The Art of Finding a Gunk Hole with a Mac 22

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Poman

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Aug 23, 2012
9
Macgregor 22 Glendale
When I get my Mac 22 together I want to find a Gunk Hole(s)

What are proven tactics for getting the best out of its' shallow draft? (Like resting the swing keel on the bottom of the lake?)

Are there mods to improve shallow water anchoring? (Like boat bottom protection? bow guard?)

How is the boat best moved in shallow water with the keel up? (oars?, yuloh?, motor?) How stable is the boat with the keel raised?

Thanks in advance
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
It is winter time and you are anxious to get your boat out... but you are over thinking it.

With the keel up you are drawing only 12 inches.... so you can beach it if you want to.... or run a line to a tree ... or just anchor like any other anchorage. You have a lot of options and they all are good ones.

On my V22, the motor is on a motor mount that I can lift up and down, if yours is the same, just raise it a bit so the prop is just barely in the water and poof.... you are able to drive it right up on the beach if you want to.

The one thing to look out for is with the rudder kicked up, you can hit your prop with the rudder blade. Keep and eye out for that mistake.

Most importantly, Have fun and take pictures. :)
 
Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
Mosquito net! (Big one) Mosquito repellent!
Have fun.
 
May 17, 2011
56
Argo Navis Mac 22 Key Largo
Rgranger has good advice, just have fun and enjoy. When you do beach it do watch out for the tide so you don't get high and dry. I also have a Mac 22 and I try to avoid beaching it. Also I don't recommend lowering the keel South Dade Marina in the keys where there is a lot of G holes near Manatee Bay and Barnes Bay.

Have fun and best regards,

Fernando
 

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May 16, 2011
555
Macgregor V-25 Charlton, MA- Trailer
Check out my profile pic. V-25 in Westport, MA. We do this all the time. Worst case wait for the tide and float off. You know you are in trouble when the seagulls are standing up in what looked like open water. Don't ask how I know.
 

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Poman

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Aug 23, 2012
9
Macgregor 22 Glendale
Thanks for the great comments.

I take it that the M22 can sit on shore (with the keel retracted) with out harm being done? As long as the tide returns...and the bottom lacks sharp rocks.
 
May 16, 2011
555
Macgregor V-25 Charlton, MA- Trailer
I usually drop an anchor from the stearn with about 20 feet to go. I then anchor the front on the beach. This keeps the stearn from coming around with the current and you can keep the bow as far from the beach as you like. Easy to adjust. I draw 24".
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Thanks for the great comments.

I take it that the M22 can sit on shore (with the keel retracted) with out harm being done? As long as the tide returns...and the bottom lacks sharp rocks.

Oh yeah... And another great thing about a swing keel is the interesting places you can go. We spent four days poking around in the Neuse River two years ago. In the first two pics we were exploring a natural bayou we found in the salt marsh. In the second two, I anchored off shore, waded a cooler to shore and made camp for lunch.

Enjoy your boat, The Mac 22 is a very good boat for this type of adventure.
 

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
You definitely want to beach it on, for lack of a better term, a beach. (Sand) rocks are not good. The problem I have is not the keel, but the rudder.
 
Sep 25, 2008
294
1970 Venture by Macgregor 21 Clayton, NC
The problem I have is not the keel, but the rudder.
Is your rudder fixed? I though all Mac/Ventures had kick up rudders.

Is there a bolt that is holding the rudder down that can be removed?

Usually you can enter those interesting spots without the motor. When you do this you are not in a hurry and the Venture/Macs can easily sail with almost no wind. In tight spots a paddle is a great help.

Without the motor you can get quite close to birds, and other animals that inhabit these places. I remember one summer after noon chasing geese, seeing how close you can get to them before the fly. I also remember one afternoon when the ducks paddle around us. But watching them was the main thing.

It has all of the benefits of seeing the area in a canoe with a little more space.
 
Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
I prefer to back in so that the entry and exit is done by the ladder.

I set a bow anchor and heave the lunch hook to the shore and after raising everything, just pull the boat to shore.

When leaving, if the boat is stuck, pulling on the bow anchor will free the boat.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
boat wakes?

doesn't the 22's keel still extend below the hull?

that can't be good for the pivot hole bearing, to have the weight of the boat sitting on the centerboard.

I like TB's method. drop the anchor well offshore, back in paying out scope. secure bow anchor, then walk the stern anchor ashore.


I know Boston gets some big tidal range swings... Glendale is in AZ? probably not much tide there... ;)
 
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Poman

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Aug 23, 2012
9
Macgregor 22 Glendale
Mostly I was asking about the strength of the hull on a beach if I was in a tidal area. Although there are is a story of a boat being stranded on the beach here at Lake Pleasant when there was a significant release of water from the dam. In that case it was a power boat that needed to be pulled back into the water by some other power boats...since it was too long a wait for the level to raise again.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
the hulls tend to 'oil can' and flex w/ waves n the water, and deform stilling on the trailer, but seem to bounce back just fine.

I'd think as long as you're something soft the hull will be fine. but check that bow eye... just in case you need to be pulled off. they have been known to pull out...
 
Oct 16, 2008
512
MacGregor/Venture 25 Mesa AZ
I though all Mac/Ventures had kick up rudders.
I think all the original rudders were one piece. I still have the original rudder for my '76 v-25 with the tiller attached. Heaven only knows why though, as I have no intention of using it. Just can't seem to want to throw it away.
 
Sep 25, 2008
294
1970 Venture by Macgregor 21 Clayton, NC
Kick up rudder

I think all the original rudders were one piece. I still have the original rudder for my '76 v-25 with the tiller attached. Heaven only knows why though, as I have no intention of using it. Just can't seem to want to throw it away.
Every one I have seen has a kick up rudder from my brother's V17, my 1970 V-21 through many new models of Mac Gregor/Venture.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I think all the original rudders were one piece. I still have the original rudder for my '76 v-25 with the tiller attached. Heaven only knows why though, as I have no intention of using it. Just can't seem to want to throw it away.
I've owned three macs. Two V21 and a V22. All three had kick up rudders.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
The V21 was my first sailboat with a cudy cabin. I learned to sail in a dingy. I did a few overnights in it but it was cramped and an overnight is about all you could do with a few kids on board. And even then I could not do an overnight with all of my kids and the wife at the same time. I think the V21 would make a nice pocket cruiser for one or two people but not a family with small kids. So I sold it and purchased a Coronado 23. In hindsight I should have kept that boat... It is a really big 23' but I got bigger boatitis. and traded up to a Coronado 25. Somewhere in there I got a second V21 because it was a good deal and a buddy was looking for one I passed it onto him soon after I got it. The Coronado 25 is a nice boat but it is not trailerable and I had it at a marina. I soon got bored of sailing the same waters and wanted something I could take to new and exciting places. The V22 was just one of those deals that came along. A guy at my church had it... and he intended to fix it up but he is elderly and started having health problems. He knew I was into old sailboats...So the I picked up the 22 for $800. It had hornet nests in the galley, rats had made a mess of the foam... the wood was rotten but... with the cash from the Coronado sale I had what I needed to put the V22 back in shape. The V22 is a great boat for a family of 6 day sailing and it is great for 3 or 4 for extended cruises but I got an itch for something trailerable that we could stay out longer in. So that is how I ended up with the 22. Both the 21 and 22 are good boats. The 22 is a lot more boat than the 21. You figure it is a foot wider, by half a foot taller and a foot longer and you have almost 11 more cubic fee of interior space. The keel on the 21 is only 400#, on the 22 it is 600#. So the 21 is quick and responsive in light air but 15 mph and you are reefing hard and looking for shelter. My 22 is quite able to handle 25 with a deep reef and a small headsail. Another great 22 boat for pocket cruising is the Rhodes 22. I chartered one once and fell in love with it. I have a project Rhodes in my yard now but it is a long long way from being seaworthy. The Rhodes has got to be the most roomy of the 22 foot sailboats. Not sure if I'm going to keep the Rhodes or not. I got it for a song and it had a new main sail so ...
 
Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
Oh, yeah mines a 90 Mac S and the rudder is kick up (I got a releasing cleat for Christmas). I guess what I was getting at it the pressure on the rudder and tiller when operating in the horizontal position. I'm afraid I am going to break one of them. Then again we aren't talking about a long run
 
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