Beaten by a 26D

[Newell]

Sailing is all about compromises, once you get past the basics. Realizing how good or poorly you are sailing is almost totally related to what you are comparing too. I love sailing my X anywhere, singlehanded and when there are no other boats around is even better. Sailing with other Xs can be both fun and challenging it stimulates doing your best. Racing a D with a X or M is not possible. It's not a race unless it's handicapped, even then it's not much fun, since the D pulls ahead at the start and crosses the horizon eventually. It's like the old days of racing 6cyls against V8s.

Have had a great year with my D and when I take it out it's always a race. I think I have 7 first place wins in organized races this year. Owning a X and D is twice the upkeep and expense, not to mention you need a weird sideyard and a super mate. It's not confusing to decide which boat to take, just how do you have enough time to do it all.

[Catigale]

Only 7 wins this year?

Good to see your aging gracefully......

[Steve K]

Newell,
Yea, ........... Lana still mentions how you got her cup last spring
That was more of a race of endurance, rather than speed. Even with the D boats we gotta have, at least, a tiny breeze, or no headway. You earned it though. I thought we were going to bake our brains out, sitting out there, waiting for some wind

See you in ten days, or so Which boat are you bringing

Not really interested in any racing this time. Exhausted from all the projects around the house and plan on doing some kicking back. It's been a heck of a summer....30 cu. yards of concrete, ten tons of rock and 50 feet of welded iron gates (not to mention the 200 feet of trench for the electrical to the gate openers) Whew

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a week out on the lake with friends and a night sky full of stars

Best Breezes,
Steve K.
Mac 26D "Three Sheets" (and hopefully, a breeze)

[Newell]

Steve,

Well now I again can say I was beaten by a 26D. However you didn't see me coming until at the end. Sorry to leave the flotilla early but heard you left the same day. Will you be make Havasu?

[Sumner]

Looks like there might be a fast S in Texas. See post #32 here...

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners. ... post976210

Not sure if the owner posts on any of these boards, but it would be nice to hear from him/her,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Catigale]

Fast 26S sails out of Bayview, Skipper Mike Jones? Louis, do you know these guys?

Best boat name I've seen in a while on the race list....

Knot a Clew

[grady]

Hey just happen to swing by to check out the forum to see what is up. have not been here in a while and ran across this post.

"Wings" is a early D model and I have sailed on it and against it. It has been rigged out very nicely it is extremely light however the hull is very rigid. It points like crazy. The skipper is good also. The only race I beat him in was during Dallas race week and he hit a submerged obstacle and he did not finish. He broke the dagger board and trunk. I did the Leukemia cup with him this year at DCYC and we got all bullets also.

http://www.dcyc.org/Resources/Documents ... Spin_1.pdf

I would bet this is probably one of the fasted D models out there period. I have seen this boat in the middle of boats with PHRF of 170.

[grady]

http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/545 ... om+results

These are normal results wherever this boat goes. I was not on the boat for the 5th race when he got a 2nd. The rest of the crew was inexperianced.

http://texomalakefest.com/wunderlick/results.html

http://clytc.fotki.com/dallas-race-week ... ek-39.html

http://clytc.fotki.com/dallas-race-week ... eek-4.html

That is me flying the spin

[Newell]

Grady,

Great post and pictures. I try to learn how other skippers have improved performance. I would certainly like to take a ride on Wings sometime. Better yet I would like to see one design racing with Ds. It sort of happens at Havasu in February. I think there may have been 5 or 6 Ds in the races there. Perhaps you Texas sailors could come up?

[grady]

That would be fun to do. Not sure how many I could convince to go. We acually have about 5 or 6 S's abnd D's on the lake. It is just impossable to get them out at the same time.

We did lose one this year. A D model named "Bobcat" burned the stern up and they totaled it.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Boats- ... 33625.html

Some old POS power boat taking fuel. Did not have insurance or anything. It started fire and they just cut it loose and let it drift into the other boats. The bigger sailboat that was on fire raced with us named "August Blaze" not a good name.

[argentina]

Bought an '89 26D last spring and sailed all summer. She is quick.

[Crikey]

Bought an '89 26D last spring and sailed all summer. She is quick.

Dude, going by your 3rd post name, you wouldn't be from......?

Always nice to have full profiles.

[finding41]

Hey Gradey I noticed a backstay adjuster in the pictures of the 26D you posted. I have to ask if it actually improves main sail shape or is it to improve head sail shape? I just haven't seen one used on a 26' Mac.
In one Picture the symmetrical spinnaker is flying. Is it on a big pole like larger boats with the up haul etc.?
Here is why I'm asking these questions... I plan to fly a furling asymmetrical or a code 0 ish sail from a bow sprit and plan to have it attached near the top or at he top of the mast. I am a bit concerned with weather the to 5-6' of mast will take it. (The shrouds stop about 5-6' below the top.) Now having seen the backstay adjuster in use has got me thinking.... Can I fly a bigger symmetrical spinnaker from above the shrouds.

[THE CUSCUS]

Findings, while a backstay will help to support the mast in the fore to aft plane, I would be more concerned with the side to side forces on the unsupported mast section. With that said, you said you are using a symmetrical chute which is mostly for DDW use, so with a backstay you might be ok........but you could be sailing on the edge of disaster. I would recommend keeping the spin block 8 to 12 inches above your upper shrouds, or move your forestay and uppers to the masthead (also requires moving the lowers up too) if you want to fly the chute from the top. If you do the later, you will be able to fly a bigger headsail too! I did that on my V25 and now use J24 headsails, which are very inexpensive to get used and are high tech material to boot. In fact after we beat the J24, that sold me the headsail, twice this past season in PHRF races, he said he wanted his sail back.....lol!

[Newell]

I just haven't seen one used on a 26' Mac.

I will not contradict the previous post in answer to your backstay question (something I find myself often doing) but when it comes to theory about what can be done and what has been done about flying sheets from the top of a Mac mast here is an observation.

I own/operate 2 Macs. Both have adjustable backstays and a masthead mounted spinnaker halyard. I have often flown the stock Mac Assmetrical spinnaker with sock in mild to moderate wind conditions. Flying the Assy. as a large genny puts a very probable strain on the un-side-stayed masthead, I presume, and it could cause a failure perhaps. I have looked for signs of bending and stress both while underway and during inspection time. No problems no regrets (yet).

Converting the Mac from a Marconi rig to a masthead rig so you can fly a true spinnaker is always a option, though I don't think the mast or the stay attachment points are designed for this, so what you gain and lose in the conversion takes me out of that discussion since I don't have a opinion or knowledge.

I use the adjustable backstay to shape the mainsail to reduce heeling when the windspeed rises and I'm determined to keep the boat competitive and have some fun in the face of worsening conditions. I also tighten the boom outhaul.