3 Top Modifications on 26M

[Berber Boy]

Tomorrow I take delivery of a new 26M with 60HP motor and Genoa setup. It has a number of presale mods done already such as all lines to cockpit, BVang etc.

If you were starting off with a new Boat. What would be the first three mods you would make based upon your experience with
Interested to learn from your experience.

BB

[Paul S]

Adding blocks to the rudders make raising and lowering them A LOT easier.. and my mod adds automatic release if you contact something.
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1075

grabrail on the sliding hatch is a MUST DO mod
http://www.seeberg.com/mac26m/web4/photo002.html

pcv pipe added to guide on to make life easier.
http://www.seeberg.com/mac26m/web4/photo019.html

grab handles
http://seeberg.com/mac26m/2006_misc_mod ... to001.html

hitch pins on spreaders - makes life a LOT easier as well
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 3&p=102985

[Québec 1]

Ful enclosure with bug screen on forward hatch: for a second floor on your Mac and the option of keeping your hatch always open;
Auto pilot: to help keep your Mac into the wind when your bring your Main sail down on a windy day going solo;
GPS and sounder: To know where your going and where the fish are
Shore power +2 batteries: For your personal comfort (movies,cool bottles of Chardonnay blanc,heater and fans).
Q1

p.s. 3 mods just wont do it!!!!!!!!!!

[Boblee]

If you are getting your boat from Synergy most of Pauls mods will be done but as for more it will depend entirely on what and how you use it.
We have off the top of my head,
200l water (3 tanks), water pump with fill from lake etc or mains and shower on stern, 2x 65w solar panels on arch with aerials etc, bimini, two 45l fuel tanks, cookout gas bbq on stern rails, raymarine c80 with fish and chart hooked up to auto pilot, vhf,27mhz and hf radio's, stereo cd/radio, lines aft, spinnaker and chute scoop, modified anchor roller , extensive mods to cupboards and storage, insect screens etc etc.
We travel for 3-6 months and live on the boat but if we didn't, what you have standard would be great.
and thats the great plus with a Mac and this site if you need help because someone else has invariably done the mod you are thinking about.

[Hardcrab]

The three most useful don't have much to do with creature comforts.

1. Install some sticky sided Velcro pile to the sliding hatch lips. Make your hatch glide smooth as silk from the git-go.
2. Get some PVC 3/4" pipe and a PVC globe valve and rid yourself forever of the drain plug for the forward ballast tank vent.
3. Tighten every pivioting joint in the entire rudder steering system. 8 total when you count them.
(If you feel frogy, do what it takes to make sure the rudders are parallel to each other while you're at it).

All are in the search engine somewhere.

Good luck with your new boat.

[Clemo]

While I could live without the computer, the TV (DVD) and the fridge freezer, it would mean listening to the footy, esky + ice, and rethinking navigation and weather forecasts.

I like my Nexus wind instruments, fish finder/depth, gas stove & CD/stereo too.

My current""must have" is buttons on my blanket. So that it doesn't keep sliding off my sleeping bag. Not much of a mod, but check the weather.

I have never thought about velcro inside the companion way hatch. I'll add it to my list.

Yes, like every one else on this forum, sailing is only half the hobby.

My suggestion is, play with it for a while. Some mods will have to happen before your second outings. Others will take months of research.

Tks
C ya.

[James V]

It depends on what you are mostly going to do -

At anchor and spending days on board -
Light above the table
3/4 plywood under aft bed and 1 1/2 close cell foam under.
Fans
Extra battery and switch

On deck -
Main sheet downhaul.
Some way to lower and raise the main sail without it flying all over the place.
All lines lead aft.
Vent in the head.

I do recommend going slow on mods and work out what you need for the next year or 2. Stay on the boat for a while and work it out.

[Divecoz]

I wholeheartedly agree with JamesV and others here with the Go slow take your time By And Large mentality.........
We each use our boats in different ways.
#1.Depth gauge is IMHO important.. GPS is sure helpful , unless your just on an inland lake. However I admit I have gotten lost for a couple hours on Kentucky / Lake Barkley on my ski boat...........so that's not always true either. GPS is really nice to have
#2. I did add a U bolt in the anchor locker where my "rodes " are secure and attached..
#3. VHF Radio and I always carry my Cell phone as no doubt everyone else does as well.
#4. 2 fuel tanks with separate dedicated fuel lines. That Are Interchangeable...... if need be! I actually have three 1 -12 and 2 -6 but for the most part I only carry the 1-12 and 1-6
#5. Extra Lines!!!!! Docking lines are 4-30 , 2 -50 and an assortment of other lengths. I....... chose to keep several under the port cockpit seat in a crate where another 6 gal tank could be and a 5 gallon bucket with a lot of lines, down stairs in the V berth for the just in case situations as well.
#6. an Anchor with some chain and no less than 100 feet of rope / rode already attached and ready to use quickly...
I have 3 but 2 are immediately ready, each has 30 feet of chain and 150 feet of rode and are attached to the boat, immediately ready to use.
#7. of coarse and this should be without saying ......... Everything Required by The Coast Guard for a vessel of this type and size.
Everything else I have done, has been for what I found , that I needed , or thought I wanted or I desired...........
#8 I think separate batteries , one for House and one for Start and their associated safety switches bla bla bla
I also among the 50 other mods I have made very early on ........ feel an On board Pro 20 battery charger is indispensable.
#9. Most of us have 110 Volt shore power . We had a long discusion on this just last week and I have to ground my 110 V to the Battery today.
10. For me the Biggest and most costly change was a PROPER Tow Vehicle!
I had been towing with a Ford Explorer Sport V6 HO.... It proved to be IMHO marginally, acceptable...I towed my boat this winter from Chicago IL. to Port Charlotte Fla. and back . But before I did this, I broke down and sold a SUV that I loved,....one that was long ago paid for, that got Great Mileage and had been Trouble Free....... for a Late Model Low Mileage Dodge 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 V8......... WHAT a difference and well worth the cost for the peace of mind and safety, it has afforded me...
Of all the stuff I have changed or added my lastttttttttt major expense I HOPE....... will be to add a roller furler .. again for me , and after experiencing hanking and hauling a Jib sail while single handing ... its a must buy.

[Andy26M]

Of all the stuff I've done, looking back over 4 seasons of sailing her, these are the three I'd not do without:

1) GPS Chartplotter with depth-sounder (I have a Garmin 188C) - compact unit for a compact cockpit

2) Quick detachment for unhooking the outboard from the linkage for easy one-finger steering under sail (got mine from BWY) - locks the outboard at center position when not connected to steering linkage. Note: when motoring at low speeds I often leave the motor locked at center and just steer with a rudder, it makes the boat seem easier to keep on course, and the autopilot agrees with me on this one.

3) A good quality, small, rechargeable wet-dry Vacuum. Useful for cleaning as well as sucking the little bits of water from those two round access holes under the carpet.

** The above list assumes that by "genoa seup" you mean roller furling. If you do not have roller furling, then that would be my number (1) and the items above would slide down a spot each.

Andy

[robbarnes1965]

Adding to some of the great suggestions (particularly good idea about the rudder blocks by Paul S.), Mine would be a furling system for the mainsail.

I added a CDI mainsail furler this winter and, with some fine-tuning, it's been a real treat. http://www.sailcdi.com/Mainsailreef.htm Just contact me before installing it so I can give the prep. suggestions. It will save time and money.
MIke Inmon from www.macgregorsailboats.com has an on boom system that looked good too but close to a year of communication yielded nothing for me (No problem if you buy the boat from him or can go to his shop, maybe).

[Berber Boy]

Thanks guys for the excellent ideas. I buy the "go slow and learn yourself" idea. MacGregors in Australia come with certain modifications already done. Yes I have a CDI furler on the Genoa and all the lines come to the cockpit. There is a basic reefing system for the main, VHF and I am installing a second battery and marine switch. Is a voltage relay switch in a two battery system a real necessity?

Quebec 1 nearly blew me overboard with his set up. "Merci bien pour l'idee! C'est tres impressionnant'" (Thanks for the idea. It is very impressive") in my very poor and quickly deteriorating French.

The guide posts are very weak in design and substance and I imagine will not take much of a bump to crack. Any ideas on those besides extending them?

Again really appreciate your sharing.

[tangentair]

I would suggest that you take a notebook to work where you can "use" the paper and printer supplies, open the Mac Mods section and start reading and printing out those mods you find interesting, I still have my notebook from 3 years back with notations that I have since made based upon readings here and in magazines. Some of the X mods will not be appropriate but will give you and idea so do not ignore them and only printout the ones for the M that you find interesting. Some are redundant, some are quick and easy and something you can knock out in a free moment, others take planning and prep.

The first I would do (in hind sight!!) is the quick and easy to replace the plastic companionway hatch with 3 wooden slats. An afternoons work and you are rid of that combersome - hard to stow - etc ugly plastic.

Another quick and easy - an eye bolt added to the anchor locker to secure the end of the rode, yeah I tossed the anchor over the side and the tangled up line followed, it was shallow so it was no big deal, others have not been so lucky. and you might look at the topics about anchoring with a bridle to slow down the "hunting" action, in case you want to make one up at the same time.

Again in hind sight, I would reenforce or replace with heavier plywood the v berth covers, easy to do and your rid of the annoyance of falling through when climbing out the front hatch.

Or add a curtain to the head so there is room for an adult to use it, and add a platform to the floor for the potti to sit on that will raise it up high enough to use comfortably.

These are very quick and easy and break the cherry of drilling the first hole and all are convinence items. Then you can move into adding electrical panels and cut off switches, lighting and fans and electronics.

[c130king]

BB,

If you have CDI furler, lines led aft, and a reefing system...then I say forget the mods for now and get out on the water!

Once you have sailed for a while and get a feel for what you think your sailing life will include (day trips, long live-aboard excursions, lots of anchoring, lots of shore power use, etc...) then you would be in a better position to determine what you need to do to your boat to make your sailing life better.

Enjoy your boat for a while before you start drilling/cutting etc...

Cheers,
Jim

[Berber Boy]

Thanks Jim,
Good advice.
Inspite of my post I am not a gung-ho type to rush in and start changing things. I like to understand, experience, learn and then do. But certainly I have plenty of food for thought while waiting for our Southern Highland weather to clear a bit and then try her out. One immediate need I have is to do something about protecting my furled genoa from UV and rain / mold before storing it against the mast. How do people handle that? Any suggestions

BB

[Hardcrab]

Sock or a sew on or removed entirely.

I went with the zippered sock/unused jib halyard for unmolested sail shape over the sew on type.
The sew on guys will talk about their ease of use.

Pick your poison.

I've read somewhere that folks above about 43-45* N latitude don't have a strong need to cover up the sails due to less direct UV angles or something to that effect. I do know that unprotected sails in So Cal, 35* N lat, can get ate up in less than 6 months.
Perhaps it works with the same idea in your southern latitudes as well.

As far as stowing against the mast, be very careful to keep the furler as straight as possible.
Avoid any bends and even the buldge you'll get as it passes over the spreaders can cause a small kink to develop.
Even just a few days in the sun and heat will cause a bend to start to form.
Not the end of the world because it will re-straighten with time or effort, but why go through that.

Also it helps to add a "splint" at the forward end (lower end) of the mast to stop any droop, as the furler is several feet longer than the mast (as installed of course),
or do as some have done and remove it from the hound and then slide it further up the mast to get true, full length support.

The best results for very long term storage would be to remove it entirely and lay it flat on a floor for its full length and out of the sun.