I'm back...Bimini top and many upgrades

[mastreb]

I did the same thing with a pair of broken 1983 Saab 900s. Worked well except that the left turn signal was the windshield wipers, the wipers turned on the hazards, and the hazard button was the left turn signal.

[Catigale]

KMacs British cars work like that I've heard.....

[mastreb]

Yeah but they do it on purpose: Left turn signal=eject passenger.

[Steve K]

81venture ,

Followed your earlier posts.

I'm so totally impressed over your project
Particularly when I saw the pics of the boat with the first coat of the pretty, shiny blue on the hull.
I love it when someone takes something old and brings it back to life and you are doing a really fine job.
This is one of my passions.(Have an old grand piano I got on auction for 25 bucks that was actually in the music room where I had choir in 5th grade, waiting to be restored...... just one of many projects.... I'm 60 now, btw).

As others have said, this boat of yours has very classic lines and looks just like a sailboat should.
Again, you are really doing a nice job on it and I look forward to seeing the finished project. Hope all goes well and hope you enjoy the heck out of your boat

One day, I'll get around to posting all the pics of my old Catalina 22, that I brought back from the dead.

Best Breezes,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets"

[81venture]

Thanks!

I do think outside the box...just ask Catigale

I got the Short lake mast from the Sunfish up!




It worked out beautifully!



I used 3 of the 8 stays I have from the boat I scrapped..I still have more for
upgrades.. Plus other than cutting the weird end that "hooked" into the mast I
sold i have the full lengths...for the lake mast I am just going to tape the
excess rather than cut it to fit perfect...then down the road I can use these
stays on the REAL mast if I ever need to

remember the whole "lake project" cost zero dollars

It's just for looks, not for real sailing...but a sailor friend who helped says
it WILL move the boat if we get a nice breeze on the lake..he said forget about
tacking and "real" sailing with it. but for looks it is fine...

Weird the way this mast is setup we only needed the two side stays and the fore
stay...there was no aft stay on the original boat...it seems the way the side
stays connect to the original rigging attachments the aft stay is not needed...i
guess as my friend pointed out because their are no spreaders on this mast...

I posted a few pics...i think it turned out well for free..again we never
intended this mast/setup for anything more than looks..and most importantly we
have not compromised ANY original rigging for the regular mast

And here is a pic with the new paint and rudder and motor back on






Cheers
Dave

[BOAT]

What was the Venture boat that Roger was making in 1971? Was that the Venture 24? Is there such a thing? I remember a boat that they made that was at the boat show I saw when I was 13 - That was the boat I wanted, but we got a different one.

[81venture]

Getting closer!



Rigged a Wind Direction Pointer from the SS Crackboat and a top mast and mid mast white light (also donated from the crack boat) on the lake only mast (real mast already has all this except the wind pointer)

Today working on electronics

1. Radio and speakers
2. Fishfinder/Depth sounder
3. have 2 VHF radios to install
4. 11 inch Flip out DVD player for the cabin
5. Solar battery charger (scored off a powerboat I scrapped)


Much to do!

Hoping to splash her in the lake next weekend weather permitting!

ya know, I got 900+ views, but few comments ??

Question for the sailors...why does the sunfish sail NOT connect to the boom in any way except at the end through an eyelet?

Again its for looks so I don't care, but I wondered if this was normal??

Cheers

Dave

[Catigale]

Question for the sailors...why does the sunfish sail NOT connect to the boom in any way except at the end through an eyelet?

Small boat sails are often "loose footed" (as opposed to the bad movie Footloose) - you don't need all tht holding power in the boom on small boats. Some Mac owners have gone to loose footed mains successfully , with upgraded hardware

I know that's stressful for you as a traditionalist ......

[81venture]

Traditionalist!

I know a lot of them think what I am doing is silly maybe, but when we go to Falls to Han with our Friends I will have the coolest looking boat there!
The little lake mast just helps make her look complete.

Got some of the Electronics installed last night.



And I put lights on the top and middle of the little mast. The middle light is pretty cool as it has two lights in the housing. One light shines out as a marker light, but there is also a "spotlight" that faces straight down to light up the top of the boat. I also installed a "Wind Direction" spinner up top that came from the crack boat. If I had my way and could find one light enough I would use one with the rooster like on a barn



This morning a friend is coming with me and we are headed to the lake with her to re-set her on the trailer. When we last used it at Falls Lake when it was time to haul out there was a huge line....we had trouble as the trailer and boat were new to me and you have to sink it so far back to get the nose in her spot the ass end of the boat floats back and forth. We were in a hurry cause we were starting to become "THAT GUY at the boat ramp" (taking to long)

It's on fine, but about 4 inches from center (Keel is supported). Once we get her to sit right again I have a set of Guide-on's from another trailer I am going to weld on to keep this from happening in the future..

Another Question: I am mounting 2 VHF radios...one is installed in the cockpit next to the Hummingbird. I used this location to cover screw holes from older base plates for older electronics I am not using. The other VHF is going to be re-installed where it was before in the cabin...The PO had a HUGE CB radio as well (??) which I am not going to use. So my other question is installing waterproof speakers in the cockpit a bad idea? I was thinking about putting them on each side where your legs are when sitting...small ones, like 5 inch. Yay or Nay?



Cheers

Dave

[81venture]

So an update for my faithful 1000+ viewers :

Took it to the lake today to simply drop the back ass in and re-center it on the trailer so I can weld up the guide-on's

no issues, 3rd drop we got it straight

Headed home, stopped for some beers to bring back home as well

1 mile from the house, luckily in a 35 mph zone, we hit what I thought was a not so bad bump in the road and heard a clatter aft

Look in the mirror and there is my entire brand new painted rudder...i didn't put the pins in it and it bounced out

So no major damage, but my pride and some more sanding and repainting in the near future...but no damage thank goodness


lesson learned

Electronics are coming along well
Stay tuned

Cheers
Dave

[Rick Westlake]

Yeah but they do it on purpose: Left turn signal=eject passenger.

Nah. I remember. It was a push-button under a flip top on the gear-shift lever.

All old James Bond, Ian Fleming, Sean Connery, bull...scat jokes aside ... that boat really is cute as Christmas.

The Sunfish mast leaves me thinking of a gaff rig! The sheer and the cabin-top of the boat are so "classic" that a gaff mains'l would seem to be workable, suitable, and oh-so-delightfully appropriate.

Not to mention the Sailing Anarchy a**holes would surely $#!t their miskets, turn plaid, and die!

[Tomfoolery]

Sharp looking. I've always thought that was the prettiest model of all the Macs.

Are you going to put the gingerbread back on?

[81venture]

Got tunes installed today

Here is where I mounted two of the speakers...two more going inside the cabin





I decided to install the head unit inside the cabin...
Right now I have a mess of wires to route tomorrow... but tonight some friends are over and we are drinking beers and listening to the radio in the boat.

Tomorrow to Install the Solar panel, and run the wires neat

Stay tuned

Cheers

Dave

[81venture]

Sharp looking. I've always thought that was the prettiest model of all the Macs.

Are you going to put the gingerbread back on?

Yes, absolutely!

My two best friends from Jr high (i reconnected on FB) pooled together and bought me a gift certificate for this! http://www.pocketcannons.com/

So now the Pirate ship will have a working cannon!

[Catigale]

Dave..that blue hull looks gorgeous, I hope both you and the omnipotent sainted Admiral are proud of your work ...