passenger capacity

[Bilbo]

That is the pic of the same boat on the same day. It's from a different article and I save the pic when it came out. There was a pretty lengthy discussion here on SBO when it happened.
The guy running that BS op should be in jail. What gets me about it is he was doing this for hire and as far as I know a paid captain has to have a license, the USCG has to inspect the boat, etc, etc, etc and we never heard anything about those little issues.

Here's the update on this clown and his "operation" http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=882978&highlight=sailboat capsized in San Diego

Well, There is a question about whether this 26D had the water ballast loaded. However, she didn't capsize for no good reason. Apparently, the passenger limit for this boat is 6 adults. One may also note that in that pic. the poptop is actually up. Probably a good thing so that anyone inside the cabin can swim free after capsizing. As sad event to be sure.

My uneducated 2 cents guess from the picture of the overloaded boat above AND from this article: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/27/no-criminal-charges-fatal-sailing-accident/ leads me to guess that the water ballast tanks were empty at the time of the capsize. The Mac 26D is supposed to be 'self righting" and the picture of the overloaded boat shows me that it should be sitting considerably lower in the water all around with that many aboard.

 

[Merlin Clark]

Well, There is a question about whether this 26D had the water ballast loaded. However, she didn't capsize for no good reason. Apparently, the passenger limit for this boat is 6 adults. One may also note that in that pic. the poptop is actually up. Probably a good thing so that anyone inside the cabin can swim free after capsizing. As sad event to be sure.

My uneducated 2 cents guess from the picture of the overloaded boat above AND from this article: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/27/no-criminal-charges-fatal-sailing-accident/ leads me to guess that the water ballast tanks were empty at the time of the capsize. The Mac 26D is supposed to be 'self righting" and the picture of the overloaded boat shows me that it should be sitting considerably lower in the water all around with that many aboard.

Mr. Bill posted this in that thread the I linked:
"A report from one SanDiego Mac owner said the ballast was not full. (very bad).
-and clearly overloaded."
I like how MS summed up this outfits claim against Macgregor: "MacGregor's fault...?????? Yeah, and the fork made Rosie O'Donnell fat... "

 

[Bilbo]

Well, I tried to find some sort of "Official conclusion" (and not some Mac owner's conclusion) as to a definite cause and they didn't exactly say that the water ballast wasn't loaded. But from the picture where the boat is listing about 15-20 degs. and no sails are raised.... http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=55699&d=1345746867 and from the fact that it did capsize and didn't self-right. I would also come to that conclusion. I would have no reason why the cap' had the pop-top up in the picture but with that and the crib boards not placed, there's no chance. Apparently, the wearing of life jackets wasn't a requirement for the adults. The issue of actual overloading was a point of contention legally but Macgregor (the designer) seem to think that it was.
There was another famous issue on Lake Champlain of a Mac 26X capsizing on a 4th of July evening while the boat wasn't being sailed. In that situation it may have been misunderstood that when using that sort of boat in motor/non-sail situation that one diesn't need the water ballast.

For this issue of center of gravity shift in the keel, (unlike some) I really don't sail my C-22 with the keel up for any reason. ...especially downwind.

Someone remarked as to whether or not this thread was some kind of a joke. I would like to very respectfully say that there are no dumb questions.

 

[anchorclanker]

Unlike the Centerton 34 that capsized on the fourth, there is absolutely no question this 26 Mac is clearly, and grossly overloaded.

And its becoming epidemic. Various major cities such as LA, Chicago, etc., are promoting boat float parties and if one Googles boat parties, outside of the plethora of nude girls one finds, one will see many, many greatly overloaded boats, many of them at these city promoted events. Google "Party Barge" and you not only see a lot of pontoons that are way overloaded, some are actually manufacture pics promoting it, actually selling it. Ive even seen some late model pontoons with upper decks complete with a ladder. I have not seen a capacity limit for any of those decks, but admittedly I haven't gone up and looked either. So get used to seeing more death and destruction until the pendulum swings the other way.

 

[jfrench]

So, Wayne... are ya' sorry you ever asked?

 

[Bilbo]

Unlike the Centerton 34 that capsized on the fourth, there is absolutely no question this 26 Mac is clearly, and grossly overloaded. .....

I wasn't going to bring up the power boat capsize this past 4th on the north shore of Long Island. It had 27 people aboard. and 3 died.

Here's the court paper on the other Mac 26X that capsized on Lake Champlain July 4, 2002.

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/vt-supreme-court/1080797.html

" On the evening of the capsize, defendant was operating the MacGregor 26X as a powerboat with eleven people on board-eight adults and three children.   One adult was seated on the foredeck and another was standing atop the cabin.   The ballast tank was empty.   Defendant had never seen the owner's manual.   Although the manufacturer typically puts decals on the boat warning about the number of passengers, their location and when to fill the ballast tank, the warnings were missing on this particular boat.   Both the State and defense experts agreed that had the ballast tank been filled, the capsize would not have happened."

 

[Milton.Audas]

The MAC 26 is a nice boat below decks, and looks smart on the outside. But when we looked at them prior to settling on the C22 I was concerned about the water ballast vs a large chunk of metal way below the waterline.

On our lake, there isn't a MAC to be found. Perhaps the hull shape and water ballast is not suited to the sometimes short chop. On another lake near Des Moines there are dozens of them but the lake is much narrower. I have seen a video of a MAC in 20ft seas out on the Pacific but it's not the boat for.me. that and the 26X is hardly a sailboat when it's rated at 24kts under power. More like a ski tow with a sail.

But none of this really relates to some idiot ignoring common sense, boating regs, manufacturers notifications, and taking care and responsibility for all aboard their vessel. I wonder in each of those tragic cases if anyone went over and tried to impede their perilous passages, instead of taking photos. I could not have held back for sure. Makes me so mad it hurts. Most sailors are responsible people. Power junkies a different matter at times...

 

[Chris Patterson]

Years ago, I considered buying a new boat. I happened to have a 50 horse motor I wasn't using, and thought, "Wow, in the event of a dying wind, wouldn't it be cool to drop the mast, and motor on at a planing speed".
When I observed this piece of junk at a boat show, just looking across the transom, I was shocked at how poorly a boat could be constructed. I wasn't even aware that you could build a boat out of cardboard. From that moment on, I've said many times, you could not give me one of those things with a hundred dollar bill. It would cost more than that to dispose of it...

 

[UPSGUY]

As demonstrated several times in recent history with tragic consequences load capacity of a small boat is very important. It's not just a matter of "at what point will it capsize". In my mind and on my boat it's a matter of what I feel is safe. That number changes based on weather conditions and passenger skill level. If the wind is blowing 15-20 I'm not taking more than 2 people with me. If its more than that the boat will stay on the mooring.
If I have to try to figure out where everyone is going to sit I am most likely overloading the boat and should reconsider who is going out and who's staying on the dock. I would rather you be disappointed that there was not enough room than I have to explain to your family in the event of a tragedy.