The Official "What Did You Do To Your Mac Today" Thread!

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
The recent snow and ice (and now flooding) has given me cabin fever I guess, so I'm desperate for projects. This converted shopping cart came with the new outboard. handy for making it mobile, but today I made modifications on it to also hold the fuel tank and a tool/spare parts box. I do quite a bit of spray painting etc in the other side of my shop, and have had overspray drift to this side before, so wile I was at it I sewed up an engine cover out of an old fleece lined car cover.
What's next? ;)

P1040661.jpg
 
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walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Whats next? Do you have a place in your boat for your wife's earrings on overnight stays? I just made a place the other day after her losing them and me stepping on them. You know your hard up for sailboat projects if its coming down to earring holders LOL..
 
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Sep 4, 2016
12
Macgregor 26s Rankin
Wanted to catch ya'll up on some of my projects on my new to me boat. Changed out the keel pivot bolt. Took two weeks for my forearms to heal from reaching in the &^&^* holes.
OMG



The mast got all new wire(marine grade) with a new anchor light(ignore the zip ties waiting on new fasteners) and combo steaming and deck light. Both came from Marine beam. I am really impressed with the brightness and efficiency of them. All run through a new through deck 4 wire plug.



New steaming light.


New plug


This is whats next on the project list. It looks like the 2 previous owners just kept adding to this ball and nobody took anything out. Funny thing is besides the 3 interior lights, a radio and navigation lights there isn't anything else that needs power. So it should be a hoot finding what these do.

 

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Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
This is whats next on the project list. It looks like the 2 previous owners just kept adding to this ball and nobody took anything out. Funny thing is besides the 3 interior lights, a radio and navigation lights there isn't anything else that needs power. So it should be a hoot finding what these do.
You got over easy on your electrical system! I had everything from speaker wire to lamp wire to bundles of 12 and 14ga wire heading nowhere. I ended up finding 7 good leads and ripped the rest out. Now, every wire does something, and the majority of the lights have been changed to LED.

Nice steaming light. Where did you get it?
 
Sep 4, 2016
12
Macgregor 26s Rankin
Marinebeam.com is where i found it. They say they buy the fixture, which I think is aqua signal, then add their led lamps to it for a pretty good price. It replaced an identical one that was there that was worn out but had incandescent bulbs.

That's the plan for me all led inside and out. The last 2 that are not are the original stern and bow lights and hoping to be able to just drop in led's into them.
 
Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
Marinebeam.com is where i found it. They say they buy the fixture, which I think is aqua signal, then add their led lamps to it for a pretty good price. It replaced an identical one that was there that was worn out but had incandescent bulbs.

That's the plan for me all led inside and out. The last 2 that are not are the original stern and bow lights and hoping to be able to just drop in led's into them.
You won't regret going to all LED. I got my interior lighting LED's at AutoZone and Academy Sports. They're a lot less expensive for the same items.
 
Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
I've been kind of lax when it comes to working on Mistress lately.
I finally finished the oak plywood covering over the LED strip lighting. It directs the light upwards and downwards (white light up/blue light down) so there is no direct glare but the light still reflects nicely off of the gelcoat.


I also found some fender clamps at Academy Sports. Did I need them?
No, .........but for $20 for the 4, couldn't resist. Yep...marked down to $10 for a package of 2, and there were only 2 packs left. They are hefty pieces of stainless!



-James
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Hmm.. I need to do something with my fenders.. that holder looks interesting..

I am messing with my ST2000 tiller pilot and have found that if Im going out single had sailing - and really out to sail the boat (including some drag racing that always happens), I dont use the TP as it just adds one more hassle to control. Ive already been doing this for years but I can easily set up the sails, reef, run both main and jib single handed. When I first set the sails up, I lock the tiller in a fixed position with the outboard running and go forward and raise the main. The jib is on a furler, so easy to setup. I can easily get to all the sail controls (both sails - traveler, vang, sheets, outhaul, backstay) from a spot forward in the cockpit. For reefing the main.. just put the boat in Hove to. I have even set up the main in hove to by first deploying the jib, then put the boat in hove to. I think its good to know how to single hand the boat without needing the TP also..

However.. I sure do like having that TP!!! And of course it can be used to make single handing easier (unless its windy.. then I think it just creates more hassle). Ive done some long motoring runs down the local lake (like 15 miles) and the TP just makes this a relaxed pleasure. Intead of constant steering feedback, just hit that +/- 10 degree button every so often. Sometimes its also nice to relax with the TP sailing the boat. I have come to really like that instrument!!!!

This winter I started to have some problems with the TP where it would lose track and an alarm would sound. I think this was caused by a poor wiring job I did accommodating my batteries that are as far forward in the Vberth as possible and the TP which sits on the boat stern - ie, the TP and the batteries are far apart. I think I still need to re-calibrate. First picture below shows my before and after wiring for the ST2000. Note that the manual says that a max of 13 foot of 14 gauge wire can be used between the TP and the batteries. I was violating this on the way I had it wired. Fortunately I have a run of 4 gauge wire between the batteries and the electric start outboard that I took advantage of and very significantly reduced the impedance of the TP 12 volt supply run. Tested the new wiring out a couple days ago - pictures below.

st2000_wiring1.jpg

Picture below - I use the tiller extension with a little ball socket to hold the tiller for short periods while performing other task (like initially setting up the main sail).
tp_2.JPG

Picture below.. Dog looks pretty relaxed with the TP sailing the boat.
tp_3.JPG


Some friends (R Wilcox) took these picture of my boat the same day just before I dropped the sails


 
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Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
Hmm.. I need to do something with my fenders.. that holder looks interesting..


Picture below - I use the tiller extension with a little ball socket to hold the tiller for short periods while performing other task (like initially setting up the main sail).


Some friends (R Wilcox) took these picture of my boat the same day just before I dropped the sails



I'm hoping that they'll make it more convenient to handle the fenders while at dock. I've been brainstorming a way to store the fenders on the stanchions..perhaps a stiff wire rack. They can be flipped over the lifelines when docking....The fenders can be annoying when stored down below.

I've never considered an Otto-pilot, Being an old cat sailor, I like having my hand on the tiller at all times; plus, the nearby lake isn't that large and neither is Corpus Christi Bay.

Looking in your cockpit, that's a large drain! I put a screen from a bar sink in mine to keep things form getting lost down there.

Great pics! Especially the one with the lighthouse!
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
I keep two fenders on the boat both on the same side for when the boat is in the slip. You can see how I deal with the one in back.. sort of works as that spot doesnt really get used for anything except holding the gas tank. Its the forward fender that I need a better solution for. If I just "flip" it into the cockpit, its a little too much in the way of the jib sheet. If one other person in the boat, its even more in the way. What I think I want to try is some sort of quick release where I can pop the fender off and put it in the Lazerette.

Drain.. I put that on there a long time ago after watching a lid off some sort of drink bottle (like Gatorade) go down the drain. It "passed" that time but you can imagine that drain getting plugged. Fortunately on this boat I have never really needed that drain except for rain.
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
...What I think I want to try is some sort of quick release where I can pop the fender off and put it in the Lazerette.....

Our Mac came with ones like above. They show them on a horizontal rail but they seem to work fine on a vertical stanchion, but I've never had them like that for more than 3-4 days and then only twice. The line adjusts to the length you want when you open them. They go on/off quick and I store the fenders in the laz.

They might sell them on here, if not I found the picture above here ....

https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/pro...5n47YRS7lxTznBeHosnOmU46zmALUfysCSRoCK6vw_wcB

Sumner
===================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Sumner, thanks! Too bad I couldnt find a bumper that looked like a mermaid or a cool looking fish or maybe a hand with some sort of gesture so I could just leave it out over on the side all the time.. LOL..
 
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Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
Its the forward fender that I need a better solution for. If I just "flip" it into the cockpit, its a little too much in the way of the jib sheet. If one other person in the boat, its even more in the way. What I think I want to try is some sort of quick release where I can pop the fender off and put it in the Lazerette.
Here is what I am thinking of: http://www.deckside.com.au/catalog/...holder-stainless-small-fender-h380mm-x-170mm/

Attached to the stanchion to hold the fenders and keep the out of the way.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Picture from about an hour ago (with fender smack in the way of the jib sheet)

balloon1.JPG
 
Feb 13, 2016
551
macgreggor venture 224 ohio river
Thats really cool, do they always tow it around, is it a true hot air balloon or just for show.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
There is a big balloon festival that goes on here (Lake Havasu) every year - today was the last day. The balloons launch from multiple areas and most are close to the marina. Stayed in the boat last night and went out early just motoring around to check it out (of course staying out of the way of the balloons!!!). There will be a bunch of usually pontoon boats out on the water that are waiting to assist the balloon when they are done floating. The balloon guy will drop a flag and a line indicating that they want an assist and some boat will grab the line and basically pull the balloon to shore where a crew is waiting. Whatever they do seems to work fairly well. That is a real balloon in the picture above that had been floating around but was at the end of their "flight" and had hooked up to a boat for an assist back to shore. I imagine it must be really cool to be in the balloon but what a huge effort and hassle for that one or two hours in the air.. Another picture from this morning leaving the marina.
balloon2.JPG
 
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RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
I've actually been working on this modified @centerline engine lift for a wile now, but just finished it up today, now that the snow and ice is melting away. "finished", that is, unless I decide to replace the horn cleat with a clam cleat in the future. I had originally intended to use a clam cleat with eyelet, but forgot to order it when I was ordering the blocks. the fabricated aluminum upper mount was sandwiched between an existing horn cleat and the transom, so no new holes needed to be drilled in the fiberglass, which I also like. This will make it much easier to lift and lower the engine, as it doesn't require leaning out through the rear rail to release that dang latch. also a nice additional benefit is that the engine can not only be raised higher, but also drops a couple inches lower when in use. my long shaft (20") Johnson will appreciate that. I replaced the multi-position latch lever with a fabricated aluminum strap that just has a slot. this gives a good positive up-stop and down-stop, without binding the lift.
P1040680.jpg P1040677.jpg P1040671.jpg
 
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