Anyone ever owned or sailed a Compac Suncat?

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CaptRR@reddit

I don't have a suncat, but I do have an eclipse. Nice boat, fun to single hand. From my understanding the suncat performs much the same, and has similar looks.

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Regel_1999@reddit

I owned a Com-Pac 27/2. It was the best sail oat I've ever sailed. Easily one-handed, fun for new beginners, handled well in a blow.

Com-Pacs are amazing boats and I look forward to getting one of their smaller ones so I can trailer it and move it around easier!

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Figgy_Puddin_Taine@reddit

I love my C16. Sure, it’s not winning any races, but it’s stable, easy to use, and you can’t beat its salty looks.

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Lovely looking boat! I’m growing partial to Compacs for my use case lately. Some of their smaller models really seem ideal.

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slammedfd@reddit

My friend had one before upgrading to a Cal 31 to be a full time liveaboard. That little Compac was so much fun tho. Great boat.

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FerricFryingPan@reddit

How high can a cat boat point into the wind? They look Cool

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Tommy-Schlaaang@reddit

The poor upwind performance is overstated. I get 90-95deg tacks consistently in my Marshall 22.

Thought that increases quite a bit in an opposing sea state.

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Terrible_Stay_1923@reddit

Yes. It's a great boat. two of us could launch it from a trailer. We'd run it in the creeks when the wind was up. Not once did it make me pucker.

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

What do you mean by “run it in the creeks?” Is that just taking into a river or stream off the main body of water? If so, that’s pretty cool to think about. I love versatility of a low draft boat.

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I own a Suncat. It is the perfect boat for me to use in coastal waters or gunkholing weekend trips. One glorious aspect that nobody mentions is that it is as easily trailered as any other recreational boat, and I tow and launch it with no problem behind a Subaru outback. This gives me so much freedom to take it to destinations all over the country, not limited to just the region around a home marina. If you are really getting the itch, I suggest you check out the Com-pac Yacht Owners Association forum website for a treasure trove of information.

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the perspective! I’m on the Great Lakes, and when not able to be there I’d be looking at inland lakes in Michigan to sail on. I love the idea of not having to use a big truck to haul the boat around. Is it pretty quick setting up to sail from a trailer?

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CaptainMcNemo@reddit

Setup is pretty simple due to the built-in tabernacle on the mast. I either set it up ashore before launching or later afloat. I have even lowered the mast a couple of times while underway to clear the occasional low bridge. Either way, it takes less than 5 minutes to have the boat rigged or down-rigged.

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howwhywuz@reddit

The Catboat Association is going through a website upgrade. But when they are back online, you can join for $50 and see all past issues of their bulletin. Suncats come up from time to time. Might give you some more intel.

There is also a 150-page PDF document called the "Catboat Guide and Sailing Manual" that has also been floating around the internet for years, if you haven't seen it. It's like a random assortment of info on catboats gleaned from forum posts and blogs, but it's heavy on the Compac models. Copy here: https://www.scribd.com/document/465745344/Sailingmanual-pdf

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Thank you! I’ll definitely be checking out that PDF, and I’ll plan to join that association if I ever end up with a catboat.

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naked_nomad@reddit

Friend had one years ago. He was retired and hauled it everywhere. Got cancer and sold it to cover medical bills.

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daveythegent@reddit

Looks very similar to my Cornish shrimper, lovely little coastal boat for exploring

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

What a beautiful little boat! I had to look it up, but I’d jump on one of those in a heartbeat if I saw one available.

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doyu@reddit

Not exactly the same, but we have a Sandpiper 565. Very similar "sleeps 4" design with retractable keel.

They are fun if you don't expect much. We use ours to practice and learn (hopefully jumping into that snowbird life with something bigger in about 5y), but we'll probably keep this boat forever. It's great where we are because we can beach it for an afternoon which is a big deal for my wife. It's ok to sail. Small enough that you'll learn your mistakes immediately, big enough that you probably won't go swimming learning your lesson. The only reason I can see as of right now for us to replace this boat, is if I want to lean harder into racing. We have some local beer can nights that I wouldn't hate winning :)

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Looks like a neat little boat! I’ve got a Baymaster 18’ right now that I’ve only had out a couple of times. I completely agree about the size benefits, and I love the option to beach the thing when you want!

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sailphish@reddit

I don’t have one, but have sailed on C16s and owned a C23. Have a friend who had a Suncat but I never sailed on it. Compac makes pretty boats. They are slow, and don’t perform well upwind. The bigger models look rugged, but are really just coastal cruisers not built to the same standards as boats like Pacific Seacraft, Island Packet, or other true bluewater pocket cruisers. Boats like the 16 and Suncat have small cabins but for most purposes they aren’t really functional, and really just a storage area. But if you are looking for something to casually gunkhole around in protected and: or shallow waters, they aren’t a bad choice. I don’t regret my 23c but would chose something with better sailing characteristics over looks for the next boat.

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Good info to keep in mind! I’m a Great Lakes sailor, and I love having the option to trailer a boat around between inland lakes near me. I do admit the aesthetic appeal is part of my desire!

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The_Didlyest@reddit

My friend owns one. He bent the metal swing keel while recovering the boat recently and had to remove it for repairs.

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AllShadowFox@reddit (OP)

Yikes! Hopefully that’s easy enough to bend back or replace!

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