New Macgregor Owner!

[GeoffT]

I just purchased my first mac 26x earlier this week and I am very excieted to take her out this weekend. She's a 2001 and in great shape. Any last minute advice for this type of sailboat?

[jassr4848]

Welcome, and have a great time. This post helped with my first outing (posted by Matt)


Re: I did it!! I bought the Mac 26X!

Postby mastreb » Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:44 pm
Please do read through the experiences of other first-time launchers on this board! Your first launch and retrieval will take more time than you expect, and so will the retrieval.

Here's the typical progression:

1st time into the water: 2 hours to rig and launch, 2 hours to un-rig. Post here regarding desperation and disappointed admiral.
2nd time into the water: 1 hour to rig and launch, 1 hour out. No post.
3rd time into the water: 30 minutes to rig and launch, 45 minutes out. Post here as to newly discovered methods for making rigging and launching easy.
4th time into the water: 30 minutes to rig and launch, 45 minutes out. Post here claiming 15 minutes in and out.

I recommend doing your first outing with the motor only. It'll take you two hours to get the mast up and the boat rigged correctly and launched. Just take it out, motor around, and pay a LOT of attention to how the helm handles to port and starboard, motor up, motor down, and boards up, board down. You really need to test out the motor anyway--put it through it's paces. Do some low speed maneuvers in a safe place. Your first time out should be learning about how to get the boat on and off the trailer, and less about getting sails up. Raise and lower the mast, but don't bother will sails yet.

I also recommend avoiding powering onto the trailer for retrieval. Pick a ramp with a dock, tie off to the dock when you come in, and line-handle the boat onto the trailer. Everyone who attempts to motor onto the trailer on their first outing invariably puts a nasty gouge in their gel-kote, breaks off a goalpost, or worse bends a prop and looks like an idiot (I did all three on my first outing). These are THE BIGGEST boats at the ramp with the highest windage, and therefore the hardest to handle onto and off of a trailer. Line handling the boat on and off the trailer makes you look like a seasoned pro, and because it's a sailboat, it's kind of expected.

Search these forums and put the PVC rollers on the trailer goal posts before your first trip out. See above.

WORRY about the ballast tank. I leave my ballast tank vent and gate open when I'm out of the water. Better to forget to close it than to forget to open it. People worry about bugs or rodents in the tank, but every dunk takes care of that problem. Post a warning to close the ballast tank vent and gate on the helm so you don't forget.

On your second outing, it's time to raise the sails and go main only. If everything goes really well, rig the jib, otherwise don't worry about it. Get the Admiral used to the heeling--the boat will go WAY over very fast and this usually terrifies people. It's normal, the boat won't capsize if the ballast tank is handled correctly.

Learn how to search this board, and do search it a lot. It's kind of "clubby" here, but all the regulars are really good guys who have their opinions but respect those of others. Because there's a lot of safety related topics, people do get passionate about things they consider to be risk of life. That's a good thing, so be slow to take offense and presume that people mean well--everyone here does. It's a great place to air out ideas and to learn best practices. Participating actively on this board improved my Mac sailing immeasurably very quickly.

Fair winds, following seas, and good luck!

Matt

[capt grumpypants]

Welcome aboard GeoffT,

We own an we just bought in May, and love it (and occassionaly curse it). Folks here have a wide experience with these boats and are immensely helpful. I still go out just to look at mine on the trailer!

Fair winds...

James and Theo

[NiceAft]

Any last minute advice for this type of sailboat?

Just go out and enjoy You will learn as you go.

Oh yes, welcome aboard.

Ray

[FinallySailing]

Welcome to the forum, Geoff. Let us know where you are based and keep us posted on your exciting adventures and mods !

[dive4it]

Congrats Geoff!! You'll love your new boat....just go out and have fun with it. I would suggest to practice stepping the mast a couple of times in the driveway/or a local parking lot to get used to it in more controlled conditions....I'm glad I did to familiarize myself before going to the ramp. Also, make yourself an style mast raising system....it helps immensly. BTW I too am a Jeff T. on this forumn....good thing they're spelled different

JT

[vkmaynard]

Reef the Main with winds over 15 MPH until you get used to the boat. It will be more tender than it looks on video.

Tune you boat after sailing if it has the usual extreme roundup (see info here).

Use about 2" of centerboard rope let down and at least one rudder while motoring at 7 MPH or less. Use the same when docking, NOT AN OPTION when docking and learning the boat. We dock like this as do others most of the time unless there is very minimal wind.

Go thru your check list before pulling the boat out (per Billy): "Mr CL", Motor, Rudder, Centerboard, Ladder

Make sure to dump the ballast before pulling out. The trailer will be severely overloaded otherwise.

Have fun and report back

Welcome aboard!

Victor

[Mac26Mpaul]

Dont get too excited as you need to think carefully about everything you are doing.

Dont take your frustration out on the missus if things go wrong.
Things do quite often go wrong, especially in the first year or so of owning a sailboat. Learning from mistakes and fixing broken stuff is all part of the fun

[dlandersson]

Newest owner has to buy the pizza!

I just purchased my first mac 26x earlier this week and I am very excieted to take her out this weekend. She's a 2001 and in great shape. Any last minute advice for this type of sailboat?

[kelseydo]

Welcome! Best advise it to check this site often - these guys and gals are great. Where are you located?

Dan

[133bhp]

my advice? - stick with it because it wont nesccasarily be all "fun" for a while.

[dlandersson]

hee hee

my advice? - stick with it because it wont nesccasarily be all "fun" for a while.

[finding41]

If you can avoid it. Don't take the admiral out the first few times. Take a buddy or even better another trailer sailor (preferably same type of boat owner). It will save some heart ache.
Congratulations. Have fun.

[Kevgrn114]

Congratulations! I will be joining you soon!

[StarSpun]

Congrats on your X....you will love it! We just got our 2001 X this spring. It's crazy exciting! Not sure when the novelty will wear off....hopefully never! We have had some amazing and 'interesting' times so far. Enjoy!