Cutter Rig on the cheap

[fireant]

That's how we got to the moon.
Errr .. I mean ... the american's got the the moon.
Cough.

[ROAD Soldier]

No you misunderstand...I think the addition of a little foresail is not a bad idea......but some other additional sails and rigging on these forums is exploring the envelope just a bit too far

Does this guy even really own a Mac I bet he is one of those people who buys a car and never adds anything to it. I would like to ask him a question but Obama hasn't repealed don't ask don't tell yet so I will leave it alone. Lets see soap attached to rope on all future Mac get togethers; CHECK

[Catigale]

exploring the envelope just a bit too far

As a life philosophy I find this is impossible to do , too far...

[Rick Westlake]

ROAD Soldier, let's please just not go down the "That your soap, Ensign?" path. (Or save it for the Back Room.)

Incidentally, for those of us who weren't attending the Annapolis Boat Show, today was a wonderful day to own a Mac. Light southwest winds had me sailing literally out of the mouth of the marina. I did have one oaf in a Morgan Out Island 30 motor-sail past me on the Middle River, so of course I had to show him "never motorsail past a Mac!" (Zoom-zoom)

Did my one critical piece of "decommissioning" - I set up a "bypass valve" in the P.O.-installed pressure water system, drained the water tank, then pumped antifreeze through all my plumbing (the head shower, the transom shower, the galley water-tap). Took less than a gallon of the pink stuff, and I won't have to worry about getting the antifreeze out of my water-tank next spring. I will take photos and post it as a mod later.

But ... I'm down at the marina, watching the Travelift picking up the big boats out of the water and trundling them to their winter hard-stands ... looking at the people who are doing all this "heavy prep" to make sure their precious leviathans make it through the cold months ... and thinking of how Florida is really only an hour or so of deck-work and 16 hours or so of driving from Maryland Marina ... I might miss the highlights of the Intracoastal Waterway, but a long day's drive with Bossa Nova tagging along the Interstate would get me to sun and sand and warm ... Yeah, a great day to own a MacGregor trailer sailer!

[vizwhiz]

And the weather down here has been sunny, light breezes, no storms, cool in the evenings...wonderful fall Florida weather...whatcha waiting for, the snowbirds??? You could even beat Sumner down here and use up some of his good wind!


Oh wait, are you a snowbird?


On topic, however...it is obvious that there are those who wish to "maximize" their sailing experiences...nobody said "everyone has to be like Highlander"...if those mods don't suit you, don't do 'em. But I would take a slightly different perspective - just like Roger showing the out in gale force winds and 18-foot seas - no, you wouldn't go and do that, but it's nice to know the boat's been out there and can handle it. Same goes here - you don't have to mod to Highlander's scale to be satisfied, but it's great to know how much the boat can take and what you CAN do with it!
I'm making lots of mental notes...!!!

[davidbagnall]

No you misunderstand...I think the addition of a little foresail is not a bad idea......but some other additional sails and rigging on these forums is exploring the envelope just a bit too far

Hi Bartmac
Apology/clarification graciously accepted A little misunderstanding can do that....

I hope to get my mac down your way some day so would luv to catchup for a cold beverage.

Back on the modification thing.... I did speak to a rigging expert who has already worked on my boat about it first and he saw no structural/safety reason why it wouldn't work. I my opinion major sail changes like the one think you are referring to would most likely involve multiple discussions with several engineering type professionals to get it right. But for me, I am happy with what I have as I love the simple design and layout of the factory mac.

One interesting thing I have noticed about sailing with that 2nd jib or more particularly with the cruising spinnaker, having more sail forward really makes a big difference to the dynamics of the boat. It feels more sailboat like on the helm and seams to push down the bow and raise the stern a bit more out of the water.

As for speed yes the Mac is no speed freak but if sailed well it does keep up with many other sailboats with no issue (well that is a bit more challenging if sailing hard into the wind). On my last trip I got the boat to 8.6 knots in 8-12knots of wind using the spinnaker (average was between 6 and 7 knots).

anyway back to enjoying the whole Mac-topia way of life!!!!!

[bartmac]

I'm also sold on the idea of the mac x having been around ie in the family and owned a long list of boats...all trailable :RL's,Dennis,investigator,San Juan 25,and various smaller dingies and cats.I can't see the use of modifying a mac into a "sportsboat" ie like a 18 footer with a day cabin carrying so much sail you have to be on your toes all the time....and for that matter the only way a Mac is going to go faster in sailing mode is for it to plane which is going to be difficult with ballast in.A lot of our sailing is in rivers at the moment and thus the need for going about also limits sail choices.So the jib,genoa,main and less so a spinnaker is fine but a small storm/second headsail is appealing especially if it does double duty.I guess the mac is a blank canvas or just an outline that can be filled in in lots of different ways....each to thier own

And to the fine upstanding gentleman who questioned my ownership of a Mac...........................see you on the water and if you buy a car made well enough it isn't necessary to add to it...I find Europe makes cars which actually go around corners and stop BUT the whole soap thing has me baffled

[davidbagnall]

I am up to my 8th Peugeot so I wonder what that means???

[Highlander]

No you misunderstand...I think the addition of a little foresail is not a bad idea......but some other additional sails and rigging on these forums is exploring the envelope just a bit too far

Its called pushing the limit some of us just like that ! nothing wrong with trying to improve something , but I guess it all depends on your capability's, desires , some of us like to have something a little different , have something a little unique !, the inner jib staysil /storm sail is in fact a very safe & desirable mod 1. extra forestay . 2 more sail for them light days alot more safer than a Spinnaker for those who do not have the desire or ability to fly one . 3 in a blow used alone the inner head sail is closer to the deck than a reefed head sail whether its a jib or genny thus much less heel involved , the whole idea is to have the ability to be able to move under wind no matter what the weather conditions are
J

[ROAD Soldier]

No you misunderstand...I think the addition of a little foresail is not a bad idea......but some other additional sails and rigging on these forums is exploring the envelope just a bit too far

Its called pushing the limit some of us just like that ! nothing wrong with trying to improve something , but I guess it all depends on your capability's, desires , some of us like to have something a little different , have something a little unique !, the inner jib staysil /storm sail is in fact a very safe & desirable mod 1. extra forestay . 2 more sail for them light days alot more safer than a Spinnaker for those who do not have the desire or ability to fly one . 3 in a blow used alone the inner head sail is closer to the deck than a reefed head sail whether its a jib or genny thus much less heel involved , the whole idea is to have the ability to be able to move under wind no matter what the weather conditions are
J

I 100% agree with Ms Daisy on this one.