2000 Mac 26X Restoration

[DHK79]

Next up on my hit list was the electrical system.

The original panel was so corroded that you couldn't even replace any of the fuses.


Down by the port battery, the wires were a real rat's nest.


I even found the above "splice" in the bilge. Any electrical engineer would be proud.

[Tomfoolery]

In the cockpit over the stern berth, I added two louvered vent ports.

One of the best mods I've made to-date on this boat. A pair of operable ports with internal rain shields. Same as yours, but smaller. I leave them open all the time except when trailering. No water gets in through the rain louvers.



The mod is here. http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1870

Forgive the dirty sole - it was spring, mods were being made, and spring cleaning hadn't happened yet.

[DHK79]

One of the best mods I've made to-date on this boat. A pair of operable ports with internal rain shields. Same as yours, but smaller. I leave them open all the time except when trailering. No water gets in through the rain louvers.

So far I've been leaving mine open even when trailering. Even after getting caught in a hard down pour, there was no water inside. I guess the cabin provided enough wind protection to keep any water from being forced up there.

[DHK79]

For the replacement of stock electrical components (I’ll get to the more fun upgrades later). All of the existing wire runs were left in place, although I did reterminate the ends of all of them. Only the one wire going up the mast to the masthead light actually needed to be replaced. If I'd thought about it when I was pulling the wire, I'd have put a three-strand wire there to have a spreader light. Although that would also mean that I'd have to fish another wire between the deck and liner. Doable, but a pain in the nether regions.



The first thing to go was the old panel. Hating fuses (especially while underway), the panel was replaced by a six position circuit breaker as I already had several “additions” in mind.



I also added a axillary panel on the starboard side, aft of the dinette. This was a smaller panel only controlling the light in the head, bilge pumps, the stereo, and adding a couple of 12V outlets for the dinette area.

[DHK79]

The 110V outlet was replaced by a Water Resistant GFCI one.


A battery charger/conditioner was added to the shore power circuit and tucked up to the side of the port battery.


I don't know if it was stock or had been added by the PO, but there was a non-functional, rusty, coverless 12V outlet down by the side of the stove. I replaced it with a new one. This was one of the few places I used an inline fuse rather than fishing wire back to the panel. Although all the inline fuses (four in total - two mains to the batteries, one to the auto side of the bilge pumps, and this one) were all ATX blade fuses, that can be picked up anywhere, and housed in water resistant covers.

[DHK79]

The two cabin lights were replaced with LED fixtures.


I added a third LED fixture in the head. The admiral approved of this mod, but the fishing of the wire up through the wall made me contemplate tossing her over the side.


While getting power to the light in the head, I found a couple of loose wires in the access panel. These went to the light in the compass mounted to the side of the access way and it had never been hooked up by the PO. So I wired it up, but I will concede to slight jury rigging here. I wasn't about to fish more wire in order to get back to the Nav light circuit, so it got wired along with the light fixture in the head.

With these new lights, I should be able to camp for weeks without ever starting the engine or hooking up to shore power.

[DHK79]

As a request to my Secret Santa, I asked for some new LED Nav lights.

[DHK79]

Along with the new masthead light, I replaced the electrical fitting at the base of the mast with a flush mounted one. Judging from the number of times I could see that it had been repaired, the prior fixture must have gotten kicked a lot.

[DHK79]

Moving back to the exterior, it was about time to rechristen this craft.


But first, the old name had to go.


After a touch of Gel Coat repair - All hail the "Long Shot II"

P.S. The "Long Shot" was the name of my first big sailboat, a Cal 25 that the admiral and I bought long ago for our tenth wedding anniversary.

[DHK79]

On to some of the niceties. I really wanted to make this boat easy to handle single-handedly.


So after rising & lowering the mast only twice with the stock 26X system (I wasn't overly impressed). I retrofitted a 26M brake-winch type hoist.


I added a wheel auto-pilot system. This addition was highly desirable for two reasons. Number one, it would allow me to go complete a quick task if I was out by myself. And number two, the admiral is not a qualified helmsman and once in the "Long Shot" I had to go refuel the kicker. So I gave her instructions to just follow the channel. Shortly thereafter, I was picking myself up off the deck as we ran aground at a good clip. She was actually thrown forward and through the hatchway down into the cabin. Luckily no one was seriously hurt, but I learned "my" lesson.
I should also note that I replaced the stock 15" wheel with an 18" one when I added the auto-pilot. This was not "needed", as the wheel drive would fit but I have big hands and wanted a little more finger room. Sticking out to the side of the pedestal only an inch and a half more does not seem to make it any harder to get around in the cockpit.


Lastly , my halyards already tended aft into the cockpit, but I also added these fairlead & jam cleats so my jib sheets would as well.

[DHK79]

That completed the major rework. Of course I repaired or replaced little things all over the boat. The only other thing worth noting here was replacement of the VHF and integrating all the electronics together.


I still have some things to fix before she can be used as much more than a big daysailer (stove & fresh water system), but looking below won't make you gag any more.


Topside, she's again seaworthy and sails like a dream. You can see National Harbor (Washington DC) behind me in this picture.

I'll close this dissertation with one of the greatest joys of owning a Mac (of course I'll add to this thread when I take care of my rapidly shortening punch list).

For you landlubbers out there, that's 21 mph.

[mastreb]

Fantastic restoration! It's really heartwarming to see a good boat get a complete and well thought-out refresh by someone who knows what they're doing. Your boat seems better than new at this point.

[DHK79]

Thanks. I'm down to less than a dozen items on my punch list and I've already procured most of the needed hardware and parts. The stove & fresh water system were already noted, but I still want to install an LED anchor light (wiring already run), mod the rudder lash downs to provide a kick-up if they hit something, install a new stereo, repair & refurbish the fuel tank bins (a PO got over enthusiastic with a saber saw in making the cutout bigger), and lastly finish polishing the topside. While the fuel bins are mostly cosmetic, I think there may also be some water leaks in there too.

[Sea Wind]

Looks great!
My is about 10 miles south of Annapolis so let me know if you want to sail on the Bay.

[DHK79]

Sea Wind,

I'd love to get together for a sail a little later this summer. I've got several trips planned out of town that'll mostly keep me off the water through mid-July. Although it'd probably be easier to do so by trailer, as going around the mouth of the Potomac into the bay is a pretty good trek. Do you have a convenient boat ramp nearby?

Doug