New owner of a Macgregor Venture 25 1977

[Pascal1968]

Hi everyone.
I just bought this boat and I have tons of questions lol.
I saw on the web few pictures of a Macgregor 25 with cockpit wheel and no tiller. I would like to do this on mine. Is there any owners or sailors who have done this conversion on this boat? I would love to get pictures and drawing so i can do this.

 

[RussC]

why?
Nice looking boat BTW!

 

[Pascal1968]

Personal preference. I saw a video on youtube and the owner had Macgregor 25' with an wheel instead of a tiller and I really like it like this. There were only few boats like this and i am looking for more info so I can do this as well.

 

[justsomeguy]

Is there a keel on that boat?

 

[Pascal1968]

Yes there is a retractable keel

 

[Benny17441]

There were some pictures a while back about someone who attempted to match an old steering pedestal with a cable push rod steering system used in old power boats. If I recall correctly they were looking into a conduit that could prevent the cable from flexing. They still had no idea if the cable could withstand the rudder loads. I don't know if they were successful or not. There must be something in the archives about it. It didn't look very promising as a conversion.

 

[Freedom77]

MacGregor offered a pedestal wheel steering system on the 26 when they first came out. Sailed one. Not too impressed. A few reasons. You don't get the "feel" of the rudder, weather helm, etc. Takes up a lot of room in the cockpit when anchored or moored. Expense, especially if one is trying to retrofit from existing. More parts to break down. Just my opinion.

 

[thelederfam]

I just bought a 1982 MacGregor 25' but it doesn't look half a clean as your boat. Did you happen to find what length outboard motor shaft is recommended for this model? When the transom is lowered to permit a 20" shaft motor the top of the transom is about 13" below the stern. Is that too low to reach and control the tiller? Did you get it surveyed or learn what to check on the swing keel, cable and pivot point? Like you I need all the advice and assistance that the good skippers on this forum can provide me.

 

[Pascal1968]

I have not looked at outboard yet. My first step is to clean the boat. On youtube, I have found few video of M25.
I am looking for some pictures of a M25 or V25 with the pedestal wheel.
one like this:

 

[Tsatzsue]

Looks like mine!! Spend the time taking it apart and going through it all. This site is the best for pics and all that is Mac. I have some on or club site as well. There are many V25 owners on the site. My boat looked like that when I got her. Now she is the cleanest and shiniest Mac in our fleet. We sail here in New England with my three girls, wife and a dog!! The best investment in family fun and adventure that I have ever made. Bring your tools on teh water!!

Ken B.
CMDRE - North East Trailer Sailor Yacht Club

 

[sailnewbie]

Amazing what a little cleaning will do, as far as outboards I have a 15hp evinrude on mine that is 28" from mount to prop and was barely in the water until I ground down the motor mount bracket stop, now the prop is about a foot deep and really made the motor alot quieter too

 

[Tsatzsue]

I have a long shaft Johnson 9.9. With the stock motor mount it goes about two feet under the water when fully down. It still comes out in a good chop or hobby horsing. Sea prop. I love the push button start and charging ability for the batteries. Another plus is being able to adjust the throttle and steer it with the stock tiller from the cockpit. Control is second to none when maneuvering. After all my repairs I still never leave the dock with out my tools....and beer.

 

[Pascal1968]

So I was wondering if anyone knew what the serial number means. Mine is : MACF0973M76L

 

[BudGates]

Look here: http://www.wadler.org/boat-mac/hullid.php

MAC = Macgregor
F = 25 foot
0973 = #973 of the particular model
M = year format
76L = produced in July of 1976

 

[Pascal1968]

Thank you so much.

 

[Freedom77]

You're hull # is 973. Original mainsail should have this # on it. Freedom is #928. Pretty good boats for being 40 years old. I took an angle grinder and cut out PIA "galley" and reglassed. Makes cabin a lot bigger and easier to move around. Keep us posted with pics. Now the fun starts. Get out the checkbook!

 

[Pascal1968]

Freedom77,
Do you have pictures of what you did

 

[centerline]

tillers on small boats are cheaper, better, and more desirable for an experienced sailor than a wheel is... tillers allow a better feel for what the boat needs and it offers the affordable option of adding a tiller pilot, which if you use the boat alot, will be the best addition you could do for your comfort when underway, especially when single handing....

adding a single cable helm for a powerboat is easy enough... all you have to do is chop off the tiller, cut a few holes in the boat, and install it....
but the question still remains, "why would someone want to modify a perfectly good and better system just because they like the look of a wheel, when for the cost of the modification (the loss of boat "original condition" value, the cost of the conversion kit, the time and trouble to get it adjusted right, AND the finding out that its not as good as the tiller was), they could have bought a boat with a wheel for less money?....

boats are designed to work best with what they were designed with... the mac 25 is a classic boat that sails well and with the rigging and sails balanced as they should be, it will nearly sail itself.... its impossible for a wheel to make it any better.

my experienced advice is, put your money into a tiller pilot and you will never look back.... when you upgrade to another boat, take the tiller pilot with you and sell the 25 in its original condition.

 

[RussC]

boats are designed to work best with what they were designed with... the mac 25 is a classic boat that sails well <snip>

You mean like boom roller furling? I hear this a lot that "the manufacture knew what was best" or whatever….. Arrrggggg. and carburetors are better than fuel injection. bias ply tires are better than radials. etc etc.
As far as tiller verses wheel I'd have to agree with you, but if someone wants a wheel I say go for it. If the owner likes it better… it IS better.
If you build it with the next owner in mind, then a fool owns it now.

 

[centerline]

You mean like boom roller furling? I hear this a lot that "the manufacture knew what was best" or whatever….. Arrrggggg. and carburetors are better than fuel injection. bias ply tires are better than radials. etc etc.
As far as tiller verses wheel I'd have to agree with you, but if someone wants a wheel I say go for it. If the owner likes it better… it IS better.
If you build it with the next owner in mind, then a fool owns it now.

as friendly reply I must say sometimes some things are better that others, but NOT always.... sometimes some people think some things are better than others, even when they arent.... and its almost always the people without the experience who learn these things the hard way.
the only thing that is always true, is that there are variables that can change our opinions according to what the variables are....

I would argue the point about carbs vs fuel injection, and roller reefing, not because there arent better ways developed for this, but because sometimes it is either all we have at the time or its the most dependable for the circumstances.
the bias ply vs radials is just old technology vs new tecnology, and not even in the same category for discussion, but even then, large tires in extreme rough service duty, the bias can be a much better, longer lasting tire than the radial.....

apples to apples.....
but