finally realizing a dream

[PhysicsTeacher]

Hello, all. I might have the record as the longest lurker on this forum. For over 10 years I've been reading posts on this forum and saving pennies.
I finally bought a 1998 Macgregor a week ago. I'm looking forward to working my way through the litany of rookie sailing mistakes, and eventually reaching fair breezes and sunsets at anchor.

I haven't had my boat out yet (it came with a 15 HP Evinrude 4-stroke that needs a new ignition coil . . . the part is on order).

Anyhow, I've been waiting 10 years to say this:

If you sail anywhere near Vancouver, BC, THE PIZZA IS ON ME!

If any of you want to send me advice, things to do, essential cheap-and-easy mods, things to avoid, etc., I'm all ears. I took a sailing class around 5 years ago (it was a one-week cruise and liveaboard in the Gulf Islands), and I'm hoping to take a Power Squadron class this winter, but I'll happily take all the advice I can get.

Cheers,

Kelvin

[Herschel]

Welcome Kevin, I have a '98 X. Got it in 2003 so I guess you can say I like it. I think you will have a great time with it. You seem to have the right idea about the learning curve. But, if you are a physics teacher, you must understand learning curves! The greatest challenge I experienced with the X is not so much the sailing part. After your first 30 degree heel, you'll be really focused, and it will come to you over time. The challenge can be the various systems, electrical, plumbing, holding tank/porta potty, fiberglass repair for nicks and scratches, the trailer with its brake system and tires, VHF radio, GPS/plotter...you know; all that stuff! I think embracing it all as part of the Mac experience is the key to success. Checklists help with the rigging and de-rigging. Several have been posted on the forum at various times. I can send you mine by PM, if you like. Time spent figuring out what to do about "issues" that arise with one of these boats can, with the right attitude, be part of the boating experience and even fun. But there will be days when you are wondering how you got on Neptune's bad side and just need a good chill...or a chilled beverage! Welcome aboard.

[Jimmyt]

Welcome aboard and congrats on the boat purchase. Physics teacher going under the moniker of Kelvin? Throw a nice 26x in and you should achieve nerdvana... Looking forward to some pics.

[NiceAft]

Welcome to the club

It doesn't matter how long it took for you to get here, your here, and that's all that matters.

Sailing is a Zen thing. It's the journey, not the destination.

Ray

[sailboatmike]

Welcome to the Brother/Sisterhood of Mac owners, Im sure you will build many happy memories on board your boat.

Sailing isnt just about the actual sailing bit, we sailors are a brotherhood of people that are in for the journey, the destination is only the resting spot before the next journey begins

[dlandersson]

The BEST year! I too, have a 98X

Hello, all. I might have the record as the longest lurker on this forum. For over 10 years I've been reading posts on this forum and saving pennies.
I finally bought a 1998 Macgregor a week ago. I'm looking forward to working my way through the litany of rookie sailing mistakes, and eventually reaching fair breezes and sunsets at anchor.

I haven't had my boat out yet (it came with a 15 HP Evinrude 4-stroke that needs a new ignition coil . . . the part is on order).

Anyhow, I've been waiting 10 years to say this:

If you sail anywhere near Vancouver, BC, THE PIZZA IS ON ME!

If any of you want to send me advice, things to do, essential cheap-and-easy mods, things to avoid, etc., I'm all ears. I took a sailing class around 5 years ago (it was a one-week cruise and liveaboard in the Gulf Islands), and I'm hoping to take a Power Squadron class this winter, but I'll happily take all the advice I can get.

Cheers,

Kelvin

[md80max]

Congrats! I too just bought my first MacGregor 26M about 10 days ago and it's a great feeling I have to admit! I have owned boats before but never a sailboat. And like Ferris Bueller "not one lesson" and it has been a blast until the last few days when the wind quit blowing here where I live

I am making the rookie mistakes and learning as I go and it has been fun. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have so far!

Cheers!

Max

[Starscream]

and it has been a blast until the last few days when the wind quit blowing here where I live

Max

The solution to this is to find a way to get a 90HP motor. Then the calm days are just a different kind of fun...wakeboarding, racing cabin cruisers, going to far places fast.

Upgrading is expensive, I know, and not in the cards for everyone. I had severe buyer's remorse until I first hit 25 mph.

[Bilgemaster]

Welcome aboard at long last! Bit of a noob myself, but I'd patch up that little Evinrude, sell it, and get a proper engine for that thing. I've got Honda BF50A on mine, and happy to have it, but if you can go a little bigger, there's no shame in planing with a full ballast tank and a few sumo wrestlers poised coquettishly on the bow. I mean, if you're gonna have a Power-sailer, let's have some power, right? The good news is that that little 15hp is kind of the sweet spot for less vigorous "normal" sailboats, so you should have little difficulty selling it. Then, just wait until the first snows, and start looking for your big boy motor. That's when the bargains are to be found.

[BOAT]

Are you Dr. Kelvin that invented the thermodynamic heat scale? Wow! You know about physics don't you! I had to learn differential equations so that I could calculate the linear expansion of heated conductors when I was designing electrical switchboards for Westinghouse and GE and Siemens. (I needed to put in enough flex on my buss bars to withstand sudden shorts).

Your famous! Thanks for all those formulas - I would not have been able to do my job without them!

Like you I waited a long time to get the X boat. I first saw the X boat at a boat show in 1999 and wanted one. It took us longer to get one that you - we saved for 13 years but were still not quite there and then our kid decided to go to junior college for 2 years instead of the university and that suddenly put 2 years of university tuition back into our pockets and WAM! We had the money for a MAC!!

Only problem was that when I rushed to the factory to buy one there were no X boats anymore! They stopped making them! So we got a 2013 M boat.

It was the X boat that got me interested in getting a MAC.

Anyways - if your a physics person I sure hope Kevin the Moderator will let us talk about particle physics and the entanglement principle here on the site. (He might not allow it though because it's not about sailing). We have to do whatever Kevin says but you probably already know that.

[darrenj]

Welcome PhysicsTeacher.

If you are in the Vancouver area and want to join a sailing group check out www.mycbc.ca

They won't make you buy pizza
There is actually a club meeting tonight in Surrey where they have a local expert talking about solar panels.

[Russ]

If you've been lurking and reading for that long, you probably know more than most of us.

Congrats! Wish we lived close to Vancouver.

--Russ

[Wind Rider]

I will sail with you sometime!


Brand new 26M owner, moored in Richmond. I have a 70hp 4-stroke.