The Official "What Did You Do To Your Mac Today" Thread!

[Sock Puppet]

I've found threads like this to be a ton of fun, and very informative!

Post up here with your latest modification, update, improvement, or frustration. Let's share ideas and pictures about what we're all doing to our boats so we can learn from one another.

When possible, post links to the products you used or the full "how-to" thread if there is one.

It can be as small or big as you want! Did you add some fuzzy dice? Post it! Did you install a Caterpillar diesel and 200 gallon fuel tank? Let's see it!

The point is to share and keep other owners motivated. Even if you just washed and waxed it, tell us about it. All you did was go out and have a nice sail...let's hear it! Buy a new-to-you Mac? You must share!

 

[Sock Puppet]

I'll kick this thing off! Today I tackled the daunting task of finding a spot for my pop-top supports. I was tired of them just lying around and getting in the way. A little trip to Ace Hardware and a little time; and I had a solution. I did use shorter screws than those provided.

 

[Roadking Larry]

I thought about how I might replace the cotter ring in the clevis pin at the top of my port lower shroud with out dropping the mast.

 

[Sock Puppet]

I actually did this a couple of weeks ago, but I built a cart for my 5hp Nissan. I found a how-to video on YouTube and made a few changes (mainly so I could use lumber I had on-hand). I did have to buy the casters, but they're sure nice to have.

 

[Doc_holiday]

I can offer the latest "frustration". I am still struggling with backing up for instance into my slip. I have no tiller on my motor and when in reverse, the motor wants to go hard over and the tiller, as soon as I let go to grab the motor goes hard over the other way. I have a remote throttle that for all other operation is in a good spot by my right thigh when seated port.

A linkage between the tiller and motor is going to be too much of a pain, not only to make but to connect and disconnect.

I do think that locking the motor straight is the answer. A bar, the width of the motor well at the right spot, with a pin that can be inserted in the hole below the fuel line would do the trick, then it's just a matter of using the tiller. This could easily be removed if for some reason I needed motor movement or when I tile the motor up.

I may take a small section of broom stick (and a saw - "darn! Cut it twice and it's still too short!) with a nail or bolt and see how this might work.

In my current marina, I usually drop of a mate and have them take the boat hook and meet me at the slip. Between me fumbling with motor, tiller, and throttle, I have my hands full and I need help from the dock. What's worse is the finger piers are short and seem unstable to anyone that is not sure of themselves. I end up looking like the amateur that I really am.

 

[chp]

can offer the latest "frustration". I am still struggling with backing up for instance into my slip. I have no tiller on my motor and when in reverse, the motor wants to go hard over and the tiller, as soon as I let go to grab the motor goes hard over the other way. I have a remote throttle that for all other operation is in a good spot by my right thigh when seated port


You should have a friction control on the motor to stop it from turning. Mine needed to be tightened up when I first got my boat. My Merc has a tab by the shaft that the motor turns on. All you do is slide it over and it locks the motor in place.

 

[Sock Puppet]

You should have a friction control on the motor to stop it from turning. Mine needed to be tightened up when I first got my boat. My Merc has a tab by the shaft that the motor turns on. All you do is slide it over and it locks the motor in place.

I've done the same on my Nissan. I keep it pretty firm and use the tiller almost exclusively. It seems someone posted up a picture a while back of a linkage between tiller and outboard, but I can't remember exactly where I saw it.

 

[Doc_holiday]

I will look for this adjustment. I have a 1997 merc 9.9 2 stroke. I believe I have the PDF on my iPad. The boat's in the water about an hour and 30 minutes from here so I will look again next time I am there.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I have a different way that works for us. Well, two different ways...
I have a "top tiller" arm on the outboard that makes it dead easy to use it as well as the rudder tiller (one hand on each). I added a remote throttle to my "top tiller" (lawn tractor unit), so I don't need to take my hand off the arm.
Our marine is TIGHT and rudder only is not n option - need too much forward speed and the turn radius is too small.

The other method that works well is to just haul the rudder up and use the outboard. In really tight situations this is the only practical method that I have found. My rudder has up and down lines and clam cleats so it comes up and locks in only a second.

As for connecting the tiller to the rudder? I have yet to see an arrangement that lets me maneuver as tightly as with the outboard separate. All the connectors I saw limited outboard travel significantly. Again, my marina is right so I experimented with every suggestion until I found what worked best for me.

BTW, with my "top tiller" I can move the outboard stop to stop I.e full travel. This is with the stock 26S mount, not with the outboard repositioned further back. I did have to remove the stock outboard tiller but I was not using it anyway.

Chris

 

[Chris & Lenore]

How about we enjoyed one of the last good weekends of the season anchored out on Lake Erie last night? Actually, we are still here - just enjoyed a breakfast of sausages and pancakes.

Also - we got to test our latest modification to our 26S, the bow roller. Works well and strong enough to stand on without any movement (or fibreglass straining noises).
Oh, and the wind picked up to 35 kts last night and everything held. Amazing the noise the rigging makes in that amount of wind! There was no real fetch, so only about 6 inch waves despite the howling wind.

The first pic is just "the view from our cockpit" from about 10 minutes ago. The other two are the bow roller in action (also from about 10 minutes ago).

Chris

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Couldn't resist sharing the sunset from last night...

 

[Sock Puppet]

Great pics, Holdech!

Do you have any pictures of your outboard tiller mod, or a link with details?

 

[Sock Puppet]

Here's another little mod I did a while back. I cut an access hole in the liner near the porta-potti to better access my keel hold-down bolt. As a lake-sailor, mine is up and down quite a bit and I was tired of playing contortionist by reaching under the settee. I cut a 2" hole with my hole saw...kind of wish I would have used a 2.5 or 3" to make installing the washers/wing nut easier.

 

[Sumner]

...A linkage between the tiller and motor is going to be too much of a pain, not only to make but to connect and disconnect. ....

Goes on or off in seconds and makes backing easy. A couple youtube videos....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/outside-29.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COMAPYd5WTg&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COMAPYd5WTg&feature=channel

...and a link to the build...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/outside-29.html

Sum

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

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[katana750]

Great pics, Holdech!

Do you have any pictures of your outboard tiller mod, or a link with details?

You can just left click on his name and there is a link there

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Great pics, Holdech! Do you have any pictures of your outboard tiller mod, or a link with details?

There are pics of many of my mods here: http://www.holderness.info/boats-a-projects/macgregor-mods.html

Chris

 

[Yosi]

In the spirit of the original title of the thread: just got the Lowrance Elite-7. Now I need to install it. Unfortunately I have too much work this weekend to close the month, so installation postponed.

 

[Roadking Larry]

A friend brought his ladder down and we strapped it to the mast and I climbed up and replaced the cotter ring then we sailed on his boat for a while.

 

[willsnow]

i received a couple led cabin lights i had ordered from yachtlights.com. both $20 with 1 watt led, one is more of a flood beam and one shines down like theater lights. but i was able to just hardwire them to a battery and tape them in place to see how much area they light up so i can design a lighting plan.
this picture is the one that shines downward, lighting up my galley table... its too dim for that application, but i will use them elsewhere. and i think an led berth light from duckworks boat builders supply will light up my table

 

[walt]

I have to guess on the fit somewhat since my 26S is over 800 miles away but this is an anchor rode bucket that will spend most of the time stashed in the Laz but will clip onto the lifeline near the bow of the boat when I intend to use the anchor. Quick connects on both ends of the outside of the bucket to the lifeline (only one side shown in the picture since I need to get to the boat to do the final fit) and a secure place for the bitter end of the anchor rode on the inside (at least that is the plan..). There are peices of Lexan plastic on the inside of the bucket to help anchor the aluminum plates on the outside. Fasteners are not in place yet.