Compac16 New Sailor

[dnkohler]

I recently purchased a compac16 with trailer and am new to sailing. I've been
working on understanding rigging and this boat seems not too difficult however I
have one nagging question. I hope someone can help.

The boat has a bobstay connecting from the front chainstay (located behind the
boweye) and up onto the front pulpit. When the boat is on the trailer, the
bobstay can not be in place as the chainstay and boweye are both located below
the trailer nose bumper. The stay interferes with front trailer bumper and
winch. In other words, I can't connect the bobstay and thus the forestay without
first having the boat moved back on the trailer (ugh). I would like to raise the
mast before entering the water.

Pix attached. Thanks alot. Dan

 

[Merlin Clark]

Dan,
Have you tried flipping that front bumper bracket to were it's angled down?

edit: Very nice boat BTW!

 

[Joe]

I don't think the mast will fall down if you disconnect the bobstay long enough to move the boat back a few inches. Raise the mast, disconnect the bobstay, push the boat back, reconnect the bobstay, launch boat.

What does the owner's manual say? If you don't have one, you can purchase one from the manufacturer.... http://www.com-pacyachts.com/store/compac-owners-handbooks-models.html

Or you could ask these guys: http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php

.......OR.....

You could take note of merlinuxo's comment and rethink the bow support location.... wouldn't that solve your problem....... wait.... I have visual evidence to consider

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/boa/2946730521.html

 

[Joe11688]

I recently purchased a compac16 with trailer and am new to sailing. I've been
working on understanding rigging and this boat seems not too difficult however I
have one nagging question. I hope someone can help.

The boat has a bobstay connecting from the front chainstay (located behind the
boweye) and up onto the front pulpit. When the boat is on the trailer, the
bobstay can not be in place as the chainstay and boweye are both located below
the trailer nose bumper. The stay interferes with front trailer bumper and
winch. In other words, I can't connect the bobstay and thus the forestay without
first having the boat moved back on the trailer (ugh). I would like to raise the
mast before entering the water.

Pix attached. Thanks alot. Dan

What you could do is install a pelican hook where the bobstay connects to the bow. This would make it very simple to connect and disconnect under load. I have pelican hooks on my life lines where they connect to the bales on my stern pulpit and they have an adjustment knob built into them. This is the type that would work for your set up.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I don't think the mast will fall down if you disconnect the bobstay long enough to move the boat back a few inches. Raise the mast, disconnect the bobstay, push the boat back, reconnect the bobstay, launch boat.

What does the owner's manual say? If you don't have one, you can purchase one from the manufacturer.... http://www.com-pacyachts.com/store/compac-owners-handbooks-models.html

Or you could ask these guys: http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php

.......OR.....

You could take note of merlinuxo's comment and rethink the bow support location.... wouldn't that solve your problem....... wait.... I have visual evidence to consider

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/boa/2946730521.html

Good eye Joe!
The angle of the winch cable is good too. It should lift the bow enough that the bobstay hardware clear but might need a little help on a steep ramp.
I'd use a strap or cable from the base of the post to the trailer eye or a rachet strap over the bow and hooked to the trailer frame once the boat is on the trailer for security. Another rachet strap at the rear end of the trailer would hurt.

 

[Joe11688]

My eyes are a little better now since I went to see an octopus and got new glasses.

Those Compacs are nice little boats.

I always use an extra line to secure the bow eye to my winch stanchion and the trailer tongue when I trailer my boat to and from the club each year. I don't trust my boat winch to keep the bow secured tight to the roller.

 

[Joe]

Good eye Joe!
The angle of the winch cable is good too. It should lift the bow enough that the bobstay hardware clear but might need a little help on a steep ramp.
I'd use a strap or cable from the base of the post to the trailer eye or a rachet strap over the bow and hooked to the trailer frame once the boat is on the trailer for security. Another rachet strap at the rear end of the trailer would hurt.

Did you read the notes in the ad? The owner claims his boat has a "self-furling Jib".......hmmm... I'd like to see one of those in action.

 

[dnkohler]

Thanks guys for the advice! I,ll probably turn the bumper down. I was told not to do this by a fellow who works on trailers as he said the boat might go up over the winch in an accident. I think though with additional tiedown this would be OK? Do you you guys think so?

Not sure I can push the boat back when its out of the water (not a strong as I used to be!) but I'll give that a try today as well. If that's easy I'll keep the bumper up where it is. I could do that when it's partially in water but around here there is usually someone waiting in line for the ramp and people are not as patient as they used to be.

And...now I know what a pelican hook is! Wonder how I can be 60 and never heard of this?

In the water by June I hope.

 

[RobertLangdirect]

Thanks guys . . . he said the boat might go up over the winch in an accident. . . . you guys think so? . . . .

I doubt it really matters what I think but since you asked, there is a lot of other metal that the boat has to go through before riding up in an accident would matter, and if you have an accident whith enough force that this might matter, I think it will be the last of the matters that really matter, if you understand what I am thinking about as I think about that.

Nice boat BTW -- now, get to sailing, get a PRHF, and get to racing as well.

 

[Merlin Clark]

Did you read the notes in the ad? The owner claims his boat has a "self-furling Jib".......hmmm... I'd like to see one of those in action.

I'd like to see that too!

 

[cephius (Dave)]

When you look at the pictures in the ad, you can see the jib and furler strapped to the mast. Looks like a big jib. The furler must give more flexibility than the normal small jib found on 16' boats.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

So often, I see alot said but a little caution is urged. Therefore, I will comment from the retired sailboat dealer who experienced alot.

I use to sell Compac sailboats years ago and they are good coastal cruisers. As for the 16, it presented a problew with the winch stand. So lets start with transporting masts. Most states allow a certain overhang and with masts attached to the mast step and laying back during transport, I have seen many pulled over by the police due to the overhang to properly store the mast on the top of the boat. Some were charged. I even saw the aftermath of vehichles that got close which the mast went thru the windshield. I have replaced masts that were busted when the tow vehicle turned around with the masts hitting trees, cars, buildings and so forth. Fortunately, I never saw anyone hurt but did hear of injuries out west. In addition, it puts extra load on the mast step and I have repaired those too. So strap the mast to the bow pulpit and rear pulpit or mast carrier.

As for the bow sprit, I use to rig those with a Quick Release Shroud Lever where you can detach it quickly and put it back on quickly.

As for the winch stand bow support, it should be at least half way up. For those to suggest angling the bow support downward is unsafe. It is designed to carry some of the weight of the front of the boat but most importantly, it keeps the boat from moving forward if you hit the brakes too hard. Yes I saw the aftermath of those turned down bow supports and did I have a large bill at the end of the day as the boats with low turned down bow supports come up over them and move forward on the trailer. I have seen photos of boats that moved forward into the tow vehicles.

I err on the side of safety and have trailered small boats for over 2 million miles in my years. Thus the turned down bow support way low is unsafe. The easiest solution is to take the bobstay and rig it with a quick release shroud lever and let the bow support do what it is meant to be.

crazy dave condon

 

[kloudie1]

Seems like rigging a quick release bumper would be a lot easier.. There is only one bolt thru there.. Use something like a carriage bolt (so you don't need a wrench), with a big wing nut to spin on by hand .. It really does not have to be very tight.. Mark the winch line to position the boat correctly.. winch the boat up to the mark ... then install the bumper .. to launch, pull the bumper, launch, then put the bumper back on to keep from losing it..

 

[Joe]

Seems like rigging a quick release bumper would be a lot easier.. There is only one bolt thru there.. Use something like a carriage bolt (so you don't need a wrench), with a big wing nut to spin on by hand .. It really does not have to be very tight.. Mark the winch line to position the boat correctly.. winch the boat up to the mark ... then install the bumper .. to launch, pull the bumper, launch, then put the bumper back on to keep from losing it..

Damn good idea... makes much more sense that puchasing an expensive shroud lever and going to the hassle of shortening the bobstay, etc......

Rather than a carriage bolt and wing nut.... I'd go with a trailer hitch receiver pin and clip.