Conference unifix::sailing

    I have read several articles in Crusing World on trailer cruising.  One
    series in particular the author and family did cruising/camping with a
    West Wight Potter.  Seemed like a great time and the boat from all
    reports handled well in all conditions encountered.  
    
    Brian

    First of all, you are off to a good start. 
    
    Re Best in Class, you already have it.
    
    As an owner of 7 boats (My Com-Pac 19-II is the largest of the 7), I
    have some experience of what you speak. I bought a 1981 Com-Pac 16 in the
    spring of '84. I purchased a new Com-Pac 19-II in Aug. of '85. It is
    still my primary vessel and is still in excellent condition.
    
    When my kids were pre-teens, all 4 of us would weekend on Lake
    Winnipesaukee. Now that they are 15 and 18, they are too busy and its
    a bit crowded to sleep 4 adults on a Com-Pac 19. 
    
    The last 4 years, I have taken the boat to Orr's Island, Me for a week
    in July. in 89 & 90, we trailered it up. In 91 and 92, my son and I 
    have sailed it up from Rye Harbor & Little Harbor, N.H., overnighting
    in the Kennebunk River. 
    
    This year, My wife and I (and son, if he isn't working) plan to trailer
    it up to Penobscot Bay (Lobster Buoy Campground, in So. Thomaston)
    
    I presently have 2 compasses (1 handheld) 2 VHF radios (1 handheld),
    depthsounder, loran, and have just acquired an aged "Tiller Mate"
    Autopilot. This is considerable overkill for Lake Winnipesaukee, where
    she spends May-June and August-November (less than an hour from home), 
    but makes life reasonably comfortable and safe (in my opinion) for
    fair weather coastal sailing as well. 
    
    I also acquired a 1 burner butane (cardridge) stove that is very
    portable. Expensive to operate, but for limited use, should work well.
    
    She (Pegasus Too) has a sink, a cooler, a table, and a porta-potty.
    I know this is pretty spartan for most of the sailors in this notes
    file, but I feel that I get more sailing per $ than most. The $1000 /yr
    I pay to the boatyard for a mooring and other boatyard privileges
    is the majority of my boating expenses. Perhaps I spend $500 a year
    beyond that, including new equipment. (The boat is paid for).
    
    Occasionally I wish for a larger boat, but until I get my fill of
    travelling to interesting places on a trailer (and my kids are done
    with college (4-7 years), it looks like the right solution for me.
    
    Bill
    
    
    

    If you want to read some WONDERFUL stories about cruising in small
    boats get a copy of one or more of the paper bound, self published
    volumes by Tom on his cruises in a Townie. I forget all the titles, but
    DAMN FOOLE IN A TOWNIE and MORE ADVENTURES OF A DAMN FOOLE are two.
    These stories were originally published in MESSING ABOUT IN BOATS on a
    serialized basis, then re-printed into books.
    
    Tom took many trips, alone, in his Townie, along the New England coast.
    His writing style and simple illustrations are great. His casual
    attitude to it all would really 'freak-out' some of the cautious,
    lawyer-like, readers of this NoteFile.
    
    Tom (he never published a last name) used to come to our TSCA meetings
    at the Peabody Museum, but he got a night job so hasnt been there for a
    while.
    
    Pert Lowel Co of Amesbury MA sells the books. They are the builders of
    Townies. I dont have a phone number, but they always advertise in
    WOODENBOAT and MAB. (Dont confuse Pert Lowell Co with Lowells boatshop
    also in Amesbury)
    
    You may also be able to get copies from Bob Hicks, Editor of MESSING
    ABOUT IN BOATS, 29 Burley St. Wenham MA. 

    What would one expect to pay for a 3 year old West Wight Potter w
    Trailer (excellent condition)?
    

    A West Wight Potter is a 15' boat right?
    
    Given that a Com-Pac 16' is a bit more boat by most parameters that I
    can think of, and the going selling price for me and others that have
    sold Com-Pac 16s that I know of has been in the low $4xxx's.
    
    I am speaking of 3 year old Com-Pac in my case , in excellent
    condition, which I bought in '84 for $4400 and sold in '85 for $4200.
    
    I would say in the neighborhood of $3995 give or take a few hundred.
    This is based on my impressions re the relative value of a West Wight
    Potter 15' vs a Com-Pac 16'. I have no knowledge of the actual
    selling price of a new or used W.W.P.
    
    All of the above assumes a galvanized trailer in very good condition.
    
    Bill
    
    

Since someone made the jump from 16 to 19 foot, can I go up a few feet  more? 
I have a well-travelled 22 footer from the other side of the puddle. It was
made by the french company Dufour, the model is T7. (Similar to Rhodes 22).

It's described as a trailer-sailer, flush-bottomed with centreboard. I think
its too big to trail for weekends. The boat weighs 3000lbs with all the
gear, add a trailer I guess the whole rig is 4000lbs. I've never trailed
this boat, but the idea of trailering was attractive and might be used one
day if it ends up  too far from home and in need of a refit or repair, or if I
just want to overland it to somewhere nicer.

The boat has a lot of equipment aboard. Here's the list:- outboard engine with
electrics, log, sounder, radio, lights, tiller pilot, TV, stereo,  sink, water,
cooker, eutectic(sp?) plate cooler-box etc, a home  from home really. 

I guess I've covered about 2000 (s)miles in this boat. Apart from normal
holidays I lived aboard this boat for 5 months and sailed from southern England
via the french canals to the Mediterranean sea, along the french Riveira to
Italy, about 1000 miles in all. This year I'm heading for southern Spain and
the Balearic Isles. After that maybe Corsica, Sardinia, Greece and Turkey over 
the next 3 years, who knows. Have small boat will travel! 

I choose a small (=cheap) boat so that I could afford time (=unpaid leave) to 
go sailing, something I couldn't afford with a big marine mortgage. I'm very 
happy with my boat. I sail on lots of other bigger boats, some very nice but 
none heal the soul so well. 
          
BTW, a West Wight Potter is a "local" (to me) boat and nothing to write home
about, I wouldn't want one. It's just a basic ply-wood family boat, cheap and
cheerful. I think you will find its the characters that sailed boats like this
that make the stories. The 1 Com-pac I saw looked a zillion times better.

Steve

    I'm looking to do some research into Com-Pac, West Wight Potter class
    boats over the next couple of weekends. Can anyone reccommend
    accessible (I live in Leominster, Ma - approx 60 mile radius) dealers. 
    
    

    There seems to be a lot of information in this conference on Com-Pac
    and some on West Wight. Any other contributions on other small cruisers
    (Solo II ? - I just saw this one in this month's Sailing magazine) It
    looked interesting but there was just a picture and a paragraph.

    Fernald Marine, on the Parker River, route 1A, in Newbury, Ma.
    508-465-0312 sells Com-pac boats.
    
    djc

    Fernald's is the only ComPac dealer that I have heard of in your area.
    I bought mu Com_Pac at Arey's Marina, on lake Winnipesaukee, but they
    changed hands and became a powerboat emporuim around 1987.
    
    I have found the folks at Fernald's (Howie Fernald, in particular)
    to be very helpful.
    
    Also, I wouldn't hesitate to contact the mfg of Com-Pac Yachts,
    (Hutchins Inc, Clearwater Fla. 813 443-4408). I have called a couple
    of times with technical questions and when I told the person who
    answered what I wanted to know, they put the owner, Gerry Hutchins on 
    the phone both times, without me asking to speak to him. Ask them who
    the dealers are up this way. If you have any detailed questions,
    they will be happy to get you info. When I had trouble finding
    grease seals for my trailer (which they manufactured) Gerry shipped me a 
    set for only a couple of bucks apiece.
    
    
    at about half what an auto parts dealer wanted for similar parts.