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i'm wondering how the macs do in the gulf islands area. we saw a couple last year, a speedy looking :) blue one and a white X. anyone on the board a regular in those areas?

Bob.Not from the island, but I too have seen a few macs out there, in Vic, Sidney and this fall when I was in Comox. I knoe Gerry Berg in Vancouver has been selling them for years.There use to be a chap from Naniamo on here, but not sure if he still is, but he had an X . Lost of mods posted, so maybe you can find him in the archives. I've sailed the gulf islands a few years ago in March for a week.but not on my x., had a Frazer 42 .great place to be.......

Gulf Islands, San Juans too!
Bob there is a sailing club in the lower mainland here
http://www.mycbc.ca/ we have many members and regular group sailings in the Gulf Islands, San Juans too. In these parts it is the only area available for sailing unless you drive a couple hours east.
I consider this area to be among some of the finest world wide sailing destinations, the scenery is super spectacular but we are limited by seasons unless you are one of those die hard winter sailors. There are hundreds of Macs in the Pacific Northwest and most sail out here in the Georgia Strait, Gulf Islands, San Juans, Peuget Sound.

terry;

how do you find the boat in those waters? we sailed there last year on a chartered 34ft catalina and this summer are chartering a 28ft cat. its an amazing area and i think you could sail there every year and not get tired of it.

I'm sure the power of the mac would come in handy with the currents there, how does it handle in the big winds rough water ?

Bob,
The Mac handles the Georgia Strait like it was made for it, I have been out in small craft warning and big waves many a time with no problems. The only currents to worry about are through the passes between islands like Active Pass that the ferries use. With 50Hp it is really a non-issue but most of us keep watch over the tides & currents to pick the right times for easy passage. The Mac is a coastal cruiser and the Georgia Strait is fairly well protected so it is a match, but even so, being such a large area it can and does get pretty rough. The Pacific Northwest encompasses the Peuget Sound to the south on through to the San Juans & Gulf Islands and up to the north end of Vancouver Isand including Desolation sound and Jervis inlet. It would take many many seasons to sail it all, for me the rest of my life. Perhaps you should leave Calgary in favour of coastal living in the Port of Vancouver or surrounding area.

PS. Last summer we had a number of Mac owners from California up here for the CanAm sailing event and everyone enjoyed it. The Mac lets you enjoy the area more. There is no shortage of wind here either.

My wife and I spend our summers (May to mid Sept.)at Craig Bay just north of Nannose (spelling). Last year was the first year with the Mac (05 M), also my first year of sailing. Didn't want to expose other board members to my beginner antics so kept quite about what we were up to. Sailed in all types of weather below gale warnings and had plenty of fun, learned a lot. Looking forwaed to getting together with other Macs in 06.
Garry LeGare /05 M/ 50 Etec

ENANDI splashes in the those waters...............

and fits quite nicely

Whenever she overhears us talking about another trip to Friday Harbor Carriacou seems to strain her mooring lines trying to escape to freedom.
Last summer she meet an up there and she just can't wait to see her friend again.

Best sailin' in the NW........ IMHO.