Hi Dan, You mention Fairlee Creek, so since that's where we've been keeping our boat for the past several seasons, I decided to chime in. Jim has made a nice offer, and I do believe that Bay Boat Works would be a better departure site in terms of having space to store your tow rig. Another option is...

The :macx: and :macm: sink drains are very different. The hose from the sink in the :macm:'s sliding galley runs all the way back to the stern, where it T's into the drain from the outboard well, and thence to a transom thru-hull. One change we made was to install an L fitting directly below the sin...

Hi Boat, Our :macm: had sail slugs on the luff of the main, but I'm having a hard time picturing how you end up with any excess at the tack that needs to be tucked in. Perhaps it is because (as I understand your last post), you hoist the main prior to feeding the foot into the slot in the boom? Our ...

I can't speak to the fit of the Nature's Head into the :macm:, or the :macx:, but the composting system itself works great! The PO had installed a Nature's Head in the Gemini that we purchased last spring, and after a full season of use, we wholeheartedly endorse it. We also used peat moss as the me...

Hi MAC-A-TAC, I just noticed that you're from North Carolina -- that's where we purchased Island TIme -- Oriental, NC, to be specific. Lovely area! Our "repositioning cruise" was great... 3 days through the ICW to Norfolk, and then 3 1/2 days up the Chesapeake Bay to our marina. To your qu...

I'm pleased to report that the Gemini is a PERFECT replacement for the Mac -- even though it isn't trailerable. We made the move to a '95 Gemini 3400 this spring, and have been loving it (especially the "not tipping" part, my Admiral would say :) :) ). RIght now we're in withdrawal, having...

Hi Jim, Sailingtexas has a Mac-specific section of their classifieds, but it didn't do us any good this spring (perhaps because we're so far from Texas?) -- we also listed here on the MacGregor Sailors site,but got the most traffic, and actually sold Blue Heaven due to a "featured" ad on s...

I'd suggest The Sailors' Tailor as another possible source. http://www.sailorstailor.com They have a measurement page where you can determine the cost per foot for a custom cover, and offer covers for the :macx: and :macm: at $172 and $175, respectively. Ours from 2005 was still in excellent conditi...

$900/month for the summer season at Tahoe Keys Marina Thanks for sharing that cost - now I don't feel quite as foolish for admitting what it cost us to keep our :macm: in a slip for the past several seasons at Great Oak Landing on Fairlee Creek {upper Eastern Shore, Chesapeake Bay}... $3,000/year. ...

Funny, the multihull search that led to our purchase of the Gemini began in December with my desire to check out a Contour 30 trimaran that was {and evidently still is} for sale in Deale, MD. That's reportedly a very fast-sailing boat, but we were not able to coordinate a time when the owner was ava...

Yes, I'm quite sure they are the same set of Garhauer fiddle blocks that BWY sells. You could probably tie the line off directly to the top block without using a shackle, but I think it would be less aesthetic. The key to the upgrade is having the small 5th block sit at 90 degrees to the lower fiddl...

I agree that replacing the mainsheet blocks is a valuable upgrade. While you're at it, consider going from a 4:1 rig to 5:1, which results in a 20% decrease in the effort required to sheet in the mainsail. In the case of my :macm:, the standard mainsheet was long enough to make the extra pass and st...

I would agree that the reason for installing a piped vent system is to eliminate the need to go below and get under the V-berth cushion to open and close the air vent (without doing which, the tank will not fill completely). The reason(s) to lead that pipe (hose) up to the anchor locker are: 1) to e...

How healthy is the "pee" stream? Our 50hp Nissan TLDI {a Tohatsu of another color} exhibited similar symptoms last season. A reduction in water flow was resulting in vapor lock.

PROP WALK is NOT an issue when backing with an outboard that turns in any direction required. TRUE -- UNLESS you disconnect and lock your quick-connect rudder linkage in place when trailering, and you are launching at a shallow ramp where you can't drop your rudders, and you forget to re-connect th...