I've had my Capri for 6 seasons and it's been great! Now we just had a newbie come in to our marina and he's got the boat that I've always been quite fond of. A Compaq 16. Now I was seriously thinking about trading up for a larger boat, so I did a checklist of the pro's and cons.........
Pros: **Very seaworthy, capable of Lake Michigan conditions. Swing keel Capri is dicey in rough conditions, fixed keel version does much better.
**Large cockpit can easily handle 3 people. Enclosed storage in cuddy cabin.
**18" draft!
Cons:**Much larger and heavier, difficult to manhandle the trailer. Harder to launch, needs a long tounge trailer to be sure boat's deep enough to float.
**Trailer is harder to manuever with the longer tounge.
**Won't be able to store boat in my garage, and our association does not allow boats, RV's, etc. to be left in the driveway over night. This would be a game changer because I like to work on the boat at home, and also need to store it there on weekends for logistical reasons.
**Solo stepping the mast looks quite difficult compared to Capri, which is easy piezy!. I just turned 70 and hope to sail for years to come, certainly I won't be getting any stronger!
**I checked the Compaq site and it was agreed this boat does not point well and there's a lot of sideslip. Also has poor light air performance. Capri will point almost a 45d to wind with proper helmsmanship and does well in light air. And Capri is exhilirating to sail, it's like comparing a Mack truck to a Ferrari!
So after all's said and done I'll be glad to keep Capri for years to come. I bought her cheap as a beat up orphan, put a lot of $$ and effort to custom improve her in every way. I know every nuance of the boat and can push her to the limit under sporty conditions. Looking forward to a great season!
Cheers!
Pros: **Very seaworthy, capable of Lake Michigan conditions. Swing keel Capri is dicey in rough conditions, fixed keel version does much better.
**Large cockpit can easily handle 3 people. Enclosed storage in cuddy cabin.
**18" draft!
Cons:**Much larger and heavier, difficult to manhandle the trailer. Harder to launch, needs a long tounge trailer to be sure boat's deep enough to float.
**Trailer is harder to manuever with the longer tounge.
**Won't be able to store boat in my garage, and our association does not allow boats, RV's, etc. to be left in the driveway over night. This would be a game changer because I like to work on the boat at home, and also need to store it there on weekends for logistical reasons.
**Solo stepping the mast looks quite difficult compared to Capri, which is easy piezy!. I just turned 70 and hope to sail for years to come, certainly I won't be getting any stronger!
**I checked the Compaq site and it was agreed this boat does not point well and there's a lot of sideslip. Also has poor light air performance. Capri will point almost a 45d to wind with proper helmsmanship and does well in light air. And Capri is exhilirating to sail, it's like comparing a Mack truck to a Ferrari!
So after all's said and done I'll be glad to keep Capri for years to come. I bought her cheap as a beat up orphan, put a lot of $$ and effort to custom improve her in every way. I know every nuance of the boat and can push her to the limit under sporty conditions. Looking forward to a great season!
Cheers!