So I just bought a Mac X....

[Jimmyt]

Looks like you're making good progress. It's really cleaning up nicely.

[Drifter]

Today I finally completed the exterior painting with primer!

It's actually white again

Now lots of rubbing down to do before trying some top-coat... and then I'll have to tackle the pesky black lines..

[Drifter]

So I'm hoping to launch tomorrow morning...

2 questions:

On my previous engines there has been some method of locking the engine in the tilted-up position, to avoid the engine bouncing on the hydraulic ram during towing. I'm not sure how to do that on the BF50, and the manual isn't really helping?

I DO have some kind of little tab thing sticking out the side, which I'm not sure what to do with. I'll get some photos...

I notice the side of the engine is scuffed where this tab is catching, so I get the impression it's not meant to be how it is, right now? It flips and swivels around but I don't know if I'm supposed to get it out of the way or if it's meant to be there? When the engine is fully down it seems to be resting on the trim bar OK, so I really have no idea what that little flap does?

(The manual just says for trailering to leave it in the normal running position if possible, and mentions some bar for holding the engine up is 'commercially available', so am I right in thinking this engine doesn't have any actual system to hold itself up while trailering?

It seems a very inelegant solution to actually yank the trim bar out and reset it higher for the trailer, then re-do it each time from inside the boat?

Second question

I have a mast holder, the older swan-necked design. I can see where the mast is meant to attach at the front of the boat when trailering, on the front pulpit thingy, and I've bolted it on there.

However at the back my impression is it's meant to also have a bolt, but the holes in the mast do not come anywhere near to lining up where the mast holder will be? They are a couple of feet too forward.

It's awkward for me to actually test the mast holder as my boat porch roof is too low. I'd have to open the gate and tow the boat into the road to try it. Right now I don't even know if the mast holder is high enough to clear the bimini/canopy thingy.

I might just take the mast off altogether for this trip, as this is just for motoring and generally testing things, such as if the fishfinder works etc

Anyway, I can tie it to the mast holder with string or wire so it can't bounce out, so that's not the problem. My problem is it seems the mast is too unsupported like this?

It's only supported at the very ends, with the middle free to bounce and bend up and down?

That doesn't seem right? Isn't that likely to damage the mast?

Mmm a search seems to suggest I'm not the only one with this concern, however the image and link in this thread are dead:
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... php?t=1837

I have some nice stainless steel piping that I was thinking of making an anchor holder out of, but I don't think i have time to rig anything before the morning

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2p5vwgdnl6bt4 ... 6.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/etrbgjod15x6c ... 0.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2p5vwgdnl6bt4 ... 6.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d0jgwz708eirs ... 4.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uwgaiyetw0kqt ... 7.jpg?dl=0

[NiceAft]

In this photo: https://www.dropbox.com/s/etrbgjod15x6c ... 0.jpg?dl=0

If you were to move your finger straight up, you will come to a part that looks like a backwards “L”; this flips straight down to prevent the outboard from bouncing when trailering. In the photo, it looks like it is just not quite far enough down to be in a working position.

Many members have posted inventive ways to accomplish the same thing. I have never had a problem just flipping down the backward “L”. There should be two of them; one port, one starboard. They work in tandem.

Many members have come up with ways to support the middle of the mast while trailering. On my , I have never done this. The mast is bolted at the bow, and on my aft mast support, I tie a rope around the mast fastening it to the support. The mast support on an is farther back than an

[neleus]

I think most MacGregor owners have cobbled together some sort of support for the middle section of the mast when trailering.

The right-angled piece of steel (looks like it's on a pin - so it can rotate), about 5 inches above your finger in the second photo seems like the traveling support to me. Maybe raise the motor a bit higher and then rotate it so it sits on the scuffed section of the mount?

Nice looking boat.

[Tomfoolery]

2 questions:

On my previous engines there has been some method of locking the engine in the tilted-up position, to avoid the engine bouncing on the hydraulic ram during towing. I'm not sure how to do that on the BF50, and the manual isn't really helping?

Second question

It's only supported at the very ends, with the middle free to bounce and bend up and down?

That doesn't seem right? Isn't that likely to damage the mast?

1) The flip-down NiceAft pointed out is the engine support. Tilt it up all the way and flip it down. I don't rest the OB on it, as the dynamics of bouncing down the road are a bit much for that little support. I use it as backup to the hydraulics. Tie the wheel centered so the OB doesn't flip to one side or the other.

With the OB tilted all the way up, there is almost no load on the cylinder. The center of mass is almost directly over the hinge line, which you can prove to yourself by grabbing the leg and lifting; it takes almost no effort to unload the cylinder. The geometry is also favorable in the up position.

By contrast, the force exerted by the prop when driving the boat at the 16 mph max mine will do, and assuming 30 hp of thrust (60% of hp going to thrust), is around 700 lb at the bottom of the leg (center of shaft). To make it worse, the geometry isn't so advantageous for the cylinder, so the load on the cylinder and pins and surrounding structure is way into the thousands of pounds of force, not to mention the force and moment on the transom where the OB mounts. I actually did analyze it long ago, but can't find the sketch or calcs, so I can't back that up I'm afraid.

So there's relatively little force when trailering with the OB tilted up. IMO, of course. I even stick a light bar on the foot, aimed right in the eyes of anyone tailgating me.

2) The mast can take it, but the max bending moment is around where the spreaders are, so bouncing down the road will fatigue the mast in that already weakened (by spreader socket bolts) area. Fatigue is a function of cyclic load magnitude, and number of cycles, so I mitigate that by sticking a pair of two-by-fours under the mast at the mast step. They're mitered at 45 degrees (leftovers from some project), and glued and screwed so the miters face each other in a vee. Perfect for the shape of the mast, which has tapered but flat sides. A stainless screw eye on each side give me a place to bungie over the mast and hold the furler and rigging at the same time, along with small ball bungies all along the length of the mast. The support just stays there no matter how far I've driven the trailer, with no other attachment. The screws in the mast deck plate into the cabin roof prevent it from walking down the mast, I suppose; it's sort of captive in there.

In addition to supporting the mast while driving, it also helps with snow load when tarped, and when I park my generous posterior on the mast when rigging or stowing, especially when I trip over something and plop down on the mast.

[Drifter]

Thanks for all the speedy replies!

So raise the engine up as high as it will go, flip the little silver thing around, that should lock it but don't lower the full weight on it? OK.

And the mast will probably survive this first trip, but best craft some kind of support before the next trip. Preferably one that I can still open and close the main hatch, for when bouncing around on the water but with the mast down.

Nice looking boat.

Thanks; she does look good from a distance

Still a lot to learn about this boat, and I haven't even begun on the sailing side of it yet. Happily I have so many plastic bottles, inside some tough nylon nets, stuffed inside various nooks and crannies that I'm pretty confident it won't sink tomorrow. Might fill with water but won't sink

Tried starting the engine today; fired up on the 1st turn of the key, though it was a long turn. I did start it a couple of weeks ago though, when it took 4 turns, but still a whole different world to my previous 30 yr old Evinrude V6 2-stroke. Had to sacrifice a few chickens at midnight to get that thing to start after a few weeks sitting idle.

The plan for tomorrow is very basic, just see if we can actually launch without incident, then go up and down the river a bit, get a feel for the steering and engine. Try filling the ballast, and then try emptying it, see if the fishfinder is functional etc. Then test out the lightweight anchor (I bought a big one as well, in case) and try a bit of fishing by a nearby island. Total trip of about 20 miles, and all of it within cell phone range, so physical safety no concerns.

Concerns at something else going horribly wrong are quite high though! For example I'm not sure where the fishfinder is... and nearly 10PM here so I best try and find it!

*waves

[Tomfoolery]

Also, run a dock line from a stern cleat, around the rudders, and to the other stern cleat. In case the rudder raising line slips. You don't want the rudders dragging on the road, and especially without you even knowing it. And you'll need that dock line as soon as you put it in the water anyway. Nice and handy.

Also, do something similar with the mast. One stern cleat, up and around the mast a few times, and terminate on the other stern cleat. Or use the genoa blocks and terminate at the winches, which is how I do it, but my mast crutch is at the helm. Keeps the mast from wiggling wildly while driving. And again, you'll need that second dock line as soon as you put it in the water.

You can see the rudder line, mast line, and mid-mast support block in place. The support block does not interfere with opening the sliding hatch, as it sits on the mast base plate.

Click to open:

[NiceAft]

Tom mentions running a dock line around the rudders.

My has a hole at the top of each rudder that align with holes in the rudder brackets, so a 7/16 bolt can run through and be threaded with a lock nut. In addition to the rudder lines, these hold the rudders up while trailering. Does the not have this

[Drifter]

Yes, I've already put bolts through those holes, though with just a wingnut on a long thread.

The trailer journey is only about 10 miles, so I'm confident they won't come undone, plus the ropes are still there.

I will try and lock or stiffen the steering. *thumbs up

Regarding the dock lines, none of the ramps, none of them, have a jetty. So throwing a line to someone to help guide it back onto the trailer will help but there's nowhere to tie the boat up.

Once you're off the trailer you're floating with the current!

There's the wreckage of what used to be a jetty where I hope to launch tomorrow, though that's more of a hazard to avoid rather than any kind of safe harbor...

I found the fishfinder

[K9Kampers]

Tom mentions running a dock line around the rudders.

My has a hole at the top of each rudder that align with holes in the rudder brackets, so a 7/16 bolt can run through and be threaded with a lock nut. In addition to the rudder lines, these hold the rudders up while trailering. Does the not have this

I did that with my but used hitch pins instead of bolt/nut for simplicity. Additionally, the bail of hitch pins allowed them to be kept near where they were used so as not to get misplaced. Similarly, I used hitch pins on the companion way ladder for quick removal when needed.

[NiceAft]

Tom mentions running a dock line around the rudders.

My has a hole at the top of each rudder that align with holes in the rudder brackets, so a 7/16 bolt can run through and be threaded with a lock nut. In addition to the rudder lines, these hold the rudders up while trailering. Does the not have this

I did that with my but used hitch pins instead of bolt/nut for simplicity. Additionally, the bail of hitch pins allowed them to be kept near where they were used so as not to get misplaced. Similarly, I used hitch pins on the companion way ladder for quick removal when needed.

Interesting. I see how that can be much quicker.

[Tomfoolery]

Does the not have this

Mine does not, but it's got long rudders which I don't think were original for a '99.

[Russ]

Just wanted to say THIS looks amazing compared to what you started with

[NiceAft]

The boat looks beautiful. I noticed you didn’t add the raccoon stripes. Still looks really good.