MacGregorSailors.com

Looks good. Wiring the shackles is smart and I know of no better way than what you have done. I forgot to wire mine once and almost learned the hard way.

I'm not sure what the anchor bungee does. Honestly, it looks like a liability that could tangle the rig. All that chain should act like an absorber.

I'm not a fan of braided for anchor line. I don't know why. It's certainly easier to handle and claims to be stronger.
However, I've always liked the stretch of stranded nylon. The stretch is really important for anchor line to absorb shock from the Mac sailing at anchor.

https://www.westmarine.com/west-advisor ... urely.html

https://www.westmarine.com/west-advisor ... -Rode.html

https://www.westmarine.com/west-advisor ... -Rode.html

One last mention:
I have used this type of spare fuel can for years. A fellow Macsailor member mentioned them. I did my research, and was sold. Last summer, on the hottest days of our Chesapeake trip, they didn’t swell; no fumes in the cabin. Check into this company’s NATO can.
https://wavianusa.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopC ... SMR1nXTikP

Snow is melting, Bahamas trip is coming closer...8 months away. Still lots to do, but also lots of progress:


1) Katadyn Powersurvivor 40e watermaker (Bought, test fit in port seat bilge, ready to install)
2) More solar (I haven't been able to make progress on a solar mounting arch.)
3) (DONE): EPIRB(s). EPIRB1 installed and registered, mounted above the head door.
4) (DONE): Offshore auto-inflating life vests with harness points including PLB-1 locator beacon installed.
5) Swim and dive gear
6) Rain gear
7) (DONE): Inverter (to power AC).
8 ) (Abandoned) AC.
9) Professional no-see-um netting inside the cockpit enclosure, and covering the hatch
10) (DONE): New batteries. (2x Costco Lead Acid, 80AH each) (Also purchased 100AH lithium and DC-DC charger pending installation)
11) (DONE): Racor fuel filtration system
12) (DONE): Fuel management system (Tee's and valves to quickly switch tanks without disconnecting the lines)
13) I wonder if any kind of personal hygiene washing device is required? Ocean, we're just boys? Or a solar water heater suspended off the boom? Or a garden sprayer?
14) Mast fitting replacement (especially halyard block and fittings)
15) (Abandoned) Generator.
16) Starlink. Wouldn't it be great to have reasonably accurate weather at our fingertips? And be able to stay in contact with the fam? More weight, more power, not optimized for boating yet, but man, I'd feel much better than having to tune an amazon SSB to a local forecast.

Just finished a non-necessary install of a Fusion Black-Box radio with SeaTalkNG compatibility under the starboard aft dinette seat, with the wired remote mounted through the seat facing the galley. It's controlled via the remote, the chartplotter, or a phone app, and seems pretty robust. Dual zone, so indoor and outdoor sound is incoming, but I haven't installed the speakers yet. Locations are TBH, but man I hate cutting all these holes. Do I need an amplifier? A subwoofer? Maybe It's a disease, I can't stop modding.

SeaTalkNG network is kinda cool. I need to redo the drawings, there's getting to be too much.

About Katadyn water maker... Und show your install please when ready to go!

Nice list, will bookmark for our retirement trip in 2027!

Now that we've procured new sails over the winter, we're looking for a window for an "installs" trip up to the boat. Have a 100Ah Lithium and DC-DC converter/MPPT solar controller pending installation as well...



Also have the Starlink Mini we'll be mounting on the rear mast support brace our '96 has, on a PVC extension that continues up straight where the brace curves in to the center. The empty brace is where the Eccotemp water heater gets hung for transom showers: https://www.eccotemp.com/portable-tankl ... earl+White

Currently shopping for a small chartplotter with transducer for depth readings and back-up to the iPad mini currently mounted at the helm.

The autopilot, 12V cooler, AIS transponder and EPIRB all look like necessary upgrades we'll be looking at down the road. For now, we picked up an Icom IC-M94D VHF with AIS receiving and DSC that we'll be adding MOB1 devices to based on your set-up, thanks!

tuxonpup wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:59 am

Currently shopping for a small chartplotter with transducer for depth readings and back-up to the iPad mini currently mounted at the helm.

The autopilot, 12V cooler, AIS transponder and EPIRB all look like necessary upgrades we'll be looking at down the road. For now, we picked up an Icom IC-M94D VHF with AIS receiving and DSC that we'll be adding MOB1 devices to based on your set-up, thanks!

We're quite happy with the Raymarine Axiom 7 RV with RealVision transducer. It fits in the bulkhead just perfectly, and it can be mirrored through its on-board wi-fi to any cellphone or tablet. I didn't want a chartplotter at the helm with the mainsheet whipping around.

Starscream wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 8:15 am

tuxonpup wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:59 am

Currently shopping for a small chartplotter with transducer for depth readings and back-up to the iPad mini currently mounted at the helm.

The autopilot, 12V cooler, AIS transponder and EPIRB all look like necessary upgrades we'll be looking at down the road. For now, we picked up an Icom IC-M94D VHF with AIS receiving and DSC that we'll be adding MOB1 devices to based on your set-up, thanks!

We're quite happy with the Raymarine Axiom 7 RV with RealVision transducer. It fits in the bulkhead just perfectly, and it can be mirrored through its on-board wi-fi to any cellphone or tablet. I didn't want a chartplotter at the helm with the mainsheet whipping around.

My helm already had a compass mounted in the traditional binnacle position, so the metal iPad arm clamps on to the side of the fixed boom attachment, and pivots fore to aft. I like the depth/speed display permanently mounted to the cabin like that, was thinking of the cheapest, 5" non-touch screen Garmin and keeping Active Captain on the iPad linked to it for the latest Navionics US coastal and Bahamas charts. I do like to put my back against the cabin there though, I wonder if a 5" could fit on the end of the hatch?

tuxonpup wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 9:13 am
My helm already had a compass mounted in the traditional binnacle position, so the metal iPad arm clamps on to the side of the fixed boom attachment, and pivots fore to aft. I like the depth/speed display permanently mounted to the cabin like that, was thinking of the cheapest, 5" non-touch screen Garmin and keeping Active Captain on the iPad linked to it for the latest Navionics US coastal and Bahamas charts. I do like to put my back against the cabin there though, I wonder if a 5" could fit on the end of the hatch?

The nice thing about an NMEA network is that you can repeat info anywhere you want. Depth is shown on both sides of the cockpit, and on my cellphone on its helm-mount.

We've never had problems leaning up against the displays, with pillows for padding of course. They have rubber covers for when one is lounging and are pretty robust in the first place.

Starscream,

Regarding item 10 on your list: make sure you have all of your non-starting batteries and the dc-dc converter protected by appropriate fuses as close to the source as possible (ABYC says 7" in most installs).

Your 100A Li battery can put out 3000 amps in a short circuit condition. The DC-DC converter will need a fuse near the source on the input side and another near the converter on the output side.

I'm watching your solar install with great interest. I"m also having trouble coming up with an arch design that I'm happy with.

If you decide to put a spacer between your AP and the steering wheel I have a good 3D model I made for mine that worked well for me.

Be Free wrote: ↑Mon Mar 24, 2025 7:46 am Starscream,

Regarding item 10 on your list: make sure you have all of your non-starting batteries and the dc-dc converter protected by appropriate fuses as close to the source as possible (ABYC says 7" in most installs).

Your 100A Li battery can put out 3000 amps in a short circuit condition. The DC-DC converter will need a fuse near the source on the input side and another near the converter on the output side.

I'm watching your solar install with great interest. I"m also having trouble coming up with an arch design that I'm happy with.

If you decide to put a spacer between your AP and the steering wheel I have a good 3D model I made for mine that worked well for me.

Thank you for those comments...

I did buy a terminal fuse for the LIon battery, 30A IIRC. Haven't installed the battery yet though, as I still have to figure out where to do that. I'm running out of real estate. I'll add an output breaker; appreciate that recommendation.

The solar install is frustrating. My preliminary mockup is shown below, but when I went to test fit it, of course the fiberglass on the topside transom isn't robust enough to support this. I went with 1" round aluminum stock from Princess auto to be as strong as possible because people WILL use it as a support to get up the swim ladder. There are just so many things on the back of the boat, not the least being the bimini enclosure attachment points, which go all the way to the very back of the topsides.

I need some way to support it from the floor behind the captain's seat, I think.

Garage winter mockup:

Starscream, From your garage mock-up photo I see what you are trying to do (weak support and not much bearing spread). My 26X is in storage so unable to send pic of my mod (solar panel support structure) but will try to explain. The enabler for my arrangement is the addition of a 2"x2" square alum tube transversely mounted from stern rail to stern rail. This does more that support the solar support structure. It is my helm backrest (removed the factory seat), place for transverse storage of my whisker pole, store kayak paddle, hang coiled stern anchor rode, in general a handy place to hang stuff.

I used (2) 1" SS tubes to support the panel (similar to your alum tubes) but let them splay out at ~6deg to follow the draft of the fiberglass. Used handrail base in photo (available on ebay) to mount bottom of SS tube (same place as you have your lower Bimini fitting in mock-up) and Stauff 2-hole clamps to support the tube to my 2"x2" alum cross rail. Good load point spread; it is solid. Used a stanchion fitting on top of SS tube (in photo available on ebay). The 6 deg stanchion base mounted upside down on top of SS tubes gives a solid support base to mount solar panel. I drilled hole in starboard base to enable 10-2 wire to be routed internal in the SS tube and enter the boat for all unseen internal wiring. My solar panel allows clearance for the bimini to fold back and has standing head clearance when standing on swim platform. Also provides shade for the helmsperson.

Other comments: have your backstay up when mounting panel (I had to shift my 180watt panel ~1" to port for clearance). For road transport, removal of the upside-down stanchion base and panel is fairly easy leaving a short length of 10-2 wire exposed that can be easily lashed to SS tube so does not whip around during transport. Planning is half the fun, Closehaul

As of July 1 2025 the Bahamas have upped their cruising fees.

Previously $300 USD including a fishing license for a Mac26.

Now it's $500 excluding fishing license + 200 for an anchoring fee unless you only stay at marinas, plus $300 for a fishing license, plus $30 per person above 3 people.

There is even some discussion about their new 91B regulation, where the anchoring fee could be interpreted as $200 PER NIGHT (it won't be, but it's not well written).

Holy Mac Intosh , those fees sound outrageous. I also would love to sail to the Bahamas. But with that cruising expense and time spent waiting to cross the Gulf Stream both ways don’t think it’s doable for us. . We are planning to fly and bunk in hotels in October. Will probably plan another trip just to sail around the keys for a week or two. I am a Mac Sailor on a budget. We all are or we would have a bigger boat for cruising.

They did something similar with aircraft landing fees for small planes last year.
Seems they hadn’t raised fees for several years and decided to play catch-up all at once.

The anchoring fees are to help the marina businesses survive and to somewhat discourage anchoring out to protect its coral and seabeds from anchoring damage that has increased in recent years. I would also expect increased enforcement of no anchoring areas, new exclusion areas, and shorter permit timeframes for the same reasons.

They get a lot of transient traffic and have a limited economy diversification. The increased number of hurricanes that have occurred have caused considerable financial strain as well that they are rebuilding from so the recently increased fees are to be expected and appropriate. Sometimes, while inconveniencing, one can see that the increased fees are long overdue from their perspective. No one wins in a race to the bottom. While the increases are not insignificant compared to what they had been they aren’t unreasonable…. The Bahamas are also actively working to preserve and improve upon not only their natural resources but also their whole infrastructure to make it more economically resilient and diversified.

The Bahamas has a unique tax structure that does not include personal income taxes. Instead, the government generates revenue from other sources like Value Added Tax (VAT), stamp taxes, property taxes, import duties, and license fees.

In South Carolina, an annual saltwater fishing license for residents costs $15, while a three-year license is $45, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (.gov). For non-residents, an annual license is $75, and a 7-day license is $35, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (.gov) If one adds in a freshwater license it’s even higher!

South Carolina also has a significant increased property tax rate for non-residents who actually use less of the comparatively limited local infrastructure and limited local civil resources. States like South Carolina see it as a means to increase revenues without having to come out and say they are increasing resident taxes …. Problem is these disproportionate ‘gotcha’ fee structures discourage tourists and visitors nor do these fees adequately raise sufficient revenue. The minimal equitable tax and fee structures of these states means they don’t have the infrastructure resources to appropriately service and support their local populations adequately…. as has been shown with other similar states recently with the various incidents that have occurred.

Nothing is as simple as it looks ……

Personally, my own perspective, this is one of those “it is what it is” challenges and one has to make one’s own cost benefit analysis to determine what it’s worth to you. I wouldn’t want to miss this kind of opportunities, adventures, enjoyment and memories that a journey to the Bahamas would bring because of the increased permit fees… but that’s just me….

On another tact … Did you decide on what your gonna do for the the AIS and locator beacons?
As a thought …You probably have already looked into this… I recently got my adventurer daughter a Garmin GPS hand held with the capability of globally transmitting an emergency beacon signal as well as text messaging. Simple monthly subscription to use as needed. Much cheaper than a sat-phone so we can stay in touch. It also has a tracking function so she can share where she is automatically as she and her friends traverse the Pacific Crest Trail.
Garmin also has a mini version that has the global locator beacon, tracking and texting functions without the GPS. It’s also on a monthly use subscription.

Someone at the marina mentioned that there are some places in Florida that have ‘rental’ beacons for those making the journey to the Bahamas that could be a cost effective option….. Just a thought

Best Regards,
Over Easy

Are those fees listed for the three month cruising permit? Or are they for the longer period,

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