Trailering

[Linskens63]

What do people tow a Compac 16 with?  Specifically, could I tow a Compac 16 with a Honda Accord?  Thanks, Jeff

[hoddinr]

What engine does the Accord have?  Four or Six?

Probably can tow 1500 lbs with the properly installed frame mounted hitch.

Ron

[Linskens63]

It is a 4 cylinder.  What is the weight of the boat sitting on the trailer?  Is it 1100 pounds?  Or is that the weight with the boat filled with water ballast?  I really like the Compac 16.  I saw one 20 years ago in Florida...   But I don't feel like buying a bigger car just to tow the boat.

[skip1930]

Sure you can tow a CP-16 with a Honda Accord.

Hey what doesn't rip the tow hitch off is towable. Brake early.

Can even tow it with a Ford Pinto.
But we can't say it ... it's C.Y.A. for liability sake. 

skip.

[kickingbug1]

    the boat has a displacement of 1100 lbs. i towed mine with a s10 pickup with a v 6 and didnt even know it was back there. i personally think rear drive is better for towing as even the v6 powered front drives are a little light duty for towing. i think even a 4 pop accord could tow a cp 16 however if you dont push it. depending on the ramp you might need a tongue extender (even though you have front drive.). and if you have a cp16 with water ballast you are in trouble.

[Salty19]

I don't mean to be a naysayer, but this looks iffy to me.  Accords only have a 1,000lb rating. Well, at least from the very limited searching I just did.

Check your owners manual about tow capacity before embarking on this.

Boat + trailer + outboard +gear is probably in the 1550-1600lb range. GVWR is almost surely exceeded with you, another passenger, and all the boat and other stuff packed for the day.   For whatever reason sometimes people forget there is a lot more weight there than just the empty boat to tow.

I bet the car will tow it just fine and it won't feel too heavy as long as you're not going to go to far or fast and drive defensively.   Panic maneuvers are to be avoided.  But be aware that if you exceed tow capacity and are involved in an accident, your insurance company will treat this as negligence on your part and probably won't cover you if you're in an accident. And they might drop you altogether.

For this reason I would definitely check your ratings (in the manual or ask the dealer) before towing and weigh the risks (accident, loss of insurance, damage to vehicle) of doing so if the numbers don't look good.    I would want at least a 2,000lb rating to tow a CP16.

Com-pacs are not water ballasted.  There is 450lbs of concrete and pig iron in the keel. 

[PalmettoSailor]

I think towing would be ok. Pulling the boat out of water on a "slick" steep ramp might be a concern. You know your launch/retrieve areas best. Good luck and fair winds.

[Pete H]

I have a Compac Legacy which is basically the new version of the C16. Its designed displacement is actually a bit lighter than the 16s, however when I had it put over a weigh-bridge to get its weight for registration the total of the hull, mast and accessories plus the trailer was 745 kgs (1600 pounds approx). This was without the outboard, fuel, water, food, etc. So a realistic towing weight for the whole setup ready to sail is probably on the high side of 1700 pounds.

I tow with a Jeep Wrangler .

As Salty19 suggests, check your vehicle's towing limits.

As an aside, the hull only weight of many fibreglass boats exceeds the stated design displacement, the only way to know what it actually weighs is to weigh it. The Legacy is way over the stated displacement, I don't mind that, more fibreglass, stronger hull. So, if buying a boat that is anywhere near your tow weight limit I suggest that you get it weighed first. I realise that is a pain, but not nearly as painful as having to buy a new vehicle to tow it.

Cheers,

[Linskens63]

Thanks.  Good thoughts.  I bought the Accord a year ago.  At the time, I considered and rejected a Subaru Outback, which I now see has a towing capacity of 2,500 or 3,000 pounds.  Oops.

[Salty19]

Com-pacs are of the "Heavy Displacement" category of sailboats so for their size will typically weigh a bit more than their counterparts.
Since they weigh more, their trailers will be slightly beefier too.  It adds up fast.

Pete is correct--the actual weight published are not to be trusted. Weigh the rig..the "CAT" scales at truck stops work great for this, or perhaps a farmer with a grain truck scale might help.

What you could do is look into a centerboard design instead of a ballasted keel.  You'll find they will weigh significantly less.  Of course they won't be as stable as a ballasted boat either. 
It's all about the compromise.  Accords are built to be efficient and reliable but are not heavy duty whatsoever.  Subaru's are indeed built stronger albeit less efficient but more reliable, IMHO.

I'm having some problems with towing lately (transmission) and thinking of going big on capabilities this time. Meaning not mess around with something that will "do" but rather "highly exceed".
I need a bigger vehicle anyway for remote camping, hauling stuff and people and of course towing (CP19XL).

Anyway, be careful with this and understand your GVWR, tongue weight restrictions, legal issues and road conditions.    Imagine putting 4 more people in you car that weigh 400lbs each (plus yourself, cooler, wife, etc)..that will give you an idea of what you'll have to pull.   Hence my 2,000 tow rating comment.

[agentjohnson]

Just know that if you are in a situation where insurance is involved. Bet your bottom dollar that you will be slammed with lawsuits, the bill for  all damages including state owned highway damage if you are towing over the rating of your vehicle.

[Mike]

To the "highly exceeds" philosophy, I tow a CP19 with a F250 Powerstroke Ford and it is effortless and suffer less than 2mpg fuel consumption loss which is 15mpg.  I doubt that smaller vehicles get much better when towing excess of 2000lb.

[wroundey]

I tow with a 2005 Chevy Venture minivan - no problem. I also have a 2000 Subaru Outback that I plan to try to the nearby lake (10 miles)

[MKBLK]

Jeff,

I tow my CP16 with a 1990 Volvo 760 turbo-wagon (automatic - 162hp) with 240,000 miles. My Volvo mechanic tows 24+ foot keel boats! with his 1995 Volvo 245 wagon (~130hp, stick...heaven knows how many miles!). He pulls 'em to FL where he has a home on the Gulf. I've pulled mine over 200 miles with no problem on I-95 (which is relatively flat) achieving about 19 mpg. I've also pulled it 25 miles in Bucks Cty. PA which ain't flat... and is a tough pull. The 25 miles up and down hill is a lot harder on the car than the flat. That 25 mile trip has cost me a fuel pump (very hot weather, very looong hill), but I ain't complaining with 240K+ miles on the car!

I think your biggest concern would be the 8" wheels. Please make sure that you have the proper tires installed and properly inflated. I keep my speed down to 55 mph and take bumps very carefully (if I can!). I check the bearings every 100 miles or so for heat build-up. Keep to the right and always try to be aware of what's behind the car!

Skip mentioned the Pinto... no joke! I read somewhere that when the 1st CP16 was built, the Hutchin's people drove it all over the country to boat dealers with a Pinto as a tow car just to prove a point. Also, the CP16 was designed to fit two of them into a standard shipping container to ship worldwide. I don't think they ever did it though.

If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will point it out.

Anyway, have lots of fun with your Com-Pac. You'll never regret it.

Marty K.
1981 CP16 Pegasus

[Linskens63]

I've given some thought to my circumstances and everybody's insight.  I'm inclined to look for an O'Day Daysailer.  It is trailerable with my Accord, big enough for the part of the Chesapeake I will sail in, and simple enough to not give me much trouble.  If I find I don't use it much, I can sell it.  If I like it, I can keep it.  If I want to move up, I can do that after some learning and buying a new car.  Only real negative is it is probably less stable than a Com-Pac 16, and my wife likes a stable boat. 

I had a 14-foot sailboat I sailed on lakes in Nebraska back in the 90s, but then I moved overseas for a decade and also started a family.  So, I am not a beginner, but not an expert either.  I like to say I was a successful sailer because 1) I never capsized, 2) nobody ever got hurt, 3) I never damaged the boat, and 4) I sold it for more than I bought it for. 

I know this is a Com-Pac forum, but if anybody has thoughts on the above, or where to find a Daysailer, I'd be glad to listen.

Thanks, Jeff