Several Questions regarding 1984 Mac 25

[Kenny Chidester]

Hello All,After years of being a power boater I have made the transition to sailing. I recently traded my Bayliner 22.5 Cuddy Cabin for a 1984 Macgregor 25. Now that I have a few hours on her I have started to notice some things that need looking at.1.Is there anywhere I can find how to properly rig the sheets (Main & Jib)to extend aft to the cockpit? The previous owner had no clue and I'm kinda learning as I go.2. It appears that one of the previous owners has replaced all the Boom to Mast mounting hardware and none of the hardware appears suited for the job. Where can I get a parts list of original hardware or upgraded hardware? Also the Main Mast mounting Boat is severly rusted and I would like to replace it.3. The Rudder seems very loose where it mounts with a lot of side to side play. Is it permissiable to install some kind of shims (Teflon maybe) between the Rudder and the housing? Or is this side to side play normal?4. This past weekend the Main Halyard broke and I need to replace it quick. Boat US and West Marine show the halyard to be 5/16 diameter is this the standard size? And looking for recommendations on the type halyard line to use. (I'm not racing, just cruising around).5. There has never been a name on this boat, and to appease the sailing Gods when I do officially name her, can anybody point me in the right direction on how to do it properly?These are just some of the questions I'm coming up with and any answers would be greatly appreciated. One last note, I've been out on her 5 times now with a total time on the water being around 20 hours. It sure is nice to know that I've only used around 1.5 gallons of gas as compared to 40 gallons in my old boat. This sailing thing is all right!K. ChidesterPort of Greers Ferry Lake, Arkansas

 

[John Raeburn]

Loose rudder

Like you, I have recently acquired a Mac 25. My rudder has the same problem. After carefully examining the parts I have come to the conclusion that the damage was caused by the boat having been left in the water with the rudder fully down. As the boat rocks from side to side, the rudder tries to stay where it is and causes both the metal head and the fiberglass rudder to wear. I have ordered a new head from Havencraft ( on back order ) and am in the process of repairing the rudder myself. I would recommend other M25 owners to raise the rudder when they leave their boats on moorings to minimise the wear. Now I'm wondering if the same problem applies to the keel so I plan to inspect that very soon. I guess raising the keel when the boat is not in use would be a good idea too.

 

[Captn Billy]

Moving Sheets To Cockpit

I recently moved the sheets back to the cockpit cause I am too old and wobbly to be climbing up on the deck in rough water. Don't buy any line until you make the measurements to be able to run them back. It is an easy procedure, requiring a couple of swivel blocks and pulleys and cleats. Email me and I'll send you a pic of mine if you want. seaweed64@yahoo*.com (remove the *)