Com-Pac 16 and 16-2
In 1974, the Hutchins Company wanted to "build a small but highly efficient sailboat". They contacted famed yacht designer Clark Mills to design a sixteen foot sailboat whose hull's compound curves provided strength and stability, creating a seaworthy craft with a keel designed to hydronamically lift the moving hull out of the water. The sailboat had to have easy rigging and to be a true trailerable sailboat. This design culminated in the Com-Pac 16. In later years the Com-Pac 16 would grow 11 inches with the addition of a bow sprit/pulpit and become the Com-Pac 16-2. I have had the privilege to own both, VERY SPOILED (CP16) and RELENTLESS (CP16-2).
The Com-Pac 16 and 16-2 specifications:
LOA 16'0" (CP) and 16'11" (CP2) LWL 14'0" Beam 6'0" Draft 18" (Fixed Shoal Keel) Displ 1,100 lbs Ballast 450 lbs Sail Area 115 sq ft (Main and Jib) 155% Genoa 60 sq ft
The difference of the two was the additional 11" bow sprit which placed the forward stay before the bow which changed the handling characteristics significantly. Now with the jib more forward, turning improved as well as overall handling. Raising the 18 ft mast is easily handled by one person. Once the mast is attached to the tabernacle, one just walks the mast forward, attaches the forward stay, the mast is set except for tensioning of all three stays. The Com-Pac 16-2 came with a few more options but the most noticeable was the tan bark sails. They are far better on someone's eyes than the white sails on a sunny day.
With minimal draft of 18" the Com-Pac's are easy to get close to the shoreline and exploring areas that one could not in a sailboat with a greater draft. Needless to say, launching and retrieving is relatively easy and you are dealing with a sailboat weighing a mere 1100 lbs. I added to trailer tongue extensions to both trailers.
The Com-Pac's have durable aluminum kick up rudders so one never has to worry about delamination like you would with a fiberglass covered rudder. This great when "gunkholing".
The Hutchins Company is famous for their quality and the high level of accessories used on their products. From the teak cockpit grate, hatch boards to the tiller, the wood joinery is beautiful. Just enough to keep you busy in the off season.
Com-Pac's have quite an owner following. Considering the Com-Pac 16's were in production for 25 years, there are quite a few on the water. On their trailer, they easily fit in an average size garage. As a trailerable, your sailing grounds are endless. A great book of adventures you can enjoy with a Com-Pac or other pocket cruisers is "HANDBOOK of TRAILER SAILING" by Robert F. Burgess. Mr. Burgess chronicles his many trips in his Com-Pac 16 and proves what one can accomplish in a 16 foot sailboat.
The original goal to make a high quality, seaworthy sailboat that is easy to sail, was definitley accomplished by Hutchins in the Com-Pac's 16 and 16-2.
