Yup... I've got the bug to go bigger... again... * balboa 20?*

[hawk232]

you will have a hard time beating the Ensenada for headroom (and overall cabin room) in a boat that size. my first boat was an rk 20. same hull as Ensenada and balboat 20, similar or same cap as Ensenada 20. cabin was fantastic in size. getting forward is tough as you have to climb from the cockpit all the way on top of the cabin top (no "sidewalks" like a more conventional boat). I also think that the phrf rating for those boats is generous. I feel like my current catalina 22 would literally sail circles around the rk.

the rk had a heavier mast to eliminate lower shrouds. I can tell you that stepping the mast is literally the EXACT SAME between the rk and the c22.

summary: the Ensenada/rk have killer cabin space for a boat that size but the catalina 22 does, literally, everything else better. heck, its even layed out better and is easier to control because of it.

 

[RussC]

I think you're right on there hawk232. although I was really enamored with the Ensenada, I suspect it's just as well that it didn't come home with me. the headroom was excellent, for the size of boat, and I'm 6'1" + it was a REALLY solid and well kept boat all around also, but I suspect the performance would have been somewhat of a disappointment. As much as I've resisted the road well traveled, I am looking at more Cat 22s lately….. that is, unless the guy down the road would part with the North American/Spirit 21 that's been sitting, covered, in his yard for a couple years. I did stop by his house again today and put the bug in his ear, and leave him my ph number, just in case he decides to sell it .

Still looking,
Russ

 

[Hobopacket]

I step our c22 mast by myself for time to time. And that is without a gin pole of any use of a actual winch. I use my shoulder and the blocks for the main sheet. So if you used a proper gin pole and the extender/mast holder that attaches where the tiller would sit. I don't think you would find it much of a problem. Me and a buddy had my boat launched in 30 mins on our last trip to New Bern.

 

[RussC]

Well.... We went and did it now..... Yesterday Jennifer and I took another little 180 mile drive (each way), through snow flurries and intermittent driving rain, to look at this 82' Macgregor 25. There was more than a couple times that I silently questioned my own sanity for going in those weather conditions, and Jennifer surely had similar silent thoughts. I'm so fortunate to have such an understanding and game-for-anything wife .
The CL ad photos had all looked good, but the owner really didn't know too much about the thing, as it was something he had purchased to financially help out a friend a couple years earlier when he was fighting cancer.
The boat hasn't been in water for at least 3-4 years, so some of the rigging is a bit weathered, but under the skin it was immediately easy to see that this girl has seen some love over the years. everything is rock solid and well maintained. the guy I bought it from said the PO had always kept it in an old barn, and preferred to trailered it rather than leave it soak. The exterior wood is all a bit weathered now, but you can tell it was previously well kept and will still clean up really nicely. he gave us covers for almost every piece of wood on the boat as well.
I want to give a big "thank you" for all the insight I received on this forum. this is really a much bigger boat than I originally intended to purchase but, thanks to the gently pushes towards bigger boats we have confidence that it will work out well for us after we quit staring at it and saying to each other, "man that's a big boat" . The trailer that came with it is really nice, and has 3 almost brand new tires, bearing buddies, etc The ol Dodge Ram worked a bit, dragging it up over the Siskiyou pass, but the boat towed really well.
I'll be doing some clean up on it over the winter, and updating some rigging etc, but basically it's ready to sail when the weather turns again. I'm sure purchasing some new toys for it will help wile away the winter for us also.
Thanks again,
Russ&Jennifer

 

[Sumner]

Congrats on the boat buy. Lots of happy Macgregor/Venture 25 owners out there (over 7000 sold). The Mac 25 was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2000. Be sure and start posting on the Mac board here....

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?forums/ask-a-macgregor-owner.68/

...a good bunch,

Sumner

==================================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[jssailem]

Exciting for you amd Jennifer. Good choice. She (sorry Jennifer, Russ has another girl in his life) looks great. Good news. He maybe the Captain, but you are the Admiral.

My guess your selection meets the expectations you were seeking. I look forward to cruise on the lakes with you guys.
John

 

[RussC]

You betcha John. it's gona' be a long winter, waiting, waiting, waiting for some rain and snow to re-fill the puddles enough to reach the bottom of the boat ramps again, but you can bet we'll be some of the first ones there when it does . We'll keep in touch with ya'all.
Today I built a test stand and tank to check out the 6HP Johnson kicker that came with the Mac. Just about ready to test it.

Russ & Jennifer

 

[Daveinet]

First warm day, figure out how you are going to raise the mast. Do some research here, there have been several threads. Think it through and get it down to a procedure with the fewest amount of steps. Always go for simple, as it will save time. My mast is up within the first 10 minutes of arriving at the launch ramp, so if you have it planned ahead of time, you can get it down to simple, safe and easy.

Noticed in that first photo - what is that? White Sands Beach??? Oh no, it snow!
BTY: Don't you just love those seventies cushion colors?

 

[jssailem]

Plaid is the new Orange.

 

[RussC]

First warm day, figure out how you are going to raise the mast. Do some research here, there have been several threads. Think it through and get it down to a procedure with the fewest amount of steps. Always go for simple, as it will save time. My mast is up within the first 10 minutes of arriving at the launch ramp, so if you have it planned ahead of time, you can get it down to simple, safe and easy.

Noticed in that first photo - what is that? White Sands Beach??? Oh no, it snow!
BTY: Don't you just love those seventies cushion colors?

Warm day??? heck, I'd settle for one with the sun at least partially out . but yup, raising the mast in the yard is on my list. I've already made up a safety support to use under the rear of the boat to hold it up wile not connected to the tow vehicle. there is (what I believe is) a gin pole in the cabin, but I didn't notice any winch etc with it, so I'll have to check that out also. the PO was pretty clever in some of the devices he built for the boat, so I'm sure his gin pole will get me headed in the right direction.
Not white sand, or if it was it was very cold sand. we had to drive over several mountain passes to get to where the boat was being sold. fortunately it was actually better driving conditions coming home with trailer in tow than it was when we drove over there, when we saw a couple cars off the road and hit periodic patches of snow and ice on the roadway. were we nuts or what?
It does seem like there was an abundance of that plaid upholster cloth used in sailboats of the era, doesn't it.

Russ

 

[Daveinet]

You probably don't need any kind of winch. Just use the main sheet with the fiddle blocks. Not only will that give you enough leverage, but it will also allow you to cleat it partially raised if you need to unfoul the stays.

 

[RussC]

You probably don't need any kind of winch. Just use the main sheet with the fiddle blocks. Not only will that give you enough leverage, but it will also allow you to cleat it partially raised if you need to unfoul the stays.

I guess I need pictures

Russ

 

[Daveinet]

 

[Sumner]

I guess I need pictures

Russ

The Mac 26 uses a block and tackle and the winch on the cabin top.

More pictures of the whole setup here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-2.html

Using it almost anyone can get it up and stop at any point to straighten lines/shrouds out.

Make sure if the previous owner set things up like this to use the 'baby stays' (two middle arrows) on the sides of the mast to support it side to side while it is going up.

I pushed mine up a couple times and a lot of younger guys do that but I'm just too old and feeble to do that anymore and one slip and you have damaged some expensive things and maybe got hurt.

Good luck and these are easy boats to setup once at the ramp,

Sumner

==========================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[RussC]

I love it. thanks Dave and sumner!!. so simple... yet effective.
I don't think I received a boom vang with the boat, but it looks like a great dual purpose possibility also.

Russ

 

[jssailem]

Nice photos and information Dave.
Russ, I observed a Mac26 owner raise and lower his mast at Detroit Lake. He was on the boat guiding the mast, while his wife provided the power to the tackle and block. She assured me that there was not much strain on the line. It was a relatively easy process. Assuring the stays are not tangled or hung up on the boat is just good seamanship. Means no half way up challenges.

The weak spot is the mast base attachment. If you just keep the action force fore to stern no problem. If you have side force, wind, parked on a side hill, stumble on the deck and cause the mast to lean to port or starboard there is going to be a strain on this connection. When the Mac26 owner said go his wife started walking till the mast was up or he yelled stop. It was my observation that it is better to put continuing force on the lines then hand over hand pulling.

Like all things boating, you will find a way that works for you. Then you can share it with us.

I wonder about a winch attached to the truck bumper with a remote in the hands of the skipper. Could you flick the switch and still have a hand to guide the mast to the vertical. It seams it would make single handed sailing an easier task.
John

 

[Sumner]

...The weak spot is the mast base attachment. If you just keep the action force fore to stern no problem. If you have side force, wind, parked on a side hill, stumble on the deck and cause the mast to lean to port or starboard there is going to be a strain on this connection. John

Attaching the temporary 'baby stays', middle arrows above, takes all of the worries about side loads out of the equation. The 26 has eye straps on the deck that also hold the pop-top cover on. The 25 might not have them but they would be easy to install. They need to be as close to inline with where the mast pivots as possible. The baby stays have an 'S' hook on one end that goes in the eye strap and the other attaches to cleats on the mast. They go on and off in just a second. Some guys that day sail just leave them on after the mast is up. I take them off since I won't be coming back in the same day. I've lowered the mast twice now on the water and you could raise it easily if for some reason you had to go under a low bridge on the water also,

Sumner

==========================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

Sumner

 

[RussC]

I wonder if the tang in photo was installed to attach to baby stays? there is one on each side, and I can't see what else it might be used for.
what is the sideways mounted strap for (one each side). I understand how to hook the pop top support rods under the straight ones, but the one mounted sideways is for ……?

Russ

 

[Sumner]

I wonder if the tang in photo was installed to attach to baby stays? there is one on each side, and I can't see what else it might be used for....Russ

If you go from it to the other side do you go through the mast pivot point or close to it. If so I'd think they are for baby stays. Anything like them in the set-up gear you got?

The pop-tops are different on the 25 vs. the 26S and D so can't help you there, sorry,

Sumner

===================================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Daveinet]

Assuring the stays are not tangled or hung up on the boat is just good seamanship. Means no half way up challenges.

Depends on how they ride up the side of the boat. Yes, of course you make sure they are free, but the reality is that the lines are semi-rigid and will flop where they want to go. 90% of the time, they go up just fine, but once in a while they catch on something. The backstay is always the ornery one.