newbie no more....kinda.

[CapnGL]

Well it is closing in on my first full season of learning to sail. It has been full of fun and adventure. early on we were finding our way around the boat and got into some (for me) serious control trouble on a windy day but we got it dialed in and escaped with our lives....lol. after a few times of stepping the mast sailing for a few hours dropping the mast loading the boat and going home exhausted. We had the option to rent a seasonal slip for the last mont of the season for 140.00 and we took it. OMG....what a beautiful thing to just load the boat with food and beer cast off, motor out of the marina which was pretty narrow and go sail for a few hours and motor back tie up secure the boat and go home.... I'm sold...will be renting a slip for the next season for sure...... now I'm onto learning the finer point of sail manipulation and wind direction. I'm now very confident in light to medium winds...3-10kts. This site has been instrumental in my education and want to saynthanks to all who helped me with my many questions....fair winds to all....RRRRRR.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Congrats! The Mac 26 S & D are capable of sailing into the 20 kts range. Been there, done that in my old 26S.
Be sure to put a little chlorine in the ballast tank if you slip in very long.

 

[CapnGL]

Thanks Justin...We just did that chlorine yesterday, we have a couple more weeks in the slip. But one thing does baffle me is to how to completely empty the ballast.....it seems even tho I leave the valve open trailering home there is still some water sloshing around in there.....

 

[walt]

Great!!! (slips are nice.. I move in to a slip for four months Nov 1..

Is the concern about water freezing in the tank when stored over the winter? My experience with the ballast tank and the 26S being stored in a cold place.. My boat use to live at 8600 ft elevation in Colorado near a lake that would get 2 to 3 foot of ice on it mid winter - ie, a really cold place. I would take the boat out of the water, drain the ballast tank, trailer to where the boat would be left for the winter. When no more drips, I would mostly close the valve mostly so that critters didnt move in. There possibly was a little bit of water left in the tank (didnt check) but after doing this for a bunch of years, I dont think I had any issue at all. You certainly want to try and get the tank as dry as possible.. but I never went way out of my way for this..

 

[Justin_NSA]

I never worried about it either. We get hard freezes.

 

[tjar]

Congratulations on taking the plunge. We had many good times on our 26D. As Justin points out, I never worried about a little water in the ballast. If it freezes, there is plenty of room for it to expand. My biggest concern was water leaking into the bilges. Despite my best efforts at trying to seal leaks, there always seemed to be some rain water that found its way to the bilges. Besides having to drain the bilges, this caused a problem with moisture in the cabin. I covered the boat, and used moisture absorbents and an electric heater to control the condensation through the winter. I also removed any items that were prone to mold.

 

[Benny17441]

I have to say you have learned a lot in one season. I still see sailors that don't know how slip fees enhance the boating experience.

 

[walt]

Enhanced and fresh.. Large enough to enjoy in a slip but small and easy enough to trailer and explore new places..