Listings
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Replaced PortlightsExterior - (MacGregor 19) - April 30, 2023I replaced the plexiglass portlights and added a porthole in the head compartment. I used 3M VHB tape and Dow 795 black sealant for a “screwless” installation. The porthole was bolted through the fiberglass with the heads countersunk before adding th...
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Porta-Potti Hold-DownMiscellaneous - (MacGregor 19) - June 24, 2022My porta-potti just flopped around in the head when I bought the boat. I made a block out of Starboard to hold the back of the toilet tank to the bulkhead and used a stainless steel hinge and pin to hold the front of the unit. Had some leftover floor...
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Misc. Trim & Aesthetic ModsMiscellaneous - (MacGregor 19) - June 19, 2022Just a few interior trim and aesthetic upgrades to make the M19 look a little more finished. I added vinyl bead welting in the gaps around the head to make it easier to keep the boat clean, added a screw-in inspection port above the ballast tank vent...
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Bottom PaintExterior - Bottom Paint (MacGregor 19) - May 5, 2022Decided to keep the boat in a slip at our local marina on the Napa River so that we would use her more often. I let her sit in the water at the dock for about three weeks to establish a good waterline, then had the marina handle the project. I would’...
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Dual Batteries, Switch, & ChargerElectrical - (MacGregor 19) - October 11, 2021Finally finished the electrical installation: Dual Group-24 deep cycle batteries located in the v-berth hatch, BlueSea Systems 10A BatteryLink charger & battery switch located in the settee hatch just forward of the head, and a BlueSea ST Blade 6...
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Beverage HolderCockpit - (MacGregor 19) - October 8, 2021I made this beverage holder out of 1/2” StarBoard—Cut it to fit snug into the stern railing so that it is out of the way yet totally accessible. I rounded and beveled all of the edges so that lines won’t get caught. Pretty happy with the way this lit...
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Maiden VoyageMiscellaneous - (MacGregor 19) - October 3, 2021SNARF’s maiden voyage—Four hours on the Napa River with the boys, a friend & his son (on a separate boat just in case). Launched from Cuttings Wharf around 10am, cruised from Napa down to Vallejo, bought fuel at the Vallejo Marina, rafted in the ...
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More Misc. ProjectsMiscellaneous - (MacGregor 19) - September 5, 2021Moved the batteries to the bow storage hold—just need to finish making the new cables and hook everything up. Built a galley shelf for the jet boil stove/french press, dish soap, CO/smoke detector, and salt/pepper. Also built a utensil storage bin be...
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Rotary Cable SteeringMiscellaneous - Steering (MacGregor 19) - September 5, 2021Busy weekend—Finally got the new rotary cable steering system installed. The Uflex tilt helm and rotary unit have been on board for several months, but it took me a while to figure out how/where to run the cable and how to connect the cable to the mo...
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Setback BracketMotor - Jackplate (MacGregor 19) - August 17, 2021When I bought my boat, the newer 40-hp Merc EFI 4-stroke was mounted as low as possible on the transom so that it would clear (barely) the stern railing when tilted-up. This put the cavitation plate on the outboard about 5” below the bottom of the hu...
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Clean Vinyl Cockpit CushionsExterior - Cushions (MacGregor 19) - August 2, 2021My vinyl cockpit cushions wouldn’t come clean with soap & water, so I took a chance and tried using soft scrub on a foam disc polisher. Aside from being messy, this was a quick easy way to make the cushions look like new.
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Rubrail RehabExterior - Rubrail (MacGregor 19) - July 25, 2021My rubrail was trashed—it was stiff, brittle, crazed, stained white where compound/wax had gotten on it and had a couple of big chunks missing. I was planning on replacing it, but it seems like a huge job so I was procrastinating… I tried some aceton...
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More M19 Improvements…Miscellaneous - Hatch (MacGregor 19) - July 2, 2021Removed the old solar vent fan from the bow deck—it was leaking and didn’t do much except make a lot of noise. The balsa core around the screw holes was starting to rot, too. Found a nice low-profile Vetus hatch that fit the area well. Also added a 2...
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M19 ImprovementsMiscellaneous - (MacGregor 19) - December 22, 2020I bought a 1995 M19 over the summer and have been slowly making improvements to the boat for aesthetic, functionality, & safety purposes. When I bought the boat, the electrical system consisted of a single galvanized bolt with about six ring term...
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ventsVentilation - - December 1, 2019I have a MacGregor 19. (It's for sale by the way). I installed three vents that have totally eliminated any venting or ordor problems. I first installed a stainless steel louvered vent in the head door. I then installed a cowl vent in the head just t...
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MacGregor 19 RuddersMiscellaneous - - December 28, 2017I did not like the way my Mac 19 steered. A buddy dropped off his Mac 26C, that I had sold him, for winter storage. I noticed the bottom of his rudder post was identical to the bottoms of my Mac 19's rudder posts. The top of the 26C post was open, so...
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Reconstructing cockpit hatchesCockpit - - June 30, 2013The balsa core material had rotted in the 1993 MacGregor I recently acquired. The fiberglass cracked then, too. The repair involved removing the hatches from the boat, removing all weakened material, learning what wetting down fiberglass and laying u...
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Cockpit and hatchway headroom with mast downCockpit - - November 3, 2012It is not easy to go down below, or even move in the cockpit in MOST boats, with the mast down. For no extra cost, a standard gin pole can find a second purpose in helping to create some cockpit space. In the photos included, the standard bolt holds ...
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Quick Rig Mast Raising systemRigging - - September 2, 2011Added a mast bail at the connection point for the baby stays used to support the mast while raising. Got it from APS in Annapolis, MD. Then fitted two SS snaps to each end of the mast raising winch lines to allow for quick connects and a screw shackl...
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Swim Ladder Steps UpgradeCockpit - - August 28, 2011Getting in an out of the water using the factory swim ladder was just too hard on the bottoms of your feet... I combind two different types of solutions to address the probelm. Sole Mate Ladder Treads (clamp on)for the 2nd and 4th step and Ladder Ste...
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19" Ring Buoy with mountSafety - - August 26, 2011Looking to make use of the available space, I added a ring buoy mount to the mast travel crutch. Keeps it handy while sailing but out of the way. Published by: henecle
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Head Door mods for storageHead - - August 26, 2011Added a bunch of the soft sided storage mounts to the outside of the head door to hold all the things you need close at hand. Published by: henecle
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Mast Raising SystemRigging - - August 26, 2011Added the new style mast raising winch to my Mac 19... makes the process of raising and lowering the mast by one person very easy. Also swapped out the 3/8 inch bolt for the BWY Quick Rig mast base pin to make installing and removing the winch faster...
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BWY Backstay TensionerRigging - - August 23, 2011Replaced the factory backstay with a new Backstay Tensioner from Blue Water Yachts. Makes pinning the CDI RF easy, just loosen the backstay and raise with the mast raising winch (I have the new style). The RF easily lines up with the forestay tang ho...
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New IdaSailor Rudders with Travel and Sailing PinsSailing - - August 23, 2011Replaced factory rudders with IdaSailor (Rudder Craft) Mac 19 Rudders made out of HDPE. Replaced trailering SS bolts with quick release pins and and brass sailing bolts with 3/8" plastic IdaSailor Mac Rudder Pins. Always looking for a way to reduce s...
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Mac 19 Halyard set upRigging - - August 23, 2011Time to add some Mac 19 life to the Mods section... Added two Harken 140s at the base Port and Starboard to allow for easier halyard handeling of the Mainsail and the Crusing Asymm from the cockpit. As an added precaution, I cleat them each off to a ...
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Jib jam fixRigging - - October 14, 2008I find that the lower piston hanks on the jib can drop down prior to raising the sail and jam over the swaging on the forestay. To stop this I took a penny washer (SS of course) put a saw cut across one half, twisted it open and slipped it over the f...
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Closing mast gate for sail slugsRigging - - October 14, 2008I have fitted slugs to the mainsail to ease raising and lowering the sail. In order to stop the slugs falling out of the mast gate when reefed or sail lowered I needed to close the gate. I considered hammering it closed, fabricating a removeable gate...
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Plastic bed springs for V-berthBerths - - August 26, 2008At last year's Norfolk (VA) Boat Show, one of the vendors was selling "Froli" plastic bed-springs ... they are square, flower-like plastic cups on cross-shaped bases, that snap together to make an open-air sort of bed spring system for boat bunks. I ...
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Cabin sole liner -Interior - - August 26, 2008I've had some definite condensation problems in the quarter-berth area of Beija-Flor ... my solution was a Dri-Dek type of tile called "BigFoot," from Greg Smith Equipment. It's $1.99 per tile, and the tiles are 1/3 meter square; it took 36 tiles to ...
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Radios & StorageInterior - - July 27, 2008Adding some useful storage, VHF and AM/FM/CD are the goals in this modification. I started by drilling out the drain of the factory sink to provide easy cable access for the radios. The photos below will provide details of the construction and finish...
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Mast floatationRigging - - October 21, 2007Well when I rebuilt my mast from a 2 section 24ft to a 3 section 28ft I bought 6X5ft swimming pool noodles & inserted them into the mast they have a 3/4" center hole which allows for installing wires. I figure if I should ever knock down or turtle ! ...
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Three sectional mastRigging - - October 8, 2007Ned Miller asked me awhile back for this so I hope it helps I extended my mast from a two section 23'10" mast to a three section 28' mast the rig now has 36" bottom, 24" middle spreaders 14" jumper struts . 5 sets of shroulds , 4 forestays can fly 4 ...
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Garhauer rigid boom vangRigging - - July 23, 2007Installed my Garhauer rigid boom vang , cut two pieces of 1/4 alum flat bar 1" wide for mast & 5/8" wide for boom same length as track clamped together drilled out the seven mounting holes in the alum flat bar 3/6" tapped them out to 1/4' coarse thre...
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custom made lockable fuse boxElectrical - - July 2, 2007I purchased an RV external hydro electrical outlet box & coverted it into a lockable fuse box I basicaly installed a 4 gang fuse holder & ground block inside and wired up it feeds extra 12 volt power to my pedestal , cabin flourecent light and all ca...
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10" eng. set back plate/wedge kitMotor - - July 2, 2007I have installed a 10" pro high-jacker set back plate this moves the eng out of the eng. well and allowed me to install a drop leaf floor to the rear of my cockpit covering up the eng. well so I can now stand behind my pedestal "helsman seat still in...
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bilge blowerVentilation - - July 1, 2007I installed a bilge blower fan in the S/B section of the transom between the transom & liner at the rear aft birth I installed two nicro snap in 4" deck plates in both rear corners of the cockpit I then cut out the lid centers to incorperate the blac...
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mac19 bilge pumpsMiscellaneous - - July 1, 2007I installed 2 automatic bilge pumps in the rear of the aft birth one on each side of the water ballast tank I glued 1/2" plastic blocks on each 2 per side should have used 1 per side bigger blocks, I attached the bilge pumps & float switches to an al...
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new idasailor ruddersTrailer - - June 26, 2007I have just installed my new Idasailor rudders they are longer & wider at the bottom they also weigh about 1/3 less than the old rudders I relocated the sheer bolt possition's from top of the rudder brkt's to the back of the brkt's as the rudders are...
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eng. well drop leaf floor extensionCockpit - - June 26, 2007I made this drop leaf floor extension to increase my floor space works great covers the eng. well & gives me more storage the floor extension has the same noneslip grip design embedded into it as the cockpit floor Cheers John Published by: Highlander
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Anchor rode hatchesAnchoring - - December 19, 2006Here's my fore deck anchor rode hatches they have rubbermaid containers attached to the inside of them so any wet rode does not get into the cabin the foam floatation that I removed was then reinstalled in the v-berth area Published by: MS Classified...
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tiller to 26m wheel steering conversionCockpit - - December 19, 2006New 26M pedestal wheel steering conversion which was made poss with the help of ZAVALA "Kevin" who done all the head work on this & supplied me with all his pic's & advise thx Kevin , also 4ft cabin top jib / genoa track Published by: MS Classifieds
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cutter rigRigging - - December 19, 2006Have been getting lots of requests for this so I guess it's about time . I've coverted my mac19 to a cutter rig which I designed myself with a 4ft bowsprit with an extended bow pulpit & cat walk with step seat 2 cdi furlers second set of spreaders an...
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Steering modMotor - - July 15, 2006I got my M19 with a steering conversion on the rudders, but a very constrained tiller on the motor. I also enjoy fishing quiet a bit, so rearanged the cockpit a bit for extra room. Our M19 is for the 2 of us so I moved the fuel tank to below into a s...
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Dual Batteries Under V-BerthElectrical - - September 16, 2005I installed a dual battery setup in the forward most aceess panel of the V-Berth. It's a very good spot from a weight distribution perspective, especially if you have a heavy motor on the stern to compensate for. It would be worth the time and money ...
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Using Extra Space Behind HeadInterior - - September 15, 2005There's not much extra space on the Macgregor 19, but there are a few places it can be found. The obvious one I saw was the back side of the head wall -- facing the aft berth. I mounted a wall hanging trash holder from West Marine right next to the e...
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Electric Panel and RadioElectrical - - September 15, 2005When upgrading to a dual battery setup, I wanted to separate the various circuits on the boat. An inexpensive electical panel was just the ticket. The panel fits nicely just inside the companionway hatch. Below that I found a good place to install a ...
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Wheel Steering ConversionMotor - - September 12, 2005I never enjoyed docking with two tillers, a shifter, and less than three hands. So a steering wheel conversion seemed like a good solution. Here's what I opted do do: 1) Upgraded my tiller outboard to a different one with remote. Folks who already ha...
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StorageStorage - - March 6, 2001On the head door I've installed soft PVC storage bins of binoculars, air horn, handheld VHF, and cell phone. I also installed a louvered vent to let the head breathe. Lastly, I installed a winch handle holder. All this lets me get to it in a hurry if...