I am about to start planning a winter trip sailing the keys. I'll have about two weeks with a MacGregor 26s. Does anyone have any ideas, or a web page that might help, about potential sailing legs or good islands to check out? Thanks, Richard
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Sailing tothe Keys
Richard..Iassume you are a trailer sailer? If so I would lauch at Dinner Key(CoconutGrove).It's a historic place,being where Pan Am launched their service to S.America with flying boats.Lots of parking for youcar and trailer..straight shot out the channel to Biscayne Bay,right turn down the bay(sheltered from windward)to Elliot Key.Lots of anchorages..eventually you want to go eastward and into Hawk Channel which goes south inside the reef with pleny of water.If the wind goes NE you will have plenty of it but no fetch for seas to build up.Go ashore Marathon for dinner and stretch the legs..my chart is under the bed and MOM's asleep..will take a look and see if I can spot any other places.Don't look for sandy beaches butou can get inside the keys at Marathon puts you into the Bay of Ten Thousand Islands I think..plenty of vertical clearance for you.Fair winds and smooth seas!
Richard..Iassume you are a trailer sailer? If so I would lauch at Dinner Key(CoconutGrove).It's a historic place,being where Pan Am launched their service to S.America with flying boats.Lots of parking for youcar and trailer..straight shot out the channel to Biscayne Bay,right turn down the bay(sheltered from windward)to Elliot Key.Lots of anchorages..eventually you want to go eastward and into Hawk Channel which goes south inside the reef with pleny of water.If the wind goes NE you will have plenty of it but no fetch for seas to build up.Go ashore Marathon for dinner and stretch the legs..my chart is under the bed and MOM's asleep..will take a look and see if I can spot any other places.Don't look for sandy beaches butou can get inside the keys at Marathon puts you into the Bay of Ten Thousand Islands I think..plenty of vertical clearance for you.Fair winds and smooth seas!
Try bootkeyharbor.com
Check out the web page from Boot Key Harbor. They have a lot of cruising and planning info for all of the keys including lists of launching ramps. http://www.bootkeyharbor.com/ Bill
Check out the web page from Boot Key Harbor. They have a lot of cruising and planning info for all of the keys including lists of launching ramps. http://www.bootkeyharbor.com/ Bill
Sweet web site!
Thanks for the info. I don't even need any coffee this morning...checking out the site and thinking about the trips got my brain perkulating!
Thanks for the info. I don't even need any coffee this morning...checking out the site and thinking about the trips got my brain perkulating!
Must-do sailing in the Keys
Launch at Stock Island and go west 25 miles to the Marquesas and then west again 40 miles to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Figure a week round trip with nothing available but the salt-water toilet at Fort Jefferson. You could arrange reprovisioning with the tour boats that make the round-trip daily. Check the newest fishing regs for all the Keys as they change often. You'll Love this trip.
Launch at Stock Island and go west 25 miles to the Marquesas and then west again 40 miles to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Figure a week round trip with nothing available but the salt-water toilet at Fort Jefferson. You could arrange reprovisioning with the tour boats that make the round-trip daily. Check the newest fishing regs for all the Keys as they change often. You'll Love this trip.
A mac probably isn't a good idea in the tortugas
I actually bought my 1988 mac after reading an article about sailing a sharpie in the keys. The Mac with it's shallow draft seemed perfect for sailing on the Gulf side. I never considered my Mac as suitable for open ocean but loved it as a lake and bay boat that was easy to trailer. A great thing with the Mac is that even if you run aground it should be easy to push off. I never did it but thought about putting a pump on my ballast tank so that I could close the valve and pump out the tank to float higher. Of course the boat is fairly unstable with the tank empty. I was thinking that the boat would be easier to load onto a trailer with an empty tank. You don't want to be stuck out at the Tortugas in bad weather on a Mac!!!! The charter company told us that we could go there but that they would charge us a lot to come and get us. They said that they routinely had people sail out there and be afraid to sail back when it got rough. Another thing is that the wind tends to blow from the east so that getting there is easy but you then have a long beat to get back to Key west. Tom
I actually bought my 1988 mac after reading an article about sailing a sharpie in the keys. The Mac with it's shallow draft seemed perfect for sailing on the Gulf side. I never considered my Mac as suitable for open ocean but loved it as a lake and bay boat that was easy to trailer. A great thing with the Mac is that even if you run aground it should be easy to push off. I never did it but thought about putting a pump on my ballast tank so that I could close the valve and pump out the tank to float higher. Of course the boat is fairly unstable with the tank empty. I was thinking that the boat would be easier to load onto a trailer with an empty tank. You don't want to be stuck out at the Tortugas in bad weather on a Mac!!!! The charter company told us that we could go there but that they would charge us a lot to come and get us. They said that they routinely had people sail out there and be afraid to sail back when it got rough. Another thing is that the wind tends to blow from the east so that getting there is easy but you then have a long beat to get back to Key west. Tom
Mac's in the Dry Tortugas
We sail a 1985 MAC25 and have been to the Tortugas 6-8 times, also to Bimini several times, mostly alone. We also went to the Tortugas in our 19' O'Day Mariner, but had to sleep in a tent at the campground. Our companion boat on that trip was a 23' Hunter. As for towing, we went once in a 20' open fisherman and had both the main and kicker breakdown on the return. It was the end of a Labor Day weekend and even the Coast Guard couldn't get us a commercial tow, so they towed us back behind a 140-ft Cutter. My hat's off to their professionalism! Obviously watch your weather, have a dependable radio, etc, and enjoy. Contact the Venture Sailing Club of South Florida for local MAC sailors.
We sail a 1985 MAC25 and have been to the Tortugas 6-8 times, also to Bimini several times, mostly alone. We also went to the Tortugas in our 19' O'Day Mariner, but had to sleep in a tent at the campground. Our companion boat on that trip was a 23' Hunter. As for towing, we went once in a 20' open fisherman and had both the main and kicker breakdown on the return. It was the end of a Labor Day weekend and even the Coast Guard couldn't get us a commercial tow, so they towed us back behind a 140-ft Cutter. My hat's off to their professionalism! Obviously watch your weather, have a dependable radio, etc, and enjoy. Contact the Venture Sailing Club of South Florida for local MAC sailors.
A friend had a Mac 25
We sailed it on a lake in east tennessee. We would sometimes have a contest to see who could get the most water in the cockpit by suddenly tacking. It was a great fun lake boat. One day we sailed to the far end of the lake under bare poles. There was a strong wind out of the west that was supposed to die out in the afternoon. It didn't so we tried to sail back. All we could use was a reefed main and we still got knocked over when tacking. We then started up the motor and even with the motor we couldn't go into the wind except by hiding in the lee of hills. Finally after several hours the wind died down and we got back to the marina well after dark. This was in a lake surrounded by mountains and th ewind was probably less than 25-30knots. I couldn't imagine trying to make progress agaisnt a strong wind in the keys!!!! We only had to travel about 6 miles and it took all afternoon going 65 miles back to key west would seem almost impossible. My friends hull flexed in lake chop I'd hate to imagine it in ocean swells. Timing is everything so I guess that living in Key West you can wait for a great weather window but a guy from Asheville(NC?) can't afford to wait for a great window. The last time I was in the Keys a guy in a catalina 30 told me thta he had waited for two days on the western end of seven mile bridge for the wind to die down enough for him to motor back into Marathon. He said that there were 4' waves with vertical fronts that were giving him more of a beating than he could stand. That trip we lucked out with the wind blowing hard on our way west and very little wind on our way back east. Tom
We sailed it on a lake in east tennessee. We would sometimes have a contest to see who could get the most water in the cockpit by suddenly tacking. It was a great fun lake boat. One day we sailed to the far end of the lake under bare poles. There was a strong wind out of the west that was supposed to die out in the afternoon. It didn't so we tried to sail back. All we could use was a reefed main and we still got knocked over when tacking. We then started up the motor and even with the motor we couldn't go into the wind except by hiding in the lee of hills. Finally after several hours the wind died down and we got back to the marina well after dark. This was in a lake surrounded by mountains and th ewind was probably less than 25-30knots. I couldn't imagine trying to make progress agaisnt a strong wind in the keys!!!! We only had to travel about 6 miles and it took all afternoon going 65 miles back to key west would seem almost impossible. My friends hull flexed in lake chop I'd hate to imagine it in ocean swells. Timing is everything so I guess that living in Key West you can wait for a great weather window but a guy from Asheville(NC?) can't afford to wait for a great window. The last time I was in the Keys a guy in a catalina 30 told me thta he had waited for two days on the western end of seven mile bridge for the wind to die down enough for him to motor back into Marathon. He said that there were 4' waves with vertical fronts that were giving him more of a beating than he could stand. That trip we lucked out with the wind blowing hard on our way west and very little wind on our way back east. Tom
I've sailed my Mac in 25 knot winds...
with an unreefed mainsail (still had a reef to put in if I needed to)I've also been off Pensacola in 4-6 foot waves, the boat handled them with no problem. In my opinion, to call the Mac a great lake boat is an unfair evaluation. I can understand some people wanting a thicker hulled, more stable boat, but many people do just fine in the ocean with their Mac's (see linked site for a few). With regards to the weather window, it would be a bummer top get down their and have to wait when, perhaps, a heavier more stable boat could make it. But ALL boats (and skill/knowledge level)have a weather window...So far I have made it into the ocean on every trip (Charleston 5 times; Pensacola twice, and Panama city once). All ocean, though I do enjoy the many lakes I've been able to explore as well. Richard
with an unreefed mainsail (still had a reef to put in if I needed to)I've also been off Pensacola in 4-6 foot waves, the boat handled them with no problem. In my opinion, to call the Mac a great lake boat is an unfair evaluation. I can understand some people wanting a thicker hulled, more stable boat, but many people do just fine in the ocean with their Mac's (see linked site for a few). With regards to the weather window, it would be a bummer top get down their and have to wait when, perhaps, a heavier more stable boat could make it. But ALL boats (and skill/knowledge level)have a weather window...So far I have made it into the ocean on every trip (Charleston 5 times; Pensacola twice, and Panama city once). All ocean, though I do enjoy the many lakes I've been able to explore as well. Richard
Previous message should be for a 26s
Not much of a difference, but I meant to write 26s instead of mac 25.
Not much of a difference, but I meant to write 26s instead of mac 25.
Mine was a 26D
Hi Richard; You probably know Watauga lake where my friend and I had our big adventure. A mac 25 is a very different boat from a mac 26 d or s. The Mac 25 has about 500lbs in it's swing keel whereas the 26 has about 1200 #s of water. In 7 years of sailing my Mac 26 in some rough conditions we never had water come into the cockpit. I now have a Pearson 323 and have had her out in conditions that I'd never consider with my mac 26D. My biggest fear with a 26D in the ocean was surfing down a wave and broaching with the broach turning into a roll. The rudder also seemed rather weak and I feared that it would break in large waves. I also towed my mac to Charleston SC and we had a great time in the bay. We also spent a week on her in Panama city. Good luck on your trip to the Keys you should have a great time!!! But don't underestimate a trip to the Tortugas. At least the Mac is unsinkable!!!! But for me a much more fun trip would be staying on the Gulf side and in Florida bay. Hawk Channel shouldn't be a problem for the Mac most days.
Hi Richard; You probably know Watauga lake where my friend and I had our big adventure. A mac 25 is a very different boat from a mac 26 d or s. The Mac 25 has about 500lbs in it's swing keel whereas the 26 has about 1200 #s of water. In 7 years of sailing my Mac 26 in some rough conditions we never had water come into the cockpit. I now have a Pearson 323 and have had her out in conditions that I'd never consider with my mac 26D. My biggest fear with a 26D in the ocean was surfing down a wave and broaching with the broach turning into a roll. The rudder also seemed rather weak and I feared that it would break in large waves. I also towed my mac to Charleston SC and we had a great time in the bay. We also spent a week on her in Panama city. Good luck on your trip to the Keys you should have a great time!!! But don't underestimate a trip to the Tortugas. At least the Mac is unsinkable!!!! But for me a much more fun trip would be staying on the Gulf side and in Florida bay. Hawk Channel shouldn't be a problem for the Mac most days.
That's a big difference...
Hey Tom, I had no idea there was that much of a ballast difference. I appreciate the advice, and probably won't do the Tortuga trip this time around. That far out I'd feel more comfortable if other boats were going along. Richard
Hey Tom, I had no idea there was that much of a ballast difference. I appreciate the advice, and probably won't do the Tortuga trip this time around. That far out I'd feel more comfortable if other boats were going along. Richard
check out gunkholing with gators
Ther is an article by that name at the cruisingworld.com website.
Ther is an article by that name at the cruisingworld.com website.
Keys Trips
for sailing, keybiscayne down to jewfish creek if a great trip. elliot key/ragged keys nice anchorage. depending on weather you could go outside at anglefish creek, and run hawks channel down, or stick to the inside and the ICW. lauching is harder than you'd expect as most ramps are shallow for flats boats. key biscayne and homestead in miami are good ramps, and have storage. most public ramps in the keys only allow daily parking of the tow vehicle. are you getting rooms? The KOA fiesta key at mm70 is very nice, and will be closing for good this spring. (bayside) just down the street is the long key state park, if you can get a campsite that maybe cheapest. (ocean side) The bayview inn has a good ramp about mm60, and grassy key marina has good ramp on bay side (bayside) Grassy key marina has good ramp and boat and trl storage.
for sailing, keybiscayne down to jewfish creek if a great trip. elliot key/ragged keys nice anchorage. depending on weather you could go outside at anglefish creek, and run hawks channel down, or stick to the inside and the ICW. lauching is harder than you'd expect as most ramps are shallow for flats boats. key biscayne and homestead in miami are good ramps, and have storage. most public ramps in the keys only allow daily parking of the tow vehicle. are you getting rooms? The KOA fiesta key at mm70 is very nice, and will be closing for good this spring. (bayside) just down the street is the long key state park, if you can get a campsite that maybe cheapest. (ocean side) The bayview inn has a good ramp about mm60, and grassy key marina has good ramp on bay side (bayside) Grassy key marina has good ramp and boat and trl storage.
checking out the charts
I have been looking at some charts, this is part of the adventure, yet I am a bit intimidated by the ample opportunity for shoaling! In some places it looks like you could hike the keys! What's up with the quicksand area past key west? Due to budget constraints I'll be anchoring/ camping most of the time. I am leaning towards departing from homestead and making my way down to marathon key, staying awhile where the sailing and anchoring situation seems best, and then heading back up. Though the idea of sailing into key west harbour and having a drink at sloppy joe's sounds pretty enticing! Richard
I have been looking at some charts, this is part of the adventure, yet I am a bit intimidated by the ample opportunity for shoaling! In some places it looks like you could hike the keys! What's up with the quicksand area past key west? Due to budget constraints I'll be anchoring/ camping most of the time. I am leaning towards departing from homestead and making my way down to marathon key, staying awhile where the sailing and anchoring situation seems best, and then heading back up. Though the idea of sailing into key west harbour and having a drink at sloppy joe's sounds pretty enticing! Richard
Mac 25 and big waves
I have a 85 Mac 25 and I would take it out in the Keys with no worries. We get some pretty rough waters in the great lakes, big waves with sharp peaks and close together, it is not a enjoyable ride but you can do it if needed. I think these boats get a little bit of a bum rap because they are so light but I have yet to have a knock down in mine and we have tried to do it just to see what it would take. We have a bigger sailboat for cruising but when it come to all out fun you just can beat the 25
I have a 85 Mac 25 and I would take it out in the Keys with no worries. We get some pretty rough waters in the great lakes, big waves with sharp peaks and close together, it is not a enjoyable ride but you can do it if needed. I think these boats get a little bit of a bum rap because they are so light but I have yet to have a knock down in mine and we have tried to do it just to see what it would take. We have a bigger sailboat for cruising but when it come to all out fun you just can beat the 25
That's what I thought
I have a 26S, still going through the learning process with it. The hull seems to be solid where needed. Overall seems to be a great boat for what it's designed to be. I would think the older M25 hulls would be similarly built. I've read everything on these boats I can find, and basically have only heard good reports. These are boats engineered to be lightweight for trailering. Everyone seems to agree they are not blue water boats. But I've read and heard some pretty impressive stories of how well they stand up to heavy seas and winds. That's why I was surprised to read that post about the M25 hull flexing. I'm wondering, if your on the boat at the time, how can you tell the hull flexed? Did it make a horrible sound? If you are on a boat sailing next to the M25, I would think it would be pretty difficult to see the hull flex. Sounds to me like someone does not like MAC's and is slamming them. If anyone has any impressive stories to tell about their MAC experience, I'd love to hear it.
I have a 26S, still going through the learning process with it. The hull seems to be solid where needed. Overall seems to be a great boat for what it's designed to be. I would think the older M25 hulls would be similarly built. I've read everything on these boats I can find, and basically have only heard good reports. These are boats engineered to be lightweight for trailering. Everyone seems to agree they are not blue water boats. But I've read and heard some pretty impressive stories of how well they stand up to heavy seas and winds. That's why I was surprised to read that post about the M25 hull flexing. I'm wondering, if your on the boat at the time, how can you tell the hull flexed? Did it make a horrible sound? If you are on a boat sailing next to the M25, I would think it would be pretty difficult to see the hull flex. Sounds to me like someone does not like MAC's and is slamming them. If anyone has any impressive stories to tell about their MAC experience, I'd love to hear it.
2 weeks in keys
Launching at key biscayne and heading south, you could make it to key west, and back, but it would be hurried. in some areas, there plenty of water to sail, and others you'll be better off motoring. you'll want to switch sides (bayside/ocean) depending on the weather fronts. so dropping/raising mast while at anchor will be very helpful. the claiborne youngs or frank pappys crusing guide should be in the cabin. just remember, that time of year, a front can keep you holed up for 3 days or so... I found a few good ramps in the keys. grassy key marina was nice on bayside. at mm 63 there was a motel with a very good ramp and public parking (bayview inn) also bayside. If key west is important, I'd try grassy key to key west and back. grassy key marina has trailer parking. all dade co (miami) ramps will be 10/day parking. the pennicamp park ramp is good on ocean side, but no over night parking... fwiw, I usually take a trip out of everglades city in december or jananuary. barron river resort (rv park) has good ramp but strong current. -I re-read your posts, if price is an issue, stay far away from key west. you cant afford a slip, and dingy parking is 10 a day... miami to tavenier, maybe matacumbe, and back will be a nice trip. the key imho, is the ramp you'll launch at.
Launching at key biscayne and heading south, you could make it to key west, and back, but it would be hurried. in some areas, there plenty of water to sail, and others you'll be better off motoring. you'll want to switch sides (bayside/ocean) depending on the weather fronts. so dropping/raising mast while at anchor will be very helpful. the claiborne youngs or frank pappys crusing guide should be in the cabin. just remember, that time of year, a front can keep you holed up for 3 days or so... I found a few good ramps in the keys. grassy key marina was nice on bayside. at mm 63 there was a motel with a very good ramp and public parking (bayview inn) also bayside. If key west is important, I'd try grassy key to key west and back. grassy key marina has trailer parking. all dade co (miami) ramps will be 10/day parking. the pennicamp park ramp is good on ocean side, but no over night parking... fwiw, I usually take a trip out of everglades city in december or jananuary. barron river resort (rv park) has good ramp but strong current. -I re-read your posts, if price is an issue, stay far away from key west. you cant afford a slip, and dingy parking is 10 a day... miami to tavenier, maybe matacumbe, and back will be a nice trip. the key imho, is the ramp you'll launch at.
Trailer In, Sail Down, Then Take Bus Back
I'm in the early stages of planning to sail the keys. The return sailing trip to the launch site doubles the schedule. I've read where folks have launched at Key Largo and parked their vehicle & trailer. Then sailed to Key West (and beyond), ended up at Key West, anchored their boat, then took a Greyhound bus from Key West back to Key Largo. (Its a two-hour bus ride.) Then, drove their vehicle & trailer to back to Key West and retreived their boat. The whole shuttle process takes about 6 hours but saves DAYS off the round trip sail. BrianW
I'm in the early stages of planning to sail the keys. The return sailing trip to the launch site doubles the schedule. I've read where folks have launched at Key Largo and parked their vehicle & trailer. Then sailed to Key West (and beyond), ended up at Key West, anchored their boat, then took a Greyhound bus from Key West back to Key Largo. (Its a two-hour bus ride.) Then, drove their vehicle & trailer to back to Key West and retreived their boat. The whole shuttle process takes about 6 hours but saves DAYS off the round trip sail. BrianW
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