I've tried all kinds of shortcuts - leaving things 'mostly rigged' and secured while trailering, leaving the mast raising system attached while trailering or sailing, etc. Bottom line for me: most the time those shortcuts just added time to rigging/de-rigging because inevitably there was just more ...

Without going into the details, I usually took about two hours to rig my X when I was in my "prime". I did all the physical work while the Admiral read off the check list and acted as safety advisor. As I have aged, I chose to keep my boat in a marina slip because four hours of work sort o...

Great shot of your family and such a good reflection about family activities together. Congrats on the 15 years of ownership, as well. As much as I love my boat at the 20 year mark, I do ponder if there is a young family out there that could get more use out of it than I do. At 80 I get out about on...

Those pics are really helpful, and your advice is extremely pertinent. You are right. It may be a great advantage for rigging, but it is not a bat barrier. My worst bat story was finding 5 bats living in the black cover of my Magma gas grill. The thought of eating any thing associated with that gril...

I have one of those "boom attached/zip up at the top/lazy jacks rig" sail pack from BWY. I like it a lot, but it's not without any gaps or openings. I'm sure a clever bat could still find a way in if it really wanted to, but it would be mostly closed off Interesting. I was hopeful it woul...

:o Is there any way to seal that up to prevent entrance? Or some kind of deterrent? Peppermint???? Well, I had a plan to raise the main and just take the cover off for a while with a tarp secured to the lifelines/stanchions to protect it from bird poop. When I got up to the boat today, there was a ...

Just got a text with a pic today from my slip mate who is a live aboard. She saw a bat crawling into my mainsail cover. Here we go again!

Hi Herschel! On our 2001 Mac26X the exterior holes are actually in the plexiglass as black countersunk Phillips head screws (aka: bolts for the technical purists :wink: ) with the nuts on the interior with this funny white capture caps sets. Haven’t yet replaced ours on Over Easy but the internal p...

Question: I'm looking at a possible leak at my forward starboard window ('98 26X). I haven't popped out the plastic plugs, yet, to see how they are attached. What will I find when i do? A previous thread about leaks said it took two people to tighten window bolts. One on the outside with a screw dri...

Hi Herschel Like your “mornings” approach! Same pattern we have in our Beaufort region of SC. Glad you’re enjoying your Summer! We’re envious as we’ve hauled out and are now up in NH for the next several months…. (Failed Snow Birds :D :D) Best Regards Over Easy 8) 8) Thanks, Just this morning I was...

Is anyone selling their Macgregor aluminum trailer for a 26M? Mine broke and need another one. I live in Southern California. Thank you! I am curious what you mean by broke. I had to hire mobile welders to replace my rusted cross beams. They did a nice job for a reasonable price several years ago. ...

I would imagine that looking for those daily T-Storms is also important. Actually they form so quickly, I have a rule of thumb that if the chance of precipitation is over 30%, I really hesitate to go out. You just don't know where they will pop up. That is why I have developed the "morning onl...

Well, not to bore folks with a simple report of a few hours on my boat, but I did learn something new today about boating in Central Florida n the summer. Look for a cold front to dip down our way. We had one the past two days. Temps not much lower, but drier air with no afternoon thunderstorms. Had...

Ed, I regret to say I do not have any experience with keel guards. But, for the better part of two decades my admiral and I sailed our two Hobie's (first an 18-ft magnum and then 13-ft Wave) all up and down the Florida Southwest coast from Englewood north to Anclote Key. We did take our Mac 26X down...

I'll give that 1/2 round a try. But I'll do it in addition to the doubling up lines. I keep my X in a marina in Central Florida where we get "visitors" like Mathew, Irma, Ian, and nearby headed our way, Debby. I always double up my lines. I just don't feel secure otherwise. The marina is 4...