MacGregorSailors.com

Back to day - looks better to my eye.

New problem, just found the top rolling furler wire is hanging on by threads. I will have to sail it with the mast raising in place. Or maybe tie a rope around the bearing black thing, and let it rotate/twist around that somehow?

Whats saling with just the main like? given I'm just trying to the learn basics.

RussMT wrote:I have no idea what you just said.

Heh Heh. Well 133BHP is referring to the earlier part of the thread:
"Here's a photo before loosening a hole" - means that the photo was taken before he loosened the shrouds by 1 hole at the chainplates; and you can see there is some backward bend in the mast.

"yes, I guess being rearwards it loads the mast" - means that 133BRP politely agrees with my earlier suggestion that if the shrouds are under too much tension they could cause backward bend in the mast beacuse the shrouds are attached to chainplates somewhat aft of the mast foot (ie. so shroud over-tension could pull the mast-tip rearward).

RussMT you will note that in 133BHP's next post (April 11) he has now backed off the shroud tension by "1 hole" on the adjusters, and hence the mast seems to have straightened up.

133BHP, we must await input from some of the more sailing-oriented Mac owners: they can suggest whether we are correct about the mast bend and whether you might want to back off 1 more hole on the shroud tension. My shrouds and forestay (26M) tend to be a bit loose ... but then I am not a very demanding sailor. The 26M has no stay to the stern (but for goodness sake don't remove it on the 26X!).
As regards your problem with the self-furling jib, that is beyond any knowledge of mine, so we'll have to see what the pros say. The 26M sails darn well with only the main (as I recall, Roger advertises an example of sort of 4 mph with main alone vs 5 mph with added jib) ... but I gather that the 26X may get more benefit from adding the jib. Nevertheless, for me the fun of sailing is maximal at 3 mph (smooth and simple); so I personally would probably be happy with main alone on an X (sacrilege for a true sailor I bet).

Kittiwake

133bhp wrote:New problem, just found the top rolling furler wire is hanging on by threads. I will have to sail it with the mast raising in place. Or maybe tie a rope around the bearing black thing, and let it rotate/twist around that somehow?

Are you saying the forestay is down to a few wires? If so, then . . . Yikes! Don't sail it like that, or you risk losing the mast! The mast raising gin pole and rigging isn't enough to overcome the loads on that forestay. Buy a new one, before you damage something, or kill someone with the mast coming down.

Unless, of course, I misunderstood what you said.

yes, correct, forestay about to let go by the look of it. I like to live dangerously so will sort something out. Determined to finally sail the thing, even if on the main only. Maybe find a rigging place in gt yarmouth/other? Thanks for advice all.

If you insist on sailing with an almost parted forestay, at least land the jib halyard on the stem fitting or bow rail, and tension it to relieve some of the load and to prevent the mast from landing on your head. Wind load on the main sail will translate to additional tensile force in the forestay, so you should at least provide some backup.

Naturally, I wont rely on a few strands but I have some 2000kg wire/clasps that will go on as you suggest. that and the mast pole, on main only, will be fine. Maybe shelve the transatlantic trip for another time!

Hey, I'm now expecting at the very least, a report of a cross channel trip. Now let me see, I wouldn't have thought Aldeburgh is too far for you to go, maybe Woodbridge, find somewhere nice to launch, then down the river and out into the North Sea, and off up to the Hook of Holland, a couple of days in The Hague, sample a nice bit of weed, and home again. Trip of a lifetime! Oh, and don't worry about that little problem with the forestay, you only need a few strands to hold the thing together, that wire is stainless you know and stronger than you think. If in any doubt, take a spare henweigh with you, just in case.

Best of luck, look forward to reading you report.

Paul

PS. Just so you don't feel outsmarted, the best I have done in the two years I have had my on the Tamar is around the back of Drakes Island, and out to the breakwater and back. Lovely. I blame the admiral of course, 'cause the boat started tilting a bit when the wind got up, and when I tried to anchor up in the lee of Drakes Island to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat, it kept dragging and pulling up loads of kelp. My fault of course

Paul.

quick roundup excuse typos etc

back from the trip. and can report I have at last, sailed my Mac, albeit rather slowly! Bascially very gusty weather all week, or no wind at all. But overall it was a great introdcution
to saling, and learned a load by day two (usually the hard way) . And was a great break/holiday overall.

Highlight or lowlight depending on you point of view? - I rigged up a temp extra forstay/ballst in and both rudders/CB down, It was breezy rather than gusty plus smaller saling boats
were full main/jib so i got the main full up.with engine in idle and was enjoying saling of sorts. But 15 minutes later, coming around a bend in the river the boat slammed over portside
without warning before I could think about releasing the rope.

All the gear and my girlfriend lurched over, the steering seemed to be uselsss too so we both hung on at what seemed like a 45 degree angle? woth the water looking very close at this point. Not having anything to compare it to I'm half worried/half thinking is this angle normal? But a second later, suddenly it lurches even more! I said to my girfriednm " I think iits going over" - and I meant it! - half petrified/half embarrased that my first trip is going to end up capsized!

To my extreme relief, the wind/my steering pushed the front turning us downnwind enough to ease the pressure and we righted, although now were heading for the bank! so before I
could get the main down I had to whack it in reverse etc all the while praying the wind doesnt catch the sail again befire I can lower it. I was just not prepared for how fast it all
happened, espcailly on a river. Anyway, It would have been a great photo! For the next day at least, anytime the boat heeled 5 degress, even under power only we both gripped the
handrail just in case

That said, the rest of the trip went okay, I got to understand what was going on much better, although overall the wind was so gusty it reduced the saling time dramatcially from what I
hoped for. Made manourveing very hard at times. however, one sunny traquil afternoon, sailing with no engine at a heady 2.2 mph ! it was a great feeling,

Lots of issues raised in handling, rigging etc but another time.

Here some pics/vid. One retrriving in wind/current, looks good but was distatrous just trying to dock just before that attempt so no-ones more surprised than me that it went in one!
Another being chased by the boat!

I rigged up a winch to launch/retrive test/backup plan and the concept worked well but pulled it out okay anyway. The car itself proved fine. 2000kg towing spec. could overtake well etc, 60mph/26mpg. with a winch and/or rope. its all you actually need as a mimum. A 4X4 could not have got in deep enough anyway.

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b94/l ... GP2323.mp4

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b94/l ... GP2332.mp4

In the second video, why was the car hood up?

So yeah, 45 degrees is normal and likely to happen if you don't do anything to prevent it. The boat won't capsize if the ballast is properly in, but yes, it's fast and can be scary until you're used to it. Dowse the sail by uncleating the mainsail sheet and the boat will upright (and you'll lose speed). You can manage the heel by loosing the mainsail farther to leeward using the traveler and mainsheet, but at the point that this no longer works, you'll need to put a reef in the mainsail and tighten back up.

So yeah, 45 degrees is normal and likely to happen if you don't do anything to prevent it. The boat won't capsize if the ballast is properly in, but yes, it's fast and can be scary until you're used to it. Dowse the sail by uncleating the mainsail sheet and the boat will upright (and you'll lose speed). You can manage the heel by loosing the mainsail farther to leeward using the traveler and mainsheet, but at the point that this no longer works, you'll need to put a reef in the mainsail and tighten back up.

Congrats on your new . Can you take a picture of the forestay with the broken strands? My biggest fear next to capsize is the mast coming down. Knowing that a mast stayed up in "knock over" conditions with only a few strands holding it would put more faith in my new forestay. Although I always tie off the jib halyard to the the bow pulpit as backup.
You say that the engine was running while sailing. I think that is ok to help get out of a tight situation. But be careful with the centerboard down and engine running. If you accelerate and try to turn, the boat is going to tip in the opposite direction.
On my we let it go over as far as we could to see what it would do before I got the wife and kids aboard. We were standing on the leeward seats and I couldn't steer any more and she rounded up into the wind and straightened up. I imagine the windward rudder was out of the water and the leeward one was at such and angle it wasn't acting like a rudder anymore. I'm surprised yours didn't round up into the wind with the amount of rake it appears you have in one of your pictures. Although I read where you did adjust the shrouds some so maybe you don't have enough mast rake?
You seem very resourceful and your boat retrieval was great for first time! You stayed calm and aborted the mission and came in for another try instead of going for it when you knew it was wrong. Please be careful and take advice from those here much wiser than me.
My wife would have never made a second trip if I went over that far on her first trip! Sounds like you have a great sailing companion there.

Need to go alone and explore limits next time I thinik. but will let the G/F know she got a mention as I would not have got back onboard!

I'll try to take a pic but its on land with the furler hanging out the back, might be s a stretch? But on closer inspection when derigging, it want as bad as I thought. (in a rush etc) The outer wires were broke but a substantial inner portion of the wire was intact. From reading here it wouod seem that the top end should have a felxible link (insert corect name) basically to prevent kinking when putting up/down. some binoculaors onboard to check now and again would'nt be a bad idea. But will replace and likewise, as a backup, will run a rope or keep the temp winch cable I used as well now I am aware.

I had a 2000lb winch on the back but not really man enough so I've orderd a 4500ilb winch/snatch block for those shallow or slippery slopes - cheaper than a 4*4!


cheers