Traps for new players !!!!!

[Hurley]

Put my new 05 M into the water this weekend. Steered like a dog in the marina, so decided to put the rudders down and drop the daggerboard by 25% for more control.
Neither rudder will drop and notice there are 2 bolts in each rudder, so will never pivot, refer to owners manual, only one pivot bolt shown!!

Decide to motor out further and shake down a little, boat was ballasted and has a new e-tec 50 on the transon. Was lucky to get anymore than 10 knots out of her........ as I increased the revs, just more vibration and noise. Tried trimming with little if any change in perfomance. Also smoked more than I anticipated.

Brought it back to 2.5k revs and motored back into the marina, it was like trying to control a baloon on the water.

Will have to remove one of the bolts from each rudder, question is, which one ??

Motor may not have the correct prop perhaps........

Any help appreciated.

Richard

[Catigale]

On the there is a bolt that you have remove each time you trailer on each rudder - I suspect the is the same ....Ill let the owners here tell you which one to remove here definitively.

These boats dont handle lightly at low speed - I sail both a Mac and keelboats in the 32-40 foot range, and the keelboats are easier to handle imho!!

[Frank C]

Sounds like the prop could be out-of-balance. Seems to me that the engine installer didn't even do a shake-down?

If it's like my 26X, that second "pivot bolt" is actually a safety bolt to hold the rudders up when trailering. Look more closely - it should be obvious which is positioned to pivot the rudder head - the other should be removed.

Congrats on the new boat, and good luck w/ the service providers!

[Compromise]

Brought it back to 2.5k revs and motored back into the marina, it was like trying to control a baloon on the water.

The control on my 02 X was also a wake-up call for me. I'm used to power boats and was admittedly caught off guard the first time bringing her into the ramp at low speed. At 5 knots and above control gets better, but as you discovered your dagger board and rudders will help at lower speeds.
Also keep in mind fully ballasted your boat will tend to be slower!
I'm sure you'll figure out which is your pivot bolt.
Congrats on your new

[Jeff S]

Will have to remove one of the bolts from each rudder, question is, which one ??

Are you saying that the whole time you never had a rudder down, just 25% daggerboard? It is amazing that you could control it at all! I will say the Mac doesn't handle great at low speeds, but the difference with the rudders (or 1 rudder) down is tremendous. I am unfamiliar with the M bolts, but if you remove the wrong bolt on an X (The one it pivots around) you won't be able to get the rudder down, on an X you need to remove the bolt closer to the boat- it is also slightly higher on the bracket. This bolt is strictly added security against the rudder dropping while trailering. I also recommend pulling it before launching- I have had to remove it on the water once- doable, but not enjoyable.

I recently pulled my boat out of a slip onto the trailer in 25 knot winds (while Hurricane Ophelia was approaching Eastern NC) and had no trouble controlling the boat with the strong wind and current. I had to plan my approach to the launching basin precisely as the wind and current were 90 degrees off, but with everything down (current less a factor than the wind) I was able to manage her just fine. (A bit to my surprise).

As far as the boat speed- it sounds like you may have the wrong prop, best to check the rpm at WOT in relation to the recommended range for the motor. She won't go nearly as fast with full ballast and it depends on winds, current and water conditions as well so 10 knots is not necessarily bad. It depends. I have gotten 16 knots with 1 other person on board, bottom paint, on a calm day with my 5 year old Tohatsu 50- but usually I get about 15 at WOT under normal load and conditions. A full crowd (4 adults and a few kids with gear) I tend to get about 13 at WOT. In choppy conditions I don't go full throttle for the sake of pounding the boat. RPM is always in the range from the engine manual (heavy it is at the low end, light at the higher end) so I think I have the correct prop.
Probably worth checking your RPM and speed at different configurations and then determine if you need a different prop.

Hope this helps.

Jeff S

[ALX357]

The dealer you bought your boat from has not done the job of showing you the numerous details on the Mac that are essential for safe effective use. There are several things that are dangerous if not done properly, especially concerning the ballast. If the dealer did not show you the rudder's trailering bolts, or tell you about the use of the fins for slow powering, he may not have told you about the proper ballast usage.
This is critical for personal safety, and the safety of the boat / investment. IF you are not sure of the rules of the ballast usage, please re-read the instruction sheet, or search the threads about ballast on this board. Even if it seems like alot of stuff to learn, it all makes sense after you think about the way the boat works.

[Divecoz]

I too have an 05 M and there are two in each rudder . . remove the top smaller bolt . Mac sends two 1/4 20 bolts with nuts and that IMHO sucks. Bill (Boats4Sail in Oconomoc Wisc). . . who I bought my boat from set my rudders up with stainless pins that then hook onto my key chain . . another of the nice little PLUSES for buying from a Sailor. . Bill has also spent several hours (frightened to death) sailing with me , teaching me The Ropes. . .
However .. . . with the dagger board fully up and the rudders up mine steers well for the size of the boat we just pulled it out yesterday. . when I did have a bit to much side travel or not enough steerage I . . .drop the center board about 1 foot down .
What motor and prop do you have ??? Another trick Bill Taught me is about steering and using reverse with heavy winds once the boat hits a point of no return . . .Never thought of it as I had never owned a boat with this much free board before, the trick works well BTW.

[Divecoz]

The dealer you bought your boat from has not done the job of showing you the numerous details on the Mac that are essential for safe effective use. There are several things that are dangerous if not done properly, especially concerning the ballast. If the dealer did not show you the rudder's trailering bolts, or tell you about the use of the fins for slow powering, he may not have told you about the proper ballast usage.
This is critical for personal safety, and the safety of the boat / investment. IF you are not sure of the rules of the ballast usage, please re-read the instruction sheet, or search the threads about ballast on this board. Even if it seems like alot of stuff to learn, it all makes sense after you think about the way the boat works.

All the more reason to buy from a sailor and someone who will spend time with you on the water.
X versus M well you dont Get Bill with the purchase of an X and I am WAY ahead of Most NEW Sailors now, because Bill cared enough to spend time with me a LOT of Time with me on the water and at the dock and at the ramp on the phone and thru e-mails . I still have a lot to learn, and Bill assured me I will be learning all my sailing life, but I sure got a jump start from Bill.

[RobertKing]

I also have a new O5 M with a DF50 and put it in the water this weekend. The boat launch at the Daytona Halifax marina is beautiful. I could bury the front bunk with out getting the back tires on the tow vechile wet. The boat just floated off. I had one rudder down, no ballast and no dager board down. We had a 20 mph wind from the east. We went about 7 miles up river and then back. We could control the boat ok on the river where we had room and could use half throttle. The speedo indicated about 10mph over the water. It was kinda like flying it took a healthy crab angle to hold a straight course with the wind comming from our right side. Comming back into the dock was a different story. We looked like a drunk duck trying to land in bad weather. Under 3mph the rudder and wheel were useless. The skid marks from the white rubber bumper of the dock should come off, no scratches just skid marks. However we loved it. Next trip is to finish breaking in the engine and then when we can use full power we will head out thru the inlet into the ocean.
The only other thrill we had besides docking was in the river when a 50 ft boat passed us. We got hit with his wake on our port stern side. The boat rolled +- 20 degrees and the nose swung thru about a 120 degree arc. I added a little power and got it back under control. If I would of had more room I think I would of tried to square off with the wave and run with it. Ill try that next time. Overall great fun.

[ALX357]

Those pins from Bill / Oconomowoc .... if i am not mistaken, they are not stainless steel, but Galvanized. I have not been able to find them in stainless steel myself, so i am using some from Home Depot which are just like the ones i got from Bill. Anyone know of a source for these pins in stainless steel, with the captive spring ?

[Divecoz]

Bill must have found a supplier as I ran out checked mine with a cow magnet they are stainless. . the hitch pins or galvinized though.

[Frank C]

Not sure what type of pin Bill set you guys up with ... is it one of these from Pivotpins.com ??

Up to inch & half in length, stainless available:



Available at 3 inches in length, zinc-plated only:

[RandyMoon]

Think of the daggerboard and 2 rudders as a triangle. When all three are down, you can turn on a dime in the marina. The daggerboard is the pivot point. Without the daggerboard, you will be blown around by the wind. Ballast would help too.

[Divecoz]

Its a long S.S. pin with a captured ring on one end and a hitch pin on the other end.
Hangs on a key chain by the rings when not in use. . .down in the galley.

Picture #1 Frank is very close

[mikejoe]

Robert....try launching at the ramp at ???park. You go north on Ridgewood and turn right on Wilder. Never anyone at the ramp and it's wide open. I would recommend to fill ballast, and WOT as you round the Ponce Lighthouse....very hairy going out the Ponce Deleon Inlet..I heard it was the 3d worst in the country. I found this out after I had gone out in my 26X. Good Luck....Mike

I also have a new O5 M with a DF50 and put it in the water this weekend. The boat launch at the Daytona Halifax marina is beautiful. I could bury the front bunk with out getting the back tires on the tow vechile wet. The boat just floated off. I had one rudder down, no ballast and no dager board down. We had a 20 mph wind from the east. We went about 7 miles up river and then back. We could control the boat ok on the river where we had room and could use half throttle. The speedo indicated about 10mph over the water. It was kinda like flying it took a healthy crab angle to hold a straight course with the wind comming from our right side. Comming back into the dock was a different story. We looked like a drunk duck trying to land in bad weather. Under 3mph the rudder and wheel were useless. The skid marks from the white rubber bumper of the dock should come off, no scratches just skid marks. However we loved it. Next trip is to finish breaking in the engine and then when we can use full power we will head out thru the inlet into the ocean.
The only other thrill we had besides docking was in the river when a 50 ft boat passed us. We got hit with his wake on our port stern side. The boat rolled +- 20 degrees and the nose swung thru about a 120 degree arc. I added a little power and got it back under control. If I would of had more room I think I would of tried to square off with the wave and run with it. Ill try that next time. Overall great fun.