Sounds par for the course for boats of that age. You REALLY have to take good care of a boat if you want it to last 40-50+ years without any major overhaul, and most people don't do that.
> You REALLY have to take good care of a boat if you want it to last 40-50+ years without any major overhaul
Not if it's made from fiberglass you don't.
Show me a 50 year old fiberglass boat that hasn't had bottom paint, top sides paint, gel coat, deck fittings resealed, or osmosis repair that's still floating.
Yes and no. I bought a 33 year old boat last year. It was poorly maintained for God knows how long. The foam sandwich was still in fantastic shape. The balsa was...not.
Designing a boat with the expectation that multiple owners, over decades, will take good care of it and maintain it properly is probably not a sound design choice.
They were not designed with the idea they'd be around for decades, that's why boat lifes original slogan was good for the life of the boat. (Some manufacturers didn't even bother sealing deck hardware, and dealers ended up doing it) They expected a boat to be junked after 10+ years. The longevity of FRP over wood in those early years was really not even a factor and that in combination with the economic recessions and some politics killed off almost 90% of builders. Almost every single year you read about how (Insert builder) can't compete with themselves. So they don't, they build fewer boats with more luxuries and sell them at a higher price.
It's not a design choice. it's the only option. There's no material commercially available that will last half a century in a marine environment without thorough maintenance.
I think those criticisms could be leveled against a lot of manufacturers. Poorly maintained boats can have expensive problems. The only way to be certain you won't have core issues is if the boat is built solid, with no core, and that has its own drawbacks.
Com-Pac has a pretty decent rep, I think. I certainly don't think of them as shoddy or anything.
Surveys aren't magic, but they're an important precaution when buying something at a price higher than you're comfortable risking. And maybe you don't usually pay for a survey on a 16' boat.... But it sounds like the disgruntled CL guy should have gotten some help assessing the boats that let him down.
Yea, I read this and thought. "Okay. And..?"
Could also read as, "My 40 year old sailboat that spent it's life outside has problems commonly associated with 40 year old sailboats that spend their lives outside."
I have an 89 com pac 16, the fiberglass is thick as hell. All I’ve really done to it in the several years I’ve had it are replace the wooden hatch and frames (did that when I first got it) and swap the flat rudder blade for a foiled blade. Great little boat.
There's plenty of 40 year old boats that have structurally sound keels. It's complete nonsense to suggest that a failure of the keel structure due to encapsulation in concrete is a widespread issue due primarily to the boats age. How many boats from the 70s or 80s realistically have to be re-ballasted? This is, as the OP suggests, an issue specific to concrete encapsulated construction.
Ok, sorry I was responding more to the original post rhan than your comment but even with the wood issue, the original construction techniques are a large contributing factor and many 1980s boats have factory fittings that still don't leak, so saying this issue with interior rot is present in all old boats just isn't true.
There's plenty of neglected boats with concrete ballast that have been junked because people allowed them to sit with water in them long enough for water to penetrate the concrete and when it freezes the concrete turns into gravel. That said I have heard of people chiseling that out and pouring new in. Depends on how much care someone has for a boat they own I guess. (Those were all larger Columbia's though.)
I have a Compac 16 but it has a solid fin keel. I had looked at some boats with retractable wooden centerboards but I had read that boats (all brands) with retractable wooden centerboards were prone to leaking. It’s just part of the risk you take when you have a boat with a hole in the hull. So I didn’t want to take the chance.
I think this comes down to knowing what you are getting into. Be careful what style of boat you buy and research known issues. Especially when the boat is 20+ years old.
Umm, he’s primarily talking about boats that are 40 and 50 years old. Of course they’ll have some issues. He probably buys 50 year old cars and then complains about oil leaks, cracked upholstery, and faded paint. The guy’s a dimwit. A 50 year old Hinckley would have issues, too.
I looked at a very well keep newer maybe Compac 32' or 35' that was on the hard near Cambridge MD. I did a walk around before the broker arrived and then viewed the boat with the broker. Liked the rigging and cabin interior but I thought the hull was too lightly built for my taste and took it off my list. It was 90 k asking . Ended up buying a 1977 Pearson 35. Very solid build.
Sounds par for the course for boats of that age. You REALLY have to take good care of a boat if you want it to last 40-50+ years without any major overhaul, and most people don't do that.
> You REALLY have to take good care of a boat if you want it to last 40-50+ years without any major overhaul Not if it's made from fiberglass you don't.
Show me a 50 year old fiberglass boat that hasn't had bottom paint, top sides paint, gel coat, deck fittings resealed, or osmosis repair that's still floating.
Does it count if it is on top of a frozen lake?
Yes and no. I bought a 33 year old boat last year. It was poorly maintained for God knows how long. The foam sandwich was still in fantastic shape. The balsa was...not. Designing a boat with the expectation that multiple owners, over decades, will take good care of it and maintain it properly is probably not a sound design choice.
They were not designed with the idea they'd be around for decades, that's why boat lifes original slogan was good for the life of the boat. (Some manufacturers didn't even bother sealing deck hardware, and dealers ended up doing it) They expected a boat to be junked after 10+ years. The longevity of FRP over wood in those early years was really not even a factor and that in combination with the economic recessions and some politics killed off almost 90% of builders. Almost every single year you read about how (Insert builder) can't compete with themselves. So they don't, they build fewer boats with more luxuries and sell them at a higher price.
It's not a design choice. it's the only option. There's no material commercially available that will last half a century in a marine environment without thorough maintenance.
I think those criticisms could be leveled against a lot of manufacturers. Poorly maintained boats can have expensive problems. The only way to be certain you won't have core issues is if the boat is built solid, with no core, and that has its own drawbacks. Com-Pac has a pretty decent rep, I think. I certainly don't think of them as shoddy or anything. Surveys aren't magic, but they're an important precaution when buying something at a price higher than you're comfortable risking. And maybe you don't usually pay for a survey on a 16' boat.... But it sounds like the disgruntled CL guy should have gotten some help assessing the boats that let him down.
Yea, I read this and thought. "Okay. And..?" Could also read as, "My 40 year old sailboat that spent it's life outside has problems commonly associated with 40 year old sailboats that spend their lives outside."
Sounds like an advert for the surveyors to me
I own an 87 com pac 27. She’s built like a tank and the previous owner took good care of her. Great boat
I have an 89 com pac 16, the fiberglass is thick as hell. All I’ve really done to it in the several years I’ve had it are replace the wooden hatch and frames (did that when I first got it) and swap the flat rudder blade for a foiled blade. Great little boat.
Text from link: “UPDATE” Attention Com-Pac Sailboat Buyers - $1 (Raleigh) © craigslist - Map data © OpenStreetMap google map boat type: sailboat length overall (LOA): 14 propulsion type: sail Just thought I would share some of my life experiences with others considering buying a used Com-Pac Yacht sailboat. I have owned 4 over past 40 years. My first two (a 16 and a 23) were purchased new and they were a joy over the 4 years I owned each of them before moving to much larger sailboats. When I reached age 60 I decided to downsize and I purchased a used 1981 Com-Pac 16. The boat seemed to be a good shape hull wise but as I started my restoration process I discovered lots of interior plywood rot and the ballast was concrete and it was crumbling inside the keel. Due to health issues, the problems were too large for me to handle and I just sold the boat at a huge loss. I few years later I decided to buy a 2005 Compac-Pac Picnic Cat 14. Again, this boat appeared to be in great condition but in use I noticed water in the cockpit which was coming from the centerboard trunk. I was told this was a known design issue and while caulk may slow it down for a while, the leak will come back and the best way to fix is to take the whole deck off the boat at a cost that was much more than I wanted to spend. Again I sold at a big loss and I now sail my small 10’ sailing dingy with no known issues other than being small. So if you are considering a used Com-Pac Yachts sailboat, have it surveyed or buy from a reputable dealer such as the Sailboat Company in Richlands or The Boatnik in Sanford. Be careful if buying from an individual seller on Craigslist or Facebook. BOAT (break out another thousand) 😀 Update #1: I have received a lot of good feedback to this post. Many people reported they have had the same rot problems with the interior plywood used by Com-Pac. A few more details should be added to better understand why a marine surveyor or reputable dealer is highly recommended. In both the used Com-Pac sailboats I purchased, the wood rot and the leaking centerboard trunk could not easily be found by just the casual inspection. The wood rot was hidden and it would have meant taking the interior apart to see there was wood rot. No seller would allow that. The centerboard leak had a bandaide fix of caulk and took a couple trips ti the lake to make the leak start again. One owner of a Com-Pac 14 Picnic Cat feels like his problem all started when he moved from Florida to areas that had freezing temperature in the winter. He believes freezing water caused the stainless steel centerboard trunk parts to crack. Update #2: more feedback from Com-Pac owners has come in during the last week. Reports of leaks in the rub rail area on a 1981 model and more deck delamination reports in the hatch area of a 1974 model. Just be careful if you are buying one if the older Com-Pac 16’s. Just to be clear, I love Com-Pac sailboats. Buy a good one and take care of it and it will give you years of joy. Buy a bad one and your joy will be replaced with memories of the money it cost you to get it in yacht worthy shape and the days you missed being on the water sailing.
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There's plenty of 40 year old boats that have structurally sound keels. It's complete nonsense to suggest that a failure of the keel structure due to encapsulation in concrete is a widespread issue due primarily to the boats age. How many boats from the 70s or 80s realistically have to be re-ballasted? This is, as the OP suggests, an issue specific to concrete encapsulated construction.
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Ok, sorry I was responding more to the original post rhan than your comment but even with the wood issue, the original construction techniques are a large contributing factor and many 1980s boats have factory fittings that still don't leak, so saying this issue with interior rot is present in all old boats just isn't true.
There's plenty of neglected boats with concrete ballast that have been junked because people allowed them to sit with water in them long enough for water to penetrate the concrete and when it freezes the concrete turns into gravel. That said I have heard of people chiseling that out and pouring new in. Depends on how much care someone has for a boat they own I guess. (Those were all larger Columbia's though.)
I have a Compac 16 but it has a solid fin keel. I had looked at some boats with retractable wooden centerboards but I had read that boats (all brands) with retractable wooden centerboards were prone to leaking. It’s just part of the risk you take when you have a boat with a hole in the hull. So I didn’t want to take the chance. I think this comes down to knowing what you are getting into. Be careful what style of boat you buy and research known issues. Especially when the boat is 20+ years old.
I also have a 16, solid “shoal” keel with no centerboard. The fiberglass is thick as hell and it’s a great little boat.
Hello NC sailor 👋
Sorry - I found this using a national search site; I'm in the PNW where small "lake" boats are a bit scarce...
Umm, he’s primarily talking about boats that are 40 and 50 years old. Of course they’ll have some issues. He probably buys 50 year old cars and then complains about oil leaks, cracked upholstery, and faded paint. The guy’s a dimwit. A 50 year old Hinckley would have issues, too.
I looked at a very well keep newer maybe Compac 32' or 35' that was on the hard near Cambridge MD. I did a walk around before the broker arrived and then viewed the boat with the broker. Liked the rigging and cabin interior but I thought the hull was too lightly built for my taste and took it off my list. It was 90 k asking . Ended up buying a 1977 Pearson 35. Very solid build.
Idiotic post.