hello members

[rickwick]

I have been lurking for a month or so with great interest and decided that wasn't friendly. I am Rick and have been sailing for some time now. Mostly on other peoples boats, with friends out of Ponce Inlet, with my sister in Lake Erie, and once we did a bare boat charter in the BVI.
Locally I had a Bautec for a while but sold her. There was a discussion here about CP 16's being stable, not tippy, well that Bautec was tippy! Since I live about a mile from a ramp on the St. Johns River I have one of those boats they neglected to put a mast on. (I hope you will overlook that).
I looked up this forum due to my renewed interest in Compac's. I used to want a 23d with my wild plans to sail everywhere and back, but I have sadly become more realistic and admitted trailor-sailing is for me. There are many 16's for sale I have noticed and I am tempted (and may go look at one this weekend in Gainesville). but I have really decided on a 19. There are so many places I want to trailer to and the 19 seems to be reasonable for a smaller vehicle to tow. I want the one the guy in Texas has for sale but that is 1200 miles from me and I haven't been able to make that trip....yet.
Anyway this is a long intro so I will say I have been fascinated with the discussions and info on here and if you don't boot me out I will continue to do so.
Rick

[brackish]

Welcome Rick! Good luck with your boat search. 

Since you do not have a Com-Pac yet, I'm sure Bob23 will defer the forum entry fee or equivilent slave labor on his boat.
Don't worry about that power boat thing.  I'm gathering materials to build a Bateau FS14, so I'll have one of those in my fleet.  Going to look at a couple of used trailers for it this weekend.

[kickingbug1]

    i think your choice of either a 16 or 19 is a good one. the 19, however, does require a larger vehicle to tow with. with better than average brakes. the 19 is also harder to rig especially single handed. my 16 is a breeze to rig single handed and hardly anything to tow. we do only daysail, if we stayed aboard overnight i would have a 19 or an eclipse. the boats do sail differently to a degree. the 16s with the wineglass hull heel more (something we like). the 19 with a much heavier hull and keel and flatbottom tend to remain more upright. the 19 is a much larger boat than the 3 foot would denote. she is tall on the trailer and i think about 900lbs heavier. she is also more comfortable with guests aboard. the 16 is more of a two or three person daysailer.

[Keith]

Welcome Rick.

I was in a similar situation when I bought my 1987 CP19/2 back in 1998.  Limited sailing experience crewing for others but always liked the looks and reported quality and user-friendliness of the ComPacs.   I was in Jax at the time and used to buy Sailboat Trader mags almost weekly just watching what was available.  Finally found my boat near Orlando with its second owner.  I was a complete novice rigging and launching a keelboat, but had no real problems at the Mulberry Cove marina at NAS Jax.  Have since towed and sailed coastal GA, Charleston Harbor, Ft Myers area, St Jo Bay, St Andrew Bay, and now Cape Cod Bay; original tow vehicle was a 4x4 Ford Ranger (4.0L) (now a 4x4 Toyota Tacoma).  4x4 probably not necessary but I like the extra traction on slippery ramps.  I love the CP19...perfect blend of size/stability and easy trailering/rigging/launching (even single handed in a pinch).  As others have done, one of the first and most valuable mods I did was to fabricate a tongue extension for the trailer.   

Anyway, as a biased CP19 owner, I think it's a great choice for your purposes.  Good luck in your search and feel free to post questions as they arise.

Cheers,

Keith

[Mokey7]

Rick, which part of the St. John's would you launch from?

[rickwick]

Thanks to you all.
I think I need the extra room of the 19 as I know I will be staying 2-3 days on the boat many times. I am not much for a need for speed, I am a big fan of the cat rig and if I get into this as I expect may move up to a Horizon Cat.
Mokey7 do you know French landing?
and Brackish if needed I have a big jar of pennies, and 2 sons for labor.

[Mokey7]

Nope, I don't know where that is. But based on your profile (which I should have looked at first) you're on the other end of the river. I'm up in Jacksonville. We'll have to talk about the Mug Race once you get your boat!

[rickwick]

Keith those are many of the places I plan to sail, what did you think of Charlotte Harbor? (Fort Myers)

[CaptRon28]

Charlotte Harbor, which technically is Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, Cape Haze and some other towns, is a great place to sail. You've got some decent water depths, protection from most wind and tide directions, a large sailing area (18th largest bay in the USA), etc. But it can get a little choppy with a heavier north or south wind and the tide going the other direction. The harbor has some good free public boat ramps as well.

[Bob23]

Hi Rick and Welcome.
   There are a lot of rumors going on here about me that I'm a curmudgeony old fart who collects illegal entry fees for membership on this site. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm only 59!
   Last year we made a trip down to Charlotte Harbor to visit our daughter who works at "Trebu" restaurant. (read: endorsement!) I had the pleasure of meeting Capt Nemo in person. We are very tentatively planning a trip down in the fall. I hope to meet more of the great Floridian Compac-ers while down there. I have not sailed in Charlotte harbor but it looks great!
   I've only sailed on a 19 a few times but was impressed with the room below. Being a born and bred Jersey guy, I love the Catboats  and there are a lot of them in the northern Barnegat Bay area. I think the Hutchins brothers have done a wonderful job with all thier cats but I'm especially fond of the Horizon.
   Best to you...and welcome!
bob23 in NJ (1985 23/2)
   

[Keith]

Keith those are many of the places I plan to sail, what did you think of Charlotte Harbor? (Fort Myers)

Hey Rick,

Most of our sailing was in Pine Island Sound...believe it or not, two and a half days with 4 adults aboard (two were smaller females).  Had beautiful weather, water, and scenery, very "tropical" feel.  I believe we anchored off Caya Costa both nights, but not sure exactly where now.  This was probably twelve years ago so not sure how things have changed. 

One of my favorite places in north Florida is St. Joseph Bay...there's a nice State park at the end of the peninsula with a decent little marina and ramp and nice campground and cabins (albeit in high demand).  Late summer is scallop season and the CP19 is perfect for getting to the seagrass beds at the southern end of the bay...mask, snorkel, and mesh bag and you're in business.

Cheers,

Keith

[rickwick]

Thanks Bob, my check is in the mail. I used to live in Ft. Myers and know those waters well. Enjoy that trip.

[brackish]

Keith those are many of the places I plan to sail, what did you think of Charlotte Harbor? (Fort Myers)

Hey Rick,

Most of our sailing was in Pine Island Sound...believe it or not, two and a half days with 4 adults aboard (two were smaller females).  Had beautiful weather, water, and scenery, very "tropical" feel.  I believe we anchored off Caya Costa both nights, but not sure exactly where now.  This was probably twelve years ago so not sure how things have changed.  

One of my favorite places in north Florida is St. Joseph Bay...there's a nice State park at the end of the peninsula with a decent little marina and ramp and nice campground and cabins (albeit in high demand).  Late summer is scallop season and the CP19 is perfect for getting to the seagrass beds at the southern end of the bay...mask, snorkel, and mesh bag and you're in business.

Cheers,

Keith

+ one for St. Joe Bay, my favorite place in FL.  Have made a scallop trip every year but two for the past 40.  The two years I missed there were hurricanes coming through when my trip was planned.  Going this year, probably the 2nd or 3rd week of August, weather permitting.  I stay in Mexico Beach and that is a great place to launch and keep a sail boat.  Only about a five mile sail to the mouth of the Bay and normally a really nice beam reach.  Brand new ramps if you can raise your mast onboard (have to go under a bridge to get to open water), and if not there is a ramp open that is on the outlet side of the bridge. I've used both, and not needed an extension for my CP23.  All free, courtesy of the city of Mexico Beach and the St. Joe Paper Company who donated the money for the ramps.  Mexico Beach also has good short term dock space in the canal.  Cost me about a hundred bucks for a week for my CP23.

Curious Keith, did you launch a 19 at the State Park ramp?  That ramp seems to be in very shallow water with not much deep water to get out.  Also, after 40 years of going up to the grass beds multiple times each year, I would be careful with a 19 in the scallop beds.  There is a very narrow natural deep water channel system that is poorly marked but can be seen on the satelite pictures.  But if you get out of that channel on a falling tide you can be stuck for a while.  Good depth sounder, gps chartplotter, it is doable but difficult.  Better plan is to anchor in deeper water well south of Blacks Island and take a skiff or dink in.

My 23 at the canal in Mexico Beach.

[Keith]

[/quote]

+ one for St. Joe Bay, my favorite place in FL.  Have made a scallop trip every year but two for the past 40.  The two years I missed there were hurricanes coming through when my trip was planned.  Going this year, probably the 2nd or 3rd week of August, weather permitting.  I stay in Mexico Beach and that is a great place to launch and keep a sail boat.  Only about a five mile sail to the mouth of the Bay and normally a really nice beam reach.  Brand new ramps if you can raise your mast onboard (have to go under a bridge to get to open water), and if not there is a ramp open that is on the outlet side of the bridge. I've used both, and not needed an extension for my CP23.  All free, courtesy of the city of Mexico Beach and the St. Joe Paper Company who donated the money for the ramps.  Mexico Beach also has good short term dock space in the canal.  Cost me about a hundred bucks for a week for my CP23.

Curious Keith, did you launch a 19 at the State Park ramp?  That ramp seems to be in very shallow water with not much deep water to get out.  Also, after 40 years of going up to the grass beds multiple times each year, I would be careful with a 19 in the scallop beds.  There is a very narrow natural deep water channel system that is poorly marked but can be seen on the satelite pictures.  But if you get out of that channel on a falling tide you can be stuck for a while.  Good depth sounder, gps chartplotter, it is doable but difficult.  Better plan is to anchor in deeper water well south of Blacks Island and take a skiff or dink in.

[/quote]

Yep, took the boat down twice and launched at the park marina both times.  Last time we were down was 2007 I think.  Don't recall depth at the ramp or dockside being a major issue...at least not for the CP19 (2 foot draft).  I did have satellite (or aerial, I forget) imagery for the bay and a depthmeter and just kind of felt my way into ~5-6 foot waters to anchor and snorkel after the little critters.  Polarized sunglasses should be considered required equipment for such work.  Never imagined eating bay scallops until I couldn't eat any more...decadent.  We always stayed at the park so never investigated Mexico Beach...sounds like a good facility.  On several occasions I have dropped and raised the mast while underway to get under bridges...one of the many convenient features of a small boat.   At one point I considered sailing over to Panama City on the outside, but never had the time and as I recall, there were some navigation restrictions related to Tyndall operations.

Cheers,

Keith

[brackish]

At one point I considered sailing over to Panama City on the outside, but never had the time and as I recall, there were some navigation restrictions related to Tyndall operations

The restrictions are infrequently in place and short in duration, generally only when drones are being launched.  You are always allowed in the area provided you have a working VHF and monitor channel 16.  You have to vacate the drone launch corridor (in front of Crooked Island, Wild Goose Lagoon), if given a launch warning.  The warning is at least 90 minutes prior to launch, which should give plenty of time to finish your crossing.

I generally go down there late May and in 2010 and 2011 have towed from there over to Pensacola to do the B.E.E.R cruise first week in June.  I've considered making the trip by water, going in at St. Andrews inlet and from there using the intercoastal to get into Santa Rosa Sound.  Come on over, we'll make the crossing together.