Question:
Is ComPac 16 a good sail boat?
I am thinking of buying a ComPac 16 for some day sailing and overnight
camping. I am a new to sailing, having done a lot of canoeing previously.
I have looked at other boats in the local market but in that price range
($3K) you seem to get almost derelict boats. One 19 ft CL Sandpiper I
looked at was made out of chop fibregalss with an eggshell thin hull. In
comparison the Compac seems strong and really seaworthy, a much better boat
abeit smaller.
I plan to sail around with my wife and 3 little kids, primarily day sailing
and overnight camping on shore, if we decide to sleep on board I would have
no problem doing it under a boom tent while the kids sleep in the cabin.
Any comments or experiences with this little boat from people out there.
Answer:
- Don't know the ComPac, but if "Wanderlust", our former thirdhand,
18.5-foot CL-built Sandpiper 565, sail #399, was any example, "eggshell
thin" the hull (but see below) ain't!
I don't mean to say she was without flaws, but that wasn't one of
them. Unless you've seen a Sandpiper being built, or drilled a hole
through one and measured its thickness, then, I feel you should be careful
in making allegations of poor hull construction.
However, the word `hull' can be interpreted in different ways. A
builder of fibreglass boats is likely to use two principal moulds to form
(1) the hull, on one hand, and (2) the deck, cabin roof (if any) & cock-
pit, on the other. Then come the additional moulds for cabin liners, buoy-
ancy tanks, hatch covers, etc. ... all of which go into what the consumer
may call "the hull". Different standards apply to different components.
Perhaps you're thinking of the mainhatch cover, then? Ours felt
flimsy underfoot, that's true enough. I also found the bridge structure,
intended to support the mast tabernacle stepped on the cabin roof, insuf-
ficiently rigid - but capable of being easily supplemented by a post or
strut carrying excess mast loads down to the keel.
Despite a few flimsy components, our boat was much heavier than
advertised in the brochure (some paper I've learned never to trust). This
was, in fact, one of the reasons we got rid of her, for she was too much
for our car to tow.
That Sandpiper served on Lac Deschenes for something like 20
seasons, I think, before we donated her for a considerable tax writeoff
to an charitable organization in Quebec. That organization acquires used
boats for refurbishing, prior to their resale for an additional period of
use. The naval architect who examined the boat must have thought quite
well of her, given the magnitude of the receipt he signed.
I too wanted a smaller boat, but for overland mobility above all.
By then, though, our kids had grown up and left home.
If your family takes well to sleeping together in a compact tent,
it should be able to weekend together in a compact boat. If not, then not.
- I don't have any direct experience with the ComPac 16, but I believe
this boat has a long shallow draft keel (with no drop keel of any
kind). The information I have indicates that this boat has a total
draft of only 18 inches. Obviously, this boat will not point very
well (but this is also true of many boats with swing keel
arrangements as well).
Moreover, with a total displacement of 1000 pounds, the ComPac 16
can't have that much ballast. This might mean it could capsize a
little easier than other boats. But here again, the same is true
of many boats with swing keels, unless they have ballasted keels
that can be securely locked in the down position.
I would disagree with your assessment of the Sandpiper 565. I
used to own one of these boats. I doubt very much that its hull
is made of only chopped fibreglass strands. It should also be
noted that almost all fiberglass boats have some chopped strand
to help ensure good adhesion between the various layers of woven
roving and fiberglass cloth that go into the hull. I can also tell
you that the fiberglass hull of the Sandpiper appeared to be much
thicker than that of the MacGregor 25 (and other light weight
trailerable boats).
I once spoke to the foreman at the CL factory about how they
built the hull in the area which supports the drop keel on the
Sandpiper. I can't recall the details, but it was all overkill.
However, I didn't ask him how they built the rest of the hull.
Since you were considering a Sandpiper (which usually comes
on the market in the $4500 to $5500 range), and seeing that
your family includes three children, you may consider a
larger boat. It may take a little looking around, but I think
it should still be possible to buy an older Halman 20, or
even a CS22, for somewhere around $5000.
