Old Dog with New Tricks (sailing photos)

[richandlori]

I was out sailing in Oxnard last weekend and came across this super clean older Mac. I saw them and the boat ramp, so walked over and was astonished at what great shape this baby was in. I was shinier and cleaner than my 2004 Mac! The motoring photo was taken as we were leaving Channel Island Harbor and the photo under sail was taken outside of Ventura Harbor when we finally caught up to them. It's nice to see an older boat that is loved and cared for. There are sooooo many boats of all ages in my mast up storage that haven't been in the water in years and the only water they see is from a rain storm. I always walk by them and feel sad for the dirty dogs begging to get wet.

[Mark Prouty]

Those older Macs are really cool and perform surprisingly well. One similar to the one in your photos outperformed most of the other 20+ trailer sailor boats I was sailing with last summer.

[RandyMoon]

Rich, I have seen the same thing at our marina. Most of the boats there look like oxidized petrified Twinkies. Maybe I am too retentive, but I cannot handle letting something deteriorate like that. This winter, I will detail the boat and buff it back to original condition.

If you ever run into this sailor again, it would be interesting to find out his/her approach is to keeping the boat in tip top shape.

[Frank C]

. . . If you ever run into this sailor again, it would be interesting to find out his/her approach is to keeping the boat in tip top shape.

This is an interesting question - long term maintenance of the gelcoat. When mine was less than a year old I had an auto-detailer fully clean and wax it at a cost of $10/ft ... ergo, 260 bucks. However, his advice was that you simply cannot protect a boat or RV from ultraviolet radiation using just a chemical coating. It simply MUST be stored under-cover.

I took his advice for the first three years in mast-up storage. I kept it covered with two silverized Costco tarps, and the black stripe looked brandy-new for that entire time - drawing compliments at every ramp! (Remember that the boat sits under the tarps for 90% of the year). Here at latitude 38, my tarps tend to expire after two years. It would be much worse in the sun belt, and the northern climes would have less UV but greater problems with cold, wind and snow.

Anyway, the real issue with tarps - they're a giant PitA. In the best case, they're removed/folded on Saturday morning, then retarped on Sunday evening. Each transaction takes 20 minutes of hard work. After 3 years I grew weary of the exercise. Six months later, my black stripe had turned weathered gray! I hate that, but have not yet reformed.

I believe the real answer is to make or buy a genuine Sunbrella cover, over "covered wagon" hoops. Mark does this for winter using PVC, and I experimented with fiberglass tent poles and the plastic tarp - but they'd need be inserted into "sewn pockets" to make it manageable, secure and effective. I would definitely want a two-part cover so it can be used either mast-up, or mast-down. If custom-cut to the sizes required to just cover the bow, then that one would be very easy to handle. The aft cover would be bigger, but still not so big as my Costco tarp (12x16). This is on the "someday list."

[Zavala]

When we first had our kids, our Mac spent a couple of years in a state of semi-neglect. Most of the time it was in a garage, or covered -- but one six month winter it ende dup outdoors without a tarp. The gloss defintely fades quick -- that's for sure.

However, I consider any wear and tear on the boat to be sort of a badge or honor. When I notice something that bugs me -- I just use it as a motivator to get out and use it.... because boats seem to break less when they're actually used IMHO.

[Frank C]

... However, I consider any wear and tear on the boat to be sort of a badge or honor.

When I began consulting for (the former) Coopers & Lybrand, and Old Salt said, "Never walk into a client's place with a new briefcase. Carry one that's old, scuffed and beat-up. Conveys many travels, experience, wisdom!"

[Tom Root]

On the issue of Tarps, as has been discussed before, can cause damage in a wind storm when the gel is constantly rubbed. Mine was, and it took forever to buff it out, and to this day, looks better, but I know where that damage is!

If I can again say it, the Garage type of covering 12' X 40', was the exact ticket I needed! I did have to raise it slightly, and I did shorten the second section of a 10' length to have a max length of 30'. But if you tie or otherwise anchor it down, I see no problem with this system!

I do know people who have garages that are even big enough to park their boats in also. One boat was 7 years old, and still looked brand new!

So far I find it much easier to keep the boat relatively cleaner, and a whole lot less UV ray damage to buff out 4 times a year! I think it has been over six months using this system for me. (I guess I could do a search on here as I have posted previously when I did it!)

I am also going to just tie a few lines to the mast up to the overhead rafters to provide additional safety in the wind. All joints were bolted, so it can't come apart too!