Looking for other Mac owners in Australia

[KookaSnook]

Hoping to make contact with other MacGregor owners in Australia. We are based on Gold Coast Qld. We have also posted some photos of our weekend adventures on the MacGregor Sailboats FACEBOOK page at:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/ ... 727517200/



Stacey & Ken
KookaSnook
MX26 2002

[Mac26Mpaul]

Hey S&K

I am based on the northern most tip of the Gold Coast (Cabbage Tree Point). Unfortunately our situation means we dont get to the use the boat very much but we do get out there occasionally! (when you are checking anchorages out on Google Earth, like "The Pin" "The bedroom" "Horseshoe bay" "The wrecks" "Big Sand Hills" etc etc, you will find piccies of a Mac called Little Annie )

Not sure if you have found it, but there is an Australian section of this forum.

[KookaSnook]

Thanks Mac26Mpaul I have seen a few Oz owners on the general forum boards but can't find the Australian owners section. Thought it might be easier to also get a few of the OZ Mac owners to join up the Facebook - MacGregor Sailboats page.

We keep our boat at Horizon Shores so you are just next door. Both spots are great staging points as we also like to go up to Peel whenever the winds right. We actually live on the Gold Coast but much prefer the Jumpin and upwards. Are you also referring to the wrecks on Moreton? We are planning to do that trip over the Christmas week if weather permits.

Regards Stacey

[Oskar 26M]

Hi Kookasnook (Stacey & Ken) and welcome to the greatest MacGregor Sailors board.

If you want to join the Australia Group:
Start by logging on;
then go to "Forum";
then look for and go to:
"User Control Panel" (where you added details about yourselves and your boat. People often include the type of outboard that the have)
and look for:
"Usergroups" (its a tab)
then select the groups you want to subscribe to e.g. "Australia Group"
then scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Submit"

Hopefully, the next time you log in and select "Forum", you will see the Australia Group.

A few years ago (when I was laid up with a crook back or something) I went through all of the forum members and compiled a list of those who identified themselves as Australian. You can probably still find that (somewhat dated) list in the Australia Group.
Gordon

[Mac26Mpaul]

Dont do facebook myself but the wife has an account for Uni so maybe I'll check out the Mac group. Yes I grew up on the Gold Coast, joined the Navy when I was young and then came back and realized I'm over the glitter strip and so we bought out here in the cainfields... We occasionally spend a weekend down there in the boat anchored out the front of Australia fair (the kids love hanging at the park there). If you ever need your boat checked on or whatever, I'm happy to do that as I'm just around the corner.

Yes, the wrecks at Tangalooma, Moreton Island. We were there last October.



. We went first to Peel Island for a night (15 miles) and then a night at the Big Sand Hills (about another 18 miles) and then Tangalooma is not far from there. 42 Nautical miles all up from our place to the wrecks. If you havn'\t been before, make sure to stop at the Big Sand hills. They are the largest sand hills in the world at about 70 metres and well worth the climb. Better find yourselfs some real estate "For sale" signs as you will need them to get back down

After a night at the wrecks, we went across to St Helena Island, a very peaceful place with noone there. Then we sailed at about 0700 for Dunwich on South straddie, stopped there for a few hours and then sailed home. That was a 5 day trip and all up about 92 miles. We only actually got a coupla hours sailing in on the whole trip as the wind was either on the nose, or there was none! We had 64 litres of fuel and we got home on fumes..
Big Sand HIlls here:

[Crikey]

We're thinking of containering our rig to Perth in a few years - would that count?

M26: Apart from the shark hanging off the side of your boat, in that one picture, do you ever get concerned about 'stingers' or other nasties up in that neighborhood (rule out the fins and handbags at this point)? Took many a bluebottle to heart, in my younger days! That's bluebottle, not beerbottle!

R.

[KookaSnook]

Thanks guys for the responds and some great advice especially on the Tangalooma trip as that is exactly what we a planning for Xmas week escape. We go to Peel often and takes around 2 hours when motoring. We always seem to be heading into a head wind on the trip up there and think GREAT we will sail home tomorrow and everytime the wind changes overnight and we have another head wind coming back home to the Coast. We are hoping with at least 5-7 days break at Xmas to be able to get much more sailing in.

We have had some very scary crossings lately across Moreton Bay with some big seas and high winds. My husband who has worked on long line fising boats in Fiji and born and bred on Island outriggers loves the big stuff and while we might get totally drenched and the other week when we tried to put up the sails in high winds ended up getting knocked down
with me at the wheel. The wind hit us so hard it tipped the boat over and I went with the wheel ending up against the bimbini while of course this didn't help the situation. Husband had to climb up to unlock the sails and then we came straight back again.

The other weekend we had a very strong tailwind and strong current coming home across the Bay and we were motoring. I was out with my daughter and husband as husband is away overseas at the moment and I found it hard to keep the boat from turning around in the tail wind. We had a full tank of water in the ballast and the keel slightly down but wondering if anyone has suggestions on how to handle the boat in this type of conditions. Image if we had a bit of sail up it might have helped but not confident enough in these high winds.

I also found another Macgregor Sailboat Owners Group on Facebook that we have joined:
http://www.facebook.com/stacey.king.353 ... 570&type=3

Have just discovered the Australian page here and will take your advic Gordon...

Cricky: Perth on Australia's west coast is like LA to New York away and it is quicker for us to fly over to Fiji where we have our other home. So far the only visitors we get next to our boat here are dolphins and turtles but don't worry plenty of sharks and stingers as well. I haven't been to Perth yet but they say it is a wonderful place with great beaches and YES plenty of Great Whites. Been losing quite a few surfers over there lately.

This is a Facebook link to our Kooka Snook Adventures album:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?s ... 570&type=1

Regards Stacey

[Crikey]

I grew up with a Boar war era, British, square-rigged ensign as a sail, on a couple of the 'Head of the (Swan) river' powered dinghy events, in the mid sixties - to tell you a few! We won't say anything about the latest victims not being any of the traditional Ozzie chowder!
BobLee's stories of the NorthWest are legend to me..
Nothing like being told, by your ymca Councillor, to pi$$ on your best buddy, because he got a jellyfish down his shorts
sorry!

[bartmac]

We are based on the North Coast of NSW and hope to explore your part of the world soon......had a few false starts with floods and cyclones in the last few years regards Bart & Sue Mac26X

[innervations]

Hi, we are based in Perth WA. is on the trailer in the hard stand at Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club. Mostly sail up and down coast off Perth - Hillary's, Mindarie with trips to Rottnest 3-4 times each year. Will join the Facebook group. Thanks for the tip.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Stacey,
You may find it helpful to search on trailersailerplace.com.au for info about Moreton bay. Here is the thread from my 5 day trip.
http://www.trailersailerplace.com.au/ph ... lls#p78161
But you should be able to find plenty of other info. Trailersailerplace is okay. There are a few that feel the need to make negative statements about Macs now and again (Jeolusy is curse) but mostly they a decent bunch over there and very helpful.

We dont go that way if its looking rough on the bay. My wife does not like rough stuff...(kids seem to like it though)... We generally hang about the Gold Coast to the Pin.

Macs can be a bit of a pig with the wind/sea behind you. Did you have a rudder or two down because that makes a difference..

[KookaSnook]

Stacey,
You may find it helpful to search on trailersailerplace.com.au for info about Moreton bay. Here is the thread from my 5 day trip.
http://www.trailersailerplace.com.au/ph ... lls#p78161
But you should be able to find plenty of other info. Trailersailerplace is okay. There are a few that feel the need to make negative statements about Macs now and again (Jeolusy is curse) but mostly they a decent bunch over there and very helpful.

We dont go that way if its looking rough on the bay. My wife does not like rough stuff...(kids seem to like it though)... We generally hang about the Gold Coast to the Pin.

Macs can be a bit of a pig with the wind/sea behind you. Did you have a rudder or two down because that makes a difference..

Hi my husband always likes to have one rudder down to assist the steering but I found it near impossible to steer it in the big tailwind swell. At some stages the waves were turning us nearly completely around. Seeing my husband was away my son in law lifted the rudder for me and we were able to handle it much better with just the motor. We overtook a sailing yacht down near Canaipa Passage turn off and noticed he was also broadsiding a bit with his front sail up. Made us feel a bit better realising that he was having a similar problem. Thanks for the info on the website will definitely check it out.

We have never tried to motor with two rudders down. Also how do you find the 26M? You have a lift up keel? He have a kick back keel and we thought this would suit us best for when we finally take our boat over to Fiji to become our transport between our little local airport and our island. Save a 110klm trip along the Hibiscus Highway which is a dirt track. The waterways up there in the north east area of Fiji are just out of this world.

We note the 26M has a much bigger cabin area behind the steps but from what other owners have told us you lose room up in the back area of the boat. My daughter and son in law slept out on the back seats once we put one of the backboards and cushion from our dinning room across and hung up a mosquito net for them. They reckon they had a good nights sleep up there. The grandchildren are easy to sleep on interior seats or area space even on the floor of the boat. Our back section is pretty loaded up with a lot of our gear for weekends away. Husband likes to be prepared and carries spare anchors, rope, you name it.

We will keep an eye out for your boat when we are out an about and we keep our VHF on Channel 82 for Jacobs Well VMR. There is another 26M owner at Horizon Shores who came down and spoke to us at the marina the other week. There boat is called BOLLON and has a green sail sock and bimini. Our boat is black and white. So far we have had people motor up to us or approach us at the marina to ask us all about our boat. Most are really keen to hear what we think of the boat as they are thinking of buying one. Our friends are real sailors with a ROSS but can’t even stand up inside and unless they sail it are lucky to do 2 knots.

Bottom line is that we brought ours to enjoy our weekends here on the Gold Coast and eventually to take it over to Fiji (in a container of course) where we can take full advantage of sailing back and forward to the nearest town and picking up our supplies or to sail to the airport to catch our flight. Fuel is so expensive and nice trade winds will make sailing very pleasurable. Luckily in Savusavu there is a nice harbour and small yacht club right near the airport.

PS talking about rudders... any tips for getting them lifted up easier. Just trying to get our boat to the stage of being GIRL CREW friendly... even my husband sometimes struggles getting them up and uses his foot to kick them up. Wondering if we are missing an easier solution.

[kadet]

Hey KookaSnook welcome aboard, I am based on the Northside of Brisbane and mainly sail the northern bay from the river to Bribie to Cape Moreton.

With a following sea and big wind especially with an opposing tide I find you have to slow down and not surf down the step chop that shallow Moreton Bay throws up, even under motor try and sit at about wave speed. Macs are pigs as stated previously . Always have both rudders down and some centreboard for better control.

I have been caught out in a 30knt blow in 2-3 metre waves with the odd 4 metre one for fun, was a very slow trip back from Cape Moreton to Scarborough, was completely shattered by the time we got back, took 4+ hours and blew out a block on the outhaul early on so motored the whole way . Was very uncomfortable but the boat did better than we did. My bottom was very sore from all the rolling around trying to stay seated And the only damage was the block (alloy rivets now exchanged for stainless)

Not sure about an but on an I have fitted a couple of blocks to help lift the rudders, also wait a couple of seconds for the water to drain from them at the horizontal before trying to lift them all the way up helps too.

[KookaSnook]

Hi Kadet thanks for all the great information and hope to be able to sail up in the northern part of the bay. We have only been as far as Peel to date but planning on getting to the wrecks on Tangalooma over Xmas week when we have more time on our hands. Glad to hear that it wasn't just my driving the other weekend. First time I have ever experienced this. I thought it would be rather plain sailing excuse the pun

Meant to ask others which is the best way to get across to Tangalooma from Peel? Via Brisbane side of Peel or going across from Amity Point?

Also next time you are out in your boat would you mind taking a photo of the blocks you have mounted for the rudders. From what we have seen in photos of the the rudders look like they have been modified from the earlier rudders we have. Maybe they have been redesigned to handle better than ours.

We are also looking for someone to redo our gallery. Previous owner did homestyle modification and removed all the original perspect doors and put sliding timber ones in and a shelf above the sink. Except for the fancy Smig gas top we don't use due to having to use a gas bottle with this one we just use a simple gas cylinder stove which we can take up on deck to cook outside whenever possible.

[KookaSnook]

Here is another Macgregor Owners Sailboats FACEBOOK page which has even more members than the first

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/49681268542/

Hoping other Australian owners will also join.

Thanks Stacye