Dagger board line and cable replacement

Sep 3, 2026
5
MacGregor 26D Garland
Ok so the story is that I bought a 1990 Mac 26D about a month ago. It was in need of some TLC and I have been tackling things as I go. The current problem is that I’m pretty sure that the line to retract the dagger board is the original one from the factory. I’ve looked everywhere including YouTube and can’t find how to replace the line and I’m assuming a safety cable while sitting on a trailer. I found one but it must have been a different year because his came up through the top deck. Mine does not. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Oct 19, 2017
8,150
O'Day Mariner 19 3444 Littleton, NH
Pictures or good description of where/how your control cable comes up?
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Frayed dagger board rope | MacGregor Owners
It looks like the daggerboard lifts straight up out of the coachtop once the mast is down. If you don't have the control line coming out of the coachtop, are you sure you don't have the 26S?

-Will
 
Jan 19, 2010
13,022
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I’ve replaced one on a Hunter 26.

if it is similar in principle then you have a bracket that sits inside the keel trunk. The bracket is held in place by a bolt accessed near the base of the galley table. You will need to put the boat in a sling .

Here is a writeup of the process on an H26. Hope it is similar enough to help.
 

Attachments

Sep 3, 2026
5
MacGregor 26D Garland
Pictures or good description of where/how your control cable comes up?
View attachment 239802
Frayed dagger board rope | MacGregor Owners
It looks like the daggerboard lifts straight up out of the coachtop once the mast is down. If you don't have the control line coming out of the coachtop, are you sure you don't have the 26S?

-Will
Will I think MacGregor changed that at some point. I found a YouTube video that the dagger board came up through the deck but that was a 1988 26D the 1990 does not come up through the deck. According to the manual the boat needs to be lifted 3’ and then there is a bolt that needs removed to allow the dagger board to come free similar to what rgranger is talking about below. Problem is I live in the middle of a desert in UT and boat hoists are hard to come up with around here. I’m sure I can get it off the trailer and cribbed up but I’m not sure about safe lifting points to put the cribbing and jack. Here is the page out of the manual.
 

Attachments

Sep 3, 2026
5
MacGregor 26D Garland
I’ve replaced one on a Hunter 26.

if it is similar in principle then you have a bracket that sits inside the keel trunk. The bracket is held in place by a bolt accessed near the base of the galley table. You will need to put the boat in a sling .

Here is a writeup of the process on an H26. Hope it is similar enough to help.
Thanks G it is similar except the bolt is on the outside. Thanks MacGregor! The problem is as I stated in the previous post, I don’t have ready access to a hoist. There are a couple of larger lakes/ reservoirs that have them but they are a bit of a drive and seemed kind of iffy since I was not storing my boat there over the winter.
 
Sep 24, 2018
4,686
Catalina 30 MKIII Chicago
Thanks G it is similar except the bolt is on the outside. Thanks MacGregor! The problem is as I stated in the previous post, I don’t have ready access to a hoist. There are a couple of larger lakes/ reservoirs that have them but they are a bit of a drive and seemed kind of iffy since I was not storing my boat there over the winter.
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