New Kids on the Mac

[Valparaiso]

We brought home our '98 26X this evening. We are in love. We even drank beer on it in the driveway. We have been looking at this site for the last nine months (from Nunivak Island in the Bearing Sea), and now we have two boats in our driveway: Valparaiso and the old one which is a '78 Laguna Windrose. We had planned to wait a year or two, but Todd in Anacortes made all the mods we wanted (minus the tv) and priced it where we couldn't wait. So, we are going to spend our summer sailing the San Juans of Washington in our new MacGregor. I don't really have a question, I just had to share our excitement.

[mike]

Hey, congratulations... I know the feeling!

--Mike

[marc ducharme]

well talk about firsts, i just came back from my first sailing experience with my new M26. Besides a few chalenges like getting the motor started (Forgot about dead man switch . the day was awsome, we had to motor through a channel with a sand bar, for while. When I finaly got the sails up we had a 5km wind, and I managed 3 mph on a starboard reach and I was in heaven. then the wind died and we motored back to the marina and i managed to back the boat into my slip without hitting anything. OH Yea i forgot to mention that a forgot a bunch of stuff but nothing serious. thank you all for the advice, and I should say that my 26 is 100%, cables in mast, mast cradle attached to the stern, Evething works great so far. Have fun on your first day and sail safe.

[Scott]

We took some freinds out this past saturday, (weve had our mac awhile btw) like the idiot that I am threw up the a-sail in 20-30 mph wind as we rounded our upwind point. Fun fun for miles as we jibed down lake. All was well as we came to starboard and layed it over with the wind about 100 deg aft the boat shot out to 8.7 knots as measured by our new tri data. Shoulda come about before the cove but it was getting late so we doused and motored in. Great end to a perfect day of heavy wind sailing. Oh yeah, welcome to the club. If we ever see you on the water I'll show you the super secret handshake.

[Valparaiso]

We took it out for shakedown cruise. Not enough wind to sail but we still enjoyed our new boat. Our first night at Sucia (Washington San Juans) we didn't get much sleep. We picked a buoy that was too exposed and had to choose between the rocking and rolling or the loud thump of the daggerboard. We will be checking out mod for that. We decided rather than deal with the crowds on a holiday weekend, we work on our house for Memorial day. We will go searching for wind on Tuesday.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

From what I've read about the mods on Valparaiso you bought a really good boat. Sucia is quite exposed if you don't pick the right bay. Don't be shy about tucking in as close to shore as the tides will allow. A shore tie can get you nice and close.

Speaking of the centerboard thump. What have people out there done to quiet this?

Last year I glued in some plastic wedges just fore and aft of the pivot point, but that hasn't gotten rid of the noise. One night I tried to tie the partly lowered board to one side, but that didn't do it either.

I am thinking about dropping the board and gluing a stiff foam Vee block up in the top of the trunk about 1/2 way back. Then when the board is lifted full up the top will be locked in place by this foam. Any thoughts?

[26Xsam]

I to forgot the dead man switch. It was my 2nd time out & first time with my mate. Never made it off the dock. The switch was still hanging but I guess I had steped on the cord! Don't feel bad.

Also 1st night at anckor was not good same prob rock a lot or bump bump. I now have two sets
of rocker stopers. Three each. They will help greatly. I hang one set off the boom & one off the rail. This has made a big differance. For just a little $$.

Sam

[Frank C]

Speaking of the centerboard thump. What have people out there done to quiet this? ... Any thoughts?

I thought the best I've seen was the mod with teflon furniture slides (discs) glued to the sides of the trunk, or board, don't remember. I recall seeing this in the mods page, with photo?

[marc ducharme]

Hi I just came back from two days of sailing lessons with a great instructor.Here is a short version of our weekend.

Rain continuous and heavyfor a day and half.
wind 10 to 20 knots with huge gusts., Heavy schop and whitecaps

I got to see under the water when looking down into the cabin from the cockpit, the water was rushing by the bottom window of the M .
Needless to say my son inlaw and I got a baptism by fire. the instructor was not even ruffled, and once I realized that the boat would not capzise I relaxed a lot. Over all we were wet cold but pumped.

We could not have had a better intoduction to sailing, what a trip.
I also learned that in heavy winds the M will only go sideways and will not turn into the wind? OUr instructor then decided that the motor was the best for now so we returned to the marina and wrote our exam.

gota love sailing.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

When the winds are very strong, you may have to gybe (intentionally) to change course.
The 26X and 26M are the best boats I've ever sailed for doing a gybe.