Another newbie to the club, wanted to say hello.

[Mike H.]

Hello everyone, newbie here...,

I've been watching this site for some time now waiting for the chance to say I have my own CP-16.  I just purchased a 1987 CP-16/2 about a month ago and have yet to get it into the water but will soon (cannot wait!!!).  I absolutely love this little boat and although it's not in as good of shape as some I see on this site it's not too bad I suppose. It needs some cosmetic TLC,  the cockpit combing gelcoat has cracks at every screw location for the genoa track(?). Also the port side cockpit combing must have had some damage at some point as there is a VERY POOR gelcoat repair that is cracking & peeling on the outside of the combing down to the rub rail for about 18", maybe two feet length of the combing.  Whatever damage there must have been at this location apparently didn't go down to the hull as it appears to be pristine, the whole hull is in fantasitc shape!!!  Other than that the boat is overall in great shape as far as I can tell.  I live on Oneida Lake in central New York & plan to have these little issues repaired at a fiberglass/gelcoat specialty shop right here in town (Brewerton NY). 

My sailing experience is somewhat limited although I can sail a boat from a dock & get it back w/no trouble but I'm sure I have tons to learn as far as proper sailing technique goes. I'm especially excited to camp out on this boat. My background is heavily into backpacking and hard core kayaking (white water, "sea" kayaking & performance/race kayaking) so while this is a small boat it may as well be the Queen Mary as far as I'm concerned. I'm used to being in a two man tent or even bivy sack on camping expeditions so this boats little cabin will be luxurious by comparison!!!  I love reading adventures in small boats (especially CP-16's) and hope to add a story or two when I get to this point, might be awhile...

Part of the reason for this post is to see if there are any other compac owners on this website that live in Central New York, I'd love to hear from you if  you do.

At any rate, thanks for a great site & I may write back later with questions once I get the boat in the water.

(Sorry to ramble on so long...)

Mike

[DOUG142]

Mike,
Welcome aboard.  You have yourself one of the finest sailboats ever made. 
Don't be sorry for rambling on............... we love it.  More, more.

Hope you take and post some pictures.... the people here also love pictures and with the repair you mentioned, if you post pics, someone might have input as to the damage and a solution to the repair.

We don't live in or near NY, but welcome and hope you get your boat wet soon.

Doug and Linda
Summer Escape
CP- 16
Sailing in Wisconsin

[mrb]

Welcome Mike
I don't live even close to New York (actually I do live twice as close as I once did) But I know you will enjoy your 16, sure beats the dust trail camp, and you still have the freedom do wander of the betten path so long as it's wet.
Good sailing
Melvin

[Mike H.]

Thank you Doug and Melvin...   it's nice to have a warm welcome and know you've got someone "in your corner" starting a new venture like this.  I've got some sailing experience but need A LOT MORE!!! so this is somewhat intimidating at first (never owned a sailboat before)...   And yes, Doug... I'll take some pictures of my boat and it's "blemishes" and post them (when I figure out how do do that),  hope to get them attended to this fall.

thanks again!!!
Mike

[mgoller]

Hey Mike,
Shiver me timbers.  The CP16/2 is a wonderful boat.  Good for storing your supplies and once you're asleep who cares if its a hotel suite or not.
Its a very forgiving boat, so its great to practice your techniques.  If you can sail from the dock and back the rest is just fun.  Try sailing jib only, main only and poles only to learn how she handles.  When both sails luff equally try letting out the jib a smidge to let her breathe and fall off a smidge.
Practice reefing before you have to.  Practice heaving to.  Install a jib furler or downhaul soon.  Getting the jib down single-handed when you have to isn't fun.  Say it starts gusting up and you're being hit and water comes over a few times or she violently rounds up your only choice will be to let the jib flap, and turn into the wind.  Its tough to make headway like that, Arrrg!
While the boats can withstand just about anything, I have found I have my limits.  The downhaul and later furler has made sailing much safer and easier. 
When you have mastered the basics mount a 6 pounder on the back port rail and make sure to keep her clean.
The 16/2 is my favorite model.

[Mike H.]

Hello Marcus...

Thanks for the reply & great information.  Everything I've read about this boat (a lot from you... thanks again) seems to show this to be a great all around well mannered boat.  When I get it in the water I'll practice what you've mentioned.  I may already have a jib downhall as there is a small "fixed" pulley near the front of the bowsprit near the front "stay" (have to learn the boat "part" names). I don't know what that would be there for but looks perfectly positioned to run a line up to the top (has name I know...ugh...) of the jib.  Not sure what you mean by "mount a six pounder on the back port rail"  Not sure my sail has any reefing points... I'll have to look.  "Heaving to" means to de-power & round up into the wind right...? (I'll look it up)  I have a lot to learn.  Not sure how to do this properly but I'm sure there is proper way. I recall reading about this somewhere in one of the previous posts or on another web page...  If you drop the jib or let it flap and snug up the main sheet the boat should round up into the wind unattended right.

Well, thanks again & look forward to practicing & HAVING FUN!!!

Mike

[Paul]

Mike:

Welcome to the site!  Lots of good information here.  I can relate to the conversion from backpacking to cuddy cabin cruising.  My wife and I have enjoyed the mountains of western NC many times.  Then the sailing bug hit.  The experience you have backpacking will help a lot when planning over nighter trips and weekends.

Enjoy the learning curve!

[mgoller]

Hey,
It takes ahwile to learn all the terms.  Tack, clew and head are good ones to learn.  Yep, that pulley at the bow is for the jib downhaul.  I ran mine to the mast foot.  And, I would usually forget to tie it off so when I needed it I had to go forward and chase it.
A "6 pounder" might be hard to find.  Any small canon will do. 
And never, ever say "rope" on a sailboat.  That's the surest way to bring down your prowess.
Sheets, halyards, rode, lines, stays...all good fun.
Keep that "correct term" stuff for the winter when you're dreaming of sailing.

[Mike H.]

Thanks for welcome Paul...  I gotta believe the mountains of North Carolina are something to see!!!  And yes...,  I'm sure all the backpacking experience and equipment will come in handy for CP16 camping.  About the gear I own was meant to be carried on my back so it's all small & lightweight, I'm sure a lot of it will cross over to the CP16 cabin just fine. 

Thanks again Marcus,  I'll be on the lookout for a "six pounder"...;-)   Good to know I already have a jib downhaul in place.   Glad you mentioned the "rope" thing, that probably would have (and probably still will) slip out sooner or later.  But then I really don't think I'm going to fool too many people into thinking I'm a seasoned sailor...;-)

On a side note for those interested in a little adventure or possible route to motor/sail their Compac, I'm planning a kayaking trip next month (middle of August) the length of the Trent-Severn Canal/waterway from Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario.  If it goes as  planned  my girlfriend and I will paddle my tandem kayak and try to average 31 miles a day to cover the 250 mile canal system in the 10 days we've allotted for the trip (eight days paddling & two days driving). I  paddled the Rideau Canal from Kingston Ontario to Ottawa (125 miles) a few years ago & averaged 25 miles a day for five days on that trip... Upping the ante a little bit on this trip. It should be interesting if nothing else...  stay tuned...

[Paul]

I saw some beautiful photos of a similar trip on another forum I frequent.  He built his own expedition canoe and made the trip with some friends.  Looked like a great time.  Would like to see photos of your trip, too. 

[Mike H.]

Hi Paul...  sounds like a great site you visited, be curious to check that out myself (do you have the address?).  I'll certainly take pictures, I've never posted them to any of those "photo" websites, the names of them escape me at the moment. I'm not really a savvy computer person so I may struggle a bit but I'll figure it out & let you know. Speaking of posting pictures I need to get another digital camera as mine died and post some pictures of my "new" CP16...  Haven't officially named her yet but "Lucky Duck" seems to stick in my head. So I'll post pictures when I get the new camera & figure out how to download them to the site.

Mike

[Paul]

Looking forward to photos.  There are great instructions on posting photos in the forum.  Try THIS.

Here's the canoe trip site.  Enjoy.  Click Here.  Here's the B&B Forum, too. 

[Rick Klages]

I do live in NY but I'm out on the Eastern part of Long Island.  16/3 "Quahog".  Welcome!

ick

[Mike H.]

Hello again Paul & thanks for the link to the forum you mentioned, I enjoyed it.  I'll be sure to take pictures of my trip & let you know where you can see them.

Also...,  thanks "ick" for the welcome.  Nice to hear from a fellow New Yorker...   I enjoyed your recent "peconic" post, would love to see more photo's of your (all our little boats) boat in action...   I'll have to look at my map(s) to put your chart's in perspective, can't quite place where your recent trip took place. 

In response to another post "rub rail in the water" I did look over my sail and it does have a reefing point (only one tie point mid-sail) & a grommet on the luff and (trailing edge of the sail... leech/roach... I dunno...)   I'll look it up but not sure how you fasten the sail to the boom... any special knot's or what-ever you come up with at the moment when you're scared out of your wits...

[Rick Klages]

Between the forked tails of Long Island.  The trailing edge is the leech.




On the boom near the clew (farthest part of the sail from the mast on the boom) you will see a ring on the port (left side) and a block attatched on the Starboard side.  On the starboard side forward of this block you will find a cleat.  The reefing line runs from the ring through the grommit in the sail above the clew down through the block and forward to the cleat.  To reef: lower the main untill you can catch the grommit on the luff with the hook thats attatched to the gooseneck at the mast end of the boom.  Raise the main as high as feasable.   Now uncleat your reefing line and pull the rear reefing grommit to the mast.  This is now your sail's clew.  Try and roll or fold the unused portion of the sail and secure it with sail ties.  Don't wait for storm to practice this!

ick