New Owners!

Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
Well, that is what happens when you try going over information early in the morning before coffee. I should have and do know better. I've swung the keel down each time we've sailed and my son checked the keel line for fraying before we bought the boat. Boy do I feel sheepish.

I do appreciate your, and everyone's patience and I will get that book so I can get better educated. I know it is an ongoing process and I learn more and more each day.

New rule, no responding to posts until sufficient quantities of coffee are consumed:redface:
except for those that grew up on a sailboat, the rest of us have all been there, whether they will admit it or not:D...
 
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello Ronn

solo sailing is the best way to go, expessialy if you have a lot of non sailors sailing with you... also different color ropes for each onboard will help too.... I always use a different color for every rope I have onboard... everything is color coded for area... blue = main, green = mizzen, red = jib/genoa, yellow = spinnaker, black = furler control, golden = dock lines, solid white = anchor rode.... but this is just how I like it.... and it makes it easier to tell someone who is on board who is not a sailor what they need to do....

as for the gin pole.... I used a 1" steel pipe, and fitted it with a U bracket welded to the bottom to fit the mast, then I attached eye bolts through about 1 ft up the gin pole from the bottom.... to this I attached a reatchet tie down... the strap on the ratchet tie down goes from one eye, down and around the mast, then back up to the other eye.... this allows you to fasten the gin pole to the mast without a perminant holder.... also I glued some sponge into the U bracket so it would not scratch the mast up.... then I would fasten the gin pole about 6 inches above the foot of the mast foot.... this allows for the gin pole to not bump into the deck or anything on the deck in front of the mast foot on the deck....

sincerely
Jess
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek



Congratulations and welcome!
Our first boat was a Mac 25, that's a really good choice.

This is a good place to get sailing and boat maintenance wisdom.

Wife is ex-navy? Some of us refer to our wives as "The Admiral" so this thing might be a natural for you!
I like the idea of referring to her as the Admiral, but of course since she an I were both enlisted I would think Master Chief would fit better, but if the trend is Admiral, then Admiral she is. After all, Happy Wife, Happy Life.
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Greengas, Nice Pics, looks to be in great condition. I see you have the original upholstery. I wish I could get more yardage for replacing 40 year old stuff. No luck. I also see someone installed mid boom main sheet traveler, so I don't have to get on my soapbox. Were you able to apply Watco to teak. Where is Cherry Creek? Keep us posted.
 
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello Greengas

like your pictures.... looks like you got yourself a really good boat there.... I like your little helper and 1st mate... I need to find me one of those too.... but the admiral doesn't want anymore... our youngest one is 18 now and getting ready for college....

how is it going on the solo sailing set up ?... hope my diagrams helped you with that.... I set up solo sailing on my Mac25 when I had it, also on my Kittiwake 23 and Morgan 35 both boats I have now, but my Dufour 45 is too big to set up solo sailing on...

sincerely
Jess
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
So how did the sail go yesterday?
Sorry for the delay in responding. The sail went great. We had the boat rigged and ready to put in the water within about a half hour of getting there, a record for us so far. While my son was handling the sailing I looked deeper into the wiring. While it is a mess, I think I am going to leave it alone for right now because just about everything works. The knot meter does not work and the depth meter seems to work but it is very hard to read due to glare. My next step is to rebuild the galley table and use something better to fasten it down with then what is there now. If I lean on the edge of the table it pops out of the supports and well, lets just say a mess ensues.

My son said the sails don't have much life left in them. Not sure how one knows that but he said that they will do well for now, but to add new sails to our wish list. He also said that we should get a 130% jib sail. He explained what that was to me so I can picture it, just not sure how it would be more helpful than what we have but...

To me, the next step is to rig for solo sailing. Thanks to everyone for all their suggestions on how to get that done. We are going over the plans now to try and find what will be the best/easiest/safest/ way to go.

On the topic of solo sailing, it seems that it takes two people to pull the boat back onto the trailer with one handling the winch and the other guiding to make sure the boat goes on straight. I'm sure there is a solo way to do this I just can't figure it out.

Thanks again to everyone for their support/suggestions/recommendations/humor. I really appreciate it.
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
hello Greengas

like your pictures.... looks like you got yourself a really good boat there.... I like your little helper and 1st mate... I need to find me one of those too.... but the admiral doesn't want anymore... our youngest one is 18 now and getting ready for college....

how is it going on the solo sailing set up ?... hope my diagrams helped you with that.... I set up solo sailing on my Mac25 when I had it, also on my Kittiwake 23 and Morgan 35 both boats I have now, but my Dufour 45 is too big to set up solo sailing on...

sincerely
Jess
Your diagrams are a real help. Is there any chance you have a video showing the set up and then showing the raising and lowering of the mast?
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
Greengas, Nice Pics, looks to be in great condition. I see you have the original upholstery. I wish I could get more yardage for replacing 40 year old stuff. No luck. I also see someone installed mid boom main sheet traveler, so I don't have to get on my soapbox. Were you able to apply Watco to teak. Where is Cherry Creek? Keep us posted.
I have not started attacking the teak yet but that will be getting done soon. Is Watco the best way to go or Teak Oil? And should I clean the teak first?

Cherry Creek is a state park located just outside Denver in Colorado. The lake is not that large but it is a good place to learn how to handle the boat.