New Compac 19 sailor

[meredith]

I just purchased a 1988 Compac 19, and I hope I can get answers to some of my questions here. The Compac will stay in a marina at Emeryville on San Francisco Bay at the eastern terminus of the Bay Bridge. The boat is clean and dry inside, but it has been sitting in the marin for a year. Which leads to my first question:

what's the recommended hull maintenance for a boat kept in salt water?

I have one more small question. There's a light line leading from the cockpit through small blocks to the bowsprit (love that bowsprit) ending in two rings. The previous owner says the line attaches to the forestay when raising and lowering the mast, but it looks like a jib downhaul to me. Could we both be right?

[crbakdesign]

I've purchased two Compac in the recent past and presently sailing a Compac 19 in fresh water, so I can't help you much about the salt water hull maintenance, other than make sure you got a good coat of anti-fouling bottom paint and anodes for your motor.  

As far as the line, if it's run through small blocks, I'd be nervous about using it to raise or lower the mast.  More likely a downhaul for a foresail or cruising spinnaker.  Get Bob Burgess's book, "Handbook of Trailer Sailing", which is available at Hutchins Co. He's got some great information on rigging the 19.  For that matter,  you can ask him yourself, as he's a frequent contributor to our companion discussion group on Yahoo.

Often the previous owner is not necessarily the original owner, and you may be the last of a long line of owners who have enjoyed and modified the boat in various ways.  You may have to throw out some advice and figure things anew.

By the way, Welcome to the world of Com-pacs.  As far as the 19 is concerned, you will not find a better boat afloat in my opinion in any marina.

[sawyer]

Welcome Merideth

I know very little about the CP-19, just what I have read here and in Bob Burgess's book, but Hutchins builds a great and solid boat.

I know even less about salt water, but am willing to learn.

Anyway, Welcome to the Com-Pac group........

Doug/CP-16  ("yet un-named")  I may just name it that???

[tsaiapex]

Meredith,

Hope you will enjoy our PC19, I have 1989 CP19.

The light line that runs to the bow attached with two rings had to be jib downhaul line, many sailors attache rings to the jib snap shackle to bring the sail down to the deck.

You did not mention if the CP19 already had bottom paint.  If not, ask boaters in your marina to see what works the best.  You should also consider if you will trailer the CP19 as it will impact your choice.

If the CP19 already had bottom paint, you will also need to find out types of the bottom paint and apply types that are compatible.

Jeff Tsai
CP19, Mary Grace
Apex, NC

[mgoller]

Hi Meredith,
Welcome.  What a great boat for the bay!  You'll stay dry and right side up.  I use bottom paint and I'm in fresh water.  I leave the boat in all season and now that we have zebra mussels it is a must.  Each season I smooth the bottom and recoat.  It only takes a few hours of tough work.  I use a product containing copper and it sheds.  I can't remember the brand.  It is a brown color which compliments the Com-Pac brown trim.  A $110 gallon will last me three seasons.
The light line is most probably a down haul and a very good idea.  When you get into heavy winds or coming back to the marina things get busy.  It is easy then to drop the jib and depower.
Don't worry if you can't heel more than 10 degrees.  I typically don't heel more than five.  The boat sails very well on even keel.
New sails this season made a world of difference to my boats handling.  Points better, heels less in heavy winds and goes faster.
Bye,

[meredith]

Thank you for all the suggestions. A diver will check the condition of my bottom.

What outboard motors work well with the Compac 19?

[mgoller]

Hi Meredith,
I use a 6hp twin cylinder Johnson.  Works great.  It is as big a motor as I would want to hang on the transom.  You don't want much smaller for when you want to get out of trouble, but you don't want much bigger because it spoils the lines and could be a bit heavy to service and for boat balance.  A good prop intended for a sailboat is important.  Because a sailboat is going to top out at 5-6 knots max you want to get a pitch that will allow the motor to develop full power at that slow speed.
My motor is reliable but doesn't start in a hurry or panic.  Someday I will get a new motor that will start without fiddling.
This summer I was moving off from the dock and I had a head wind.  I thought  I could finesse away using the jib and skate past my neighbor's boat.  I was moving downwind and there was no way I would clear it.  I let go the jib, ran for the motor, it started second try, I threw it in reverse and it sputtered and quit.  Then I jumped off and pulled my 19 to a stop, but not before my sprit ripped a hole and a snap fastner off my neighbor's boat cover.  Bummer!
My over confidence was dumb.  I should have warmed the motor, eased out away from the dock and put up sail.  Or any number of smarter things.
Oh well.