Com-Pac 23 ft

[Salish Sailor]

I am looking to buy a com-pac 23 ft sailboat. I would like to hear from owners & sailors with experience with these small pocket cruisers. Where do you sail them & how seaworlhy are they? Are these craft capable of coastal cruising? What should I look for when looking at when purchasing? etc etc etc Thanks

[skipmac]

Hi SS and welcome to the forum,

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I worked for a Compac dealer in South Florida. Never got to sail one but looked one over for fit and finish and it looked pretty good to me. All the parts like ports and such were top quality. Although I didn't dig into the bilges, check the glass layup and such my overall impression was it was a solid little boat.

Regarding coastal cruising, the term is quite ambiguous and can mean very different things to different people. Coastal from Seattle to San Diego is a very different trip than coastal from NY to Miami.

Assuming your plans are around Puget Sound and such I would say the Compac would be as good for the job as 98% of the other 23' boats on the market. Probably not as serious as something like a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 but not many boats are.

[Salish Sailor]

Thanks for replying. I am in the process of the purchase of a com-pac 23 or a halman 20. I would like input about sailing capabilities of these craft. Are these capable for coastal cruising? By this I mean: sailing from Puget sound to the Columbia river & across the bar? Circumnavigating Vancouver island? Inside passage to SE Alaska? SE Alaska to anchorage??? ??? etc... These are both trailerable , boat ramp launchable, shallow keel, light displacement (2500#-2900#). Both seem to have good reputations.

If you have any experience with these, let me know where you have sailed & under what circumstances. What to be aware of before I buy.

This will be my first boat. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion, I would like to hear yours. Thanks salish sailor

[skipmac]

Sorry know nothing about the Halman 20.

Regarding suitability of the Compac for various trips you mention. Really difficult to responsibly give a straight yes or no answer. Not knowing your skill level and experience I can only say this. To a very large degree it will depend on the captain. An experienced sailor who plans carefully, sails conservatively and understands the local weather conditions is perhaps more critical that the boat itself. Use a boat within it's abilities and limitations and it will be safe.

That being said, around Vancouver Island, sure. To the Columbia River, depends on conditions at the bar. In strong onshore conditions that bar is one of the most dangerous places on the west coast and closed to even large boats. Could be guaranteed tragedy for any small boat.

Up the inside passage? Haven't done that trip but from all my research it is frequently calm and can require motoring most of the way. If the Compac has an inboard I would consider it. Outboard powered it would be a long, slow trip.

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by Salish Sailor

Thanks for replying. I am in the process of the purchase of a com-pac 23... This will be my first boat. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion, I would like to hear yours. Thanks salish sailor

Salish, there is a regular poster here named "newt" who owned a Com-Pac 23 and may have sailed in the exact area you mentioned. Here's a link to his profile.
I assume he'll be along shortly or you could send him a PM.

[SkiprJohn]

Com Pac 23 has a good reputation for being high quality construction. I don't think I'd like to be going over the bar with one but it'll do coastal cruising and sound cruising ok depending on condition. An advantage is that where you won't be wanting to sail you can trailer to a destination.