Here are some photos that the owner of the 224 just sent me that he has for sale for $2,000. He says the trailer is the weakest part of the deal, the sailboat is good, and the motor is the best part. That motor alone looks like it's in great shape. He will send me more photos later today, but this is a start. I had concerns about the keel after reading about rusty "seized" keels on Macs. But this one appears to be in fairly good shape. Also, the previous owner painted the hull below the waterline while on the trailer, so there is a part where the trailer bunk covered the hull and it's not painted. That appears to be below the waterline, so it won't look too funny. He says the boat is just covered with junk from a tree that has dropped stuff on it, so I guess a rented steam cleaner could deal with that easily. I'll ask more about the rust condition of the trailer, but I'm pretty sure when I talked with him last week the trailer was sound, but just rusty on the outside. A few cans of de-rust paint may fix that. I'm hoping to go see the boat in person Saturday, so I can see what it looks like up close. Opinions are welcome! I'll post more photos as I get them. The link goes directly to a web page of photos I put up. http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boat/ Tom
$2,000 Macgregor 2-24
- Thread starter tegwilym
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Official truck weight
Oh, one other thing. I guess some of you have seen all my towing questions in another forum. I took a load of crud to the dump today and got my truck weighed. My Ranger is about 3,900lbs unloaded. So if a 2-24 is 2100lbs alone, add the trailer, and I'm around ~2,600 or something like that? (not accounting for gear, motor....etc.) You think this is still safe for short distance tows with a V6 Ranger of that weight if I did go for this one? Tom - Sailer with many, many silly questions....
Oh, one other thing. I guess some of you have seen all my towing questions in another forum. I took a load of crud to the dump today and got my truck weighed. My Ranger is about 3,900lbs unloaded. So if a 2-24 is 2100lbs alone, add the trailer, and I'm around ~2,600 or something like that? (not accounting for gear, motor....etc.) You think this is still safe for short distance tows with a V6 Ranger of that weight if I did go for this one? Tom - Sailer with many, many silly questions....
More photos and info....
Ok, he sent me some more photos of the boat and he mentioned a list of things that he would do to it if he was going to keep it. As above, here is a link to the photos he sent me. http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boat/ The following are the projects that he said he needed to do if he wasn't selling it [my comments in brackets] -------------------------------------------------------------- - The list of projects I would do (not in order) if I were to keep her are as follows: --(this is not the complete list, just mine, again it depends on how much tolerance you have. My wife at one time thoroughly cleaned the inside out, she likes things clean, she doesn’t like how dirty it is now, to me its fine and useable) -- Tiller handle needs repair. Useable and safe, but not perfect. [He mentioned on the phone that there is a split in the tiller handle near the base that isn't broken, but strengthened with a couple of hose clamps. Epoxy and a good wood clamp to fix probably?] -- Fix the lighting and battery system. Would allow overnighting in coves where a night-light is required. [This shouldn't be too hard to fix. He said the lighting is there, but just hasn't been used. Not too hard to trace out some simple wiring and get that connected to breaker/switch panel.] -- Fix the trailer lights, not legal as it is. [About $30 for a light kit. I replace lights on my old Bayliner trailer. I also have some "portable" strap-on lights for my Lido 14] -- Fix the keel winch, now it has a jerry rigged stopper, works fine but might worry some folks. [Mentioned to me that the winch is missing the little "clicker" lock thing so he had to put a screw in the gears to keep it up. Aren't these winches fairly common?] -- Clean it up and get a nice cover so the green slime doesn’t collect on it each year, this would save a lot of time at the start of boating season. [My current boat looks horrible every spring, that shouldn't be a problem!] ------------------------------------------------------------- So, any comments on this one? Good looking deal? Turn around and run? Jump on it? Impossible or doable project boat? Tom
Ok, he sent me some more photos of the boat and he mentioned a list of things that he would do to it if he was going to keep it. As above, here is a link to the photos he sent me. http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boat/ The following are the projects that he said he needed to do if he wasn't selling it [my comments in brackets] -------------------------------------------------------------- - The list of projects I would do (not in order) if I were to keep her are as follows: --(this is not the complete list, just mine, again it depends on how much tolerance you have. My wife at one time thoroughly cleaned the inside out, she likes things clean, she doesn’t like how dirty it is now, to me its fine and useable) -- Tiller handle needs repair. Useable and safe, but not perfect. [He mentioned on the phone that there is a split in the tiller handle near the base that isn't broken, but strengthened with a couple of hose clamps. Epoxy and a good wood clamp to fix probably?] -- Fix the lighting and battery system. Would allow overnighting in coves where a night-light is required. [This shouldn't be too hard to fix. He said the lighting is there, but just hasn't been used. Not too hard to trace out some simple wiring and get that connected to breaker/switch panel.] -- Fix the trailer lights, not legal as it is. [About $30 for a light kit. I replace lights on my old Bayliner trailer. I also have some "portable" strap-on lights for my Lido 14] -- Fix the keel winch, now it has a jerry rigged stopper, works fine but might worry some folks. [Mentioned to me that the winch is missing the little "clicker" lock thing so he had to put a screw in the gears to keep it up. Aren't these winches fairly common?] -- Clean it up and get a nice cover so the green slime doesn’t collect on it each year, this would save a lot of time at the start of boating season. [My current boat looks horrible every spring, that shouldn't be a problem!] ------------------------------------------------------------- So, any comments on this one? Good looking deal? Turn around and run? Jump on it? Impossible or doable project boat? Tom
2-24 comments
Tom, This could be quite a project for you so you may have limited free time for a while. The green "coat" should be easy to clean off with a pressure washer (< 1500 psi) I'd be concerned about the trailer; that looks like more than surface rust, so it may require sand-blasting before the de-rust paint. You may want to tap the key parts of the trailer with a light hammer to find potential weak spots. I'd look carefully at the shrouds for broken strands, and certainly before you go sailing. It apparently hasn't been sailed in the last 17 months, at least not legally. The motor alone is worth half the asking price so you can't lose much even if there are a few problems. By the way, I live in the Factoria area so you must not be too far away. Good luck Jim
Tom, This could be quite a project for you so you may have limited free time for a while. The green "coat" should be easy to clean off with a pressure washer (< 1500 psi) I'd be concerned about the trailer; that looks like more than surface rust, so it may require sand-blasting before the de-rust paint. You may want to tap the key parts of the trailer with a light hammer to find potential weak spots. I'd look carefully at the shrouds for broken strands, and certainly before you go sailing. It apparently hasn't been sailed in the last 17 months, at least not legally. The motor alone is worth half the asking price so you can't lose much even if there are a few problems. By the way, I live in the Factoria area so you must not be too far away. Good luck Jim
Look at it!
Tegwilym: Good that he sent lots of photos. That helps you. Forget the condition of the trailer...I mean, it's stupid to buy a boat because it has a good trailer & it is equally as stupid to pass up a good boat because the trailer is a dud. Honda motors are very good quality. Make certain he will let you run it! As for the sailboat. My comments have not changed. Print out an extensive Boat Survey Form, take it with you to look at the boat and TAKE YOUR TIME to fill it out. The boat looks sound to me, but I have only seen the photos! You are going to have things that you will change...even on a NEW boat! So, get set for some work, no matter what you buy! Just go look at it and use your common sense...if you do not want to "work on the boat" buy something else but, if you enjoy challenges...your instinct will tell you if it is a good buy. But, take your own photos of the boat, trailer & motor. Lots of them! Don't be afraid to move things while you are on the boat. One thing I noticed is that it does not appear to have a stepped mast. Cap'n Karl Whidbey Island
Tegwilym: Good that he sent lots of photos. That helps you. Forget the condition of the trailer...I mean, it's stupid to buy a boat because it has a good trailer & it is equally as stupid to pass up a good boat because the trailer is a dud. Honda motors are very good quality. Make certain he will let you run it! As for the sailboat. My comments have not changed. Print out an extensive Boat Survey Form, take it with you to look at the boat and TAKE YOUR TIME to fill it out. The boat looks sound to me, but I have only seen the photos! You are going to have things that you will change...even on a NEW boat! So, get set for some work, no matter what you buy! Just go look at it and use your common sense...if you do not want to "work on the boat" buy something else but, if you enjoy challenges...your instinct will tell you if it is a good buy. But, take your own photos of the boat, trailer & motor. Lots of them! Don't be afraid to move things while you are on the boat. One thing I noticed is that it does not appear to have a stepped mast. Cap'n Karl Whidbey Island
worth a look
Tom, I still think you are fine with the tow weight for the distance you need. This boat looks no worse than mine did as far as the green slime and dirt. It will clean up just fine. The trailer may take some blasting/grinding but should clean up. I would check it for soundness in the areas with the greatest amount of pitting/flaking. Again, IF you are only moving it the distance that you have mentioned, you MAY be able to get away with some weak spots on the trailer longer than if you were towing over the highway. IMHO Honda makes a great 4 stroke. That one looks like the same vintage as mine with the only difference being mine is a 9.9. Does that one have a electric starter/generator? As previously mentioned, the motor is worth half the asking price. The only other thing I would suggest, if you buy this one, change out the factory mast step to the newer hinged one and get a mast raising kit. The one for the new 26 will work. It makes the raising and lowering a snap. I was out of the water and on the road in 20 minutes at the fall removal without even breaking a sweat. Keep us informed on how this goes. Happy Thanksgiving to all. -John
Tom, I still think you are fine with the tow weight for the distance you need. This boat looks no worse than mine did as far as the green slime and dirt. It will clean up just fine. The trailer may take some blasting/grinding but should clean up. I would check it for soundness in the areas with the greatest amount of pitting/flaking. Again, IF you are only moving it the distance that you have mentioned, you MAY be able to get away with some weak spots on the trailer longer than if you were towing over the highway. IMHO Honda makes a great 4 stroke. That one looks like the same vintage as mine with the only difference being mine is a 9.9. Does that one have a electric starter/generator? As previously mentioned, the motor is worth half the asking price. The only other thing I would suggest, if you buy this one, change out the factory mast step to the newer hinged one and get a mast raising kit. The one for the new 26 will work. It makes the raising and lowering a snap. I was out of the water and on the road in 20 minutes at the fall removal without even breaking a sweat. Keep us informed on how this goes. Happy Thanksgiving to all. -John
I'm going to take a look at it.
Thanks for the advice guys! Yeah, the trailer is the weakest part of the deal as he mentions. He did tell me that the rust was pretty much on the surface, but I'll be tapping that thing and listening. He also said it comes with an 8 foot extension for the tongue that is removable to a shorter tongue. That would be nice so I don't have to get my tires in the water and keep the truck up on drier land for more traction. (Yeah...yeah, I know I'm too paranoid about this towing thing!). As for a little restoration work, I'm all for it. I'm not afraid of some work and minor repairs, but don't want anything major. From the looks of this boat it seems that it's fairly sound. But I won't know until I get there and walk around tapping the hull, poke it, prod, yank, grope and tug on it. The motor: yes, it does have battery charging capabilities. He doesn't have the cable, but that shouldn't be too hard to track down. The motor does look great though, yes I WILL run it to check it. Can you tell me more about the hinged mast? He did mention this mast took 2 people to get up...and I thought my Lido 14 was kind of a chore to mast raise alone! Jim, Yes, I'm pretty much your neighbor in Factoria. I'm in the Renton Highlands just up the hill from Fry's Electronics if you know where that is. I'm about 5 minutes from the Coulon Park Boat launch too. Tom
Thanks for the advice guys! Yeah, the trailer is the weakest part of the deal as he mentions. He did tell me that the rust was pretty much on the surface, but I'll be tapping that thing and listening. He also said it comes with an 8 foot extension for the tongue that is removable to a shorter tongue. That would be nice so I don't have to get my tires in the water and keep the truck up on drier land for more traction. (Yeah...yeah, I know I'm too paranoid about this towing thing!). As for a little restoration work, I'm all for it. I'm not afraid of some work and minor repairs, but don't want anything major. From the looks of this boat it seems that it's fairly sound. But I won't know until I get there and walk around tapping the hull, poke it, prod, yank, grope and tug on it. The motor: yes, it does have battery charging capabilities. He doesn't have the cable, but that shouldn't be too hard to track down. The motor does look great though, yes I WILL run it to check it. Can you tell me more about the hinged mast? He did mention this mast took 2 people to get up...and I thought my Lido 14 was kind of a chore to mast raise alone! Jim, Yes, I'm pretty much your neighbor in Factoria. I'm in the Renton Highlands just up the hill from Fry's Electronics if you know where that is. I'm about 5 minutes from the Coulon Park Boat launch too. Tom
Trailers
As to trailers, well their lifetime can be extended if when showing signs of weakness you get a welder and do some strengthening! I weld, so if my trailer will exhibit some weakness I can do it myself! Of course if you cant do it yourself it will cost a little, but it is something to consider also, instead of investing in a new one! Like I said before everything is fixable!!!!! From the looks of the trailer pics, a good rust remover and coat of paint could do wonders!
As to trailers, well their lifetime can be extended if when showing signs of weakness you get a welder and do some strengthening! I weld, so if my trailer will exhibit some weakness I can do it myself! Of course if you cant do it yourself it will cost a little, but it is something to consider also, instead of investing in a new one! Like I said before everything is fixable!!!!! From the looks of the trailer pics, a good rust remover and coat of paint could do wonders!
Welders
....or a friend with a welder and some skills! I think that trailer does look ok, not as bad as the thing that holds my 15' Bayliner in the backyard. That thing is nearly a pile of red dust. Seems that trailers are always the ugliest part of a boat deal. Either they don't have a trailer (which is a pain) or the trailer that comes with it usually looks pretty nasty - but hopefully just skin deep. Tom
....or a friend with a welder and some skills! I think that trailer does look ok, not as bad as the thing that holds my 15' Bayliner in the backyard. That thing is nearly a pile of red dust. Seems that trailers are always the ugliest part of a boat deal. Either they don't have a trailer (which is a pain) or the trailer that comes with it usually looks pretty nasty - but hopefully just skin deep. Tom
Check the motor
I used to have a 222, very similar to yours. Had a A Honda 8, 4 stroke. Everything looks pretty good to me. Be especially careful of the engine. In addition to running, be sure to make sure the impeller is working. When you start the engine, put it in a bucket of water. If you see a stream of water coming out from just below the head, it is OK. If not, then it may need some maintenance. This is very common and can cost $100-200. Sometimes a wire in the intake and port can clear it.
I used to have a 222, very similar to yours. Had a A Honda 8, 4 stroke. Everything looks pretty good to me. Be especially careful of the engine. In addition to running, be sure to make sure the impeller is working. When you start the engine, put it in a bucket of water. If you see a stream of water coming out from just below the head, it is OK. If not, then it may need some maintenance. This is very common and can cost $100-200. Sometimes a wire in the intake and port can clear it.
Sails?
What about the sails? Are there any with the boat? Are they useable? Dont forget how expensive new or used sails are!
What about the sails? Are there any with the boat? Are they useable? Dont forget how expensive new or used sails are!
Sails and other things....
OK guys, I looked at the boat today. First, there are sails - 2 jibs, main, and spinnaker. He did start up the motor in a water bucket and it seemed to run very well, started easy, and yes, it DID pee water. The impeller is fine. (I know to check that from an adventure with a 50hp motor and Bayliner last summer - I learned my lessons on impellers the hard way!). I didn't buy the boat (yet), I think I need to think about it a few days. Here are some concerns: - The trailer: seems ok, but like he said, it's the weakest part of the deal. Pretty rusty, but it seems sound. Lights don't work, but that's easy to fix. Tires looked flat when inflated, but they are radials, so that's normal. Pretty rusty wheels too, but treads looked good. - It has an 8 foot tongue that he was going to re-attach and shorten it if desired. It looked like a long way from the hitch to the boat. He had some metal plates he was going to drill through and put bolts on to hold it to the trailer. - Boat: - Hull seems very sound. I tapped around it and didn't hear any signs of delamination. The white paint looks like it has small water drops all over it, but it's actually small bubbles in the paint. Nothing major, but just little tiny things. Previous owner had a problem with painting, but the paint looks very good otherwise. Checked for cracks in the hull around keel, looked fine. - Keel. In the photos (attached link), it looked like there was a chunk out of the middle of it, but it turns out that it was just pain missing, there was some clear epoxy looking stuff sealing it. Also on the leading edge of the keel there was a similar wear spot, but sealed. I was just kind of concerned about a large crack in the fiberglass about 1.5 feet long which had split open about 1/2 inch. I think it was just cosmetic, but there appeared to be water dirt smears down the keel from the crack. Keel cable appeared to be in good shape as well as the winch. - Deck: Appears to be in good shape, under the green gunk from trees. Some crazing in the gelcoat, but not as bad as some that I've seen. Fairly minor actually. Some of wood trim was missing a screw and leaked into the cabin, minor fix. - Cabin: Some moldy smell, and mold seen on some parts of the wall - hey, this is damp Seattle! Cushions in decent shape, table ok, some dirt in galley sink and the water pump didn't work (all minor). Basically, the cabin needs a good scrubbing overall. In the photo, you can see a "box" just forward of the galley. The wood on the bottom of that was pretty well soaked with water, but that can be easy to replace. My main concern is that under the floor panel (below the wood mast pillar), under the v-berth hatch, and the storage under the main seat, there was a lot of water in there. Some of the wood appeared pretty soggy and black. The one under the floor was my main worry. I would think the plywood there would need replacing. That would be the tricky part I think. - Rigging: the mast and rigging looked ok. I checked out some of the cabling and didn't find any of the dreaded "meat hooks" sticking out. There were a couple of pulleys (2) that had seized up, but they wouldn't be too expensive to replace. Rudder looked good, tiller has a crack but it was well glued and clamped with a hose clamp and looked very sound otherwise. - Size: The boat looked bigger than I was thinking it would. I won't be able to keep it in the driveway very well (temporary). I just have to expand my back gate to back it in the backyard. Plenty of room there, so it's just a matter of some building to get a place back there. So...my main concerns. - Keel crack - water under floor and seats - trailer - size and towing (I'm always paranoid about towing)
He would be flexible on price, so I could probably talk him down from $2,000 to the "best offer" price. Link to photos here -- http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boat/ Comments? Thanks, Tom
OK guys, I looked at the boat today. First, there are sails - 2 jibs, main, and spinnaker. He did start up the motor in a water bucket and it seemed to run very well, started easy, and yes, it DID pee water. The impeller is fine. (I know to check that from an adventure with a 50hp motor and Bayliner last summer - I learned my lessons on impellers the hard way!). I didn't buy the boat (yet), I think I need to think about it a few days. Here are some concerns: - The trailer: seems ok, but like he said, it's the weakest part of the deal. Pretty rusty, but it seems sound. Lights don't work, but that's easy to fix. Tires looked flat when inflated, but they are radials, so that's normal. Pretty rusty wheels too, but treads looked good. - It has an 8 foot tongue that he was going to re-attach and shorten it if desired. It looked like a long way from the hitch to the boat. He had some metal plates he was going to drill through and put bolts on to hold it to the trailer. - Boat: - Hull seems very sound. I tapped around it and didn't hear any signs of delamination. The white paint looks like it has small water drops all over it, but it's actually small bubbles in the paint. Nothing major, but just little tiny things. Previous owner had a problem with painting, but the paint looks very good otherwise. Checked for cracks in the hull around keel, looked fine. - Keel. In the photos (attached link), it looked like there was a chunk out of the middle of it, but it turns out that it was just pain missing, there was some clear epoxy looking stuff sealing it. Also on the leading edge of the keel there was a similar wear spot, but sealed. I was just kind of concerned about a large crack in the fiberglass about 1.5 feet long which had split open about 1/2 inch. I think it was just cosmetic, but there appeared to be water dirt smears down the keel from the crack. Keel cable appeared to be in good shape as well as the winch. - Deck: Appears to be in good shape, under the green gunk from trees. Some crazing in the gelcoat, but not as bad as some that I've seen. Fairly minor actually. Some of wood trim was missing a screw and leaked into the cabin, minor fix. - Cabin: Some moldy smell, and mold seen on some parts of the wall - hey, this is damp Seattle! Cushions in decent shape, table ok, some dirt in galley sink and the water pump didn't work (all minor). Basically, the cabin needs a good scrubbing overall. In the photo, you can see a "box" just forward of the galley. The wood on the bottom of that was pretty well soaked with water, but that can be easy to replace. My main concern is that under the floor panel (below the wood mast pillar), under the v-berth hatch, and the storage under the main seat, there was a lot of water in there. Some of the wood appeared pretty soggy and black. The one under the floor was my main worry. I would think the plywood there would need replacing. That would be the tricky part I think. - Rigging: the mast and rigging looked ok. I checked out some of the cabling and didn't find any of the dreaded "meat hooks" sticking out. There were a couple of pulleys (2) that had seized up, but they wouldn't be too expensive to replace. Rudder looked good, tiller has a crack but it was well glued and clamped with a hose clamp and looked very sound otherwise. - Size: The boat looked bigger than I was thinking it would. I won't be able to keep it in the driveway very well (temporary). I just have to expand my back gate to back it in the backyard. Plenty of room there, so it's just a matter of some building to get a place back there. So...my main concerns. - Keel crack - water under floor and seats - trailer - size and towing (I'm always paranoid about towing)
He would be flexible on price, so I could probably talk him down from $2,000 to the "best offer" price. Link to photos here -- http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boat/ Comments? Thanks, TomTom, think about it
Tom, It sounds like a lot of work and no small expense ahead of you for this boat. If this is what you expect and you have the time then proceed slowly. If you really want to sail, then the $ 2000 plus the extra time and expense to bring this baby back up to speed may offset the deal. You might be able to find a boat in better shape for 2500, 3000 or so which is where you would be in a year if you buy this fixer upper. Sounds like there are many problems with this old boat that may take more time and money than you think. The tiny bubbles you mention are most likely blisters in the gel coat, the missing keel parts may not be a big problem but you should drop the keel or at least lower it somewhat. From where it sits on this trailer it should drop a few inches no problem. The trailer wasn't made for this boat which isn't a problem but the boat and the bunks should be brought down to where the keel rests on the trailer. Rollers or a long bunk would be nice here to hold the keel and the bunks would balance the boat on the trailer. This would make it easier to load and unload the boat. Thinking of the radial tires on the trailer, they are not what you really need. You'll want (when money permits) trailer tires which are biased ply and will track better than radials which will wander, especially when under inflated as in the photo. I guess this boat will float, and will sail. Just ponder what you really want from the deal. A smaller boat or one in better shape might get you sailing sooner and for me, that's where the fun is. Just my humble opinion. Steve P.
Tom, It sounds like a lot of work and no small expense ahead of you for this boat. If this is what you expect and you have the time then proceed slowly. If you really want to sail, then the $ 2000 plus the extra time and expense to bring this baby back up to speed may offset the deal. You might be able to find a boat in better shape for 2500, 3000 or so which is where you would be in a year if you buy this fixer upper. Sounds like there are many problems with this old boat that may take more time and money than you think. The tiny bubbles you mention are most likely blisters in the gel coat, the missing keel parts may not be a big problem but you should drop the keel or at least lower it somewhat. From where it sits on this trailer it should drop a few inches no problem. The trailer wasn't made for this boat which isn't a problem but the boat and the bunks should be brought down to where the keel rests on the trailer. Rollers or a long bunk would be nice here to hold the keel and the bunks would balance the boat on the trailer. This would make it easier to load and unload the boat. Thinking of the radial tires on the trailer, they are not what you really need. You'll want (when money permits) trailer tires which are biased ply and will track better than radials which will wander, especially when under inflated as in the photo. I guess this boat will float, and will sail. Just ponder what you really want from the deal. A smaller boat or one in better shape might get you sailing sooner and for me, that's where the fun is. Just my humble opinion. Steve P.
Thinking.....
Hi Steve, Yeah, I'm thinking the same way on this one. I'm just concerned about the problems that it does have. Sure, it could be cleaned up and sailed right now, but later I'm just worried that the keel may need some repairs as well as the floor that has water underneath. It appears that it has fiberglass or is blended into the floor in some way so it would be a hassle to tear out and replace. I was originally searching for a Mac 22, but this one came up. I'm still thinking now that maybe I should aim toward a 22 again. The galley is nice, but I see that you can install a galley in the 22 that slides underneath the berth/cockpit area and still has the table/head area that would be nice to have also. Plus, it's about 300lbs less than the 24. The trailer on this boat is a home-made thing so it's kind of strange. The tires may be just something that was put on there since they don't seem to be real trailer tires. The wheels may need replacing too since they are pretty rusty looking. I know that's at least $250 for those alone (I had some trailer wheels replaced on a motorboat this last summer). Ugh....I didn't know that buying a simple sailboat was so challenging! Tom
Hi Steve, Yeah, I'm thinking the same way on this one. I'm just concerned about the problems that it does have. Sure, it could be cleaned up and sailed right now, but later I'm just worried that the keel may need some repairs as well as the floor that has water underneath. It appears that it has fiberglass or is blended into the floor in some way so it would be a hassle to tear out and replace. I was originally searching for a Mac 22, but this one came up. I'm still thinking now that maybe I should aim toward a 22 again. The galley is nice, but I see that you can install a galley in the 22 that slides underneath the berth/cockpit area and still has the table/head area that would be nice to have also. Plus, it's about 300lbs less than the 24. The trailer on this boat is a home-made thing so it's kind of strange. The tires may be just something that was put on there since they don't seem to be real trailer tires. The wheels may need replacing too since they are pretty rusty looking. I know that's at least $250 for those alone (I had some trailer wheels replaced on a motorboat this last summer). Ugh....I didn't know that buying a simple sailboat was so challenging! Tom
Keels, puddles and trailers....oh my!
So the soggy floor, mildewy smell, cracked keel, bubbly paint, and funky trailer shouldn't be a problem, huh? I do know that he could be talked down a bit, he said he just needs to get rid of it and would take a good offer for it. I'm also wondering if the cracked stuff on the keel could just be torn off and smear a bunch of epoxy on it to seal it and call it good. He emailed me and said that he was going to suck out the water and put a better tarp on it to see how that works out. I know it's not the hull leaking, so that's not a problem. It's just those 3 problems that are keeping me awake at night - floor, trailer and cracked keel. Everything else should be pretty easy to fix. Ok, stupid question #41: I see that a transmission cooler is a nice thing to have. They are about $50-ish and they say they install in about 1/2 hour. I'd only be towing back from where it's bought, any other towing will be about 1.5 miles to the lake. Does it really take 1/2 hour to install? I just don't like spending money on labor if I can do that kind of thing myself. I AM good with mechanical stuff, so that's not a problem. Just stressing over my $2,300 transmission that I had to get replaced on my Ranger last year. Ugh...this is stressful! Tom
So the soggy floor, mildewy smell, cracked keel, bubbly paint, and funky trailer shouldn't be a problem, huh? I do know that he could be talked down a bit, he said he just needs to get rid of it and would take a good offer for it. I'm also wondering if the cracked stuff on the keel could just be torn off and smear a bunch of epoxy on it to seal it and call it good. He emailed me and said that he was going to suck out the water and put a better tarp on it to see how that works out. I know it's not the hull leaking, so that's not a problem. It's just those 3 problems that are keeping me awake at night - floor, trailer and cracked keel. Everything else should be pretty easy to fix. Ok, stupid question #41: I see that a transmission cooler is a nice thing to have. They are about $50-ish and they say they install in about 1/2 hour. I'd only be towing back from where it's bought, any other towing will be about 1.5 miles to the lake. Does it really take 1/2 hour to install? I just don't like spending money on labor if I can do that kind of thing myself. I AM good with mechanical stuff, so that's not a problem. Just stressing over my $2,300 transmission that I had to get replaced on my Ranger last year. Ugh...this is stressful! Tom
Cooler
Tom, With a 4 liter,V6, you'd certainly have no problem towing that boat from Gig Harbor to your place. I'd take the Puyallup route and up Hwy 167, staying under 55mph, given you don't know the capability of the trailer. By the time you're ready to take long trips, you'll probably have a newer truck, so I wouldn't waste the money on the cooler at this time. You mentioned earlier that your wife likes things neat and clean. Are you sure that you will be able to overcome her first impressions, no matter how much effort you put into this. If you and she are both happy with this being your own toy, then it may be a good deal. Jim
Tom, With a 4 liter,V6, you'd certainly have no problem towing that boat from Gig Harbor to your place. I'd take the Puyallup route and up Hwy 167, staying under 55mph, given you don't know the capability of the trailer. By the time you're ready to take long trips, you'll probably have a newer truck, so I wouldn't waste the money on the cooler at this time. You mentioned earlier that your wife likes things neat and clean. Are you sure that you will be able to overcome her first impressions, no matter how much effort you put into this. If you and she are both happy with this being your own toy, then it may be a good deal. Jim
Any big hills?
Tom, If I remember right, your truck is an automatic? I wouldn't worry about adding a tranny cooler if you aren't planning a bunch of long runs with it, which you've said is not the case. If the trip home does not include any big uphill runs, your tranny should be fine. If there are big hills, either find a way around them or take your time climbing them. Let the lower gears handle the load. Also, do not use overdrive while towing the boat. You are near the capacity for the truck anyhow and the tranny will heat faster if it is lugging down in overdrive. A tranny cooler would be extra insurance on keeping things cool but probably overkill. If you do wish to install one they aren't too hard to do. Maybe a better suggestion....Do you know anyone with a tow rig you could borrow for this one trip? If I was nearby I'd take my Durango and go get it with you. My trip home with my 25 was about 65 miles. No way was I going to try that with my Wrangler. I recruited my brother-in-law with his Durango (I hadn't bought one yet). Aside from the flat tire with no spare and the tire shop closing literally five minutes before we could get there, the trip was uneventful. That brings up another point. If you have any doubts at all about the tires, replace them before you go anywhere or at least carry a spare. Mine had dry rotted radials when I bought it. I didn't like the way they looked even after I put the right air pressure in them. My brother-in-law convinced me they would be fine and drove past a bunch of tire shops where I wanted to stop and get real tires. I needed to replace them anyway, why wait and take the chance. My wife ended up getting to me first with the spare off our other boat before my brother-in-law got back with the new cheap radial that I have never used. Should have used that $$ toward the real tires in the first place. Also, it's not alot of fun sitting on the side of the highway with the unregistered trailer on a jack, no lights, gathering dusk. Better planning would have made for a better trip. Bring a spare, lube the bearings, give yourself plenty of daylight. Enjoy the day. -John
Tom, If I remember right, your truck is an automatic? I wouldn't worry about adding a tranny cooler if you aren't planning a bunch of long runs with it, which you've said is not the case. If the trip home does not include any big uphill runs, your tranny should be fine. If there are big hills, either find a way around them or take your time climbing them. Let the lower gears handle the load. Also, do not use overdrive while towing the boat. You are near the capacity for the truck anyhow and the tranny will heat faster if it is lugging down in overdrive. A tranny cooler would be extra insurance on keeping things cool but probably overkill. If you do wish to install one they aren't too hard to do. Maybe a better suggestion....Do you know anyone with a tow rig you could borrow for this one trip? If I was nearby I'd take my Durango and go get it with you. My trip home with my 25 was about 65 miles. No way was I going to try that with my Wrangler. I recruited my brother-in-law with his Durango (I hadn't bought one yet). Aside from the flat tire with no spare and the tire shop closing literally five minutes before we could get there, the trip was uneventful. That brings up another point. If you have any doubts at all about the tires, replace them before you go anywhere or at least carry a spare. Mine had dry rotted radials when I bought it. I didn't like the way they looked even after I put the right air pressure in them. My brother-in-law convinced me they would be fine and drove past a bunch of tire shops where I wanted to stop and get real tires. I needed to replace them anyway, why wait and take the chance. My wife ended up getting to me first with the spare off our other boat before my brother-in-law got back with the new cheap radial that I have never used. Should have used that $$ toward the real tires in the first place. Also, it's not alot of fun sitting on the side of the highway with the unregistered trailer on a jack, no lights, gathering dusk. Better planning would have made for a better trip. Bring a spare, lube the bearings, give yourself plenty of daylight. Enjoy the day. -John
Hills
Yes, my truck is an automatic. It will also be a short tow from home to the lake. About 1.5 miles or so. One big hill, but I can go the long way and make it less steep for the tow. I was a bit nervous about the split in the keel on that boat, so my search continues. That is the first one I looked at also, so I still have some searching to do. If anyone knows of a Mac 22' around the Seattle area, let me know! Tom
Yes, my truck is an automatic. It will also be a short tow from home to the lake. About 1.5 miles or so. One big hill, but I can go the long way and make it less steep for the tow. I was a bit nervous about the split in the keel on that boat, so my search continues. That is the first one I looked at also, so I still have some searching to do. If anyone knows of a Mac 22' around the Seattle area, let me know! Tom
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