Value of 26X Rigging and Sails

[Al Garrett]

No photos yet of my new 26X since I tarped the boat. Despite the PO's denial, it seems to have every fresh water leak known to this model: pedestal, windows, chainplates, hatch, deck fittings, etc. The interior cushions were partly wet and the cockpit cushions soaked. My first priority has been to preserve the cushions.

I'm giving some thought to what I want to do with the boat before I get started on what I hope will be a 2 year project of modifications. I've been thinking of what a great micro trawler this boat would make, my dominant river use, and the disadvantages of dealing with sails and rigging. Eliminating the sails and rigging saves weight and frees up space inside and out. It makes it easier to find room for solar and other electronic devises I want to add and a spare motor at ready.

I spent 2 years and $17,000 in materials doing the same to a Aquarius 23. It was a beatiful boat, very functional, got 10+ mpg > just not big enough inside for extended cruising. I think that the 26X could be so much better than the extended 23 footer for this purpose.

The rigging on my boat looks good to me (almost like new but I know it can't be.) The main is supposed to be recent and very good, the jib new, or vice versa. Derigging my boat would also offset the cost of what I'm about to do and enable restoration of another 26X.

What would the mast, boom, rigging and 2 sails be worth to someone needing those items? I'd sell everything but the lifelines.

I appreciate any thoughts about what I'm considering. This is a great website for technical information and mods. I'm halfway through reading the years of power sailer posts. Thanks to all who have put together this crash course in 26X technology.

Al in Arkansas

[Al Garrett]

Forgot to mention it's a 2000 26X.

Thanks

[Catigale]

I should swag it at about 2000 ?

[Ixneigh]

In my experience it's not worth anything unless someone happens to need it. It's hard to find uses for very specific rigging. You could sit on it for years before you find a customer. The sails might be worth a few bucks on eBay.
Why not leave a stubby mast up? The boat will still sail down or off the wind. It would also act as a stabilizer for motoring in cross seas.
I'm delighted with the lug rig I have on my v22.2 that might be a good choice.

Ixneigh

[coolchange]

Or store all the gear in a mouse proof place for a few years and include it when you sell the boat...not everyone wants this hull as cruiser only. There was/is a guy in Washington (State), Spanway, I think, that was trying to build a little business doing just this (stripping off the sailing aspect and selling just a cruiser...I think the market segment turned out to be too narrow...he still seems to "flip" boats on craigslist (seattle or tacoma) maybe you could chat him up.

[Catigale]

Rethinks....1000 or so. Sorry

Finding a buyer would be the problem, and I'm guessing it would be a yearlong sales cycle

[rick retiree]

I would suggest NOT to sell your sailing gear. Towed my to St Petersburg Florida area last winter and left mast & rigging home in Chicago. Just got tired of hauling boat 30 miles to water and then stepping mast and all that effort that goes with it, somewhat exhausting for a single handed 73 year old for a day of sailing. Got 10 mpg at trawler speed with a Yamaha 50 with no ballast water. If it got choppy fill up the ballast. Got even better mileage when trolling the channel for grouper at 2mph (Scotty downrigger installed on port side). Found a campsite that allowed me to camp the for $400.00 a month including electric & water. If you have the room to store a 30ft mast & boom by all means hold on to it, but store sails and lines in sealed plastic bins perhaps putting cedar chips inside to repel varments. Its not sailing but it aint bad. Also installed a stub mast and boom made out of 2inch aluminum to hold a canvas tarp to ward off that Florida sun. Will include photo when i can figure how to do so on the forum, check mods will try there.

[mastreb]

You will have a damned hard time trying to sell a Mac 26X without rigging when you're done with the boat. The rigging + sails might bring in $1000, but it will reduce the value of the boat by at least 33% when it comes time to sell it, and that just ain't worth it IMHO. Tie the mast up to the ceiling of your garage and forget about it until it's time to sell the boat.

[Al Garrett]

I don't doubt that my trawler conversion will devalue the boat a great deal, maybe by 2/3? However, at my age, resale value is not a major consideration. In all likelyhood, the boat will outlive me and I have no kids. Otherwise, I would not spend $20,000 to equip a $10,000 boat. That won't pay for anything extravagant like autopilot, air conditioning, hot water or radar. However, it will make a very comfortable camper/river cruiser with a large photovaic array, solar vents, generator, shore power, inverter, flat TV and stereo, led lighting and dual power outlets from bow to stern, triple bilge pumps, auxillary power, running water, GPS, depth alarm and other safety equipment. On my last conversion, I built a fiberglass pilot house with custom marine windows but I'm afraid that having a pedestal this far behind the windshield impedes forward visability. I'm toying with the idea of a hardtop above the cockpit with a large photovaic cell and antennas atop but am concerned about adding that much weight aloft.

If I had a garage, I might store the rigging as suggested. As is, it will be enough of a challenge to store all the matresses and cushions properly for a couple of years during construction. Just now accepted an offer on all the sailing stuff to be picked up next week by a 26X owner in Florida so I won't be able to copy Rick's stubby mast idea. I really like your idea for covering the hatch and forward cockpit from the sun and rain. The buyer bought a 26X with bent mast and would like to have a pristine one so the sailing stuff will go for a good cause.

I reconsidered the whole idea of derigging but a few items convinced me that I'm no sailer: threat of mast falling, chance of being blown over, disconnecting the boom with reefed main to lower the mast at every bridge, difficulty sailing a narrow river channel, the space taken inside and out by the sailing equipment makes the boat smaller, and desire for solar energy and the conforts of home. Now that I've read almost all of the posts, I'll have lots of decisions to make in planning the mods. It's great to see a variety of solutions to similar needs and read experienced opinions on what works best.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this great forum and for your suggestions on my project.

Al in Arkansas

[Kittiwake]

Sounds good to me Al.
Like you, I am one who appreciates the Mac even more without the sails and rigging; although I do find it fun to sail it locally when I am not trailering to some distant and isolated site of exploration and gunkholing. This duality of function is after all one of the great Mac features.
Enjoy.
Kittiwake

[zephyr101]

Interested in talking to bent mast owner. May be interested in buying .I am in florida too. any help would be aprecieted.
Howie in Bonita Springs

[Retcoastie]

Al,

No being too nosey . And if you don't identify the buyer it shouldn't embaress (?) anyone. What did you get for your rigging? Others would like to know the approximate value so they could make similar decisions. I bought a new mast from a fellow in Stuart, FL several years ago for $300. My spare is hanging in the barn. I hope it stays till my kids are cleaning the place out and sell it for junk.

Ken

[Al Garrett]

Howie: The buyer of my sailing equipment is interested in selling his old mast so he'll be contacting you.

Ken: I came down to $1,200 for the package of sailing equipment. I think he got a good deal but that was intended. He's driving almost 700 miles towing his boat so I thought that would offset his travel expense. Plus, he was willing to come soon which means it will be out of my way and no longer an impediment to planning my conversion project (not getting any younger.) I like the boat much more after clearing the deck fittings. I'll like it even more in the morning when he picks up the mast and rigging and the rest that takes up so much space inside and out. I received several inquiries since we made a deal so I'm referring them all to him.

I feel much better about recycling the equipment rather than hanging in a barn somewhere where it may never be used again, even if I had the excess storage space. I hauled the mattresses and interior and exterior cushions to my commercial building today. It completely filled the entire bed of a full sized pick up. I wanted them out of the way before I popped the interior caps and released the residue of years of leaking and caulking crumbs. I need to remove everything else that can be inside before doing any grinding or glassing.

Now I have lots of holes to fill which will probably require painting the entire boat. I'll never be able to match the faded black gelcoat where the chainplates were removed so I'll probably paint the entire boat, bright white on top with a Hatteras white (off white, light creme) on the hull. The darker color for the hull provides a nice contrast and keeps the boat looking clean in muddy river water. I found a photo of a beautiful all white 26X with the black strips painted over which is tempting to copy. I'd post the picture if I weren't so technically challenged, The boat is beautiful with all of the black stripe decorations painted over except maybe the lowest one. The contrast with the dark windows is striking and the shape of the bare 26X is as stunning as any sailboat IMHO.

Still thinking about a hardtop aft at least covering the driver and pedestal. I've noticed on 1 -2 week trips, the sun is the enemy. The less, the better especially for blondes with light complexion. Wish I were comfortable working with metal as much as I am wood and fiberglass. It needs to be light but strong enough for a large photovaic array (10-20 watts,) tall antennas, solar shower, etc. I'm not finding anything like that on any Mac sites, just examples of hardtop construction for big cruisers. Individual stainless stanchions (sp?) can bear the load but there needs to be something more solid to deal with twisting. Maybe some narrow fiberglass corners in the rear glassed to the coamings and transom? Any ideas?

Another concern is the thin interior liner under the cockpit. Even crawling carefully, afraid I'm going to break it. It already has one crack around an opening. I weigh about 185 and it's not up to supporting me. Has anyone inserted wood blocks between the lower liner back there and the stringers? Another idea is to squirt some low expansion foam (used around windows and doors) to fill the gap and add strength. Afraid that may compress too much to be effective although it seems to be closed cell in using for exterior cracks on buildings. Biggest weakness seems to be no UV resistance. Anyone else tried to deal with this problem or were they just running low on glass the day my boat was constructed?

Regardless, I do love my Mac!

Al in Arkansas