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

Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
Walt it looks like there is a Coyote on your boat!
Watch them, there kind of bitey!
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
He is more like a pig or a rodent..

Trip is over.. so here is the "what really DUMB things I did to my Mac today" part.

First, before I pulled the boat, I blew out the ballast with a high volume low pressure electric pump. I first blew a bunch of water out and then tightened the value to see if it would hold the tank dry while I went to get the car. I could feel air coming out after tightening the value so I figured I couldn’t leave the tank like that as Id come back to it full of water again. So.. I put the electric air pump back on and went and got the tow vehicle. When I came back, I discovered that I had correctly put the pump back on but I forgot to open the value. There put a considerable pressure on the tank (it’s a 1 psi pump) but I don’t think it did anything.. at least I hope not. I had the pump on as I pulled out the boat, it was pretty much dry as soon as it left the water. Next time.. just let the pump run with the valve open. I used about 1.5 to 2 amp hours total on this pumping so no big deal if it runs a little long.

Second - really dumb thing.. I was driving the boat home on the trailer (only a few miles) and had to do a sort of abrupt stop. The trailer surge brakes worked great and stopped the boat quickly. However, I had forgotten to secure the big ass 25 pound anchor and it flew off the front of the boat and crashed into my car rear window. Window is shattered but it held up for the 880 mile drive home... It was worth it..
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
A couple more things somewhat unique to the 26S that worked out well..

I like the outboard well on the the 26 classics as it puts the outboard in a good position for accessing it when your sitting in the back and it also minimizes the "moment arm" of the weight of the outboard sticking off the back of the boat. A bunch of years ago both Sumner and I put transom risers on the back of the boats but did it slightly different. Both use an extra long shaft and I raised mine 2.5 inches, Sumner raised his 5 inches.

Anyhow, this really has worked out well. I can fully rotate the outboard which is nice to get in the slip at the marina I was just in, plus it puts the prop 2.5 inches lower than the stock long shaft, I pretty much never have an issue with the prop coming out of the water.



But.. I didnt really have a good way to keep the outboard in the up sailing possition (which resulted in my busted off shifter) so I got started on this next mod below. There is already a tether on the outboard used to pull it up, Ill just use this to also tether the outboard to one side - so it will stay put no matter how wild I sail that boat..



Other unusual thing is this trailer setup. Its got a low stop and a bow roller underneath. The old "high stop" is now just a guide. The picture below shows where I position the boat with the trailer in the water.



I didnt do any bumps or iterations, just pulled the boat out. The picture below shows where the boat ends up on the trailer. Its an amazingly easy boat to trailer given that it is 26 foot long.



One more of Havasu

 

Attachments

Aug 14, 2013
308
MacGregor 26S High Desert
Great stuff, Walt; thanks! Is the bow roller mounted on the forward cross brace that can be seen in pic #3?
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Yes, that is the biggest bang for the buck thing you can do on that trailer.
 
Aug 14, 2013
308
MacGregor 26S High Desert
In that same picture, what is the black thing on the hull above the "high stop vee" of the trailer?
 
Aug 14, 2013
308
MacGregor 26S High Desert
Pic 3 as they are tiled in the thread vertically, pic 2 as they are tiled horizontally at the bottom.
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
ahah.. yes those are LED navigation lights (Atwood?)

Just some guy, that must be tough hanging out in Mexico with a sailboat..
 
Aug 14, 2013
308
MacGregor 26S High Desert
I've been scrubbing the interior of the new-to-me 26S for the last week, but a case of the flu has slowed me down. I underestimated how dirty she was! Hope to finish in the next day or so and I'll post pics.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
ahah.. yes those are LED navigation lights (Atwood?)

Just some guy, that must be tough hanging out in Mexico with a sailboat..
I keep cutting my right foot on things...:cussing: But the seafood's excellent.
 
Sep 25, 2008
957
Macgregor & Island Packet VENTURE 25 & IP-38 NORTH EAST, MD
Started to fix the keel after its contact with a hard rock shoal ( trust me, those tiny little shallow circles on your chart are really there!). Thank goodness I don't lock my keel down or I'd be fixing the trunk also. And my Amsteel keel cable held up just fine.


image-3014336338.jpg