# Mistral 16'



## CherylSarlund

Hi,
I just bought a 1982 Mistral 16' sailboat but don't have the owner's manual and don't know how to rig it - does anyone have any tips, thoughts or an owner's manual???
Thanks!
Cheryl


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## dklein90

Thats awesome, congrats on the new boat. Im going to look at a Mistral 16 on Tuesday.

here is a link on rigging a Wayfarer which is very similar (almost the same boat)

Caution Water - Sailing - Wayfarer Rigging Guide

What kind of condition is your boat, and if you dont mind what did you pay, only so I have an idea of what they are going for.


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## CherylSarlund

Thanks for the link! The one I bought is in pretty good condition - it must have hit a dock or another boat on the starboard side - and they did a really bad job patching the fiberglass - it's not that big of a "hole/dent" - I am going to attempt to fix it properly - that is basically the only flaw, however, it was raining so hard today I could not really go outside and make sure all the hardware is there and in good shape - I bought the boat at a non-profit boat auction so the boats are sold "as is" and the owners aren't usually there - the boats are donated - so there really isn't anyone to ask about the boats - so I paid $325 and it included the trailer - but who knows what I will be looking at once the rain here stops and I try to rig it - I think $700 - $1200 is an average price if you are buying from the actual owner. Mine did include the jib and main sails and they look pretty good - I think the battens are missing though, unless I find them in the boat. Good luck with your boat - and if you come across an owners manual I would love it if you could scan it and email to me!


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## dklein90

That's an amazing price, hopfully everything is there for you so you don't have to round up parts and pieces. If I come across an owners Manuel Ill be sure to pass it along, although I've never found them to be that useful they are a good place to start. 

Good luck with your boat.


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## dklein90

Have you gotten a better look at your new boat yet? I found from someone else that this is a good place for parts C&L Boatworks

The cl 16 is another similar boat with a good following. Check out the forum on the CL16 page, some great info there.


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## dklein90

I just started a facebook group page called "Mistral 16 sailors" I thought that since there are only a few of us that own this rare boat it would make it easier for us to get info from one another. Hope to see you there.


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## Boz

I have a scanned copy of manual that someone sent me last year. I'll try to put it here this evening.

Cheers everyone 
Bo


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## Boz

OK, here are the documents that I have:


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## Boz

I also have specs as pdf but system wont let me upload them. 
AS for rigging, someone mentioned website with Wayfarer rigging which is pretty much identical. If you need more, there are some photos that previous owner of my boat sent me about how he used to rig it - still, nothing different from Wayfarer.

Cheers,
Bo


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## Railsailor

I've got a 1982 Mistral 16 open cockpit style. I've converted it from end sheeting to centre sheeting. Makes life easier when single handing. Luv my boat. Weak spot on these boats is the cockpit sole around the bailer. I had to replace my bailer and re-inforce the sole becasue of cracking. A few layers of fibre glass and west system epoxy and it was good as new. I had a sail loft install to sets of reefing points in my main. Now I use jiffy reefing - faster and safer than trying to roll it up


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## LongTallSailor

Good luck on your sailing endeavors, Cheryl.


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## boatshell

Hi Cheryl and others,

I just joined Sailnet after perusing the site for years. I have a Mistral 16 open cockpit. Right now it's in my IN Box, under a tarp. Like Cheryl, I got mine for around that price and it included the trailer, sails and so on. I bought it because of the double chined hull and the mast looked like it would (pivot) and be somewhat easy to step. One of the main things that's keeping it out of the water (aside from being busy) is that the rivets holding the spreaders to the mast pulled out. I'm going to have to research that "repair" and see if I can fix it myself or pay money I don't have right now to a rigging place. 

I have other boats, and one is a CL 14 -- like a smaller CL 16 or Mistral. I love it. 
There is a Google Group, "Mistral Sailing" but it is not particularly active. LeRoy is the manager of that forum. There are not too many Mistral 16 s around, but it is a nice solid boat. What RailSailor said about the cockpit floor. Mine has some stress cracks. Bailer in good shape. I got a "deal" on it because it has a wound on the bench seat corner where a branch fell on it. The sellers took it in for barter and never got around to using it. 
There is a very short video clip of a Mistral 16 -- two Canadian guys but they are really moving in a stiff breeze and so it's one of my Armchair Sailing Inspiration vids during the winter months.

Oh, btw, I believe that I might have the rigging directions on one of my disks. I _thought_ mine was center sheeted.


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## dklein90

Hi boatshell I had the same problem with my spreaders. I don't know how bad yours is but mine was easily fixable with a fifteen dollar riveter from Lowes and some large aluminum rivets. It also took a small amount of hamering to get the spreader bracket back into the right shape. Best of luck. I love my boat, it is so much fun to sail.

I agree about the google group. Although I did get a response from a bunch of folks there. I'd rather see that here on sail net. The interface is more user friendly and there is a much bigger pool of people to draw from. I asked the moderators to start a mistral only thread like they have for many other boats, but it never got done.


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## boatshell

Thanks, dklein90, for your response and input. I have photos but I am only recently (yesterday) a member, so don't know if I can post pics. As I recall, the pull out area on the mast was not huge, but there isn't a way to put that same size rivet into those holes again. I don't have much of an idea how much force or torque is involved, but I'd bet it is substantial. I don't think that I could safely try to patch the holes with Marine-Tex or something like that and re-drill. I don't know. It has been under tarp for a while while I tend to my other boats, sail, fix up house, garden, and cook my daily fix of Thai food. 

I do have one of those box store rivet guns and packs of rivets. But that rivet tool was not even strong enough to put in monel rivets on a Lido (Classic 14) mast, so I ended up using aluminum.

I have "more than two" sailboats. I couldn't sail for a very long while, and when I was able to do so, I went a bit wild and "over bought." But I _need_ them and use them for different sailing situations -- solo, solo rigging, with husband, low wind pond, salt water bay with chop, wet boat for hot summer, dry butt boats for cold weather, .... No keel boats, mostly sailing dinghies and some board boats. If it sails well, I want to be on it. 

I have come across other Mistral 16 threads on various forums, and because I have "more than two" boats, I belong to a number of sailboat venues. But some of my boats are odd balls or I have questions that most members of sailboat forums don't seem able to address. Also, some of those forums focus on racing. A lot of my questions concern fixing up on a shoestring budget. I was reluctant to actually sign up and post to Sailnet after seeing so many big, gorgeous, nicely decked out sailboats. But seeing some small boat sailors here is inspiring. Heck, if I still lived in Maine on the salt water (I miss it so much), I'd have a keel boat (or two). As you note, there is a real breadth of experience here on Sailnet.

Note to anyone with a Mistral 16 or thinking of buying one. Be sure you have that lid to the aft floatation compartment. I have mine, but the gasket probably wouldn't keep water out. I've read they are sometimes missing or fly off. Just a heads up.


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## daniel12345

CherylSarlund said:


> Hi,
> I just bought a 1982 Mistral 16' sailboat but don't have the owner's manual and don't know how to rig it - does anyone have any tips, thoughts or an owner's manual???
> Thanks!
> Cheryl


Hi Cheryl,
We have a Mistral 16 and we have some some documentation
obtained here from several kind Sailnet contributors, thanks to them)
Let me kow you e-mail address because I tried to upload through Sail net, does'nt work.
Daniel


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## Railsailor

These boats were originally sold with an end sheeting arrangement. It was a bit of a pain if you had a small kicker installed the main sheet would get caught on it when tacking or jibing. I converted mine to a double block center sheeting arrangement and haven't looked back since.. 

Regards

Peter


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## Railsailor

Anybody been sailing their Mistral 16s lately?


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## Boz

Of course we sail Mistrals. I, for one, am trying to get at least one outing per week, depending on the weather. 

Cheers!


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## Railsailor

Hi Boz

I was only wondering as I have not seen any posts for a while. I am planning to do some camping/sailing on Lake Champlain labor day weekend and maybe into Monday and Tuesday. Lots of shore/ island camping opportunities. I will post pics of the trip. Its the perfect dinghy for the job.


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## gilod

Hi,

Did you try to take a picture of the pdf spec. for mistral 16?

gilod


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## Railsailor

Yes I have the pdf specs. I'm not entirely sure where give me a couple of days to find them and respond to you.


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## Loui

any chance you could email these out??


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## Arcb

Loui said:


> any chance you could email these out??


Not sure what specs you are looking for, but the Mistral 16 is more or less a Wayfarer clone. The overnighter version is more or less a Wayfarer hull with a cabin on it.

There is lots of info online about Wayfarers, much of it should be close to Mistral 16 specs.


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## Loui

thanks!


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## Loui

looking for everything from rigging to specs to line!


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## jeff.scanlon71

Boz said:


> I also have specs as pdf but system wont let me upload them.
> AS for rigging, someone mentioned website with Wayfarer rigging which is pretty much identical. If you need more, there are some photos that previous owner of my boat sent me about how he used to rig it - still, nothing different from Wayfarer.
> 
> Cheers,
> Bo


Bob, I bought a mistral 16 without the cabin. any chance you still have that pdf? looking for info on how to rig the spinnaker. 

Thanks,


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