What is the farthest you've sailed your Mac?

oreana123 · Nov 22, 2009

Joel Hi

I measure my boating in days not nautical miles. Longest trip was 3 days with my family, with no docking, total of a week for that trip. We can only go about 3 days without ice, without replenishing our food. A week of living on a 26D let's you know how small it is. Bruised and cut ankles and elbows. Raw skin of hands. Sun exposure. Dirty clothes start to pile up. Admittedly, this is with two kids and a wife. If I were alone with nothing to lose, I'd sail to Panama!

High points for me are weathering squalls and taking a hot shower. BBQ meal in the middle of Lake Mead at night with Cuba Libras. Ghosting up on a moose feeding underwater at Priest Lake, seeing hot springs in Yellowstone Lake UNDER the boat, sailing with my son in 25 knot winds, navigating at night with no moon using compass and GPS mapping.

If I did not live inland, I would not own a Macgregor. Living inland, I find it to be a great compromise.

Sumner · Nov 22, 2009

We were out for about 30 days on the boat, living on it on the water 24 and the trailer the rest of the time on out trip to Priest Lake, ID and Kootenay Lake in B.C. Canada. I'm not sure how many miles exactly we sailed on that trip total but the straight line distance traveled was somewhere between 80-100 miles. That trip went from July to August '09. Driving miles was over 3000.

On a trip spanning Late Sept and early Oct. of this year we tried to sail the length of Lake Powell only using the motor to anchor and returning each day to the point where we had stopped sailing the day before. We were on the water 18 days straight and I kept better records this time. We made it up the lake 89 miles by my accounting and the GPS said we sailed 116 1/2 miles tacking and reaching to make the 89 miles. According to the GPS we also motored a total of 24 3/4 miles getting to where we started and on and off anchorages. We didn't make the whole lake so will return in late spring to do the final 40-50 miles under sail only.

Both of the trips are at the following link..........

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-trips-1/macgregor-trips-1-index.html

.................. plus two shorter ones. These are the only trips for us so far as at this point last year neither of us had ever even sailed and still don't very well. We got our Mac in January of 2009.

We have some bigger trips planned for next year if every thing works out

.

John we looked for that Moose, but couldn't find it. We did see some....

...................... bear scat, but no bear. That is a great lake.

And John's remark about sailing to Panama is doable in a 26S or 26D as................

http://lbucko.tripod.com/index.html

...................... Buck'o proved by doing it in his 26S. What a trip that was and it did show that a MacGregor can be an off shore boat if you are brave enough or ??? enough. Ruth and I won't be doing that one.

I have other people's trips in my links page (see link below).

We can't wait to see where everyone else has gone as it gives us ideas. We went to Priest as a result of a post John (oreana123) made last year.

c ya,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

JWH2050 · Nov 23, 2009

My brother-in-law and a friend just got back from a trip down the Arkansas river. We left last Sunday and came off the river last Thursday. We put in at Ozark Ar and came out at Conway Ar for a total of 108 miles. Great way to see Arkansas. The weather was not good for a few days but it was still a good trip. We hope to go back to Conway and go on to the Mississippi River this spring.

MrBill_FLL · Nov 24, 2009

for me, my long trips are in the everglades, 10,000 islands.

Typically I do this trip after Christmas or early in January and take about 4-5days. (that area is very buggy, and really only plesant in the dry winter months). by March the rains start again, and then you're another blood doner...

I drag a kayak, but have spent about 4 days without setting foot on land. no re-provisions at all.

drinking / bathing water is the biggest problem.
which I could carry more. (without taking out more floation)

btw, I'm pretty sure theres a blog on a X that did the great loop. that would be the easiest adventure for a mac, (IMHO).

JMonda · Dec 1, 2009

MrBill,

Do you have any pictures of your everglades/10000 Island trips? I've seen some of that water around Naples on a friends (large) motor boat. I think it would be a blast to take the Mac there for a few days. It looked like a person could get totally lost there--especially if one left the channel and went into the shallower water. It was very beautiful. Thanks, Jerry

JMonda · Dec 1, 2009

Hi again,
I just looked at Sumner's Lake Kootenay log. What a trip! I also looked at Bucko's logs. That is really something. I've never (yet) taken my Mac out of the Choctawhatchee Bay. I feel inspired. Does anyone lash the tiller as Bucko does while under sail? That sounds like a good trick. Thanks for the stories.

Sumner · Dec 2, 2009

JMonda said:
.............. Does anyone lash the tiller as Bucko does while under sail? That sounds like a good trick. Thanks for the stories.

Bucko is one guy that has some big ones. I respect him a lot and even though I would never take that trip in our Mac he did present some pretty convincing arguments for its seaworthiness. Some times it might be better to go with the flow (waves) then against it (through the waves)....

http://lbucko.tripod.com/index.html

Now about lashing the tiller our boat came with the following......

...... and I love it. There is more here about it here.......

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-11.html

c ya and glad you enjoyed the story,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

MrMikey64 · Dec 2, 2009

Sumner said:
Now about lashing the tiller our boat came with the following......

...... and I love it. There is more here about it here.......

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-11.html

c ya and glad you enjoyed the story,

Sum

You can find this item at West Marine. Do a search on tiller tamer. They run $29.99 plus the usual misc. charges.

Phil V25 · Dec 3, 2009

Extendable tiller extension works

JMonda said:
Does anyone lash the tiller as Bucko does while under sail? That sounds like a good trick.

I installed a tiller extension that swivels. It extends and I can adjust it to the top of the gunwale and lash it in place. I don't use it for extend time, but in a pinch it works.

MrBill_FLL · Dec 3, 2009

-JM

my photos on 10,000 islands.
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/ftldiver/TenThousandIslands/ (public)

http://s64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/ftldiver2/TenThousandDec2006/ (passw: everglades)

see sumners thread on so fla... for more info. (launch in goodland!)

yes easy to get lost, you want a chart plotter, but I've done it before I had that... the noaa detail chart is required!

if you stay on the outside of the islands, its pretty easy, but the shoals are tricky, and water is cloudy and little chance to read the water.

(whitehorse)

(jackdaniels)

Sumner · Dec 3, 2009

MrBill_FLL said:
-JM

my photos on 10,000 islands.
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/ftldiver/TenThousandIslands/ (public)

http://s64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/ftldiver2/TenThousandDec2006/ (passw: everglades)

Nice pictures Bill, Ruth and I enjoyed them!!

Were do you put in over there, up by Naples, Marco Island, Everglades??

Thanks for posting them,

Sum and Ruth

MrBill_FLL · Dec 3, 2009

I would recommend launching in goodland, driving thru marco island.(951)

not us41 to (92) . cr 92 road is very bumpy, and 41 is 2 lanes... not advised in the mac, take alligator alley. (75) 4 lanes divided w/ rest stops.

http://www.calusaislandmarina.com/

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=calus...817,-81.640091&spn=0.151285,0.220757&t=h&z=12

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=calus...755,-81.651608&spn=0.001182,0.001725&t=h&z=19

---

I have launched in everglades city, on the barron river,at a trailer park, that closed, that was a good ramp. I'm not sure if it has reopened. there maybe another ramp you could use, but may need to go around cokolooskee, and thats a very tricky route, even at high tide.

I also launched at the (everglades city) rod and gun club, *(they have a tree over the ramp, so you you need to raise the stick IN the water) - a motel. -the rod and gun club is a old 1900's winter hunting lodge, built of wood, mostly with cypress. sits right on the river w/ large screened porches. lunch there is very cool. but the river runs at 2-3 knts, so you don't want to fight the tide, and its an hour run from indian key. but they do have fuel.
http://www.evergladesrodandgun.com/

flamingo is accessed thru the main park entrance, via miami/homestead. think that's 70miles from the park entrance to the ramps at flamingo. follow the speed limit.. those rangers wait all day for speeders... not much there but bugs, small snack bar, don't thing the hotel is back open, but there is camping room. when you get to the ramp. good ramp, but shallow. watch there are 2 sides, bay and ocean (they have a sling lift to move skiffs across). be sure to launch on the right side...

---
looking at the everglades city chamber of commerce, looks like barron river resort is now: everglades isle...(equity rv park) just sent an email to ask about use of their ramp...
-update: the answer is no public access... use goodland!

(everglades city:

Retcoastie · Dec 4, 2009

When we went to the 10,000 islands the last couple years we launched at Port of the Islands just west of Collier-Seminole State Park. They have everything you need in first class condition.

http://www.portoftheislandsmarina.com/

We plan on visiting the islands again after New Year's but sailing down from Boca Grande. Should be about a 12 day trip. Still working on how to get the vehicles from Eldred's to Port of the Islands.

My longest trip was a single-handed river trip, down the entire length of the Cumberland River and back up the entire length of the Tennessee River. That is a little over 1,000 miles and took 21 days. Unfortunately, when you are away from the locks and into the rivers proper it is almost all motor, very little sailing. Where the locks back up the pools, sailing is possible if the wind is with you.

Sumner · Dec 4, 2009

Retcoastie said:
..........My longest trip was a single-handed river trip, down the entire length of the Cumberland River and back up the entire length of the Tennessee River. That is a little over 1,000 miles and took 21 days. Unfortunately, when you are away from the locks and into the rivers proper it is almost all motor, very little sailing. Where the locks back up the pools, sailing is possible if the wind is with you.

Wow, that sounds like a great trip. I'll bet you remember it forever.

Thanks for the marina link. How much do they charge a day for leaving a vehicle and trailer there?

Thanks,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

Retcoastie · Dec 5, 2009

I don't remember the prices. We were with a group and were told we got a group rate. A quick email should get you what you need from them.

JMonda · Dec 8, 2009

MrBill,
Wonderful pictures....thanks for sharing them. Also, thanks for the tiller lasher info, Sumner.

My wife liked the pictures enough that she wants to go camp on the boat now. Cool. She's been sort of frightened of it which is odd, considering that she will dive her jet ski as well as do high speed 180 degree turns on it.

Thanks again, Jerry

MrBill_FLL · Dec 9, 2009

I know the port of the islands... it was called Remuda Ranch when it 1st opened... in the 70's, in middle of no where, w/ air strip, and access to 10,000 islands... hard to beleive it was owned by a drug cartel...

(heck they arrested the police chief and half the town in everglades city... back in the 70's)

my neighbor fishes that channel in is bass boat... fairly deep, so it holds some big fish.

-its actually a pretty nice resort, but is really in the everglades,nothing for miles.. channel is about a mile, and its no wake, so bugs can be bad... then you still have about a mile to get to the outside of the islands... I still recomend goodland.

walt · Dec 9, 2009

JMonda, I just love this picture http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=845&pictureid=5472

I suppose Id have to win the lottery to ever have a place like that.. but sure would be nice to see that out the back door.

What is the farthest you've sailed your Mac?

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