Howdy!

[Phil]

Hi Y'all


Total novice here, especially at this social media stuff. Technology hates me.  So forgive me if I mess this up. (Took me two days to figure out how to sign up.) I am recovering from an 11 year ordeal caring for 2 elderly family members.
Took an early retirement to have time to ease their last days. 



Hi Y'all

New guy here.OK, technology hates me. Even the keyboard is different from the old
remington I had 50 years ago. I will struggle through. One year ago I finished 11 years of taking care of elderly family members. Took an early retirement to finish the job. Shortly after, I decided Well, I ain't done yet. Might have one more adventure left in me. So I resurrected an old dream to sail away for awhile. Been getting rid of Stuff and shopping boats ever since. Started studying sailing forums to learn as much as I can. 

First I was thinking 30-35 foot as what I could comfortably handle alone. Years ago I sailed (briefly) a Morgan 28. But I keep revising that down. I like simple. And I need to keep the ongoing costs down. Way down. Which brings me here.



There is a boat built down in Fla. that has really struck my fancy. I would like to pick your collective brains about the viability of this as a liveaboard for a single 63 yr. old man who does not require umm, luxurious accommadations. I'm especially huntin' a Gent named Frank who I think owns or used to own one.  Sir, are you here?

I will await with baited breath any replies. (I had fish for supper). Sorry, couldn't resist. Too much time alone.

Thanks for letting me join your fine group.

Phil

[Frank]

Gd day and welcome aboard here
Not sure what Frank you're looking for.....but I'm a Frank 😄

[Phil]

Gee that was fast! I'm really clumsy with this thing. I get stuff typed in then it goes away somewhere. Clumsy. Reread my original post and it doesn't identify the boat I'm interested in. Sorry 'bout that. I've been looking at the ComPac 23 Pilothouse. I would appreciate anyones advice, but the Frank I was aimin' for owns or used to own one.

Thanks,

Phil

[Frank]

Probably me....
I most likely both trailered and sailed one farther than anyone so far.
Crossed the Gulf Stream, cruised the Abacos and crossed back again.
Trailered from Florida out to Vancouver BC
Cruised the Pacific North West from Vancouver area right up and through the Broughtons.
Neat small boat!

Here's a link to the PNW trip
http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=4528.160

The Abaco trip
http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=3447.20

[CharlieJ]

Welcome aboard Phil.Actually, you're a youngster- I single hand and I'm 77 :)

[Norman]

Welcome, Phil.  I agree with Charlie, you are a spring chicken.  I don't think that I am single handing anymore, at 84, but was two years ago.

Frank is your expert, and the Compac Pilot house is well suited to single handing.  Good shelter in foul weather, space to cook, and plenty of fresh air in hot weather.

Have you set some initial destinations in place, or is that going to start after the vessel is in possession?

Happy to have you here, and looking forward to updates as the plan moves forward, or even sideways, as such projects are inclined to do occasionally.

Norman

[CapnK]

Phil - First, welcome aboard, even with the baity breath. ;)

Second - my $0.02. I spent a few years with a Com-Pac 23D, non-pilothouse version (They didn't have 'em back then. :) ). I sold the CP23D and moved "up" 2 whole feet to a Pearson Ariel. I lived on her for 8 years, took the last 3 trying other larger boats, and am going back to her.

Of the two, the Ariel is "better" in almost any category you can think of, except shallow draft. There, the Ariel draws another foot. BUT - because of that, she sails upwind more than better enough to make up for it. And she still only draws 3.5' or so.

Frank used to have an Ariel as well. (Of course, he's had at least one of every boat under 30' ever made, but I digress...) Pearson made almost 450 of them, and you can find them needing help for from "Free" (haha) up to maybe $5K, but most likely will be one in not too bad o' shape, that you should be able to get for $2-4K which isn't a total project and may be in somewhat "sailaway" condition. Th Ariel (and comparable boats to/like her) is, IMO, an incredibly FAR undervalued vessel. Why? IF you could find a hull laid up like the Ariel these days I'd wager the bare boat would cost you $40K or more.
For example: Pacific Seacraft, over 10 years ago, said they would put Flickas back in production if they could get 5 cash deposits. They got 1, maybe 2, IIRC. Their cost for the boat, bare and simple with sails but no motor, was over $80K. Yep. Over $4k *per foot*. And that is the type of hull you get in an Ariel or similar "Good Old Boat"...

Anyway - not just an Ariel. Look also for a Triton (28'). I doubt you could find a Meridian like CJ has, but there are some good 1960/70's Bristols out there, 24 and 27, which are near kin to Ariels and Tritons and can be had for basically a song. Albin Vega, 27'. Westerly's. Also some others which names are escaping me at the moment but which are owned by members here...

I reckon my point is - CP23 is a decent boat, but my advice to you is don't get set on one particular boat just yet - there are other options, maybe just cheaper, maybe just better, or maybe both if you are lucky :) and most of the folks here will gladly help you out with the "looking around" process, help you weed out winners from the also-rans. Good thing you found us in time! ;D

[CharlieJ]

Phil- some of u here get together on Thursday nighrts at 1939 CDT for an online chat- we even talk about sailing. But not politics :)

Come join us- See the orange button that says HOME? Click that and at the very bottom is the chat
stuff

[Phil]

Hey Guys, sorry to disappear for a few days, had kinda rough time. We had another round of flash flooding into the weekend. Kept me busy, and wore me out. And my phone got drowned. The phone is my only access to the internet. Took two days to dry it out. Local observers say we have had 25" of rain since the middle of may. The frogs are drowning! I expect to see salmon jumping in the ditch coming up beside my driveway any day now. I walkIo. That goes straight into the boat fund.


CapnK, those are some of the boats on my list(Triton,& her siblings). But they don't have a pilothouse, and I'm really attracted to that feature. I'm tired of being wet and cold. Standing headroom is a neccesity, not too hard to achieve, I'm only 5'6". Otherwise I'd fall in love with the Flicka.  I'd buy a Nauticat 33 or a Fisher 25 in an instant, but the refit and upkeep would have me quickly broke.

Quality pilothouse boats under 30 feet seem to be rather rare. Ok, they're kinda funny lookin', I get that.  But when i'm in the boat I aint lookin' at her.  Besides, the best girlfriend I ever had was kinda funny lookin'. Man, I miss that old mare. I digress.

I keep coming back to the CP23P as the most likely candidate with the features I want. If I can scratch up 70 to 80K for abrand new one, with a new trailor, outfitted for me, I shoudn't have any major refit expense for several years. Any of this make sense to you all?  I'm a little more than halfway there on the price in cash on hand. I hope to have enough coming in a month or so to make the rest. In cash, no loans.

I am trying to get away next month to Florida to actually see some boats. Hey, any a y'all down along Punta Gorda way,I'll buy ya a beer for some a yer wisdom. Well shoot, anyone twixt Va. and Fla? I figure on drivin' down.


Phil

[CharlieJ]

Good luck on your search, and sorry about the rain. BUT- we've had 19 inches since last Sunday !!!!

[Norman]

Phil, where in VA are you starting from?

I am in MD, and my son is near Ellicott City, yes we have had our share of rain.

Norman

[CapnK]

...they don't have a pilothouse, and I'm really attracted to that feature. I'm tired of being wet and cold. Standing headroom is a neccesity, not too hard to achieve, I'm only 5'6"....

... If I can scratch up 70 to 80K for a brand new one, with a new trailor, outfitted for me, I shoudn't have any major refit expense for several years. Any of this make sense to you all?....

I am trying to get away next month to Florida to actually see some boats. Hey, any a y'all down along Punta Gorda way, I'll buy ya a beer for some a yer wisdom. Well shoot, anyone twixt Va. and Fla? I figure on drivin' down.

<<<Edited by CapnK for brevity ;) >>>

5'6" does help a lot when headroom is an issue. :D WRT staying dry and warm, with the money you'd be saving by buying a GOB, especially over buying a new boat, you could easily afford a full oxygen tent ;) cockpit enclosure with dodger, including vinyl side curtains for rain/cold, and screens for bugs. One of these on an Ariel/Triton/GOB would serve the purpose of a pilothouse *and* in effect give you a much larger cabin.

I do see the appeal of sitting inside and motoring the pilothouse. You could do the same in an enclosure, I see that a *lot* on the ICW. That's why we call them 'oxygen tents'. ;) ;D

I guess for me it comes down to this one word: offshore. How much do you plan to/would you like to go offshore? If you are going to snowbird the ICW, sticking to relatively sheltered waters and not much outside except for short hops of a few hours, then the CP should do fine. If you want to make ocean passages, then I'd urge you to reconsider. The CP is not a very good far-offshore boat, IMO, whereas these "old classics" just eat it up...

I'm along the way, though about 2 hours off the Interstate, so not very convenient. Just thought about this: Have you considered an Alberg 30? I have one for sale, under $10K and you are on your way, don't even need to drive to Florida. lol :D

[Phantom Jim]

Dead on, CaptK

[Phil]

Norman, I am up on the western rim of the northern Shenendoah Valley, hard up against the West Virginia line. Just about 100 miles west of DC. Not nearly far enough!  My quiet little patch of wilderness is filling up with city folks building their Mcmansion monstrosities and bringin' their citified wants and ways. Time for me to cut lines and go! The bright side is they've driven up my property value some. Seems like a good time to sell.


CapnK, now you're leadin' me astray! That Alberg 30 is mighty tempting. Since I was a boy I wanted to sail the oceans. But I fear I've left it get too late. I'll be singlehanded and I don't have the stamina anymore for days and nights on end with little or no sleep. So I'm trying to limit myself to trailer sailors. The longest passages in my admittedly nebulous plans would be to and among The Bahamas. I can handle 24 hrs. straight if there is an anchorage waiting where I can rest up a bit.


The GOB idea is a good one and I'm giving it a lot of thought. Buy a GOB for 10 grand or so, fix her up a bit and leave here with enough $$ in the bank to earn me a little interest.  It's probably the sensible way to go. Yeah, I aint never got anywhere bein' sensible.  Right now, I don't want to be fixin' a boat, I want to be fixin' to go somewhere. Been cooped up here 11 years lookin' after the old timers. That's the longest I have ever stayed in one place in my life. My
body might be wearing out but the vagabond in me hasn't aged a bit.

Yeah I tend to go on a bit sometimes. Sorry. Gettin' windy in my old age.
Yes I will likely be doin' the snowbird thing a lot.  When I get tired of the East coast, I'll just hitch up the trailor and head to the PNW. Or BC. Or Alaska.If I live long enough to do all that, well I'll go somewhere else.

Funny, my son says I'm a bad influence. My Grandson says I'm Cool.

[CapnK]

...I am up on the western rim of the northern Shenendoah Valley, hard up against the West Virginia line. Just about 100 miles west of DC.

Funny, my son says I'm a bad influence. My Grandson says I'm Cool.

My sis and BiL live in Lindside, WV, which is I bet not far from you.

WRT the son/grandson sentiments, sounds like you are doing something right. ;)

[Phil]

Thanks CapnK I appreciate that. Linside is about 4 hrs. from here. Wrong corner of the state. I'm in the farthes NW corner of Va. Linside is straight down the state line from me, 'bout 180 miles by road, I think.

Norman, I'm a little slow. Ellicot City, isn't that the town that just got flooded out the second time in 2 years? I hope your family is OK, and didn't lose any property. Yeah, I'd say Y 'all have had your share of rain. And then some. It's raining here now. Again. Sigh. Say, how far are you from the Winchester area?


Frank, if your still with us, a couple questions on the Com Pac. Are there any modifications you would recommend? Is it possible to have 'em add more ballast or is that not a good idea?

Thanks, Phil

[Norman]

Yes, Ellicott City is the flood prone champ.  Son lives 2 miles away, on a hill.

I live just inside the Washington beltway, near the Baltimore Washington parkway.

He and I drove by near you early in January, up I 81 to I 70, and east to his home.  The end of a trip from Los Angeles.

Norman

[doug]

Phil,

I did a similar search 10 years ago and CP was a boat of choice having owned a CP 16 CB (one of the few sold at the end of the life for the original 16). I looked at 23's, a 25 and a great looking 27. I likely would have purchased the 27, except for the difficulties towing that craft. I ended up with a Seaward 26RK which has the headroom for many (I still manage to knock my head on some of the lock nuts that extend into in the cabin), can manage almost and skinny water, and trailer well (I towed mine up from the factory using a 6 cylinder explorer to Virginia; don't think I would tow into the mountains with that vehicle). I believe it's towing weight is about the same as the 23 which I recall is a heavy craft. I keep my boat on a lift so the boat looks newer than it's actual age.

The boat takes some time to learn how to set the keel and rudder for conditions but it's proven to be just the ticket for me. You can outfit them for day sailing, or for moderate cruising depending how the craft is outfitted. At the time I purchased the 26, they were priced similar but generally higher than the 23 depending upon what you put into them. They are currently built at the island packet facility in Florida and I've heard that the factory has made a number of beneficial changes (which likely impacts pricing).

If your still looking in October a trip to the Annapolis boat show is likely worth the trip. It's fun but initially expensive to buy new, however the annual boat bucks are relatively low for a significant period after purchase.

As others have said, key is how and where the craft will be used. I'm really glad I didn't purchase the size of boat I thought i wanted (32-36) as i wouldn't be used nearly as much (Turns out I'm not much of a cruiser, more day/weekender and I single hand once or twice a week during the hot months on the Bay when my wife would rather be at the pool).