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

walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Well.. if someone wants to do some sort of calculation, I will read it but its not something I need at this point. Just pick your own assumptions. If you do cut the rear rail up to improve boarding from the ladder, the new center post strength is something you need to consider. The pictures are from last night and I was standing on the ladder and had my full weight (200 pnds) pulling and bounce pulling on the center new post only and it moves just a hair but my estimation is that it has a lot of margin strength wise and I wont have any issues. I also have the new center post tied to my permanent mast crutch pole and that also adds a little strength but most of the strength comes from the new SS tube that extends down into the inside of the Laz.
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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
walt said:
.......but my estimation is that it has a lot of margin strength wise and I wont have any issues....
Click to expand
I'm sure you won't either. Nice work and like the fridge you will enjoy it. We started in our 60's and it was one of the first mods as Ruth at 5' 2" couldn't handle climbing over the rail and it was even awkward for me. We also have never had an issue with it being strong enough,

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

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Sumner, I am holding you responsible for all the fun I am having with that new fridge and Im now doing some of the things you did to accommodate that like the better access on the boarding ladder.

FYI, that fridge has been on all the time now for nearly four months. Even when I am boat camping with it, I just leave it in the mode where the power to the fridge is auto shut off at night. Typical day.. batteries fully charged at sunrise from the previous day. At sunrise, fridge kicks in and uses about 2.5 amp hours before getting back up to temp (about 40F). Solar then kicks in and by mid morning the battery voltage is at 14.4 and sits there for one to two hours. Rest of the day the battery voltage sits at 13.8V. During the day, I can hear the fridge running and the battery monitor will show zero current into the battery meaning the solar is completely running the fridge. 160 Watt has been way more than adequate for my winter slip use including being very easy on the batteries. We will see how it does this summer.

And.. its been nice to have a high power electrical setup where I never worry in the slightest how much power Im using. That big panel and fridge is not for every one but it was a good thing for me after 11 years of owning that boat to get enthused about it again.

So.. thanks for the inspiration on the fridge!!!
 
LeeandRick

LeeandRick

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Apr 26, 2015
663
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
If the post breaks, the consequences will probably be less than 4 people rolling a picnic table, unless you have "all" of the chips and salsa in your hand. Then it would be a tragedy. :wahwah: (I wished someone would have gotten a video of that Steamboat Cove, "event of the year". A million hits on youtube for sure.) :) Put some beer I like in that fridge and I will wonder down. :waycool:
 
My Mistress

My Mistress

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Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
Nice job, Walt. I'm impressed by those cuts in the curved fibreglass. I would have been all over the place.
 
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
The holes were mostly done with a round file and periodically checking for fit with the pipe and also making sure the pipe lined up with the inside Laz wall. I also think trying to drill those holes would have been difficult
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
walt said:
....I can hear the fridge running and the battery monitor will show zero current into the battery meaning the solar is completely running the fridge. 160 Watt has been way more than adequate for my winter slip use including being very easy on the batteries. We will see how it does this summer....
Click to expand
I'll bet it will be fine. If I had it to do all over again I build my own fridge for the Mac like you did and like what I did for the Endeavour. Cost somewhat more but you can insulate much better than a portable, like what I bought for the Mac, so it will require less solar for the same size compared to a portable. One spends a little more on the unit but less on solar to run it.

The larger compressors also cycle for much shorter time periods vs. the portables. The one on the Endeavour...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-inside-mods/inside-index.html

... usually runs for 4-6 minutes and then turns off for an other hour or so, not so the portable,

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
 
ghochgraf

ghochgraf

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May 18, 2017
52
MacGregor 26S Piscataqua
I've been absent from this forum, but I see there are questions.
azsailing said:
Wow way cool! Gives some great ideas. Can you tell me what you used to replace the liner where you cut it out? Did you just cover with wood or find some other substitute?
Click to expand
Mostly with a cordless sawzall plus various other implements, I cut out the two settees, exposing the inside of the hull and top of the tank. Then I ground and sanded back the raw edge of existing hull liner. I didn't want to use wood or anything that would rot, so I set rigid foam sheets in where I wanted a new surface to be, and used squirt foam (Great Stuff) as both adhesive and to build up the surface in some areas. Then I carved and sanded it down to the shape I wanted. In the photo I've got various objects weighing down the foam while glue sets.
Next came many layers of fiberglass with epoxy (West Systems) over the foam and onto the tapered edge of the hull liner. This was then skim-coated with auto body filler (Bondo), sanded smooth and painted.
One mistake I made was to glass right over the inside of the hull. When it is very humid (coast of Maine fog) condensation forms here. I should've laid foam as thermal insulation between the outer hull and the new surface I made.
 

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walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
posting too many pictures again.. but it was a fine day today. Rolled up Bimini is held in place with a strap to on the backstay. Third picture.. dog potty break stop.

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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
RussC said:
Oh man...... that hurts just to watch :(
Click to expand
Yep, I use to shovel the snow off and one year tried to build a shelter over it, but now if I don't need to be in the boat I just let the sun take care of the problem. Might take a few weeks or a month or so but eventually he gets around to it,

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

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Its really good to see pictures like that (from my computer screen when Im in Arizona). Back when I had to deal with that, my boat would get the snow shoveled off FIRST before side walks or anything else.

Observation on the large solar panel.. I have excess capability for my current use which would seem like a waste but one thing about that is that it also means that you are going easier on the batteries. Even with the electric fridge, my batteries are now always charged. Yesterday we motored about 6 miles to a cove, spent the night and then motored 6 miles back and I have a new small hassle. Because the batteries are always at capacity, I have to disconnect the outboard from the battery if I motor this long to make sure I dont get over charging. You never want to disconnect the outboard electrical from the battery while the outboard is running (burns out the rectifier) so I have to disconnect before I start the outboard.. and that mean manual start. Groan.. you sure get used to electric start..

When I opened up the back railing to make access to the ladder easier, a new problem showed up which is the back stay being right in the way of where you step up. My back stay has a quick connect at the bottom so I added a second place to clip the back stay where its over to the side. Clipped over to the side when the boat is on a mooring or beached. Clipped to the chain plate when Im using the adjustable back stay for sailing.

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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Beautiful picture!!

I've motored long distances having also the solar and not sure it has ever hurt my batteries. Don't have to add water often. I think the outboard is only about 6 amps output. An hour and a half would only be 9 amp/hr which is less than 5% of the batteries capacity. If worried take something that would put a 5-6 amp load on the batteries and/or alternator when you wanted to motor and the batteries were topped off.
Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
RussC

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,597
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Went for a little "trailer sail" today. I needed to check the line lengths needed for my new spinnaker, so I raised the mast and pulled it up. there couldn't have been 1 mph of wind across the beem today, yet it easily billowed the lightweight sail. very excited to test it out on water next time ;) .

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ghochgraf

ghochgraf

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May 18, 2017
52
MacGregor 26S Piscataqua
Those old windows we thought, this will not do.
So, out with the old and in with the new!
Cutting, chiseling, scraping out goo,
fitting and cutting for a better view.

The old plexiglass is sharp, beware!
Amarine window ports look to be fair.
They can be opened to let in some air.
If it leaks a little, tighten just a hair.

A boat can be recognized from the shape of it's ports,
That is a distinctive form, of course.
Eclipse is now all out of sorts;
Is that really a Mac? Will be the retorts.

 
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walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Nice!
Only a couple more weeks in my five month long winter season.. about the time most of yours will begin. Picture from yesterday
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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,532
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Nope. The 26S stays in Lake Havasu all summer in the side yard (no storage fees) mostly shaded. We will take the Hobie TI back to Colorado in about six weeks, just sail the TI for the "other" sailing season. We will trailer the 26S from Lake Havasu a couple times during the summer to the Southern California coast. One of the trips is middle of summer and it always fun coming back here and dealing with the trailering when the temps get over 120F and often dont get below 100F even at night. Highest temp recorded here.. 128F a few years ago.

Yes, I get huge enjoyment per $$ spent from the 26S!!!
 
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