a challenge, but I was able to use my 2.4 horse Suzuki to power up onto my fortunately well placed trailer in the water.  Getting my sails back down was a mad scramble. I could not keep the boat powered into the wind to drop them so I had to just drift.  I wished I had a furling Jib like my old 26 foot cruiser.  This boat is like a miniature version of that boat. Launching, raising and lowering the sails solo is a challenge, but I am determined to make it work. Valuable lessons learned.

[AirborneJarhead]

We finally got our com-pac in the water this weekend!

It was a beautiful day on lake Winnebago.76 degrees, sunny. Wind was 10-15 knots and jib and main felt like plenty of sail. Its been 20 years since I have sailed and 15 since the boat has, so we were a bit rusty. Ok, I was. The boat was great! I found the jib really pushed the bow of the boat around and I found that the comments I've seen on the forums about tacking thru the wind were not kidding. Hey I got her around on the third try. I had way more trouble keeping her in the wind for raising and lowering the sails that I would have thought. Releasing the helm turns me into the wind and right on thru and back out again and rapidly back in.. you get the picture. Never done doughnuts in a sailboat before. I've added a picture of us figuring things out and having a blast.

Since then I've been watching the weather like a hawk for another day of decent weather. Our lake regularly sees a lot of wind in the summer and I have a friend coming to visit this week but the winds are predicted to be 15 to 20 knots with gusts of 35! So I am wondering if I should stay off the lake until things calm down a bit.

I think I can handle 15-20 knots if I just leave the jib down but if there are gusts of more I am hesitant. I don't have grommets to put reefs on my mainsail. I've considered trying to reef the main with a wide strap and keeping the topping lift on to keep the stress off the sail. Is this a terrible idea?

I do not believe using a strap to reef your main is feasible. A safer and better solution would be to take it to a local canvas guy that does sail repair and have them add a reefing point. There's a good bit more to it than just adding grommets! I'm about to install a reefing point in my sail and intend to add a post on it when it's completed and tested out.

[carry-on]

I think some 16s had roller reefing on the main. I have never seen it. My understanding is: the boom separates, maybe spring loaded, at the gooseneck and the foot of the main is rolled on the boom to reduce area then the boom is reset into the gooseneck.
After 15 years, there may be some corrosion to remove.
Someone on here will have a first hand answer, so please don't break the gooseneck until some others chime in.

[Winded]

My 1976 CP 16 had a gooseneck at the front of the boom that was spring loaded and you just pulled back on the boom and rolled the main around the boom to the desired size.  The spring would then pull the boom back into the lock keeping it where you want it.    I've heard people say that you sacrifice sail shape for this type of reefing compared to slab reefing but it worked great for me for years.  If you don't have this type of reefing, a set of reef points on either your existing main or a new main with reef points will increase the number of days you can safely (and enjoyably) sail.  Good luck!

[JTMeissner]

Yes, original boom construction was for rolling to reef the main.  Below is what the assembly looks like.



Basic gist is to loosen the main halyard, pull out on the boom (compressing the internal spring), roll the reef, release the boom, tighten the halyard.

Just got beat with the answer...

-Justin

[mrtwiddlecups]

Where I live It gets real windy in the fall. The fall is when I purchased my 16 and 30 knot gusts were not going to keep me from putting the boat in the water. Anywho if you find that your 16 has the roller furling boom you should be fine with a reef in the main in those winds. I prefer it! I've been knocked down so bad we filled the cockpit with water hehe but that's because we had all the canvas up on a 25 gusting to 35 knot day

[daveofds]

I am more interested in a FURLING JIB, NOT MAIN.  Can my 16 be modified to accomplish this?  I deal with high winds with only my main up and spill some wind as needed. I have only seen furling jibs on boats kept in the water, not on a trailered boat.  It was on my 26 foot cruiser and I found it very convenient.  There should be a way to reef the main on the boat.  If there is I don't know how to accomplish it. 

[Gerry]

Hey Bbarry,
   Welcome to the family.  I sail a CP16 out of Fish Creek.  Trailer that baby up here and let me know.  This is a great place for a 16.  I find in waves, the 16 tends to slap.  I stay off the water when the waves are close together or greater than 2'.

[Bramble]

One trick that I've never seen discussed (I was told about this from an older sailor) is "scandalizing the main". 
This entails shortening the topping lift (the line that keeps the end of the boom from dropping when the main halyard is loosed).
This bows the leech of the mainsail to reduce efficiency without the flogging and it can be done from the tiller position.  While no-where as good as reefing, it is a quick tactic when the wind comes up unexpectedly.

I always find that the best time to reef is about 5 minutes before I decide it's time to reef. 

mike

[daveofds]

Pictures would be great if you have them.  Hard to imagine from your text.

[Bramble]

Sorry, I don't have pics.

Imagine sailing close hauled.  You want the main flat for the airfoil effect. If you put your hand on the aft end of the boom & pushed up, it would make the sail bag & lose efficiency, but the sail wouldn't flog.

A topping lift (most of the time) serves to keep the  end of the boom from hitting the deck when you loose the main halyard.  Shortening the topping lift is like lifting the end of the boom with your hand.  I have a simple slide toggle on mine to make adjusting it quick & easy.

A topping lift is easy to add & very useful.

mike

[Bbarry]

Thanks Mike. That is a neat trick for a consistently windy day. I'd still be a bit nervous in 30 mph gusts that the wind would hit just right and send us flat. My wife white knuckles enough as it is.
I'd rather reduce sail area.

[Bramble]

My wife won't let me sail the boat when the winds put the rail in the water.  She hogs the tiller until the wind dies & then she lets me sail the boat.

[Citroen/Dave]

Davedofds,

The tiller should not be such a burden.  Was the rudder pate all the way down?  One of the best improvements to a C16 is to replace the aluminum rudder plate with an aftermarket balanced rudder.  They are much more effective and do not stall as easily.  The old plate rudder acted like a brake when the tiller was pushed over to eagerly.

Citroen/Dave

My Citroen automobile model was a DS . . .