Ok, I finally bought a new Macgregor 26M from Bill at boats4sail at the beginning of August. Its been sitting in my backyard ever since.The question is, are there any MAC 26m owners in the Cleveland,Ohio area that would like to show me how to sail the bloody thing, I would like to use my boat so I can get the hang of it.I live in Medina,Ohio and am willing to meet anyone who can help me.I will pay for the gas etc. Thanks to anyone with Mac26m knowledge.My email address is..... .geospruce@aol.com.
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Go to macgregor26.com
Go to the factory website (macgregor26.com). There is a section on HOW TO SAIL. It is written with a total beginner in mind. It will be all you need to go out on your own and just do it. If you follow the instructions you shouldnt get into trouble. Its best if you take another beginner with you. An 'experienced' sailor sometimes doesnt know as much as they think they do. Just follow Roger Macgregors instructions and you will learn it the right way. On a relatively calm day, your motor will be able to overpower the sails if you go the wrong way. Racing takes a lot of experience, but just getting from point A to point B is not rocket science. I guarantee that you will not be the first person to learn from reading.
Go to the factory website (macgregor26.com). There is a section on HOW TO SAIL. It is written with a total beginner in mind. It will be all you need to go out on your own and just do it. If you follow the instructions you shouldnt get into trouble. Its best if you take another beginner with you. An 'experienced' sailor sometimes doesnt know as much as they think they do. Just follow Roger Macgregors instructions and you will learn it the right way. On a relatively calm day, your motor will be able to overpower the sails if you go the wrong way. Racing takes a lot of experience, but just getting from point A to point B is not rocket science. I guarantee that you will not be the first person to learn from reading.
Macgregor 26.com
Thankyou sailortonyb. I have the disc on sailing also read the section How to sail. I just wanted someone to go with me as a confidence builder.
Thankyou sailortonyb. I have the disc on sailing also read the section How to sail. I just wanted someone to go with me as a confidence builder.
If I Can Do It...
Cockneyboy, I figure if I can do it, anyone can. I had a Sunfish growing up and spent many hours on it. There are some similarities, and basic seamanship crosses over, but throwing in a second sail and a larger, heavier boat had me very intimidated. I honestly wish I'd have realized how simple and fun sailing a sloop was twenty years ago. My wife and I bought a Mac 25 a month ago and I was pretty apprehensive about the first sail. I had it at my house a couple of weeks going over everything and making sure it was safe and seaworthy before venturing out in it. I had a friend of mine who owns an older Cal 25 come look at the boat before I bought it, after I had it home, and when we took it out to a field at the local fairgrounds to "test-rig" it. He went with us on the first sail. Since then, my wife and I have been solo, though we plan to have an instructor go with us to get her confidence up and so I can learn the finer points of sail tuning. I printed off Roger MacGregor's sailing instructions for the 26 and it was all relevant to my 25 with the exception of the daggerboard and water ballast. I like how he has made sailing a cruiser something anyone can do, both in the design of his boats and putting everything in plain language that common folk can understand. Before, I always thought sailing a larger boat was something for people who had a lot of time on their hands to learn something complex and difficult. My point is, find someone in your area with sloop rig sailing experience. They don't have to own a Mac 26 for their experience to be relevant to your boat. I'm sure there are many local sailing clubs up your way and there should be no shortage of people who would be willing to go out with you. You really only need that other person for some tips and as a confidence-builder. MacGregor has done a great job with rigging instructions and sailing tips. I've not seen his video, though I may order one just to have it.
Cockneyboy, I figure if I can do it, anyone can. I had a Sunfish growing up and spent many hours on it. There are some similarities, and basic seamanship crosses over, but throwing in a second sail and a larger, heavier boat had me very intimidated. I honestly wish I'd have realized how simple and fun sailing a sloop was twenty years ago. My wife and I bought a Mac 25 a month ago and I was pretty apprehensive about the first sail. I had it at my house a couple of weeks going over everything and making sure it was safe and seaworthy before venturing out in it. I had a friend of mine who owns an older Cal 25 come look at the boat before I bought it, after I had it home, and when we took it out to a field at the local fairgrounds to "test-rig" it. He went with us on the first sail. Since then, my wife and I have been solo, though we plan to have an instructor go with us to get her confidence up and so I can learn the finer points of sail tuning. I printed off Roger MacGregor's sailing instructions for the 26 and it was all relevant to my 25 with the exception of the daggerboard and water ballast. I like how he has made sailing a cruiser something anyone can do, both in the design of his boats and putting everything in plain language that common folk can understand. Before, I always thought sailing a larger boat was something for people who had a lot of time on their hands to learn something complex and difficult. My point is, find someone in your area with sloop rig sailing experience. They don't have to own a Mac 26 for their experience to be relevant to your boat. I'm sure there are many local sailing clubs up your way and there should be no shortage of people who would be willing to go out with you. You really only need that other person for some tips and as a confidence-builder. MacGregor has done a great job with rigging instructions and sailing tips. I've not seen his video, though I may order one just to have it.
Take Lessons!
My strong advice to to take sailing lessons. Then you will learn all of the skills involved in sailing. A good class will cover knots, sailing rules, hardware, navigation, sailing points, MOB (man over board) tactics and drills, and many other things. Where a Mac owner would be helpful is in learaning the unique items about a Mac that are different than other sailboats, like trailering hints, ballast technique, working the rudders and keel properly, etc. But learn to sail first. Good sailing!
My strong advice to to take sailing lessons. Then you will learn all of the skills involved in sailing. A good class will cover knots, sailing rules, hardware, navigation, sailing points, MOB (man over board) tactics and drills, and many other things. Where a Mac owner would be helpful is in learaning the unique items about a Mac that are different than other sailboats, like trailering hints, ballast technique, working the rudders and keel properly, etc. But learn to sail first. Good sailing!
learning
Sailing for fun has made sailing much more complicated than it used to be. 200 years ago you could get knocked on the head on a fri night and wake up Sat. morning setting the top sail on a friggate. You learned by doing, and these people weren't rocket scientists, heck most didn't even know what a rocket was. (the military did have rockets then). Just take it easy, don't jump in over your head, go out in light winds first. You'll make some mistakes, but will learn from them. There are a lot of good books out there, you can learn the terms and get a good knowledge base from the books. Every boat is different and every skipper runs his boat differently. Develope your own style. To sail well takes tiller time, so just get out there. Most mistakes only cost some pride, some cost $$. Get a good chart, compass, and a pencil and use them. Stay with in your abilities and have fun. Racing can be fun, but is much more stressful, and requires a much more intence knowledge of sailing. If you want to race start in a smaller boat and get used to it before racing your Mac, or race as crew on some-one elses boat till you get all the rules and tactics down first. Crewing is a good way to learn sailing too. But sailing for fun, just point the boat as close to where you want to go a you can, and mess around with the sails till it feels right. The rest will come.
Sailing for fun has made sailing much more complicated than it used to be. 200 years ago you could get knocked on the head on a fri night and wake up Sat. morning setting the top sail on a friggate. You learned by doing, and these people weren't rocket scientists, heck most didn't even know what a rocket was. (the military did have rockets then). Just take it easy, don't jump in over your head, go out in light winds first. You'll make some mistakes, but will learn from them. There are a lot of good books out there, you can learn the terms and get a good knowledge base from the books. Every boat is different and every skipper runs his boat differently. Develope your own style. To sail well takes tiller time, so just get out there. Most mistakes only cost some pride, some cost $$. Get a good chart, compass, and a pencil and use them. Stay with in your abilities and have fun. Racing can be fun, but is much more stressful, and requires a much more intence knowledge of sailing. If you want to race start in a smaller boat and get used to it before racing your Mac, or race as crew on some-one elses boat till you get all the rules and tactics down first. Crewing is a good way to learn sailing too. But sailing for fun, just point the boat as close to where you want to go a you can, and mess around with the sails till it feels right. The rest will come.
Nothin like having a buddy ...
Wow, grew up in Brunswick Ohio until I was moved down here as a 14 year old kid. However, if I still lived up there, I would be ready to go Saturday. On the other hand, you can trailer-up and come down to my neighborhood in Saint Cloud Florida. LOL. If you can't find experience to guide you, then find a friend who is excided about comming aboard. Remember the number one safety thing. Wear the life vests and take it a step at a time. If the wind is so strong it'll blow your hat off, might motor around and not put up the sails. On the other hand if the winds are light, that would be the best time to set up the sails and get the feel of how the boat responds. Pack a lunch and some iced soda pop (no Beer), you're gonna need your wits about you, and enjoy. One thing to remember, as long as you fill your ballast and lower your keel, you are pretty much roll proof. The boat won't tip over although in heavy gusts you might swear it will. If you get stuck, raise up the keel And remember the most important thing ... Sailing isn't dangerouse .... Sinking is dangerous! Tom
Wow, grew up in Brunswick Ohio until I was moved down here as a 14 year old kid. However, if I still lived up there, I would be ready to go Saturday. On the other hand, you can trailer-up and come down to my neighborhood in Saint Cloud Florida. LOL. If you can't find experience to guide you, then find a friend who is excided about comming aboard. Remember the number one safety thing. Wear the life vests and take it a step at a time. If the wind is so strong it'll blow your hat off, might motor around and not put up the sails. On the other hand if the winds are light, that would be the best time to set up the sails and get the feel of how the boat responds. Pack a lunch and some iced soda pop (no Beer), you're gonna need your wits about you, and enjoy. One thing to remember, as long as you fill your ballast and lower your keel, you are pretty much roll proof. The boat won't tip over although in heavy gusts you might swear it will. If you get stuck, raise up the keel And remember the most important thing ... Sailing isn't dangerouse .... Sinking is dangerous! Tom
Well so far no luck, I thought a MAC sailor in the Northern,Ohio are might have got in touch with me.I still need an experienced Mac sailor to go with me on my first sail. email me at geosprucelee@aol.com
Beer!
If you hang around the local marina with a 12-pack of lite beer, and show an interest in the sail boats, someone will take you for a ride, free lesson. Sail boats are sailboats, its pretty much the same principle. Then maybe you can ask an experienced sailor to go out with you on your boat next time. Piece of cake! Good luck.
If you hang around the local marina with a 12-pack of lite beer, and show an interest in the sail boats, someone will take you for a ride, free lesson. Sail boats are sailboats, its pretty much the same principle. Then maybe you can ask an experienced sailor to go out with you on your boat next time. Piece of cake! Good luck.
Wise is right
Sailors are usually very friendly and open. We have been invited sailing a few times while hanging around the marina. And we weren't even carrying beer!
Sailors are usually very friendly and open. We have been invited sailing a few times while hanging around the marina. And we weren't even carrying beer!
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