26R project---Mission Complete!...well...almost

[Right On!]

I'm one of the people that has been pursuing the rotating mast theory...and I have completely finished the project...Hobie 18 mast and boom...8:1 cunning ham...rotating arm....8:1 boom vang....boom kicker...furler...new sails all new hardware including all the stock rotating hardware from MacGregor for the 26M. Dual running backs for extra roach allowance...conversion to 7/8 rig from stock 3/4...all new new deck hardware including new main sheet system...all new line through out boat...internal halyards...new standing rigging...the whole nine....whew!! what a project!

not to mention the new paint...rudder and motor...windows...etc.
NOW...the inside...ugghh!

And she sails good....REAL good!

 

[Bob McL]

You did REAL GOOD! I like your reefing system also. Will the internal halyards keep the lines from "banging"?

 

[Right On!]

Thanks!! i think what your seeing is the downhaul system or the cunningham intead of what looks like a reefing system...i need one of those next!
unfortunately the main halyard is still external because my main halyard cleat is at the very top of the mast so that the cunningham would actually bend the mast a bit when full on instead of just tentioning the luff and then the halyard that would of been running back down the mast from a turning block

 

[Sumner]

All the work is really impressive:dance:. Good job!! Like the paint job and lettering to let the fish know what went by . That is a neat touch that looks great and the boat looks fast even on the trailer,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

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Mac-Venture Links

 

[Right On!]

thanks Sum,

those stickers were actually for the top of the new main...but regular vinyl won't stick to dacron, so i had to put them somewhere! My hope was that they would be visible when the boat would heel.

I even flat blocked the bottom to get rid of all the blisters as well as faired the dagger board for imperfections...we hope to win the fall series at our lake!

thanks again

Wes

 

[Paul Brinkley]

Great looking boat! Did those stern rails come with it or did you have them made? -Paul

 

[finding41]

I've seen those stern rails before. Aren't they the handrails for re boarding.
Hey Right On; Have you done anything with your rudder? It looks as if it isn't stock. I have a 0018 modified 11 3/4" (length) It is a bit longer/deeper than stock too. I'm running stock sails and keep getting rounded up! (Broaching)
How do you with what looks like even more sail area do it? Or do you broach too?
I am letting the main out a bit but I loose allot of power/speed.

 

[Right On!]

Thanks Paul.. I built the stern rails from 7/8" bimini tubing bought locally and bent it with a tubing bender from harbor freight. It was a pain in the u know what, but worth it, as with most boat projects. bought the mounting hardware from good ol' west marine.

 

[Right On!]

one of the only misfortunes of owning a D or S model is the terrible weather helm built in to the boat. The D is probably worse than the S because of the location of the dagger board vs. the center board.
The D for example: the dagger board trunk acts as the mast support so that the coach house doesn't cave in when the mast is pushing down such severe loads when the boat is heeling...problem with dagger board trunk being the mast support is...is that it puts the dagger's center of effort too far forward..or..the sail plan too far back, however you want to look at it. Basically, the rig loads the rudder heavily which causes the boat to round up rather easily.. and the closer hauled the worse of course. What does not help this issue is that the stock Mac rudder doesn't offer enough authority to really control the situation sometimes...thats where you round up in to the wind and not to mention that you bleed speed holding in excessive "weather helm" everywhere you sail. The Mac rudder is not an efficient foil type nor is ther enough area to deal with the excesive loads delivered directly to it by the sail plan...IMHO

The fact that I use a stock hobie mast AND boom means that my new boom is almost exactly two feet shorter than the stocker which theoretically helps to unload the rudder.
Also, I added three more feet in luff length to the jib which puts more effort in front of the dagger board(went to 7/8ths rig vs. 3/4) which helps also. My mast rotates too, which moves the effort of the main alone forward some...that...combined with my home made mk2 rudder that is 6" inches deeper and a cord that is 1" longer, and a shape that is a true NACA 0012 foil that is higher in lift and lower in drag, really helps... and all these little adjustments combined, means that i sail around now with much less over compensated "weather helm", and let me tell you that I am thrilled with the results! the boat sails absolutley beautifully.
and let me tell ya that I'm so happy that my OCD finally came in to play in the last year that I've been working on this thing

 

[MrBill_FLL]

a balanced rudder fixes the weather helm.

some active discussions on macgregor-owners boat on this...

ruddercraft makes a unifoil that I hear works really well... for $$$.

or modify yours for less $.

 

[THECUSCUS]

RightOn: Nice job, looks great. I re-rigged my V25 (basically same as a 26D) to a 7/8 rig also. The main driving force for me was to be able to use a J24 genoa. You can find really sweet deals on used racing sails for these boats as these guys are serious racers and get new sails almost every year. A 155 J24 genny works out to about a 130 on my boat due to the longer "J" of the Mac (10.8'). I am very pleased with it so far. Boats I was always behind with the original rig, I now can stay ahead of.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

ps: dig the decal!

swan's (sailboats) have a smiley face on the bottom of their hulls when they are heeled its shows.

 

[r.oril]

Way Cool! Nice Job! Saw the title for the post, 26R and had to look. I love my rotating mast setup.

 

[Right On!]

Thanks everybody...!I was beating up on a Catalina Capri 25 the other day...passing him close hauled upwind in about 10kts apparent. Didn't look like he liked it much especially since he knows my boat is a "macgregor".
Ohhhh, but it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy!

 

[Right On!]

sorry...

 

[oreana123]

It's all talk until you come to Lake Havasu..... That way you can compare performance against non-rotating masts. Converting to 7/8 sounds like a good idea.

 

[Right On!]

so whats the deal with lake havasu? you guys race macs there? don't temp me..!

 

[MacNCheese]

I'm one of the people that has been pursuing the rotating mast theory
And she sails good....REAL good!

John, you have made an amazing looking boat! I'm drooling over here. I really like the lettering on the side!

I'm next in line for the Mac 26R as I have my Hobie 18 mast/boom/sails ready.

Can you please post a few pics of how you converted your mast step to work with the rotating Hobie mast?

 

[MacNCheese]

John, this is what my original Hobie 18 mast step looked like (older style Hobie). Did yours look like this?

 

[Right On!]

Thanks MacNcheese!...i actually used the all stock rotating Mac 26M hardware for the spreaders and mast base and just converted the hobie mast over to the new hardware. The actual install is easy, as the eliptical shape of the hobie mast is almost the same as the stock 26M mast.
I'll get you some pics soon of what the Mac stuff looks like...works pretty well