Sniffin' about since 2000...

[ah_invictus]

Have enjoyed your website for quite some time. Just been lurking about, researching since 2000.

Picked up a 2002 26X a few months back. Anyway, long story... short., just dropped a whack of cash into the little boat. I needed a few bells and whistles for comfort.

New galley with a stainless sink, single burner Origo alcohol stove, pressure water system to the galley (22 gal flex tank) and head (with a bona fide head with thru hulls, shower and sump pump), new electrical system - ac and dc- 2 pairs of ac plugs and 2 dc, Engel 35 Fridge, a seriously bizarre elecrical panel (I can check the polarity of any marina), some teak and mahogany at the galley, Standard Horizon CP175C GPS chartplottter, Simrad WP30 Autohelm (purchased but yet to be installed). But... the best of all...having once lived on a boat in winter (and never wanting to be cold and miserable again) a lovely Dickenson Diesel Stove is part of the galley (Bristol Model); am I the only guy with a diesel stove?

Anyway, just thought I'd touch base with the brothers. Should anyone be interested in how I squandered my cash, seeing pics, understanding the where's and the why's... or simply cadging a beer on me should you make it to Vancouver...

Thanks for all your info, my boat is but a compilation of your wish lists. And like all boats... there's more to come.

And should you be wondering, I happen to be a vagabond of longstanding and am a recalcitrant liveaboard. Unrepentant.

Thanks. Andrew.

[mike]

Very impressive... you should add these to the Mods page!

--Mike

[kenny]

let us know how the Dickensen heater works this winter.
I agree it would be nice to have, even if just to take of the chill/humidity.
Have you mounted it yet, if so, pics??

[waternwaves]

Since I have chipped the ice off of the companionway hatch again this winter...... How is that diesel stove working???

and Invictus...... do I pay for the Pictures on a per beer basis??? or will a case buy me a years access to the photos...

Seriously, where did the PO put that fridge also??

[Moe]

Hi Andrew! Would love to see the modifications to your boat. As mike mentions, this site has a nice "Mods" page where you can post text and up to three pictures per modification. Just get it right before doing the posting.... the editing function doesn't work in that section.

Welcome aboard!
--
Moe

[richandlori]

Greetings Andrew.

The mac os our first real boat (had a 13ft inflatable for diving/scuba) and we love it. It is really a blast to make all the mods and to customize it. Last weekend, I was at the Marina Del Rey boat show and looked at all the usual suspects: Hunter, Catalina, ect, ect..... They were all great bog boats, but I kept looking arond thinking what would I do or change if it were my boat!

The admiral has already complained about being cold on our boat overnighters on the water, so some type of stove/heater combination may be in our future, so I would love to see you heater install.

Regards

Rich

[Frank C]

Terrific list of upgrades - congrats on what must be a stellar example of the Mac breed. Welcome, and please share info & intelligence! Did you mention your power choice?

Interesting to read you have both alcohol and diesel stoves ... ? It seems that the most common space heating solution for Mac that I've seen over years is the Wallas stove with drop-down heat diffuser.

(Also, I'm a little curious about your boating choices prior to the Mac, if you wouldn't mind).

[ah_invictus]

Apologies for not visiting this site in quite some time. Still no internet on the boat; though free wireless is appearing in many coffee shops near the marina. As to the questions of pics... alas. Had some taken but they're several meg apiece and don't travel well on the net. I'll muck about with them and try to reduce their size.

As for the diesel stove, it works all too well. As I discovered one night, cranking it up after a trip to the pub. Awoke in a sweaty stupor after a couple of hours to discover the light cover (port side of the companionway) looking as wobbly as I felt. Lesson learned. With the stove on the lowest setting, 11 below zero (coldest day this winter in Vancouver) I was more than warm enough. The six gallon Tempo tank runs about 10 days; with the stove running about 10 hours a day. Couldn't manage a gravity feed for the fuel so I have the clickety click of a low psi pump; like living by railroad tracks... you get used to it.

The fridge is under the aft dinette seat wired up to both ac and dc; the fridge itself detects the ac when the shorepower is plugged in and switches over from dc.

Hot Water Memo: the ac on demand unit I bought from West Marine and plumbed in was a dog. Two months after buying it, installing and de-installing it, I sheepishly wandered into West Marine to see about a return. Without blinking they honoured their guarantee and I swapped over to a Force 10 - 6 gallon, stainless water heater. And when the guy in the store heard I'd taken a bus to his store, he loaded me and the new heater into his car and drove me back to my marina. Impressive. Heater works great for dishes and showers; though requires shorepower or a generator.

Once again, I'll see about those pictures and how to post them.

ps. waternwaves: the beer's on me if you're in the neighbourhood.

Later... A.

[dclark]

I'm curious how the Simrad WP30 Autohelm worked out for you. Its' come up a few times but I have never heard of anyone actually installing one. I was under the impression that it wouldn't fit on the X.

[southwind]

Greeting Andrew,

Sounds like you have done a great job upgrading your Mac. I am with the MYCBC, MacGregor Yacht Club of BC. This is a group of Mac owners based in Vancouver who get together to swap tips, sail and explore together. and just enjoy each others company. The club has about 40+ boats and has been going for many years. We always welcome new member so if you would like more info you can call me Ken at 604-574-3913