Structural integrity

[Meriachee]

There is quite a bit of deflection in the hull of a c version. I would agree that the front bulhead is little more than privacy, but the rear one has a post in it, and provides, as Jackdaw mentioned, lateral support as well. Compression loading is rarely transmitted in just one direction. The cabinetry that I made for my classic was an exact match for the factory bulkheads in size, and the head door latch gave me trouble when the boat was loaded up in the water. The Mac is not a very solid build.

 

[walt]

The Mac is not a very solid build.

I just saw my brain from rolling my eyes too hard.. Im not sure what that means.. but my 26S is almost 25 years old and still in great shape.. I guess not very soliid means that you may not get 50 or 100 years out of it?

 

[Meriachee]

I just saw my brain from rolling my eyes too hard.. Im not sure what that means.. but my 26S is almost 25 years old and still in great shape.. I guess not very soliid means that you may not get 50 or 100 years out of it?

I had a 26c from brand new in 1993 till 4 years ago. The statement was not about how long the fibreglass will last, it's about the balance between how much there is and the ratio between cost and benefit. There is relatively small operational window that this boat fits into, but the benefit is that where it does fit, it fits very well. There's a post under the mast in a c version. Remove it if you want, but I guess, don't come cryin you the masses if you remove it and the deck cracks. The fact that there's a post in there suggest that the deck was never designed to be fully self supporting. But since Roger isn't on this forum, I guess we'll never know for sure. Have fun with this train of design.

 

[walt]

My apologies for the comment I made.. I generally find the negative Mac comments more arrogant than factual (having owned one now for eight years).. I probably over reacted especially since you actually owned one.. sorry again.

The discussion here was not about the bulkhead support under the mast - just the one forward. I couldn’t tell exactly what you had modified.. but I would definitely agree to not mess (unless you are making it stronger) with the main structural bulkhead under the mast. It’s the forward one and I won’t remove it myself unless the guy who designed the boat chimes in.. but.. also doubt my caution.

 

[Sumner]

....... but I would definitely agree to not mess (unless you are making it stronger) with the main structural bulkhead under the mast....

I think we all agree that bulkhead is structural and shouldn't be messed with :dance:.

The Mac is a light boat and probably designed that way from the start since its intent was a boat that is easy to trailer, launch and sail. He did good considering the number that have been sold and re-sold and re-sold.

I can't ever remember hearing of a hull related failure though and these boats have been to a lot of places. Love mine,

Sumner

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links[/FONT]

 

[Meriachee]

My apologies for the comment I made.. I generally find the negative Mac comments more arrogant than factual (having owned one now for eight years).. I probably over reacted especially since you actually owned one.. sorry again.

The discussion here was not about the bulkhead support under the mast - just the one forward. I couldn’t tell exactly what you had modified.. but I would definitely agree to not mess (unless you are making it stronger) with the main structural bulkhead under the mast. It’s the forward one and I won’t remove it myself unless the guy who designed the boat chimes in.. but.. also doubt my caution.

No issue Walt. None at all. This conversation has wallowed around a bit, and the thing I was trying to point out is that most people are not structural engineers (either am I) and that appliances like compression posts (even if it's only a 2x4, Roger) are in fact structural. The bulkhead extending from the post to the Stb side if the hull is -probably- integral in the compression and absorbs a fair bit of the lateral forces, even though it's only got 4 (or 5) bolts holding it. I'd hate to entertain a conversation about removal of stuff from the boat, only to give some person who has no idea whatsoever the inclination to do it, then see their deck collapse because the deck on that boat has a few less layers of glass in it because they weren't paying attention that day at the factory. It is a lightly built boat. It's not a bad thing. It's just something that needs paying proper attention to. I must have liked it, I kept it for 15 years.
Merry Christmas all!
Cheers
Gary

p.s.
I ripped out all the interior wood, the first winter, and replaced it all with Oak veneer ply, suitable sealed and coated with two coats of gloss Endura. It was as glossy the day I sold the boat, even though the freakin head door opened when the boat was on Stb, and I could never get it to work right.
Not a bad looking rig 15 years later, even if I do say so myself.

 

[Sumner]

...Not a bad looking rig 15 years later, even if I do say so myself.

The interior is very nice...

....like what you did with the plate storage above I did...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-inside-mods/page-15.html

...something similar in the Endeavour (above) .... also ...

... what is on the door under the sink?

Someone got a nice boat when they bought yours :dance:,

Sumner

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links[/FONT]

 

[Meriachee]

Sum, I got talked into a KVH Sailcomp compass that was installed in the Mac. It was a great toy for helping to calculate windshifts and tack angles, although this version was a beta unit, and the box was large. The boat also had an ST40 series speed/depth and wind.
Toys r us.

It also had 14 gallons of pressure water, I glassed in a whole storage area and tank support under the front berth, and the best mod was to redesign the access hatches for the dreaded keel bolt. It was also fitted with a 15watt solar array way back when most people couldn't even spell solar. Being on a mooring, there was no power and when I bought the boat I got a BF8 Honda, and got a H.O. charger thing from Honda and never installed it.

 

[Izzy]

Front of Door?

What is that on the front of the door?

 

[Meriachee]

What is that on the front of the door?

That would be the folding table.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

fwiw 26d