Hi Fellow Sailors...... Please go in to burlingtonfreepress.com-archives-tuesday-top stories and read the two articles on the tragic drowning accident in Lake Champlain on July 4th. I find the Mac 26 highly unstable with the mast up and ballast empty when motoring over 10 mph.Very poor center of gravity and lots of freeboard in the bow. My recommondation to all users is to have ballast tanks filled at all times during motoring or sailing. Operator error was likely the cause of this accident not the boat design. Read your manual carefully cover to cover. There are NUMEROUS referances to operation and preventing a capsize. be safe.........dan
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J
Jim Baugh
Too many people
That is a tragic occurance. I could only see it happening if the ballast was not filled. The owners manual certainly warns against that large a crew and not filling the tank. Still, I won't show my wife that article!
That is a tragic occurance. I could only see it happening if the ballast was not filled. The owners manual certainly warns against that large a crew and not filling the tank. Still, I won't show my wife that article!
J
Jim
Burlington Press Article / Dan
Dan, I suggest that you go back and read the article again. Your statement of "operator error was likely the cause of the accident not the boat design," is only part of it. The boat was definately overloaded with people, and the Skipper was drunk, to the point, its a wonder he had'nt passed out. I'm sure as to what I'm about to say will bring on a string of debates, but we all have our opinions. I hope that the bulk will be more from fact, rather than heresay. The statement regarding reading operators manual and your recommendation for keeping ballast tanks full, is commendable. However the statement of finding the boat unstable over 10 mph with ballast tank empty and mast up, is a little hard for me to believe. I have followed the manual, and also additional instructions from the dealer, from whom I purchased my 26X. I have not had a problem with stability under power with ballast tank empty as you have stated. I've also cruised right along at 18MPH, with no problem, with 2 foot waves. Bounces around, true, but any rougher than that, and the ballast tank is filled. That smooths things out, but I also reduce speed too. With sails up tank full and keel down, I find it sails just fine. Not as fast as a lot of folks might like that own the boats like mine, or folks with other makes, but fast enough for my liking. I will point out that there are other boat manufacturers that build boats with water ballast also. You might check them out. I believe that Hunter has them too. I've owned other boats having full keels, shoal keels, wing keels, and drop keels. They have a tendency to rock and roll, but that is because the hulls are designed differently. In the right conditions, they can give yoou the feeling of unstable too. Power boats, I might add, also ride differently. Again, hull design, of which there are many. I do my boating in the Puget Sound, Straits of Juan de Fuca, where the water can change real fast, as well as the tides & surges, and have been out in the boats I've mentioned. You soon learn how each boat performs. Of all those boats, I haven't found that the Mac26X Is any worse, than other boats. It has been stated, by other individuals that the 26X being a power/sailer does neither well. It depends on the individual and what fits their needs. By the way, all boat manufacturers promote boat and water safety. If the Mac 26X were that bad, MacGregor Corporation would'nt have sold as many as they have, nor would they have a waiting list. I personally have nothing against any other make of boat. Its my preference, and I've been around boats all my life. You did'nt come right out and say if you own a 26X, but if you do, you have let it intimidate you. If you haven't sailed that long, and are just learning, get instructions. Just remember, that even though you either receive instructions, or have sailed for awhile, you will learn more each time out on the water. If you don't own a Mac 26X, than I suggest you should do a lot more research on them before making statements, that someone can and will prove you incorrect.
Dan, I suggest that you go back and read the article again. Your statement of "operator error was likely the cause of the accident not the boat design," is only part of it. The boat was definately overloaded with people, and the Skipper was drunk, to the point, its a wonder he had'nt passed out. I'm sure as to what I'm about to say will bring on a string of debates, but we all have our opinions. I hope that the bulk will be more from fact, rather than heresay. The statement regarding reading operators manual and your recommendation for keeping ballast tanks full, is commendable. However the statement of finding the boat unstable over 10 mph with ballast tank empty and mast up, is a little hard for me to believe. I have followed the manual, and also additional instructions from the dealer, from whom I purchased my 26X. I have not had a problem with stability under power with ballast tank empty as you have stated. I've also cruised right along at 18MPH, with no problem, with 2 foot waves. Bounces around, true, but any rougher than that, and the ballast tank is filled. That smooths things out, but I also reduce speed too. With sails up tank full and keel down, I find it sails just fine. Not as fast as a lot of folks might like that own the boats like mine, or folks with other makes, but fast enough for my liking. I will point out that there are other boat manufacturers that build boats with water ballast also. You might check them out. I believe that Hunter has them too. I've owned other boats having full keels, shoal keels, wing keels, and drop keels. They have a tendency to rock and roll, but that is because the hulls are designed differently. In the right conditions, they can give yoou the feeling of unstable too. Power boats, I might add, also ride differently. Again, hull design, of which there are many. I do my boating in the Puget Sound, Straits of Juan de Fuca, where the water can change real fast, as well as the tides & surges, and have been out in the boats I've mentioned. You soon learn how each boat performs. Of all those boats, I haven't found that the Mac26X Is any worse, than other boats. It has been stated, by other individuals that the 26X being a power/sailer does neither well. It depends on the individual and what fits their needs. By the way, all boat manufacturers promote boat and water safety. If the Mac 26X were that bad, MacGregor Corporation would'nt have sold as many as they have, nor would they have a waiting list. I personally have nothing against any other make of boat. Its my preference, and I've been around boats all my life. You did'nt come right out and say if you own a 26X, but if you do, you have let it intimidate you. If you haven't sailed that long, and are just learning, get instructions. Just remember, that even though you either receive instructions, or have sailed for awhile, you will learn more each time out on the water. If you don't own a Mac 26X, than I suggest you should do a lot more research on them before making statements, that someone can and will prove you incorrect.
D
dan
yes I own a 98'Mac 26X !
Yes I do have a Mac 26X. Have been sailing from Maine to the Georgia Straight for 30 years. The Mac 26X handles like a BLOATED WHALE without ballast. No amount of training or sailtime is going to make it any more stable with mast up at motoring speeds without ballast. My issue is safety, specially for folks new to sailing. happy running 2'waves at 18 mph....dan
Yes I do have a Mac 26X. Have been sailing from Maine to the Georgia Straight for 30 years. The Mac 26X handles like a BLOATED WHALE without ballast. No amount of training or sailtime is going to make it any more stable with mast up at motoring speeds without ballast. My issue is safety, specially for folks new to sailing. happy running 2'waves at 18 mph....dan
N
No Salt Please
Lake Champlain Tragedy
On July 5th, I attended a party of approximately 20 Mac owners (I was odd man out, but having had Macs in the past, they forgave me.) This was less than 24 hrs since the incident, and what with the timing, the details were lacking. We knew of a drowning, but not the boat or operator. The host and I were sharing "colorful" stories about the operator, whom we both knew in connection with airplanes, not even realizing he was involved with the accident! The last time I saw the operator was several years ago, going through Mallets Bay (by far, the busiest bay on the lake) at the "speed of heat" in his 2x950 HP powerboat. With the local gendarmes in hot pursuit, pathetically losing ground. Some years ago, he had a fleet of MiGs (Russian design fighter jets) and was quoted in the Smithsonian magazine. Other MiG/private jet fighter owners around the country were trying to come up with a self governing body before Uncle Sam did. If memory serves me, the boat operator was asked about his training program, and said something to the effect of "I just bring em up, roll it upside down and see if they can handle it." I think you can connect the dots. At first glance this boat looks like an accident waiting to happen ("It's different...I don't like it...") but so does a hang glider, hot air balloon, skate board, ad infinitum. The most important item in any vessel is air breathing, and not the engine.
On July 5th, I attended a party of approximately 20 Mac owners (I was odd man out, but having had Macs in the past, they forgave me.) This was less than 24 hrs since the incident, and what with the timing, the details were lacking. We knew of a drowning, but not the boat or operator. The host and I were sharing "colorful" stories about the operator, whom we both knew in connection with airplanes, not even realizing he was involved with the accident! The last time I saw the operator was several years ago, going through Mallets Bay (by far, the busiest bay on the lake) at the "speed of heat" in his 2x950 HP powerboat. With the local gendarmes in hot pursuit, pathetically losing ground. Some years ago, he had a fleet of MiGs (Russian design fighter jets) and was quoted in the Smithsonian magazine. Other MiG/private jet fighter owners around the country were trying to come up with a self governing body before Uncle Sam did. If memory serves me, the boat operator was asked about his training program, and said something to the effect of "I just bring em up, roll it upside down and see if they can handle it." I think you can connect the dots. At first glance this boat looks like an accident waiting to happen ("It's different...I don't like it...") but so does a hang glider, hot air balloon, skate board, ad infinitum. The most important item in any vessel is air breathing, and not the engine.
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