New Compac 23 owner

[Davo]

Just checking in, picked up a 1983 Compac 23 yesterday, very excited to get it rigged up and sailing next season!  I've owned a Chrysler 22 (s/v Phoenix) and then a Catalina 22 (s/v Sharkbait) before this (in addition to 5 windsurfing rigs I still own), in fact I just sold the Catalina to a guy wanting to get it ready to race the 2012 nationals.  I never really enjoyed racing so much, and when the Compac came up for sale I immediately put the Cat up for sale and the timing worked out that I sold the Cat and picked up the Compac in the same week!  Hoping to do some cruising around the Keys and the Bahamas eventually.  

Anyways, the Compac I got from a guy who had it passed down to him and he didn't know too much about it but apparently the previous owner was getting ready to start prepping it for some cruising as well but never got the chance.  I'll be picking up where he left off, following the same dream.  The bowspirit is not original, it was added at some point.  It came with a roller furler headsail although I've never used one before so I might be posting up for some help around here, it's a CDI #2 flex furler.  Has a clean crisp main, colorful spinnaker, bimini, radio, stove, tons of extras and a few tubs of new gear ($250 marine compass, brand new for example, as well as new never installed knot and depth meters).  It has sat on the trailer for a few seasons, but the deck is solid and the hull in great shape.  There are so many extra lights, cleats, lines, etc that came with this boat that I could probably stand to ebay off enough extra gear to make up the difference in price from selling the Catalina 22 ($2500, incredibly cheap for the work I put into it) to the purchase price of the Compac ($3500, also incredibly cheap for what I got).

Anyways, I'll add some pics, and I'll definitely be around!

-Dave

[Greene]

Welcome.  Nice looking boat and a really nice heavy duty trailer to go with her.   WOW! You figured out our secret photo posting method on your first post.  You must be some kind of a "geenyus".

Fair winds my friend,

Mike and Brenda

[Bob23]

Posting photos...yeah, you must be a techno-wiz. I think it took me 2 years and lots of help from the vets here at the site to figure it out.
Welcome, Davo. Normally, the entrance fee for this site is paid directly to me, $1000.00 in cash-small unmarked bills are prefered but with this instant photo posting display of higher-than-average intelligence, and because it's thankgiving week, I'm willing to waive the fee if you promise to keep us posted with your 23 adventures. Any name yet? Where will you be sailing?
Bob23 in NJ and "Koinonia" 1985 23/2

[Davo]

Posting photos...yeah, you must be a techno-wiz. I think it took me 2 years and lots of help from the vets here at the site to figure it out.
Welcome, Davo. Normally, the entrance fee for this site is paid directly to me, $1000.00 in cash-small unmarked bills are prefered but with this instant photo posting display of higher-than-average intelligence, and because it's thankgiving week, I'm willing to waive the fee if you promise to keep us posted with your 23 adventures. Any name yet? Where will you be sailing?
Bob23 in NJ and "Koinonia" 1985 23/2

I'll do one better than posting a pic and quote you in this reply!  (I've been hanging around other forums far too long)

I have yet to decide on a name, currently it is named "Miss Penny" after the previous owner's wife Penelope.  It's kind of coincidental for those of you who ever followed the tv series LOST on abc, I thought about re-naming it "Not Penny's Boat", but I'm not sure how many sailors would get the reference to the Penelope and the boat on that show...I really thought Sharkbait was a fun name, but that boat was only an inland sailing boat and Sharkbait was cleverly ironic for that purpose, I think if I named an ocean going vessel, or at least coastal vessel Sharkbait, I'd be asking for trouble.  So as of now, I have not come close to a name for this beauty, although once I do, I'll be sure to consume copious amounts of champagne while applying the new lettering, that's the official ritual right?  

For now, I'll be sailing the ever-expansive and treacherous waters of Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (it's a city reservoir, but also well known inland racing and windsurfing with incredible constant wind due to the flat surrounding land and it being located at the highest point in the city with hardly any significant wind obstruction around).  There are also many lakes around I will frequent, but I am planning on doing some coastal crusing eventually, and will hopefully have her ready within a few years to do some heavy vacationing, the kind where I take sabbatical from my career and reconnect with nature instead of an office chair for a few months...

Anyways, I'll keep up the picture posting, thanks for the welcome!

[Salty19]

Welcome, Davo.  Nice looking boat you have there! And posting a pic on the first post?  Nice !!!!

The ritual for boat naming is varied, but is of the highest importance I suggest attaching the name, covering it with newspaper until the official naming ceremony.  Whatever you do..do not splash it with a new boat name without covering it!  Also be sure to remove every trace of the old boat name.  You may need to wet sand with high grit and compound out the sanding marks if the old name has been on a long time. Worth it..check my pics there is an old pic in my photo bucket (see signature). The "after" pics are night and day. Don't want to anger the Sea Gods with an outline of the old name.  Very, very bad indeed.

Speaking of anger the Sea Gods, here's a couple of links to consider:

http://www.atlanticyachtdelivery.com/pdf/BoatWorks-RenamingYourNew-OldBoat.pdf
http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/naming.php#denaming

Whether superstitious or not, it's still a lot of fun to whoop up a boat naming ceremony...a goof excuse to have a party with friends.

[brackish]

Welcome Davo, to the fold.  Nice looking boat, think you got a bargain. 

Know about those Oklahoma winds, lived in Sand Springs for eight years, sailed on Keystone.

You should find everything you need in the archives on this site, but if you don't just ask.  Despite Bob23's reference to the entrance fee we are very free with our opinions and often they are worth just that.

[pbrenton]

Welcome Davo,

I have that FF2 roller furler and don't know what I'd do without it.  I'll throw out a couple of tips; 1) Rub wax (canning wax, white candle) on the foil's channels to lubricate.  2). Don't forget to put a messenger line on the halyard before taking the sail down (or putting the mast up).  3). try to keep the foil pretty straight when the mast is down - nonetheless the foil *will* get a bit bent here and there no matter how hard you try to keep it straight.  I store the foil on the deck pretty much fit to the curve of the deck edge, such that the bottom end (with all the hardware) does not stick out over the bow too much.  4). I would inspect the bow stay for fraying *now*, and get it replaced if its worn before launching, a lot rides on that one piece of wire, and you can't see it.  If you replace it, length is very important and you should bring the existing one to the rigger, letting them know that they have to match the length to the inch.  5). Get the jib as high up on the foil as possible, after about 6 seasons I finally got the sail up *really* high (that is, fully raised) and suddenly found a couple of minor problems went away (the jib previously had rubbed on the bow pulpit a bit, it should not). 

Raising the jib is a two person job, preferably in mild wind conditions; one crew hauling on the halyard and the other arranging the sail and eventually pushing the sail boltrope up the channel in the foil.  There's quite a bit of friction by the time most of the sail is in the channel, and that halyard is pretty thin (see #1 above).  Fortunately you only have to do it (usually) once a season.  I have not yet had to replace the jib halyard, although mine is starting to look like it's close to time.  I'm not sure where I'll find identical line (mine is braided polyester that is flat, not round, in profile).  Finally, Before raising the jib, I always have to take a minute to remember that the furler line is wound up first, before the sail is put up.

Hope this helps!

Pete

Compac 23 "Ella J", Chebeague Island, Maine

[Bob23]

Pete:
   As I was removing my genoa this fall from my 1985 23/2, I was thinking the same thing about the halyard: Seems like a wierd, flat line and where do I get one, not that mine needs to be replaced. I bet it's a CDI part.
   I've also noticed the high friction as the sail gets further up. I think it's just the nature of the beast. I'll try your wax idea next spring.
   This year, I've removed my mast from the boat. The entire foil assembly is stored in a 4" PVC tube, safe from winters harm. Last year I removed everything from the boat also to check on the lower swagged fitting for wear...everything was and hopefully is still fine.
   What is your hull number...maybe we are cousins? I'm #321.
Bob23 in NJ

[brackish]

Flat line for the halyard??  Mine is a a standard round double braid, however the last three foot or so is decored so that it will slide outside the halyard slot on the foil.  It has a bushing swedged on the separation point between the decored section and the cored section.  That short section kind of looks flat.

I already have a slight twist in my foil extrusion.  Wonder if I should try to get it out?  Maybe a heating pad wrapped around the spot with weight?

[SpeakEasy]

Flat line for the halyard??  Mine is a a standard round double braid, however the last three foot or so is decored so that it will slide outside the halyard slot on the foil.  It has a bushing swedged on the separation point between the decored section and the cored section.  That short section kind of looks flat.

I already have a slight twist in my foil extrusion.  Wonder if I should try to get it out?  Maybe a heating pad wrapped around the spot with weight?

DON'T HEAT IT! The manufacturer (assuming we're still talking about CDI) is quite firm in their installation manual that heating it will void your warranty. Even if a warranty is no longer an issue for you, the fact that they specifically warn against it should tell you something. The procedure for straightening the foil is to lay it out flat in the sun for a few hours.

I would say that if that procedure doesn't work, then you may want to just live with whatever irregularity you have in your foil, if possible.

-Speak

[Bob23]

Brack:
   That could be what I have...maybe I should take a closer look before I post here. My foil has a few little bumps in it. I wouldn't call it a twist. I'm not sweating the small stuff....seems to work fine. I am very careful when I lower the mast not to let the foil go crazy. I think it's trained by now.
   C'mon, Brack...go ahead and light a fire under your foil. It'll be fine. I'm glad that Speak knows about the CDI warranty...I wouldv'e suggested heat also. It's how we bend Azek PVC trim boards on the jobsite. Thanks, Speak.
Bob23

[brackish]

Bob, Speak, the warranty is long gone on this furler.  So the repair puts $200 at risk (the cost of a replacement extrusion).   It seems to me that laying it in the sun for a couple of days ain't going to get it.  I actually called CDI and their advice is to put it a black metal tube and bake it in the sun.  Got plenty of sun in the summer, but not sure I have a 25 foot long black metal tube laying around... 

[Bob23]

I wonder if a black roof would do it? Anyone have a black roof for Brack to borrow for an afternoon?
bob23

[pbrenton]

My straightening method is to put it up and sail with it.  I probably have a few mild kinks, but nothing spectacular and nothing that so far seems to affect performance.  I'm pretty hard on stuff, but the previously mentioned habits have kept this thing intact so far.  If only I could get the steaming light to work consistently now...

Bob23: I have no idea what my hull number is, but from a picture the sail says either 385 or 285 (looks like "385" to me).  Being less technical, I have not figured out how to post a pic here.