I just added a second axle to my '02X trailer. Had it done at a trailer shop locally, with all parts and labor it came out to $1,100.00 CDN, and this included adding another cross beam between the nose bunk and the first body bunk for some additional stiffness. Maybe I'll add another bunk on the new...

Does anyone have any info/experience about watching the Windsor Red Bull Air Race from the water? Where would one launch into the Detroit River, and is there a Marina or any place to overnight within reach of the show?

The race is on June 4 & 5 2010 and sounds like an interesting weekend.

I got hooked on sailing by trying a Hobie Cat on a Caribbean vacation, but I wouldn't buy one. They're a fun toy, not a boat. Four years ago, I couldn't even think of affording a Mac, so I bought a Siren 17 trailer-sailer out of a farmer's field near my house for $2,200. I bought a copy of Sailing f...

For me, it came down to the daggerboard vs. the centerboard. I bought the X last fall after several years of thinking about it while I sailed my Siren 17 around local lakes. I believe that when it comes to hitting the bottom or other submerged objects with the board, there are two types of people: t...

You guys crack me up. See what happens when boats go into storage? I guess no one's tried the stuff so I'll give it a shot in the spring. I have my doubts that it can work on a Mac, but I am more or less convinced on the science of hydrphilic coatings. If you do a google-search for hydrophilic/ hydr...

It seems to me that if the surge brakes are engaging while going downhill, that means that the trailer is trying to go faster than the truck, and this is when you WANT the surge brakes to engage. If they are locked out, the trailer is still trying to go faster than the truck but now all the load is ...

Well, I'm not the right type of engineer (Project Management, so forgot most of my theoretical stuff) but if I understand correctly, a hydrophobic coating repels water and is essentially like dragging a dry object throught the water. The force required to do so would depend on how slippery the hydro...

Good point. The FAQ section says that it will "limit the paint's anti-fouling properties since HSK does not shed barnacles". It doesn't seem like a high-risk thing to try though. Honestly I would have preferred to not be the guineau-pig, but I'll take one for the team in the spring if I ca...

Looks like you cant order online, only gives a toll-free number to order.....these guys need to get into the 1990s of retail at least... Seems like they're looking for dealers, maybe Kelly Hanson Marine and/or BWY could pick them up :) The science seems believable, I think I'll give it a try in the...

Québec 1 wrote:1992 Buick LeSabre 4 Dr Limited Sedan

1992 ! Wow. That's like 120 human years for a car in Quebec. Is that a summer-only tow-beast?

I came across a review of a product called Hyspeedkote in an issue of Yachting World. It's a hydrophilic coating that comes in spray-cans and may be applied over bottom paint or directly on the hull. It apparently increases top speed, fuel economy and so on. Check out http://www.hyspeedkote.com to s...

A couple of questions for the Honda 50 owners out there. I am a new owner of an 02 Honda 50 and also (happily/unbelievably) the 26X attached to it, but have only had it out on the water once before having to store it for the winter. I've winterized the motor, drained the carbs, changed the crankcase...

Q1, it looks like you might have the same problem I do towing at night: with the headlights pointing up at that every fifth car or so flashes the high-beams at me. It's not easy to adjust them on my truck so I often end up forgetting to do it and ticking people off.

It's good to see you're cautious on your first few runs. I don't think you have to worry about powering without ballast under reasonable conditions that you would expect to find on small lakes. The Macgregor manual is full of scary warnings about keeping weight low and limiting the number of people ...

I also read somewhere that they are not recommended for our boats...but don't remember where I read that. Jim Owner's Manual for the 26X says don't use 'em. My '02X came with one on the Honda 50, but the manual scared me into taking it off. Maybe I'll put it back once I'm more used to the boat (onl...