Com-Pac Sun Cat
This easy-to-sail catboat makes quick work of daysails, yet is spacious enough for a weekend coastal cruise.
By the time his 17-foot Com-Pac Sun Cat came along in 2000, Mills was already famous for designing the Optimist pram in 1947 and the 15-foot Windmill in 1953, the latter a one-design dinghy made for sailing with a crew of two.
Mills had received the commission to design a catboat from Com-Pac Yachts, a company founded in 1974 in Clearwater, Florida, by W.L. Hutchins, who was fond of saying, “I know people who get on a power yacht to go somewhere. But, when I get on my sailing yacht, I am there.”
The decision to once again tap Mills for his design skills came at a time when Hutchins was adding a line of catboats to its fleet. The company introduced the Picnic Cat and the Sun Cat while adding new technology such as the trademarked Mastendr Quick Rig Sailing System for raising and lowering the mast without having to remove the rigging.
According to Gerry Hutchins, who today runs the company with his brother, Richard, the Mastendr technology attracted customers interested in ease and convenience. The system allows the mast to be quickly lowered in preparation for trailering or, perhaps more importantly to coastal sailors, to fit under low bridges.
First impressions
At first glance, the Com-Pac Sun Cat seems like a little bit of everything. It’s clearly a catboat with main and gaff booms, a sassy elliptical cabin port window on each side, and a sweeping sheer with pronounced bow as though meant to take on the waves. The daysailer has a huge cockpit, while the version with a cuddy cabin has potential as an overnighter, and perhaps even a weekend coastal cruiser. The hull shape and construction appear robust, coupled with a hinged mast that takes the work out of unstepping and makes it easy to load the boat on a trailer.
Construction
The Sun Cat is constructed as an open boat with a cockpit roomy enough for six adults. It is, in that sense, a picnic boat. It is also available with a cabin, which makes it capable of providing shelter on overnight trips and more accommodating during a day sail should the weather turn foul. The hull and decks are hand-laid fiberglass. In more recent years, Com-Pac has designed and introduced a stainless steel centerboard and centerboard trunk. Hull No. 471 was completed this spring.
What to look for
Catboats must endure tremendous strain on the mast with its single sail. This can cause the boat to flex and result in cracks or crazing in the gel coat. The oldest Sun Cats have been around for 16 years, which means it could be time to inspect and, if necessary, replace the standing rigging. Deck delamination is always a possibility. Close attention should also be paid to the mast hinge.
The mast is fitted with a sturdy hinge that allows it to be quickly raised or lowered. The mast rests on a crutch aft of the tiller. To raise the sail, simultaneously raise the main halyard and the peak halyard, which lifts the gaff boom horizontally until the throat halyard reaches the block. Raise the peak halyard until the sail is up above the top of the mast. Both are led through Spinlock line clutches, and you can release them momentarily without dropping the sail.
The high cockpit coamings provide welcome back rests along the bench seats. The cockpit has a bridgedeck to keep water from entering the cabin should a wave wash over the boat. The traveler is mounted across the bridgedeck. The optional bimini is popular in warmer climates. Hutchins notes that the comfortable and spacious cockpit helps ensure that owners enjoy “hanging out” on their Sun Cats. The boat also features storage under the cockpit benches.
One version of the Com-Pac catboat has a cuddy cabin with two berths and space under the bridgedeck for a porta-potti. The Sun Cat at 17 feet is obviously a wide boat, with a 7-foot 3-inch beam. The cabin has an enclosed locker forward.
The Sun Cat requires an outboard engine for propulsion. The boat has an adjustable motor bracket on the transom. It typically handles a long-shaft outboard of approximately 5 horsepower.
The Sun Cat has no shortage of control lines and clutches that when used in tandem can finely tune the sails. The primary sail control is the peak halyard that controls angle of the gaff boom, and small adjustments make a big difference in sail shape and performance. The downhaul controls the tension along the luff, and there are two outhauls, one for each boom. The traveler is mounted across the bridgedeck.
According to Hutchins, the Sun Cat literally sold itself because it was trailerable, easy to rig, offered a shoal draft, had few moving parts and was nearly maintenance-free. The company even offered advice on how to sail this diminutive catboat, including how to veer off the wind for a more comfortable sail rather than attempt to pinch it.
The Com-Pac Sun Cat 17 is an affordable, safe and sturdy boat ideal for adventurous coastal sailing and overnight gunkholing or a rollicking afternoon sail to a favorite picnic spot.
SAILING 's Value Guide (5-star rating system)
PRICE: A used Com-Pac Yachts Sun Cat in good condition typically sells for between $6,000 and $12,000, while the market price for a new hull is just under $20,000 without a trailer. The trailer can add about $2,100. ★★★
DESIGN QUALITY: Clark Mills designed the gaff-rigged catboat as a comfortable family daysailer that could also be used as a weekender with a shoal draft that would allow gunkholing. The Sun Cat is one of three different deck styles available on the 17-foot hull. ★★★
CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: The fiberglass Sun Cat Daysailer is an open boat with cockpit roomy enough for six adults while the standard Sun Cat boasts a cuddy cabin with two berths and space under the bridge deck for a porta-potti. The centerboard is stainless steel with a fiberglass trunk. The standing rigging is heavy duty. ★★★
USER-FRIENDLINESS: The boat is outfitted with the patented Mastendr quick-rig sailing system. The main boom, gaff boom, sail and rigging all remain in place while the boat is being trailered, which cuts down on preparation time prior to launch. The mast is on a hinge that makes for easy raising and lowering. On board there are plenty of line clutches and trim adjustment controls. ★★★★
SAFETY: Lazy jack systems are available to help ensure the main sail gets doused efficiently and safely while also controlling the gaff boom. The keel is weighted for stability. ★★★
TYPICAL CONDITION: All of these boats are less than 20 years old and many are trailered for daysailing, which suggests the overall number of hours in the water is usually modest. ★★★
REFITTING: Finding parts for a Sun Cat is easy since the company is still in business and technological assistance is also at hand. ★★★★
SUPPORT: Com-Pac Yachts is part of the Hutchins Co., a family-owned-and-operated business founded in 1957 by W. L. Hutchins Sr. and is run by President Gerry Hutchins today. The company has been building boats in Clearwater, Florida, since 1974. The website is www.com-pacyachts.com and the company can be reached by phone at 727-443-4408. ★★★★
AVAILABILITY: Construction of the Sun Cat began in 2000. According to Gerry Hutchins, hull No. 471 was just completed. Used Sun Cats were for sale in fall 2016 in at least five states. ★★★
INVESTMENT AND RESALE: A new Sun Cat can fetch $20,000 and a decade later will be valued at slightly more than half that amount. The boats are popular with families and have remained in demand, creating a brisk aftermarket. ★★★
Overall 'SVG' Rating: ★★★
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- Sailboat Guide
2003 Com-Pac Sun Cat
- Description
Seller's Description
The Sun Cat is a roomy day sailboat and overnighter that is easily trailered and launched, with a board-up draft of only 14”. The Sun Cat can be single-handedly rigged in minutes thanks to the Mastendr Quick Rig Sailing System. Seller will help with delivery to a buyer in New England.
Equipment: Performance galvanized trailer with good tires (mileage <1000 miles) with spare tire and PVC trailer guides. With the hinged mast with Mastendr quick rig sailing system, the boom, sail, and gaff boom remain installed on the boat while the mast is folded or raised. Hull color is white with tan top. Features include: Bimini top for cockpit, transom boarding ladder, aluminum rudder, teak wood trim, canvas sail cover, canvas boat cover (when boat is on the trailer), fabric cabin bed cushions, weather proof cockpit seat cushions, cabin storage lockers, protected space for outboard motor gasoline containers, boat hook, Danforth anchor & line, covered opening for anchor rode on bow deck, personal floatation devices, 12V outlet, battery, cabin lights and navigation running lights, new anti-fouling bottom paint. The sail is in good condition with a patched area.
Rig and Sails
Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.
The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.
Classic hull speed formula:
Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL
Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL
Sail Area / Displacement Ratio
A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.
SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3
- SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
- D : Displacement in pounds.
Ballast / Displacement Ratio
A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.
Ballast / Displacement * 100
Displacement / Length Ratio
A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.
D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³
- D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
- LWL: Waterline length in feet
Comfort Ratio
This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.
Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )
- D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
- LOA: Length overall in feet
- Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet
Capsize Screening Formula
This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.
CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)
A daysailer model (without the cuddy/cabin) is also available.
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COMMENTS
Com-Pac Yachts / Hutchins Co., Inc. 1195 Kapp Dr., Clearwater, Florida 33765 USA. Call Us: 727-443-4408. E-mail Us: [email protected]. The Sun Cat is Com-Pac's new breed of cat boat: designed to rig quickly, sail easily, and offer accommodations for family and gear for overnights and gunk-holing.
Find Com-pac Sun Cat boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of com-pac boats to choose from. ... 2025 Com-Pac Sun Cat. Request price. Eastern Yacht Sales, Inc. | Hingham, Massachusetts. Request Info; Sponsored Boats | related to your search. 2024 Excel 1651 F4 Shallow Water. US$23,999.
SUN CAT 17-2 (COM-PAC) Save to Favorites . Beta Marine. BOTH. US IMPERIAL. METRIC. Sailboat Specifications Definitions Hull Type: Keel/Cbrd. ... The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. ...
By the time his 17-foot Com-Pac Sun Cat came along in 2000, Mills was already famous for designing the Optimist pram in 1947 and the 15-foot Windmill in 1953, the latter a one-design dinghy made for sailing with a crew of two. ... The fiberglass Sun Cat Daysailer is an open boat with cockpit roomy enough for six adults while the standard Sun ...
2025 Beneteau First 18 SE. Request a Price. Stuart, FL 34997 | Nautical Ventures. Request Info. <. 1. >. Find 22 Com-Pac Sun Cat boats for sale near you, including boat prices, photos, and more. Locate Com-Pac boat dealers and find your boat at Boat Trader!
The boat is a derivative of the earlier, 1972, smaller and lighter Dilks Sun Cat Mills drew for Dilks & Company. [6] The Com-Pac Sun Cat design was developed into the Com-Pac Sunday Cat daysailer in 2008. The Sunday Cat trades a smaller cabin for a larger cockpit. [1] [4]
Sun Cat 17-2 is a 17′ 3″ / 5.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Clark Mills and built by Com-Pac Yachts starting in 2000. Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. ... 2008 Com-Pac, Sun Cat 17 $16,200 USD. Webster, NY, US 2007 Com-Pac Sun-Cat $15,750 USD. Fayetteville, AR, US 2014 Com-Pac Suncat, 17 ...
The Sun Cat was designed as an easily driven, roomy day boat and overnighter with a shoal draft to gunk hole along coasts and in harbors not accessible to more burdensome yachts. Outfitted with the Mastendr™ quick rig sailing system and stainless steel centerboard with fiberglass trunk, the Sun Cat will provide convenient trailering and ...
Request Price. Seller Eastern Yacht Sales, Inc. 6. Contact. 781-905-8311. 1. Sort By. Filter Search. View a wide selection of Com-Pac Sun Cat boats for sale in your area, explore detailed information & find your next boat on boats.com. #everythingboats.
1195 Kapp Dr., Clearwater, Florida 33765 USA. Call Us: 727-443-4408. E-mail Us: [email protected]. Photo Gallery of the Com-Pac Sun Cat from Com-Pac Yachts.
Com-Pac Yachts / Hutchins Co., Inc. 1195 Kapp Dr., Clearwater, Florida 33765 USA. Call Us: 727-443-4408. E-mail Us: [email protected]. The Com-Pac Picnic Cat, Sun Cat and Horizon Cat are the perfect trailer-sailers for an afternoon cruise.
Find Com-pac boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of com-pac boats to choose from. ... 2008 Com-Pac Sun Cat. US$16,200. Snug Harbor Boats | North Atlanta, Georgia. Request Info; Price Drop; 1993 Com-Pac 27/2. US$29,900. ↓ Price Drop. California Yacht Sales, Inc. | San Diego, California.
Offering the best selection of com-pac boats to choose from. ... 2008 Com-Pac Sun Cat. US$16,200. Snug Harbor Boats | North Atlanta, Georgia. Request Info; Sponsored Boats | related to your search. 2024 MasterCraft X24. US$282,249. Union Marine (Issaquah Store) | Issaquah, Washington.
Quick and easy to rig and launch with the Mastendr system, the Sun Cat is a fun sailboat for daysailing or overnighting.
2025 Com-Pac Sun Cat - In stock now! Clark Mills wanted to design a shoal daysailer to rig and sail easily, quickly, and comfortably and accommodate his family and friends. The Sun Cat was designed as an easily driven, roomy day boat and overnighter with a shoal draft to gunk hole along coasts and in harbors inaccessible to more burdensome yachts.
The Sun Cat is a roomy day sailboat and overnighter that is easily trailered and launched, with a board-up draft of only 14". The Sun Cat can be single-handedly rigged in minutes thanks to the Mastendr Quick Rig Sailing System. ... 2007 Com-Pac Sun-Cat Webster, NY, US $15,750. USD. 2014 Com-Pac Suncat, 17 Fayetteville, AR, US $14,000. USD ...
2002 Com-Pac Yachts (Priced to Move!) FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT: KERRY 813-699-9524 or 2002 ComPac Sun Cat 17. Easy to rig, easy to handle, cruises through very shallow water. This is simply a fun big little boat. The Sun Cat is a 17ft cat gaff rig sailboat.
The Sun Cat is a roomy day sailboat and overnighter that is easily trailered and launched, with a board-up draft of only 14". The Sun Cat can be single-handedly rigged in minutes thanks to the Mastendr Quick Rig Sailing System. ... This Com-Pac Sun Cat Added 26-Aug-2024 Com-Pac Sailboats Com-Pac 17.5s Maine Com-Pacs. Featured Sailboats: Home ...
Boat Details. Description. 2025 Com-Pac Sun Cat - In stock now! Clark Mills wanted to design a shoal daysailer to rig and sail easily, quickly, and comfortably and accommodate his family and friends. The Sun Cat was designed as an easily driven, roomy day boat and overnighter with a shoal draft to gunk hole along coasts and in harbors ...
Find Com-Pac boats for sale near you, including boat prices, photos, and more. Locate Com-Pac boat dealers and find your boat at Boat Trader! ... 2010 Com-Pac Sun Cat. $18,500. ↓ Price Drop. Barrington, RI 02806 | Private Seller. 1993 Com-Pac 23. $13,900. Punta Gorda, FL 33950 | Private Seller. 1978 Com-Pac 16' $6,000. Siloam, NC 27047 ...
The Sun Cat was designed as an easily driven, roomy day boat and overnighter with a shoal draft to gunk hole along coasts and in harbors not accessible to more burdensome yachts. Outfitted with the Mastendr™ quick rig sailing system and stainless steel centerboard with fiberglass trunk, the Sun Cat will provide convenient trailering and ...
Com-Pac Yachts / Hutchins Co., Inc. 1195 Kapp Dr., Clearwater, Florida 33765 USA. Call Us: 727-443-4408. E-mail Us: [email protected]. The concept of the Sunday Cat was to have a boat with the cockpit space of our current Sun Cat Daysailer but with the convenience of an enclosed porta potty area.
2010 Com-pac Sun Cat ... make / manufacturer: Compac. model name / number: Sun Cat. year manufactured: 2010. QR Code Link to This Post. Excellent condition. 2010 boat and trailer with 2016 Honda 5hp. Has Mastendr Plus from the Sunday Cat, which lets you raise and lower the mast from inside the cockpit (see pics), which is fantastic & unmatched ...
Com-Pac Sun Cat - $8,750 (Brunswick) ... The Sun Cat is a roomy 17.5' day sailboat and overnighter that is easily trailered and launched, with a board-up draft of only 14". The Sun Cat can be single-handedly rigged in minutes thanks to the Mastendr Quick Rig Sailing System. Seller will help with delivery to a buyer in New England.
Description. 17' Sun Cat 2023 Brand New. In Stock. Features Mastendr Quick Rig. Custom Red Hull Color, Fabric Cushions, Sail Cover, Electrical Package, Double USB and 12 Volt Power Outlet Panel with Switch, Custom Galvanized Trailer, Anchor Roller and Hinged Deck Pipe, Transom Boarding Ladder, Mid-hull Rub-strake with Stainless Steel Striker ...
View a wide selection of Com-Pac Sun Cat boats for sale in United States, explore detailed information & find your next boat on boats.com. #everythingboats ... 2025 Com-Pac Sun Cat - Available to order! Clark Mills wanted to design a shoal daysailer that would rig and sail easily, quickly, and comfortably and accommodate his family and friends. ...
The Sun Cat was designed as an easily driven, roomy day boat and overnighter with a shoal draft to gunk hole along coasts and in harbors not accessible to more burdensome yachts. Outfitted with the Mastendr™ quick rig sailing system and stainless steel centerboard with fiberglass trunk, the Sun Cat will provide convenient trailering and ...