Ep. 21 - COM-PAC 16: A MINI KEELBOAT

Jo and Mat purchase a Com-Pac 16 sight unseen and have it shipped to Tasmania on the Ferry. They haul her back to Hobart for a scrub down and then, only 6 days later Mat and Ben take ‘Sea Cat’ for her first sail on Tasmanian waters.
Ben’s trip to Antarctica Part ONE: • Antarctic sailing Docu...
…Part TWO: • Antarctic sailing Docu...
…and Part THREE… • Antarctic sailing Docu...
SALTY MERCH: smallcrafttasm...
Thumbnail drawing was sourced from Small Craft Advisor Magazine and used with permission: Copyright Brian Gilbert 2024. Thanks Brian!

[@topazbill8876]

Mat, that was the most informative small yacht post that I've ever watched. Totally informative the whole way through.

[@paulgamewell1905]

Enjoyed the video, especially the cooking lesson at the end. Having sailed our Com-Pac 16 for many years, I can assure you that an upgraded foil rudder truly helps with helm. It's a pleasure to see another one sailing so far from home!

[@bentucker5009]

@paulgamewell1905 I'll be keen to see how the foil rudder Matt has ordered helps her. Glad to hear its worked for you. If you have any other tips or observations let us know. SPOILER ALERT.. New video coming out soon shows the limitations of the flat plate rudder in stronger winds.

[@paulgamewell1905]

@@bentucker5009 Looking forward to the next video!

[@robertcoller1192]

Love to cook up at the end 🤣. Thanks for an interesting chat re Lee and weather helm👍

[@FreeRadicalslifestyle]

Hi Mat thanks for the link to Ben's Adventure what a great story I binge-watched the channel and loved the content. As a Qld-based scruffie 16 owner, I appreciate the small boat adventures you document down your way thanks for taking the time and effort to record it all ... I know how time-consuming and "inconvenient" it is to have a camera recording moments of interest when you are experiencing it and then have to edit it all into an entertaining end product ... great effort

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Indeed, a great story. Ben sent me a message tonight and said he'd 'forgot' about some Drake crossings...he's done 8 crossings on yachts plus the extra trips on ice-breakers. He knows that area well now. Thanks for the comment. M&J

[@topazbill8876]

I find it hilarious when people offer advice to experience sailors. My sailing mate has done multiple races all over the world as professional sailor, America's Cup, Fastnet, S to H, yet he gets advice most times we launch. 🥳👍

[@hoosiercrypto9955]

Watch out for those banana eaters. 😳

[@squiddly-diddly]

When YOU laminate up your new rudder blade, up the ratio...skinnier and deeper.....👍

[@bentucker5009]

Yes, a big deep high aspect foil would really help. Though it's already slightly deeper than the keel. So there are some limits on how far you want to go with that.

[@squiddly-diddly]

​@@bentucker5009... doesn't have to be mega deep.... suggest whatever you take off trailing edge of current blade, add to the bottom..... easy to make...get some hardwood decking board from Bunnings, rip it into strips and laminate with ply strips....start too big maybe... really easy to shape and resize. Also, think a kite off a cherub or similar would be most adequate.

[@bentucker5009]

Thanks for the sail Mat, shes a great little boat. Hope you recovered from my 'cooking'...

[@SV_Aroo]

Thanks Mat and Ben, great review.

[@m1kalD]

Bloody love your videos. Wholesome and informative. Thank you for posting.

[@liam.liam.liam.liam.liam.liam.]

Such an awesome boat. Great video. Really helpful too, thanks heaps

[@harrywren561]

A lovely little boat ! 🥰👍🏼

[@andypandy955]

Very interesting VLOG thank you.

[@robertdumond6072]

Great video! I learned a lot thank you!

[@idolhand6468]

great knowledge

[@peterrahn5999]

Love the videos!!

[@davidwalsh7603]

wow, I learn't a thing or two there, very informative, thanks so much

[@SailingrumrunnerII]

Great video guys! I’m going to be much more aware of my helm pull next time I’m out in my 16.

[@bentucker5009]

@SailingrumrunnerII keen to hear how other Compac 16's go. Take note of the average helm position when she is going straight, not the amount of weight on it, or even what happens if you let go of the helm. It will be interesting to see sea cat goes with the new rudder and mast rake sorted. A new video is coming with some interesting observations on stronger wind sailing in the C16.

[@SailingrumrunnerII]

@@bentucker5009 I’ll do all that next time I’m at the helm. Looking forward to more videos

[@daveonboard]

As a small boat cruiser from childhood, it’s been great to follow you and relive wonderful memories- love your work. David Read: Triabunna

[@mattmcnoname4297]

Hi Mat - great videos enjoying the content. Hi To Ben, met him on the Kettering slip in 2005 as he was preparing Snow Petrel for Antarctic. Ever heard of the small yacht design called a Picaroon? may be of interest, I have one in project phase. Cheers

[@bentucker5009]

@@mattmcnoname4297 hi Matt. I remember the Picaroon design. Neat little boat. Where is she?

[@mattmcnoname4297]

@@bentucker5009 She was down at Kettering on a mooring for about 6 years slowly rotting, I purchased her and brought up to my boatshed in POWB. Shes Bruny Island pedigree, grown and made there, amazing lines. Come have a look one day. Happy to pass on my contact deets cheers matt

[@bentucker5009]

@mattmcnoname4297 Id be keen to see her, and have a chat. I live not to far from POW bay.

[@mattmcnoname4297]

@@bentucker5009 not sure if my reply worked the other day....left my number

[@chrisshelton3504]

Had a ComPac 16 on inland lakes in Missouri back in the ‘80’s. When pointing it ALWAYS had quite a bit of leeway. Every time I participated in an annual regatta in Mark Twain Lake against an open field, I always came in last. Bought some sails from one of the Hutchins brothers that lived in St. Charles, Missouri. Met two other brothers years later in Clearwater, Florida. They were very aware that the shallow keel made for leeway. There response was that you just need to fall of into a reach. They were also very aware of their superior construction. They had saturated the market and the fleet they had constructed were just being traded amongst sailors wanting them!

[@troyrobbins5627]

Thank you Lads.... very useful and informative .... Mast rake seems to be critical on any small dinghy?!

[@bentucker5009]

Yes. I think we needed much more rake.

[@djmini2numpty141]

hi, not a dinghy sailor....yet , however, curious, why do you change the stays and safety "rails from cables to dyneema ? cheers, frank from Sydney

[@bentucker5009]

@djmini2numpty141 lighter and less chafe. They are much more pleasant to live with. Also super easy to splice.

[@patsymitchell6365]

Great video, thank you. We have had a mini keeler come into our hands, a Hood 20. How was the launch and retrieve, much more difficult than with a centreboarder? Thanks, Dave.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks for the comment. Not difficult to launch and retrieve. It’s not a big boat and the keel is not big either.

[@daijones101]

Get rid of that forward rake.

[@bentucker5009]

@daijones101 Absolutely. It was significantly better after we adjusted it for the trip home, but I still think it could use even more rake.

[@paulpaulsen7309]

I sailed a C16 from 1984 - 1999. The first thing I did after the first season was remove the concrete from the keel (it was easy with a hammer drill) and replace the approx. 150 kilos with lead bars, which I placed further forward in the keel to keep the stern out of the water when sailing. I got the luvgreed under control with a bowsprit (made of oak) about 70 cm long and a kind of flyer in front of the jib. The cutter rig suits this small boat incredibly well...

[@kens2114]

Thanks Mat, great watch for a miserable wet Sydney day. Enjoyed Ben’s chats, right on the money. Like his idea about Luggerising her with the yawl setup, great little boat, cheers. Ps didn’t finish to the cooking lesson, bugger!!

[@charlesmassey4860]

Why not put a little mizzenmast right on top of the rudder like a Thames barge?

[@bentucker5009]

I like your thinking.

[@TassieTiki]

Loved this video Matt. Thank you. G'day Ben 😊

[@MattTucker]

Great work as always Mat, good to see you've managed to get Ben to embrace the camera, he was not interested on our trip 😆

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Oh yeah…he’s a real Kubrick in the making! 🤣

[@JamesSmith-is7co]

Very Nice boat!! I sail kayaks and canoes so having a cabin and stability would be so awesome.

[@journeymanadventure]

While watching the last bit of the video I saw the motor was still in the water, wouldn't that cause drag and affect the boats helm. I like the idea of a mizen and lug🏴‍☠

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

A little bit, but for most of the day we were sailing with the motor up and out of the water.

[@bentucker5009]

@journeymanadventure yes, I left it down just for that bit since I had just dropped Mat ashore with the camera, and was only doing a quick lap before bringing her back to the wharf. It did really effect her speed and steering. Most of the day it was up.

[@wolverineaubele3752]

Very informative, thank you. Now I want tune my Compac 19's rigging.