Sunday 25 Mac 26X went down. South River

[BNG]

Does anyone here have any information regarding a Mac 26X that capsized on the South River near Annapolis,MD on Sunday? I was docked on the South River with my Mac 26X when the destructive thunder storm ripped through the area. 70mph wind speeds were recorded. The only information I have to date, is the Mac was hit broadside by the wind and the center board was down. The cockpit filled with water and spilled in to the galley. I'm not sure if sails were up or down and if ballast was in or out. I will try to get some additional info for everyone.

Brian

[ROAD Soldier]

Well I can tell you last year I hit my limit in the winter with 50mph winds hitting me broadside causing me to lean at over 25 degrees without any sails up and water temp 41F. So if they say 70 and had any sails up at all I definitely could see how they could capsize.

[kmclemore]

The only news I can find about a capsize in the Chesapeake this past week are about two 14-foot vessels that went down. Nothing about a Mac.

[waternwaves]

The story does not sound correct. I have had mine over on its side, the cockpit does not fill with water. comes up about 4 inches across the seat.............

[BNG]

Road Soldier

Thats pretty scary. Do you think it would have made any difference if your center board was up or down? I know its easier to disect this when you are not in the moment. Maybe if the center board was up the force pushing on the side of the boat would allow the boat to be pushed side ways instead of being pushed over.

[sailor141]

If the boat was moving through the water with the center board down it would help but if it was still at the time the center board would not really make a big difference.

[ROAD Soldier]

This was not my first go around with plus 50MPH winds the first one is when I took my out of the water during a Nor'easter for a back up living area just in case the utility went out in my house. Plus I was worried I would get flooded. Thanks to the tow vehicle I was going to use that day I wound up doing this at night. From both these experiences I will tell if you don't have more than usual centerboard down while taking this amount of wind from a beam you do not have to worry about slipping sideways for very long. Your boat will simple turn without any inputs from you and this is without sails being up. I found I needed both Ida rudders down which are larger than stock ones by far and about half centerboard travel down while giving it enough gas to travel at 10mph just to maintain steerage way. Also that how fast I landed on my trailer at night giving it instant reverse. I wound up breaking one guide rail on the trailer which was rusted and caught pneumonia. Picture below of the flooding during Nor'ester. There is usally a road here with drainage ditches on both sides.

[BNG]

Thats incredible. with the stock rudders I guess the stern would break away making for a fun ride. Have you notice more than a 50% improvement with the Ida rudders.

[Chinook]

I know that Rick Westlake sails out of Rhode River, which is just south of South River. Rick, if you notice this thread, can you shed any light on this reported incident? If it happened, I sure hope you weren't the one involved, and that whoever it was is ok.

[Sea Dreamer]

Rick's actually sailing out of the Baltimore area now, however we're still out of the Rhode River. With the weather iffy'ish we opted not to go out - and after seeing that big storm roll through Ashburn Sunday afternoon, I'm glad we didn't. Hopefully we'll be able to get out there this weekend, and if we hear anything about a capsize we'll let everyone know.

Sea Dreamer &
Uncle Jim

[ROAD Soldier]

BNG Wrote

Thats incredible. with the stock rudders I guess the stern would break away making for a fun ride. Have you notice more than a 50% improvement with the Ida rudders.

To that I have to say I have no idea because my came with some highly functional but extremely butt ugly 1/4" thick short and extremely wide blade homemade rudders from P.O. with cheap plywood in mounting areas to make them fit. I used them once and those worked pretty good but they were so hideous that I felt I needed to wear a bag over my head to launch and recover my boat at the public ramp. So even though I am pretty much a redneck natured guy those things were to redneck for me. I might be a redneck but I am not a inbreeded redneck and those rudders were inbreeded redneck ugly so I quickly bought and installed IDA rudders. I do have a lot of aluminum plate for mods now though.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

We often motor without the ballast filled, and I've noticed that my Mac X is real "tipsy" without the ballast. We were broadsided by a small wind gust when motoring (w/o the ballast filled). The "X" was atop a fairly large wave-swell, making a port side turn as the wind struck the starboard side...and the boat seemed threatened to capside. Very scarry.

We "never" risk motoring without the ballast unless winds are calm -- anymore.

I just thought I'd throw this experience into this thread as a "tip" if you enjoy motoriing w/o the ballast. It's dangerous during wind gusts.

Maybe this experience "tip" may help one or more of you Mac'iers !

[Rick Westlake]

I know that Rick Westlake sails out of Rhode River, which is just south of South River. Rick, if you notice this thread, can you shed any light on this reported incident? If it happened, I sure hope you weren't the one involved, and that whoever it was is ok.

Nope, not me! I was on Bossa Nova, but she was not in the water - I'd gone up to install a pair of heavy-duty padeyes just aft of the bow pulpit, for jacklines and also for a boom preventer or a whisker-pole foreguy when I need them. Got an awning over the bow before the rain started, but that didn't keep me from getting a little wet. (It was a contortionist's job, getting the screwdriver on the head of the bolts and turning a ratchet-wrench on the nuts. But I got it done, solidly backed and properly bedded - you could probably lift the boat by those padeyes, but I don't want to try that!)

However, I did get some trouble from those storms: one of them ripped up the powerlines in my neighborhood, and I was without electricity for two days. It came back on yesterday noon, so all is well here....

[Billy]

To that I have to say I have no idea because my came with some highly functional but extremely butt ugly 1/4" thick short and extremely wide blade homemade rudders from P.O. with cheap plywood in mounting areas to make them fit. I used them once and those worked pretty good but they were so hideous that I felt I needed to wear a bag over my head to launch and recover my boat at the public ramp. So even though I am pretty much a redneck natured guy those things were to redneck for me. I might be a redneck but I am not a inbreeded redneck and those rudders were inbreeded redneck ugly so I quickly bought and installed IDA rudders. I do have a lot of aluminum plate for mods now though.

Road Soldier, I saw that boat before you bought it and those rudders were impressive to me. Agreed not the prettiest in the world, but not that ugly. Very practical. Guess it's in the eye of the beholder. (I was planning to make a set but never did.)

[Russ]

Road Soldier, I saw that boat before you bought it and those rudders were impressive to me. Agreed not the prettiest in the world, but not that ugly. Very practical. Guess it's in the eye of the beholder. (I was planning to make a set but never did.)

Those rudders aren't that ugly at all. It's a SAIL boat and they have rudders. Paint 'em white and I bet they don't look that bad. I've often wondered what bigger fins might do for performance. IDA makes some slick fins, but who knows if they are the best.


--Russ