New-to-me '83 Mac 25 questions, oh so many questions

[PineyRidge]

Hi all, new to the forums, and new to boat owning.
My biggest concern at the moment is being able to lift the 9.5 HP motor on to the transom. My wife can't lift much, and while I am strong as an ox, I am vertically challenged, and not terribly mobile/flexible. Has anyone installed a davit or hoist on their boat to lift the motor?

2nd question: the winch handle for the keel: can I replace it, or remove it when under way/in storage, so I don't bang myself up against it whilst traversing the companionway?

3rd: dining area bunks! My boat has some modifications, and there are no seats/seatbacks...does anyone have good pics on their dining area/berth in the sitting and reclining configurations?

4th: anyone have schematics of the boat? I can't seem to find any online. I want to play with modifications on the computer before actually doing any on the boat.

I think that is it-- for now! Thanks everyone!

 

[BudGates]

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=66

This may help.

 

[Captain Ron 18]

Hello and welcome to our crazy and wonderful world! I've been a very happy Mac25 owner since 1985.

As to your questions:

1. When I first bought the boat in 1985, no problem lifting a long shaft 9.5 (and the mast) by myself. Now, I'm not beneath asking for help. I've found that in the marina, there's always folks wandering about who are happy to jump in for a few minutes. It might cost you a beer or 2, but so worth it! I looked into rigging up some sort of hoist as you were describing, but deemed it to be impractical unless it was attached to something other than the boat. And it probably wouldn't be portable enough to be useful. One thing I did do a couple of times was to raise up the tongue of the trailer very high in order to get the transom (and therefore, the ob bracket which I had extended fully down), low enough to move the motor a few inches to the bracket. The drawback to that, though, is there's a lot of prep necessary - unhook trailer, block wheels, get the tongue up and blocked in place, etc. Much easier to ask.

2. I can't imagine NOT having the winch hande attached. I sail in the Chesapeake Bay and you can run out of water unexpectedly fast sometimes. The advantage to the swing kewl is, of course, we can go places our hard keeled brethren can only dream of, whether sailing or numerous other scenarios. I usually leave the handle at the 12 o'clock position so I'll see it. I've lost more than my share of skin from clobbering the handle, but this has helped pretty well. And having the handle in the same position all the time helps to be able to put hands on it if you need to adjust quickly.

3. I can't visualize what you're missing. Can you send a couple of pictures?

4. Schematics should be available online or likely even on this website.

Again, welcome to the "pawtay"!!

 

[RussC]

I've made many modifications to our M25. the "seats" (or lack of) killed my back, so angled backrests were in order. pics should be pretty self explanatory. the extra cushion at the end of the aft seat is a backrest so I can sit sideways there and nod off wile drifting aimlessly about the lake. comfy as my recliner

 

[Tsatzsue]

Garelick motor Mount. I replaced the original. I had to pad the transom out but it works mint. One hand!

 

[timebandit]

The winch handle can be tied with a small line with a small loop in to keep it at the 9 o'clock position that will keep it out of the way and still easy to use.
http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo57/Tmebandt/Bandit

 

[justsomeguy]

keep it at the 9 o'clock position

Funny, I like mine at 3 o'clock.

 

[timebandit]

Damn digital watches! I had it on the wrong hand----3 0'clock for me too.

 

[Tsatzsue]

Same. 3 o'clock The step down is at 9 o'clock. Gets in the way.

 

[THECUSCUS]

I prefer 5 o'clock

jimspics 007

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011
• 1

jimspics 013

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011

 

[justsomeguy]

I prefer 5 o'clock

That's crazy talk!

 

[Tsatzsue]

I prefer 5 o'clock

jimspics 007

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011
• 1

jimspics 013

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011

Hahahaha! The only thing at 5 o'clock on your boat now is the second cocktail!!

 

[timebandit]

I have often thought if making a boom extension that would allow me to to use it as a crane to help load the motor. If the main halyard was attached to the end of the extension most of the weight would be carried by the halyard. The extension would have to installed and removed before the main sail was installed.

 

[PineyRidge]

I prefer 5 o'clock

jimspics 007

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011
• 1

jimspics 013

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011

This is fabulous! Not having any ankle flexion on my prosthesis, and a dodgy "meat leg" as well makes some aspects of boating quite challenging. I think this looks really top notch, and allows for a solid footing when heading into the cabin. Did you make this yourself? If so, do you have your specs-- and would you send them my way? Please and thank you.

Garelick motor Mount. I replaced the original. I had to pad the transom out but it works mint. One hand!

These look good, but I've got a mount for the transom (not nearly as nice as the Garelick, but it works). My issue is getting the motor onto the mount, from my truck. Once it's on the mount, I'm good as gold.

As for the "there are folks that will help around the marina"--- I was out at our marina all day last Sunday. People were already out, or the once set of folks ignored us entirely (no hellos even!). It's a VERY small marina, and I can't be guaranteed to have some random stranger assist me.

 

[justsomeguy]

Please and thank you.

@THECUSCUS has a Venture model Mac, which may have a different alignment of the keel cable and winch with respect to the hull pass-through.
I know my '82 Mac's winch and cable is too far aft to put in a permanent step-down and still operate the winch handle. Perhaps a modular arrangement could be fabricated.

 

[THECUSCUS]

Sorry to mis-lead you there Piney , but as JSG mentioned, my Mac is a 79 model which had a molded in "step box" around the keel winch. I just covered it with some wide plank oak flooring and plywood.

winch/step starboard view

• THECUSCUS
• Dec 5, 2012

winch/step port view

• THECUSCUS
• Dec 5, 2012

STEP

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 8, 2012

 

[PineyRidge]

Sorry to mis-lead you there Piney , but as JSG mentioned, my Mac is a 79 model which had a molded in "step box" around the keel winch. I just covered it with some wide plank oak flooring and plywood.

winch/step starboard view

• THECUSCUS
• Dec 5, 2012

winch/step port view

• THECUSCUS
• Dec 5, 2012

STEP

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 8, 2012

Still gives me a start to some good ideas that I can use....when I get it done, I'll post pics!

 

[vwjon Mac25]

Still gives me a start to some good ideas that I can use....when I get it done, I'll post pics!

 

[PineyRidge]

More weird questions:
1. Where do you store your battery? I've an electric start on my outboard, and don't want to have to move the battery to run the motor, like the previous owner did.
2. Where do you store your gas tank? Again, I don't want to be moving it all of the time.
3. If you store your gas tank below decks, do you have a vent for it?
4. Could anyone provide pics with how you've got your rigging set up?
5. What kind of anchor do you use? Do you have a holder for it?
6. How do you lock your under bench storage in the cockpit?

Thanks!

 

[RussC]

1. battery is in the hatch under the forward settee in the cabin.
2. fuel tank in the rear of cockpit. hard to see in pic but it sits on a wood base that has drain slots cut into the face so water can drain back to the cockpit drain in the rear. the tank cover is wood also and provides more bench space for "stuff".


3. do NOT store fuel tank below decks. nuff said.