Pop top is a killer

Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
Tearing out the hole is one of my concerns. I had planned on going to the boat last night or this morning but got called out and had to head to NC last night. Hopefully I can get to it Friday.

My wife bought me a folding ladder for the stern and I was hoping to install that too. Sorta glad I didn't do that yet. I need to make up some backing plates before I bolt that on. I just hate putting holes in the boat.

We really didn't have a good ladder. All I had was a couple of those that fold up and you hook them over into the cockpit. It was crappy at best and I needed a better solution.
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Doc_holiday said:
Tearing out the hole is one of my concerns...
Click to expand
I wouldn't worry much about that. Who ever put the hole in ours, factory or individual, made it larger than need be and it hasn't broke out. Not sure how many times it went up and down before we got the boat but well over 100 since then.

There isn't much of a load on it once up,

Sumner

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Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
Hard to argue with that.

You know, there are more than enough places to spend money on our boats and and endless list of projects but in this case, a hole is free but it's value will be priceless!

Thanks
 
topcat0399

topcat0399

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Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
Diver960 said:
Hey Doc...sorry for the late reply, I just saw this thread. As you know, I am brand new to this, and we just bought our first boat, which is already in winter storage, so I am not sure you want to listen to me, but here's what I use on mine. I have two stainless holders on top of the cabin where two stainless rods fit in with cotter pins to hold them in place. They fit into the pop top when it's up, and the tops sides are secured by bolts. There's no way it will fall when up. She's in storage now, so I apologize that I can't send pics, but hope this helps!
Click to expand

Our wide old poppy tops are arranged quite a little different than theirs.
I'm not sure why you need cotter pins on the bottom (are your bases and stanchions drilled for that?).

A lot of things changed around 1975 or so as the Venture 24 line morphed into Mac 25s.
 
Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
One project down! Thanks guys!


There is a hole now, that thumb screw goes back into the slot on the mast. The admiral is now safe
 

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Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
I did also get my stern mounted ladder done. I had to wait for the guy who works at the marina to walk by because I couldn't reach the screws and the nuts at the same time. I built backing plates and bedded mounts. I used lock nuts too. (All stainless). I forgot to take a picture but it's a fold up ladder. I even climbed it from the water. I can tell you I am darn glad I made backing plates
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
Doc_holiday said:
I did also get my stern mounted ladder done. I had to wait for the guy who works at the marina to walk by because I couldn't reach the screws and the nuts at the same time. I built backing plates and bedded mounts. I used lock nuts too. (All stainless). I forgot to take a picture but it's a fold up ladder. I even climbed it from the water. I can tell you I am darn glad I made backing plates
Click to expand
On Transition I did the whole back on the Starboard side so I could incorporate the ladder and back stay into the same piece of plywood.
I'll be doing the same to the other 26D too.
To get the shape I put the plywood against the stern and traced around the hull. I sandwiched fibreglass cloth between the plywood and the hull and held everything in tight with boards inside the laz and screws through the holes ware the ladder attaches.
 
Diver960

Diver960

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Jul 27, 2014
84
MacGregor Venture 224 Trailer Sailor
Sorry for delay, topcat. Just saw your question. Yes...that's how they came. Seemed to work ok during the one sail we had this year, but still needs to be tested further. :)
 
Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
We all know we are never done!

I would like to build a shelf inside the laz well above the floor. It's too deep to use now nut I store my gas tank in there when I leave the boat. I pull it out when I get on the boat. It's so deep I have to reach a long way. I would like to have it set on a riser. Seems to me sumner had something similar but he has a permanent tank. I can't afford that.

Really I would like to be able to prop open the laz and pull the fuel lime out leaving it propped enough for ventilation and not get in the way of the tiller.
 
Chris & Lenore

Chris & Lenore

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Apr 24, 2006
868
Aloha 32 Toronto, Lake Ontario
Once your ladder is mounted, you may want to do this next...

I wanted a "step through" stern railing - one that was strong but also one that was clean and simple (and not looking like a "mobility aid" with a ton of extra tubing and bracing.

The solution was locating two holes in the fiberglass i such a way that two vertical pieces of stainless go through them and up against the transom.

I spaced these vertical tubes so the can tie into my "L" reinforcing for the swim ladder. Tying them together lets the swim ladder force cancel out the force on the vertical tubes.

You can see from the pictures that this is extremely clean, uncluttered and stronger than any solution I have seen to date.

I placed everything so the ladder folds into the opening - with a release line you can reach from the water.

Chris
 

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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country


Another option that has no strength problems and gives more steps above the existing ladder we had.



Added an extension on the bottom later to help getting on the ladder while swimming and ...



The upper steps allowed the diagonal brace to be added to turn the ladder into a tow bar for the dinghy and also as a loading platform to get in and out of the dinghy,

Sumner

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walt

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,541
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Those rails must have been an optional install by the dealer. Both Chris and Sumners stern raiil is a lot higher in the back that mine.. I dont really have any problem with mine as is but the top bar is maybe a foot or more lower.

FYI, I use the stock method for keeping the pop top up and it does look funky but I havent had any issue. However, this thread has me wondering about adding a backup tether - something very simple. I can see it not being a good thing to have the pop top crash down..
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
walt said:
Those rails must have been an optional install by the dealer. Both Chris and Sumners stern raiil is a lot higher in the back that mine.. I dont really have any problem with mine as is but the top bar is maybe a foot or more lower...
Click to expand
I also think they must of been owner or dealer installed as you see all different ones on these boats. I think the lower one would be just fine and if that is what we would of had it probably wouldn't of gotten changed. Ruth was 5'-2" and the one on the boat was a major obstacle for her either trying to get under it or over it. She really appreciated this mod and....



..... later when we added all the other upper bracing for the solar array, that Chris refers to as "a mobility aid", she really liked that with the higher handholds on the last couple steps on the ladder and of course we both like the fact we could now run a fridge day after day. That bracing has nothing to do with the ladder though :),

Sumner

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

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Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
I have a 1990s and it has no stern rail at all and there are no holes. My lifelines attach to the backs of the cockpit seating.

I kept the stern rail from my clipper marine and it is a little wide but nothing a hacksaw can't fix. Maybe this winter. I don't have anything to grab now with my new ladder but the backstay.
 
C

chp

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Sep 13, 2010
432
Hunter 280 hamilton
Looks like the subject has changed. My Mac is also a 90's build. Don't know if the railing on mine was put on by PO or came this way. I also have a step through opening on my stern rail. It also has a low cross bar.
 

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vizwhiz

vizwhiz

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Aug 7, 2011
496
MacGregor 26S Lakeland, FL
Chris, is that stern rail a custom one or one you built with standard pieces?
 
Patbrogan

Patbrogan

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Jan 4, 2015
16
macgregor 26m lake tahoe and Santa Cruz
I'm a new 26M (2006) owner and read this with curiosity. Does my boat have a pop top?
 
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