Gas Can Question

A forum for discussing topics relating to MacGregor Powersailor Sailboats
User avatar
NiceAft
Admiral
Posts: 6735
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by NiceAft »

“Look at Me!!, Look at Me!!”


Nope Mike,

It's just fun. Nowhere to go. Plenty of time to get there, and when we give a novice crew such a ride, invariably they say “let's do that again.” 8)

When it comes to intentionally heeling the boat steeply. The 3 SW rule comes to mind. Some Will. Some Won't. So What :)

Life's to short to think about what others like to do, sail.

Ray
~~~__/)~~~
User avatar
sailboatmike
Admiral
Posts: 1597
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:17 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Australia

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by sailboatmike »

At the club we often run open days to introduce those interested in sailing to the sport/hobby without them having to go to the expense of buying their own boat before they know if they like it.

We have a rule that all the host sailors must follow, that is we dont heal the boats unnecessarily without the learners permission, we found that people got scared of a overly healed boat and didnt want to sail again.

Using this strategy we have introduced many new people to the sport and many have come back to sail with the club or bought their own boats, before I introduced that rule the number of people returning was very poor.

Yes some people love it, I know my 12 year old loves serious healing and she has been dumped in the water out of dinghies lots of times, on the other hand my 8 year old loves sailing but she has yet to get used to more than about 15 degrees heal and get scared if it heals to much.

Just for the record the 8 year old is much faster through the water because she keeps the boat more upright
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5998
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by Highlander »

Oh My

Don,t get ur nose stuck in a knot :D :D :D
No Body say,s ur wrong or right , we all hear u regarding the fear factor & the teaching side of ur idea,s plus the safety factor !

But did u ever stop to think that some of us r just showing u all just how safe these boats r to sail & to just what extreme measures they can be taken too in a not so planned situation by us who r experienced or just crazy enough to take these boat to these extremes
Any boat designer & engineer & sailing teacher will tell u the only way to find these situations out is by trail & error hopefully & desirably in a controlled manner

So the situation decides the factor , just because someone wants to find out what extremes they can take there boat to in a safe situation or just foolin around having fun with " other boats around to assist if needed " does not make them Idiot,s or show off,s
some of us do not have the fear factor that other,s do have & by posting the stuff we do we r showing other,s what can be done in a bad situation & hopefully learn from it !!

The Coast Guards all around the world do the same thing for training & learning purposes r u saying suggesting they r wrong Too ??

Just sayin thats all
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 0_2494.mp4

look see no hands lol
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 0_2495.mp4
U really need too look @ the whole picture !!
do not be so judgmental , but safety is of the most importance but get the situation & facts right first
Anyway whats this all got to do with leaking gas tank caps !!!! :P
User avatar
Ixneigh
Admiral
Posts: 2477
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Key largo Florida

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by Ixneigh »

Get or make a non venting cap. When sailing screw it down tight. When under power unscrew it a little.
On my boat it's not an issue. im generally after speed and performance and I don't like going sideways. Unless I want to go sideways. :D
Ix
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by BOAT »

Ixneigh wrote:Get or make a non venting cap. When sailing screw it down tight. When under power unscrew it a little.
On my boat it's not an issue. im generally after speed and performance and I don't like going sideways. Unless I want to go sideways. :D
Ix
i like all that but i do not know where to find a cap - is the thread anything special or do you think there might be some generic caps out there - i'm not sure where to even start looking but i guess someone needs to start - i was just hoping one of you guys had already done this.

as for the leaning or heeling or whatever thing - i have no problem with folks that want to sail on the flatter side and that's good - sailing on the side of the boat is not really a good thing - i know that - but these people that sit on the mainsheet ready to pounce on every degree past 15 are just fanatics - it's like religion or something - that is not good either - not even in a race. if your doing that for performance then I recommend you read Peter Barrett's book on sailboat racing for trailer boats - he makes the point that trailer boats are always more tender and novice racers tend to over react. If your in a keel boat and she goes over to 45 degrees guess what? YOUR IN TROUBLE - it takes a lot of force to move a keelboat that far so you better prepare for something bad.

If a trailerboat goes over to 45 degrees it's no big deal - no one is gonna die and it's just a gust - trailer boats are like those blow up punchy clowns we had when we were kids. they just pop back up every time.

If your afraid of angles past 30 degrees I suggest you get a keel boat and skip the trailer boat life.


P.S. - if you want to see the actual 'perfect' angle for sailing an X boat here it is:
Image

This is captain Herschel piloting the X boat the way is was designed to be driven - remember - there is a difference between the X boat and the M boat on this - the M boat can "heel" more with less drag than the X boat because the X boat has sharper edges and a flatter bottom that dig into the water and slow you down if you "heel" the boat. If you want to know the perfect profile for your X boat this picture is it.
Last edited by BOAT on Thu May 19, 2016 7:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Baha
First Officer
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:58 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: UK

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by Baha »

I have to agree with Boat here. When I did my dingy training a few years ago, the RYA instructor's first rule was "a flat boat is a fast boat". It is a good rule of thumb, but you cannot overreact with the mainsheet any more than you should overreact with the helm. In fact, I am finding that, with my :macm:, the helm does a good job of telling me how well the sails are trimmed.

I must have one of the automatic type of gas vent...mine doesn't leak.
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by BOAT »

Baha wrote:I

I must have one of the automatic type of gas vent...mine doesn't leak.
Yours does not leak?? what's wrong with my caps!! :x :cry: i hate the smell of gas. :cry:
User avatar
Tomfoolery
Admiral
Posts: 6135
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:42 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Rochester, NY '99X BF50 'Tomfoolery'

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by Tomfoolery »

Now that you mention it, mine have never leaked, and I leave the vents cracked open. Not so I've ever noticed the smell, at least. And I keep them both full, or one at least, as the other is drawn down.
Baha
First Officer
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:58 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: UK

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by Baha »

It's just good karma, Boat... :D
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by BOAT »

Baha wrote:It's just good karma, Boat... :D
I want good karma too! where can i buy some?
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1913
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by DaveC426913 »

I routinely heel at 15 degrees and, when having fun single-handing, have pinned the tilt gauge at 35. Never had a gas leak even with full tanks.
User avatar
BOAT
Admiral
Posts: 4969
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:12 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Oceanside, CA MACMJ213 2013 ETEC60

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by BOAT »

DaveC426913 wrote:I routinely heel at 15 degrees and, when having fun single-handing, have pinned the tilt gauge at 35. Never had a gas leak even with full tanks.
i don't know what kind of caps you guys are using but I gotta get some - anyone know where I can get these 'good karma' kaps? I want my tanks to have good karma too.

Is this the good karma gas kap?

Image

http://www.amazon.com/Moeller-Externall ... 3KKJ8E41RP
User avatar
grady
Captain
Posts: 946
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:38 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Dallas

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by grady »

Image

On most sail boats flat is fast! 5 to 10 range. The S and D seem to like 10 to 15. One thing you have to remember the more you heel the more the boat goes sideways and your tacking angle get larger. You may be going faster but you are going a longer distance. Just don't tune your sail like the picture above.
User avatar
dlandersson
Admiral
Posts: 4973
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Michigan City

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by dlandersson »

Yeah, there's no neato picture on it. :)
grady wrote:On most sail boats flat is fast! 5 to 10 range. The S and D seem to like 10 to 15. One thing you have to remember the more you heel the more the boat goes sideways and your tacking angle get larger. You may be going faster but you are going a longer distance. Just don't tune your sail like the picture above.
A-1 Boss
Deckhand
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 2:39 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M

Re: Gas Can Question

Post by A-1 Boss »

Guys thanks for info. They are gas tanks not cans. I could not budge what I now know is the vent with my bare hands. Will try to loosen with pliers.
Post Reply