The Official "What Did You Do To Your Mac Today" Thread!
- Thread starter Sock Puppet
- Start date
Willsnow,
I've done a lot of major fiberglass work over the years (not just boats) so I sure appreciate what a nasty job it can be. it looks to me like a mighty fine job you're doing there.
It will all be worth it when it's done.
RussC
I've done a lot of major fiberglass work over the years (not just boats) so I sure appreciate what a nasty job it can be. it looks to me like a mighty fine job you're doing there.
It will all be worth it when it's done.RussC
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Good Job, WillSnow!
I worked on Mistress today, but not nearly as extensive.
I mounted the new teak handrails after buffing and waxing her.
I've also started tearing out the old electrical system, and I'm glad that I didn't wait. Trailer wiring, solid core wire, electric lamp wire, wire leading nowhere....... I can live with the trailer wiring even though it doesn't last long.
It should be easy enough to streamline the entire thing.
I worked on Mistress today, but not nearly as extensive.
I mounted the new teak handrails after buffing and waxing her.
I've also started tearing out the old electrical system, and I'm glad that I didn't wait. Trailer wiring, solid core wire, electric lamp wire, wire leading nowhere....... I can live with the trailer wiring even though it doesn't last long.
It should be easy enough to streamline the entire thing.
Beautiful handrails. Nice job.Good Job, WillSnow!
I worked on Mistress today, but not nearly as extensive.
I mounted the new teak handrails after buffing and waxing her.
I've also started tearing out the old electrical system, and I'm glad that I didn't wait. Trailer wiring, solid core wire, electric lamp wire, wire leading nowhere....... I can live with the trailer wiring even though it doesn't last long.
It should be easy enough to streamline the entire thing.
I think rewiring the boat is one of the first upgrades that every Mac owner does. Every one that I know of has been a rats nest of spliced together lamp wire. That's one of the corners that they cut to keep the boats affordable.
I do like the look of those handrails there! I've always seen those at the marine store and thought "I wish I had a good use for those"... but I like how youv'e used em! ... May borrow that idea
Ahhh.... That's why there are no corners left on my boat!
... I kid... While I did appreciate how cheap my boat was to "buy," I have "invested" probably about 5 times what I paid for it (not including the new outboard.... Or time spent....)
I don't know if any of the wiring is original. I can't really tell. It's just a mess. One of the previous owners had a love affair with terminal blocks. I've removed 7 so far, all have been corroded beyond re-use.
I'll have a long way to go before I get to that point. Mistress had mostly aesthetic issues that took a little elbow grease and some ideas to improve upon. I did get her dirt cheap though!
What did you UN do to your Mac.. about in the first year of ownership, I put a loop of line inside the cabin area and back to the rudder that allowed me to steer and actually sail while standing in cabin. Six blocks, 2:1 leverage. etc. This actually came in handy one time when I had to motor in a hail storm after a close call with a tornado. The line inside the cabin would bump into the top of your head when sitting in the cabin and I finally removed all of this. If I ever get the bug for something like this again, Ill get a tiller pilot with a remote - but I cant even see a need for that now (uh oh.. is that another political/religious type discussion LOL). Anyhow.. all stripped out.. nice to have it gone. Lots of stuff got removed this year, if I had not used something for a while, its gone now.
This picture is from yesterday. Plastic meets Sonoran Desert Rock. Rock wins over plastic.
This picture is from yesterday. Plastic meets Sonoran Desert Rock. Rock wins over plastic.
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I copied Russ's idea to use stadium seats held in place by a lenght wise peice of shock cord that allows the seats to slide back and forth but keeps them in place including the seat back upright. Well.. I think that was just an awesome idea.. Thanks Russ!!!
I ordered the Coleman seats and the seat back sticks up past the boat coamings and doesnt add any support higher than the coaming so I cut the seats backs down a little. I just cut the very top of the seat back off, removed the fiberglass battens, shortened them, removed the foam backing and cut it down, then folded the top a couple times and stitched (using a speedy sticher) around each batten and a spot in the middle. Overall easy.. For how we use the boat, I think these seats are going to work out very well. I weighed the whole set - about 5 pounds plus they will aborb almost no water if rained on. The bungees are on hooks so the two seat sets are very easy to remove and easily store in the Laz. The first picture below shows the original seat on the left and the modified seat (cut the top of the seat off just above the coaming height).
I ordered the Coleman seats and the seat back sticks up past the boat coamings and doesnt add any support higher than the coaming so I cut the seats backs down a little. I just cut the very top of the seat back off, removed the fiberglass battens, shortened them, removed the foam backing and cut it down, then folded the top a couple times and stitched (using a speedy sticher) around each batten and a spot in the middle. Overall easy.. For how we use the boat, I think these seats are going to work out very well. I weighed the whole set - about 5 pounds plus they will aborb almost no water if rained on. The bungees are on hooks so the two seat sets are very easy to remove and easily store in the Laz. The first picture below shows the original seat on the left and the modified seat (cut the top of the seat off just above the coaming height).
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Early in the ownership of this boat I made a fiberglass tray (polyester resin) that the tank sits in. I used the actual tank as the "mold" so the tank sits very snug in the tray and its never moved in all the years sailing. I think I originally had a strap as part of the tray.. but its gone now and I haven't had any reason to replace it. That is a three gallon tank and I also keep a spare 2 gallon "sealed type" tank stashed in the Laz. That amount of gas will last me about 2 months marina sailing the boat. The tanks are easy to remove from the boat for when the boat is stored - makes it easy to empty the tanks, burn the left over gas in the truck.
looks good Walt. one thing I did different was to melt an access hole and put the shock cord through the seat back, between the cover and the padding. We spent Wed and Thurs sailing/camping, so mine got a good workout and they worked great. it was in the 80s, and during breaks I couldn't feel the shock cord even with my shirt off. You can even open the laz without messing with the seats. they just fold up with the lid.
great idea you gave me there.
great idea you gave me there.
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This weekend I got my last layers of glass laid up, and the whole area faired. The fairing compound cured overnight and should be ready to sand today. Then just prime and paint and install new deck hardware. There's a light at the end of my tunnel!
Good job Willsnow. We're almost as anxious to see the finished product as you are.
Although it would be awesome to have a shiny brand new yacht. I love boat projects. They almost make being land-locked the past 25 years bearable. Come to think of it, I've enjoyed working on boat projects since my mid teens.
Although it would be awesome to have a shiny brand new yacht. I love boat projects. They almost make being land-locked the past 25 years bearable. Come to think of it, I've enjoyed working on boat projects since my mid teens.
I fully expected to see an actual light of sorts, shining from below or above the tunnel.
Nice work, willsnow!
Just a quick post-n-run today. I found a roll of green indoor/outdoor carpetting at Lowe's yesterday ($20). Now the cockpit and galley area don't look so dirty:
I've also been upgrading the interior with oak woodwork. The under-the-sink-cubby hatch below.
And the area over the galley. IMO, the oak panel adds a bit of warmth to an area that seems very sterile, plus, that whole fibreglass panel was full of holes from switches, screws, and a battery guage. It's easier to chop it all out instead of filling/repairing the holes.
Now a quick question for the guys that modified the sink area: Did you cut out the sink, the entire fibreglass panel. or leave it in place when topping with a wooden counter top?
James
I've also been upgrading the interior with oak woodwork. The under-the-sink-cubby hatch below.
And the area over the galley. IMO, the oak panel adds a bit of warmth to an area that seems very sterile, plus, that whole fibreglass panel was full of holes from switches, screws, and a battery guage. It's easier to chop it all out instead of filling/repairing the holes.
Now a quick question for the guys that modified the sink area: Did you cut out the sink, the entire fibreglass panel. or leave it in place when topping with a wooden counter top?
James
Looking good! I wanted to point out that you can also go to the "boat info" button above, look under the model and owner modifications and find some pictures. The below link is one for example in the 26S section. Might also check 26C and 26D (I didnt look to see what it there) http://macgregor.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=157&aid=7841&mn=26S
This is what I did, at first. Be happy you don't have a daggerboard trunk to work around. And to answer you question, I cut the whole thing out. Left a 2 inch border around the edge to screw the new counter top in from below
New Galley album here. and further mods to it in my electrical album as well
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?media/albums/new-galley.3722/
New Galley album here. and further mods to it in my electrical album as well
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?media/albums/new-galley.3722/