bye bye...

[DAVEWVU86]

So I bought my 2005 26M last year because I wanted a boat really badly. I grew up sailing (on other people's boats) and thought I loved it. I've come to realize that I loved sailing because it got me out on the water, not for the actual act.

This year I've taken the Mac out over a dozen times but probably only sailed 2 or 3 times and only for a few miles at a time. I would fire up the engine either because the bay was becomming a little too much for the boat to handle or because I was impatient and wanted to get to the beach, or the bar, or the good fishing hole, etc. It was also very hard to bring a large fish on board and chumming makes an absolute mess.

Thus, I've decided I need to sell the Mac.

It's a great little boat and a hull of a deal. It's perfect for cruising. You cannot find another boat with as much room for the price. You cannot also find another boat that will provide the delightful cross of a power boat and sail boat. That being said, the boat sails like crap and is too slow under power. But at the same time it sails better then any powerboat I've ever seen and certainly powers better then any other sailboat!!! I've really confused people on the Chesapeake by crusing by them on plane.

But, I have to say goodbye. Now I just have to hope that the powerboat (either pilot house or walk around, haven't decided) won't leave me heart broken in terms of the missing comfort and space. Oh and I have to hope that gas money doesn't break the bank.

So, I'll be spending Veteran's Day weekend washing, scrubbing, waxing, and polishing. You'll see her in the classifieds in a couple weeks.

Don't worry, I won't be a stranger. You all have proven to be one of the best boating resouces I've found on the internet and I'll definately keep coming back for more advice.

[Catigale]

The Mac ( or ) concepts are great in that for the least amount of dollars on the market you can get into boating and find your way to either sailing, cruising, or dual Nirvana

Good luck with your 'choices'

**For only 200k more, you can get a Precourt??

[Frank C]

. . . Now I just have to hope that the powerboat (either pilot house or walk around, haven't decided) won't leave me heart broken in terms of the missing comfort and space. Oh and I have to hope that gas money doesn't break the bank.

You've already cited the key factors, the most difficult dilemma in trying to replace that Mac. I can't say how different than the Mac a good chumming platform might need to be ... but you might be way ahead in accomodations and fuel costs to just remove the mast and modify the cockpit. Fuel costs are not going down .... ever!
Best of luck, Dave!

[Terry]

... but you might be way ahead in accomodations and fuel costs to just remove the mast and modify the cockpit. Fuel costs are not going down .... ever!

There is a M19 owner around here, an avid fisherman, who does just that - took his mast off and made a powerboat, he is quite happy with it!

[gjferg]

Comparing the Mac and a powerboat reminds me of a funny joke:

A C-130 was en route on a mission when a cocky F-16 pilot flew up next to him.

The fighter jock told the C-130 pilot, "watch this!" He went into a Barrel roll, followed by a steep climb, then finished with a sonic boom when he
reached the speed of sound. The F-16 pilot asked the C-130 pilot what he thought.

The C-130 pilot responded "that was impressive, but watch this."

The C-130 droned along for about 15 minutes then the 130 pilot came
back on and said "What did you think about that?"

The 16 pilot asked, "what did you do?"

The C-130 pilot responded "I got up, stretched! my legs, went to the back poured a cup of coffee and took a pi$$." Any questions ??

[Deeseas]

Terry
I am VERY happy with my mastless fishing
Doug

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I love my occasionally mastless 'X'. There is no better powerboat in the size and price range on the market that will get my family of 5 out on the water. The accomodations can't be matched. Going mastless let's you launch and retrieve the boat in minutes, you don't have to get out of the launch waiting line to prep.



By the way an X has much better transom access than an M. The rear scoop is larger and the cockpit is much with a better opening. You might want to look at a used X, it would keep you in the same price range. Like me you'd still have the sailing mast for when the itch needs scratching.

Next up for me are mounts that let me carry kayaks up above the cockpit enclosure, I'm going for that full expedition look.

[Gazmn]

Well Dave,

It sounds like you have your mind made up. I too, originally wanted a pilothouse or a walkaround, although I'm not a fisherman. I realized I just wanted an excuse to be out on the water boating; And that the kind of boat wasn't as important to me. The gas prices made me think twice about a powerboat, so I considered sailing and fell upon the Mac while reading up.

If I were to fish from my mastless I'd have to shift some of my "Shtuff" around but it is a doable thing mastless. I even added SS rod holders on the rails by my winches. [But I forgot to put away my fenders ]



All the best to you & your sale.
-Gaz

P. S. Duanne, I like that kayak idea...

[tangentair]

I am toying with replacing the dagger board with a weighted keel when I want to go mastless, I already rigged the local oak tree with a sling to lift off the mast. Pull out the dagger board, reach under and add a "keel strip" that plugs into the DB well and attach it to an angled 1/4 mast sitting in the top of the DB well. But that is a discussion for the mods section I suppose.

[John McDonough]

I agree with duane & Gasmn.

Keep your mac as a motorboat. Place your mast and Sails in the classified section.

Crossing lake Erie with MT Ballast tank Honda 50 HP at 95% throttle on plane I gett 5+miles per gallon. A friends 24` fishing boat uses double that fuel. I suppose that because the fishiing boat does not have the water ballast tank option. Its always full Ballast.