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

[walt]

Dang.. Im having problems that Im fairly sure are due to the POS phone company (DSL) and cant get any of those very large picture files to load.. Hopefully I get that resolved which might involve dumping the phone company but also consider re-sizing photos before posting - like to under 300K file size or under 1000 by 700 pixels or so.. I like that idea of the back of the pop top coming up first but cant see any of the pictures yet because of the large file size. Also remember that SBO is storing those photos so smaller file size works better for that also.

 

[RussC]

Walt. can you see my thumbnail pics above, or open them to full size? I've been shooting in higher res lately, but not sure how that affects things when using the thumbnail option on SBO.

 

[Sumner]

.....For specs on the gas struts, perhaps you can get info from a zoom in on the picture. ...

The best I can do... maybe this one...
http://www.siraweb.com/gas-prop-c16...HlmhIkkUvjsinEIoBbYvG8T8uAukfJID-AaAs6K8P8HAQ

I got that from this search...

https://www.google.com/search?q=c16...ome..69i57.13332j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[walt]

On the previous page, I can see all of My Mistress's pictures. I can see your thumbnails but if I click on the thumbnail, the full size pictures also will not load. At the moment Im using DSL which should have no problem downloading those pictures except it doesnt. I even have my connection between the modem and the phone company box outside my house down to about 1 foot and twisted pair between tip and ring lines.. so I think its just the phone company not even coming close to delivering what we are paying for. Half the year I have to get by with a cell phone hot spot and 5Gig per month (in Arizona) and really have to watch what I download..

I think its still a good idea to re-size before downloading just so that SBO doesnt decide later on that the very nice picture downloading they offer here isnt a good idea because of too much storage.

 

[Sumner]

On the previous page, I can see all of My Mistress's pictures. I can see your thumbnails but if I click on the thumbnail, the full size pictures also will not load. At the moment Im using DSL which should have no problem downloading those pictures except it doesnt. I even have my connection between the modem and the phone company box outside my house down to about 1 foot and twisted pair between tip and ring lines.. so I think its just the phone company not even coming close to delivering what we are paying for. Half the year I have to get by with a cell phone hot spot and 5Gig per month (in Arizona) and really have to watch what I download..

I think its still a good idea to re-size before downloading just so that SBO doesnt decide later on that the very nice picture downloading they offer here isnt a good idea because of too much storage.

I agree on resizing pictures before uploading them here. I do all of my picture editing with...

https://www.getpaint.net/download.html

.... paint.net which is free (I send a donation every so often though). You can crop and also resize pictures quickly with it plus edit in a thousand other ways. I usually use 'resize' and go to 80dpi and a picture width of between 6.5 and 8.5 inches. The one above, of the strut, was cropped, sharpened and resized at 120 dpi and 7.8 inches wide and was only 64 KB in size for instance and it is plenty good for on the internet. It took less than a minute to get the picture, edit it and re-post it. Taking a minute to resize your pictures will, as Walt pointed out, save this site in the long run. Since I have a site of my own, which of course also costs yearly, I post the pictures I do there and link to them here so that doesn't require SBO to store them. For a lot of people that isn't an option but learning how to edit their pictures to a smaller file size is an option that doesn't have to cost a cent.
====================================================
Walt have you tried running an internet speed test...

https://www.google.com/search?q=int...69i57j69i60.4420j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Sumner
=============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[My Mistress]

Hi My Mistress ( hope my wife reads this in context)

<snicker> Me too

I like the pop-top cover! I've been looking for a replacement for the stock doghouse cover that extends further to the sides.


- James

 

[My Mistress]

On the previous page, I can see all of My Mistress's pictures. I can see your thumbnails but if I click on the thumbnail, the full size pictures also will not load.

I thought it was just me. It took a while, but the thumbnails finally loaded.
I'm on LOS internet (broadcast from cell towers); not quite satellite, but not cable either.

 

[walt]

Regarding my problem that I blamed on the phone company.. Turns out my problem was due to a really outdated operating system on the laptop I have been using for years. Some update must have happened (dont know where) that all of a sudden made things not work. Guess that I will have to retire that laptop. But.. all the stuff I did to improve the DSL phone connection (chasing the wrong problem) got our actual speeds up close to what its supposed to be. This involved cutting holes in the wall to install a new phone jack (just on the other side of the wall from the phone company box) and rewiring things and streamlining in the house.. FYI, you can test your download and upload speeds at speedtest.net

And.. I liked those pictures. That roll up pop top cover and angled pop top is really slick!!!!

 

[macgregor_sailor]

I've repurposed the original pop top cover. Made it into a dodger. I'll try to attach a resized photo or two.

You still have forward visibility and when using the auto tiller I can duck under good cover.

The side panels are removable and the top window can fold down over the companionway.

 

[walt]

preparing the inflatable sup for towing behind the 26S. It will probably get towed between two harbors and Avalon (Catalina Island) in in the near future if things work out.. I was going to use it tomorrow but forgot the fricken pump..

 

[macgregor_sailor]

If anyone is interested in doing the "tip up pop top mod" I can provide more details. Just send me a P. M.

The same can be done for the "roll up cover" but I've got to warn you, if you're not really into sewing and have an above average sewing machine you may be disappointed. Regardless there is always more than one way to do things and this project may help you.

 

[walt]

Must be an unwritten rule that everyone must do things a little different than everyone else when modifying these boats.. so ideas presented are always just a starting point for someone else who might have a similar problem to solve.. Anyhow.. while I had to wait on someone else today but had to be there, I got around to putting some picture of some mods I did to my old 1990 Mac 26S together.. Might be useful as a starting point to someone else.. maybe..

Flush anchor locker idea http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/anchor_locker.html

Three storage ideas http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/storage1.html

I have sort of been putting all these mod ideas in one spot here http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/
Some parts are little out of date

 

[macgregor_sailor]

Walt, Thank you for this. Over the years your mods ( and Sumners ) have been the most inspirational. I wonder if Roger MacGregor knew how his designs would evolve?

I'm feeling better these days and plan a short cruise to Pelee island with one of my daughters. Conditions are looking good for the 20 mile stretch. I'm hoping to test out the new AIS equipped radio and interconnection to the chart plotter. We'll be crossing a major shipping channel and knowing where the behemoths are and avoiding them is a priority.

 

[walt]

My pop top tent gets used mostly in the Arizona winter so keeping the inside of the cabin warm is important and what I have works fairly well for that.. but it takes a little too long to set up. M_sailer, I would like to see more pictures of your pop top tent that rolls up on the inside. It looks like it would be fast to setup (link to your picture below).

Im back at the old 26S in Lake Havasu and everything seems in good shape (batteries kept charged by solar). Im getting ready for a S. California coastal cruise visiting five different marina's and a crossing to Catalina Island.. Im just wiring up the new Garmin chart plotter. The chart plotter transducer was showing 114F yesterday inside the Laz.. where I spent some quality time installing the transducer. You might think Im a bit paranoid taking all the GPS stuff in the picture below LOL... Well.. a little paranoid getting stuck in fog. The one thing I dont have hooked up yet is the AIS.. I can move the 7 inch chart plotter around, even hold it in my lap right under my nose like a hand held.

 

[macgregor_sailor]

Hi Walt, I'll get more pics, dimensions and details to you soon. Would it be best to PM or post here?

Our cruise went great. A bit shorter than planned as weather was moving in and my daughter didn't want to miss work being stuck on the island.

Old Peele Passage lighthouse

A friend on shore caught the slow downhill run back with a telephoto camera

Nice sunset from Canada's most southern marina.

 

[walt]

Nice pictures!

post here

Of course post here.. the pop top for camping is a great thing on these boats so Im likely not the only one who would like to see how you did that..

 

[RussC]

I'm interested to see the Macgregor_sailor setup also, but just as additional food for thought, our setup takes literally seconds to toss over the pop top and stuffs into a bag less than 6"x12" just as fast. made from an unused coleman tent by strategically placing a few nips and tucks. there is a pocket sewed into the lower edges that contains a small gauge chain that keeps it sealed down to the deck surface. has both screen and privacy doors that roll down.

 

[macgregor_sailor]

Looks good to me Russ. The best is what works for you. I'll have details up in a couple of days. That's a nice looking sunshade.

 

[My Mistress]

Nice pictures! Of course post here.. the pop top for camping is a great thing on these boats so Im likely not the only one who would like to see how you did that..

Ditto that!

 

[BudGates]

Must be an unwritten rule that everyone must do things a little different than everyone else when modifying these boats.. so ideas presented are always just a starting point for someone else who might have a similar problem to solve.. Anyhow.. while I had to wait on someone else today but had to be there, I got around to putting some picture of some mods I did to my old 1990 Mac 26S together.. Might be useful as a starting point to someone else.. maybe..

Flush anchor locker idea http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/anchor_locker.html

Three storage ideas http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/storage1.html

I have sort of been putting all these mod ideas in one spot here http://analogengineering.com/sail/mac/
Some parts are little out of date

I do like the two ideas that you have pictured here. I've been considering similar mods but decided to wait till I get to MN and see how I use the MAC there. I will keep these in mind though.