Mac26X slow speed handling question.

[aya16]

I agree with the handles well bunch here. My M will spin in its own lenth and is very easy to control. But it does take practice. sometimes a lot of throttle sometimes a little. But board down rudders down ballast full very slow and slow is the key, she handles great. I first got the Mac we played with her in the open where I wouldnt hit anything and was pleased with the way it responds. Going to a dock or slip the trick is SLOW in neutral glide in a little nose first come to the dock power reverse rudders turned toward the dock she will come to a dead stop snug against the dock. Of course sometimes it just doesnt work out and we get to look like we just started boating. Thats a fact of boating it happens to everyone. The million dollar prototype boat I posted pictures of from Sat had an expert crew and were paid lots of money to pilot her but as they came to the dock one of the crew fell in the water trying to keep it from hitting to hard. sh-t happens.

[nemo]

I'm finding this a very useful discussion. Thanks for sharing your experience.

So how many of you delaunch with ballast full versus empty? Or is the answer wind/current dependent (which I suspect)?

On one hand, dumping the ballast ahead allows the boat to float higher to get it on the trailer easier, but this is offset by the desire to have some ballast to keep from getting blown around (ie. in a cross wind) while manuvering up to the dock/ramp.

[Greg]

I retrieved only one time with a full ballast, and that was on a steep ramp. My wife gets nervous if anyone else is waiting and two boats came in as I was backing down the ramp.
I hooked the strap up to the boat and winched it up to the v-block. I had the vent and drain valve open, pulled up a bit to let the water drain, then slowly pulled on up the ramp when my wife said to go. I was at the top of the ramp when I heard a snap, felt the vehicle kind of bump and everyone yelled stop. I went back to find the nylon strap broken and the boat had slid back over a foot. There was still water coming out of the drain valve. I retied the strap to the hook and did the Macgregor bump to get the boat up in the v-block.

I replaced the strap with a cable and installed a 3/8 inch safety chain secured around the v-block mount. Now I attach the chain to the boat along with the cable hook when I retrieve and always drain the tank.

Maybe belt and suspenders but the thought of my boat sitting on the ramp wasn't a pretty picture!

Greg

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I prefer to put the boat back on the trailer with the ballast tank full. I like seeing peoples reaction when I tell them I'm dumping out my holding tank, when they ask where all the water is coming from.
Youy can also tell them it's illegal to dump it in the water but I don't think it's illegal to dump on the ramp.
Some people might say my holding tank was half full. Some might say it was half empty. Some might say it was the wrong size.

[James V]

When I had sailing classes, way back when, we did different drills on the boat to learn how to handle it. A docking drill was done by throwing a life preserver overboard and then getting the boat to stop beside it. Different directions, by motor or sails. Foward and backwards. Funny to watch until it was my turn.

What drills have you done to learn how to dock a Mac?

[Don T]

Hi,
One important thing is to "ready for docking" way in advance of actually doing so. It is amazing to watch how frenzied everyone gets coming in if you wait too long.
We use the "dockside sashay." Generally the boards are down and I nose in at 45* to the dock. My mate is standing on the bow with the bow line and I have the life line down and the stern line at the ready. I use short moments in gear to slowly move into the dock. When the bow is a foot or two from the dock (depends on speed) I put the wheel hard over towards the dock and quickly put it into reverse and add enough throttle to stop the forward motion. As the stern moves to the dock the mate jumps down and loosely / quickly ties off the bow line. If the wind is up and off the dock, I can now power which ever way neccessary to pull in the stern and not hit any other boats. If conditions are light the boat will elegantly pivot parrallel to the dock and I can step off and secure the stern line. We have switched roles and practiced this but the mate tends to overpower and over steer. I dang near went in the drink.

[Frank C]

I use same steps as Don, but I ask Mate to NOT jump off the boat. When you're at 45* and you crank the wheel, a touch of reverse throttle pulls the stern neatly into the dock. At same time the bow moves away. When you've mastered this art, the boat stops perfectly parallel to the dock and you can step over the coaming.

Guess I should also mention that my favored dock has a prevailing beam-breeze blowing toward the dock. If the wind was blowing off the dock, the Mate (or the Cap't) would need to be more snappy in hitting the dock and attaching that bow line.

[Tom Spohn]

We use the same procedure as Don, but have found that tying off a line to the Stantion at the forward end of the cockpit (pretty close to the center of the boat.) and having the Admiral stepping off after I swing the stern over works great. As soon as she hits the dock she snubs the line on a cleat. After the engine is turned off I will hop out and rig the bow, stern, spring lines. I think this is safer for the Admiral than hopping off the bow.

[Red Coat]

A word of caution when motoring into the marina with rudders down at low tide.

Yesterday I was entering our marina and I did not realize that the tide was very very low and never dreamed that a sand bar encroached the entrance. Until I stopped dead, my port rudder kicked up but the starboard rudder dug into the bottom and was in danger of snapping had the wind turned me.

Fortunately I was quick enough to shift into neutral and uncleat the rudder haul rope. Thankfully the tide was nearly slack and I was able to motor forward and release the rudder from the bottom suction without breaking it. Needless to say it was a bit of a surprise!

Every day is a new adventure

Larry

[Rolf]

I get as close to the dock as I can and then-- JUMP! My wife wants to help but I never let her do anything. Actually, she helped me load my inflatable on to my boat tonight-- maybe I will let her steer someday:)
R

[MAC26X]

I do envy you guys with quiet marinas. Our marina is 36 fingers along a waterway that has different conditions every time you dock. The waterway serves as the "back door" for water going into or out of Sandusky bay. There is always some current, sometimes a lot, and the direction changes. Most everyone has a dock wheel on the corner of their dock. It definitely is a 2 person job to dock when there is a 2 or 3 kt current plus wind pushing you away from your dock. We have adopted a technique where we use a modified boat hook with a lasso in a bow spring line. THe first mate is positioned in the forward hatch and lassos the end dock cleat as I power into the current and wind, turning in just in time to miss the end of the dock. Then we use forward power against the spring line to get both the bow and stern against the dock. In a strong current I leave the motor in gear until the lines are secured.

[marc ducharme]

Over all the is very skitish at low speeds, lots of attention and a light touch, I get a lot of practice handling as i dock up a 50 foot wide river with a 4 Kt current, with rudders and centerboard up and i have an eight foot wide slip to turn the RAE-LEE-JOY into, the first ten times were hairy to say the least, now it is still a hit and miss affaire, most of time Iget a thumbs up from the marina owner and the other Mac owners as I Dock, but there are a few times that they run to help. We now have two and three that run the gauntlet, there are a couple of captains that can dock real slick everytime, another challenge for me to conquer.

have fun, sailing ya gota love it.

[RandyMoon]

From another post I made:

---------------------------------
The plan was for my wife to back the trailer in while I majestically jump on board (like the guy does in the video), fire the mighty 90 horses up and pull the boat over to the dock, fill the ballast, set the rudders and some centerboard before driving around to my slip in the marina.

Stupidly thinking the mighty 90 horses could overcome the 20 - 25 mph wind (with stronger gusts), by the time I got to the Captains seat, the boat was being blown at astonishing speed backwards towards rocks. So not having time to add weight or get the boards down, my butt in the back of the boat pointed the front of the boat up at a nice angle for the wind to spin the boat any direction it wanted. Under power I could control it but the second I let off the power, I looked like a cowboy riding a bull ride machine in Urban Cowboy.

Instead of heading out to open water and getting things setup, I stupidly rode the raging bull over to the marina entrance thinking there would be calmer waters. So much for my sense of logic. Lucky for me there was no one at the marina because I would probably have made it to the finals in America's Funniest Videos. It was a very scary experience. Now keep in mind, my wife is on the dock watching all this with no idea what the problem is. She is thinking I am some dummy who has no idea how to drive a boat. She just sees a guy cussing and going in circles, not like the cool guy in the video demonstrating how easy it is to steer a Mac.

So my lessons learned are that a sailboat is designed to be easily moved by the wind. Is not like my prior vee hull ski boats. Second, the ballast serves a purpose, as do the rudders and centerboard. Third, Chlorox does a good job removing stains from underwear.

I guess we all learn from our mistakes.