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

[walt]

today. In the first picture I was trying out a PVC single rung bow ladder, worked "good enough" for how simple it is. 2nd picture is a 26D out sailing.

edit - this is the bow foot step. I will mostly use this for pulling into a sandy beach bow first to let the dog take a potty break. Just one step makes getting on and off the bow a lot easier. This is 1.5 od, and wont rotate under your foot and seems plenty strong. Inside width is just slightly wider than my shoe. I will have two quick clips to attach it to the bow pulpit when I need it. Light weight, should be easy to store.

 

[okawbow]

Trying to get the 1968 Venture 17 ready to sail. Made a new main hatch from cedar and mahogany plywood. Glued and screwed together; it seems plenty strong. I'll fill the screw holes, and varnish with several coats. Also cleaned out several years worth of dirt and mouse skeletons.
Ordered a new genoa from fareast sails today. I'll try and repair the main and jib for now. The mice found them and chewed a few holes.
photo by okawbow, on Flickr

 

[walt]

Wonderful sail today. I really like those new fairleads for the jib sheets single handed, makes it way easier to control the jib from either side of the cockpit. Long downwind with the centerboard almost all the way up, hit about 6.7 knots measured by watching the GPS.

 

[willsnow]

I spent a good 6 hours on my deck-core replacement project.
That stupid fiberglass trim piece between the trunk and the deck had nothing but resin under it. Must've been a Friday at the factory...

This rotted core was under one of the screw-on snaps for the pop top cover

I will re-glass that trunk to the deck and make it all much more structurally sound

Started by grinding out stress cracks and it really got out of hand, but it's all for the best....

 

[RussC]

The stars finally aligned, and Jennifer and I were able to get our new Mac 25 in the water for the first check out cruise since purchase mid Nov 15'. it was a beautiful high 60* day

The winds were ultra light, but that was most likely a good thing for us, as the keel winch wouldn't lower the keel all the way down. I ran it up and down many times, thinking whatever was sticking would come loose and allow it to drop, but no such luck. I could only get about 4 1/2 turns down on the winch before it stopped. the cable right below the winch was still tight, so it must be something jamming in the winch itself, but will have to check it out in the next day or to.

Other than the winch, it was a totally awesome day. everything else checked out to the Admirals complete satisfaction. we had a nice lunch out in the middle of the lake, soaked up lots of vitamin D, motored around exploring several potential camping coves, and came home exhausted and smiling. what more could one ask for on a February day.

 

[timebandit]

Bolt rope shrinkage?

 

[walt]

I like the odd places you can sneak into with trailerable boats.. some pictures from a couple days ago. In the second picture, pooch finds some really nasty stinky stuff to roll in during a potty break.

 

[RussC]

Bolt rope shrinkage?

A little I guess. but mostly just a weak Admiral from two years of cancer recovery. she's really into participating more in the sailing this year, and I encourage that, but I didn't notice until late in the day that the main halyard had a 360* twist in it above the sail, which didn't allow much tension. light/no wind days are good practice days however .

Walt. our turn is coming soon, here in the great white north, but we're still a bit jealous. glad to see you enjoying it every day however.

Russ

 

[walt]

After a really super fun four months in a slip, the 26S is coming home this weekend. Then you can torture me with sailing pictures.. LOL. This time of year I migrate to smaller boats (the Hobie TI and during the summer the C15). I very much enjoy using all of these, being on the water.

Looks like your water levels are looking a lot more healthy..

 

[RussC]

After a really super fun four months in a slip, the 26S is coming home this weekend. Then you can torture me with sailing pictures.. LOL. This time of year I migrate to smaller boats (the Hobie TI and during the summer the C15). I very much enjoy using all of these, being on the water.

Looks like your water levels are looking a lot more healthy..

Some of our lakes are still low, but Lost Creek, where we were, is almost too full for this time of year. the Corp of engineers keeps the levels low enough to deal with snow melt in the spring. it's a balancing act between being low enough to deal with potential floods but high enough so they're full when the rains stop. Mt Ashland (above the siskiyou pass) has about 120" of snow now at 7K'. it's been a very wet winter.

BTW: You might be able to help us with a dilemma. We still own our last boat, which is a Capri 14.2. very similar to your C15 I would think. everything on the boat is new, and I had ordered custom sails for it just before we happened on the Mac. they are due to arrive in March. So my question for you would be: why do YOU sail the C15 in the summer months? we (I) have really enjoyed the sporty nature of the smaller boat and being more intimate with the sailing experience. plus we're thinking it might be nicer to use on the smaller lakes for a quick summer splash. too cold this time of year to be that "intimate" however .
So Is our thinking correct, and we should keep the 14.2? I'm curious to hear your reasons for doing so.
Do you come up I-5 on the way home?

 

[walt]

In the last few years, I have sailed a lot.. two years probably getting in over 50 times per season, one year over 30 times (maybe not a lot for some people.. I thought it was a lot). Part of what keeps the sailing fresh and fun is simply sailing different boats. The Mac 26S is our pocket cruiser winter marina sailed Lake Havasu boat. It been fun sailing here with other pocket cruisers and we have camped on the boat a bunch of times during the winter usually with at least a few pocket cruisers. I enjoy single handing the 26S and sailed that way most of the time this winter but like this last camping trip two days ago my wife and two dogs went - which was fun. Its also good for a big lake where you can either sail or motor miles and miles away from where you started. No problem as you have some way to get back or you can just anchor out and camp. If things work out, I will take it to Catalina Island this summer, Nice because its enjoyable to sail there plus its "mostly" comfortable for two to camp on. The water ballast complicates moving this boat around but it can be done - but you probably dont want to do it very often (at least I dont). I have four big interesting lakes close by (Havasu, Mohave, Mead, Powell) that I can easily move this boat around on.

I also have a Hobie TI here in Lake Havasu and will start sailing it very soon. Spring can be windy here and I like that boat for its huge wind range plus its good for taking water hikes. Its always day sailed and since it only take about 10 minutes to setup, easy to launch I always trailer sail it. The TI is going back to Colorado with me and will be my mountain sailing craft (Elevenmile, Grandy, Dillon) for two reasons.. the huge wind range (these lakes are GUSTY) plus the Zebra inspection is super simple - easy to move it around between lakes. Its good either single or double, my wife likes to go on this since she also gets a workout pedaling.

But for the pure joy of efficient sailing, I like the C15 the best and I also pretty much only single hand it. I think your 14.2 is similar. Ive modified it somewhat to tame it down for an old guy single handing but its the most fun thing I have to sail. It also is way easier to set up and launch that the 26S (also about 10 minutes). I mostly used it after work on a mile diameter lake in Denver - no place to go anyhow on this lake. This boat is also super easy for the invasive species inspection - easy to move around. The down side of this boat (and your 14.2) is that they can capsize. I have a float at the top of my mast after capsizing the first time and when I was sailing it a lot, I capsized about once or twice per season.

I also use the two small boats here in Havasu visiting in the summer. The main reason is that if you trailer, you better be fast in the parking lot. Ive sailed here every month of the summer and its good sailing even very nice out on the water but if you get back to the parking lot mid afternoon and its 124F.. its NOT going to be fun.

edit.. plus you can carry wood for a campfire with the pocket cruiser (two days ago)

 

[RussC]

Well I found the winch problem on the Mac. some numb-skull (that would be me) bolted a brace between the winch and the plywood below the entryway. the logic was to help stabilize the winch under load, which it does admirably. unfortunately the bolt/nut that goes through the winch housing was hitting the cable lock bolt on the side of the spool, preventing it from rotating past that point. the solution was simply to reverse the bolt so the nut is on the other side. works fine now.

Walt. it sounds like we're on the same page with boat selection. kinda like having the option of a sports car, a touring car, and a motor home. you just can't have everything in one package.

The only time I had the 14.2 turtled was when I intentionally put it over to practice righting it. after that I built a mast float that prevents sticking the mast in the mud. I admit I'm anxious to try it out next summer with the brand new sails and some serious wind .

 

[My Mistress]

MAST RAISING DAY!

I dunno about y'all, but this was a significant milestone for myself and "Mistress". I was really unsure about the mast raising gear and every time I got the mast near vertical, a good breeze started blowing causing the mast to sway. I finally got it up and secured.
The rigging inspection found only 2 bolts that needed to be replaced. Her interior is still a mess, but after the engine has been tested, She'll be ready for a lake trial!

 

[RussC]

mast raising system or back power? the first time up is always memorable, but it gets less stressful each time.

 

[Bfranchini]

Are you using baby stays? Without them it will sway and migh break off. I can raise my mast in very strong winds and it doesn't budge from center.

 

[justsomeguy]

every time I got the mast near vertical, a good breeze started blowing causing the mast to sway.

You should be able to let the mast go when it's near vertical. The windward shrouds should be taking over by then.

 

[My Mistress]

1. mast raising system or back power?
Mast raising system and a little bit of "wife power". "Back power" isn't an option anymore.

2, Are you using baby stays?
Yes. They were one of the first things I hooked up. I wasn't about to take a chance on anything catastrophic happening. I don't recall if the articled I read was in this forum or somewhere else, but a writer showed the results of not using them and the mast falling sideways.

3. You should be able to let the mast go when it's near vertical.
I found that out. It was still a bit unnerving at first. The last time I raised a mast was in '99 on my beach cat, and my feet were firmly on the ground. I seem to remember the 26ft mast on a Prindle 16 being quite a bit lighter also, or else I have aged more than expected

 

[Bfranchini]

if the baby stays attachment on the deck is slightly forward of the mast, as the mast approaches the upright position they tend to slack a little, inversely if they are attached slightly aft of the mast they will tighten up. Mine are about 2 inches forward of the mast base and about 6' up so as they slacken, the real shrouds take over. I also use ratchet straps attached to cleats about 6' up the mast because I find them more convenient and I can adjust the tension more easily. I don't like permanent baby stays because they clutter he deck for no reason and are another thing to trip on. Regardless of the set up you have to be reasonably quick especially the last few degrees.

 

[BudGates]

I finally got a chance to uncover Miss Behavin' and raise the mast so that I could rig my new masthead drifter that Santa brought me. She fills nicely with even the slightest breeze. Since the shrouds don't reach the top of the mast I attached the drifter to the halyard with two 120# tensile strength zip-ties to avoid over-stressing the mast. A quick calculation shows that the side load on the zip-tie will break before the side load on the mast reaches 50#.

 

[timebandit]

It always good to know how to "sweat" a line. It allows a person to generate a lot more power than they might otherwise.

A little I guess. but mostly just a weak Admiral from two years of cancer recovery. she's really into participating more in the sailing this year, and I encourage that. I didn't notice until late in the day that the main halyard had a 360* twist in it above the sail, which didn't allow much tension. light/no wind days are good practice days however .

Walt. our turn is coming soon, here in the great white north, but we're still a bit jealous. glad to see you enjoying it every day however.

Russ