I spent about 3 hours sailing on the Columbia river (Ore.) yesterday in a Cal 28, during an ASA class I've been taking. At one point, we saw another sailboat motoring toward us with mast down. Still 300 yards away, another student exclaimed, "what happened to that guy? looks like his mast is down." Our instructor replied, "looks like he got demasted".
I recognized it as a Mac motoring with mast down, and said, "That's a MacGregor, he's just motoring along with his mast down." Our instructor said, "You're right, that is a Mac. I hate those things. Some even have big motors, like 25-40 hp or so".
Well, my instructor really is a nice guy, just biased against all trailerables and has never even sailed in one, as far as I could tell. Of course I explained that I have a Mac with 70 HP and explained all the virtues of trailerability, ability to sail at many locations, motoring about, tubing the kids, etc.. We got into a good discussion on the pros/cons of various types of sailboats and that everyone needs to do their homework before deciding what's right for them. I know the Mac is right for us. I just have to laugh about how some don't consider the Mac a *real* sailboat.
Anyway, the Mac finally went by close enough to read the name on it.. "Trading Spaces" Is that anyone that reads this forum? For a day that had rain all morning and no wind in early afternoon, we had 3 hours of perfect conditions for our lesson in the afternoon. Great time! I've really enjoyed the ASA class too.
That's a Mac (Trading Spaces at PDX)
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Catigale
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:59 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Admiral .............Catigale 2002X.......Lots of Harpoon Hobie 16 Skiffs....Island 17
- Contact:
Nemo
11 years ago, when I was looking to get into sailing, I was on a USENET group posting lots of stupid questions about why cant you make a boat go faster by putting a bigger motor on it like a car...
Living on the Hudson, I had figured out having a sailboat that could only do 6 knots basically meant I wouldnt use it until I retired.
A serious keel boat sailor (to whom I am forever indebted) posted - the boat for you is the Macgregor. All of us 'real sailors' whill deride it, meanwhile you will be out having fun
Spent the whole weekend on the Hudson, sunny and 60F. Kids helmed around the hook and then we watched the eagles soar for three hours.
11 years ago, when I was looking to get into sailing, I was on a USENET group posting lots of stupid questions about why cant you make a boat go faster by putting a bigger motor on it like a car...
Living on the Hudson, I had figured out having a sailboat that could only do 6 knots basically meant I wouldnt use it until I retired.
A serious keel boat sailor (to whom I am forever indebted) posted - the boat for you is the Macgregor. All of us 'real sailors' whill deride it, meanwhile you will be out having fun
Spent the whole weekend on the Hudson, sunny and 60F. Kids helmed around the hook and then we watched the eagles soar for three hours.
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Randy Smith
- First Officer
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 11:31 am
- Location: "Breezy" 26X Boardman,Or
Upriver
Nemo, I am up the river at Boardman. I have had a few conversations with the "real sailors".......they tell me about the virtues of a fixed keel, the ammnenities, which I do envy....I always part with this shot, after admiring their boat and wishing for a full head, full electronics with gen set, full plumbing....yada yada...I say, "I use my boat almost every weekend, and in the summer three times a week...I can beach my boat, and when the kids are sunburned, head for home in minutes, I can sail on windy days, bass fish in the shallows and motor with a good wind in my face on a hot calm day......and hey, if you want me to help you wash that dust and collection of dock spiders off your boat, I can because I have some extra time...oh, and man, you gotta do something about your bright works....."
Shortly after, we are gone from the dock for the day. Usually, the "real sailors" don't go out, the weather isn't right......With my Mac, there are very few bad weather days, good, bad or otherwise...... and there is no wood to sand!!!!
On the Columbia, I can see no better boat....if I lived in Seattle or Portland, Maine, I might consider a different boat, but again, on the Columbia...how can you beat a Mac and its flexibility of use?
Randy
Shortly after, we are gone from the dock for the day. Usually, the "real sailors" don't go out, the weather isn't right......With my Mac, there are very few bad weather days, good, bad or otherwise...... and there is no wood to sand!!!!
On the Columbia, I can see no better boat....if I lived in Seattle or Portland, Maine, I might consider a different boat, but again, on the Columbia...how can you beat a Mac and its flexibility of use?
Randy
I keep dreaming of a liveaboard...then the realities set in, dock fees, marina fees, haulout fees, fuel prices. Everytime I get unrealistic..I end up coming back to our X. Sits in the yard for free, handy whenever I want to climb in to fix,clean, sneak a nap.. My husband and I used it on Grand Lake in OK for a few years and we were out on the water when nothing else was. That was one of the reasons we bought it. We wanted to beable to go out no matter what the weather was. We couldnt pick our time off...but we could pick what we were going to do...