MacGregorSailors.com

Paul,

Craig's right - hope your new boat is just fine in this regard, but I've read several times of guys with swing-keel problems. It's a big deal. One guy lost his keel, just fell out to the lake bottom due to corrosion problem. I've read of other guys who took-on the challenge of refurbishing after it was in poor shape, and it's a job-and-a-half.

Check out the private websites over at Bob White's Mac website. Near the bottom of the main page there are over a dozen Mac 25 links. I think Bob lost interest, but he has someone helping to maintain that site. It's a great resource for the classic Macs. You'll be well-equipped after reading a couple of those swing keel stories. Maybe you'll hook up w/ a Mac 25 owner who's tackled it before.

Best of all ... you're sailing a Hall-of-Fame sailboat! You can outsail any Mac 26 out here - your 25, under sail, will win every time!

Frank,

That site is actually where I found the ad for the boat. And I do intend to take a look at the keel, as well as put some barrier coat the hull.

As far as the keel condition, the PO put some Hammerite(I think) on the keel, looks to be the same stuff that he coated the trailer with, and he had replaced the winch with a galvanized unit, but the cable is original and still looks pretty good. I also have a spare keel bolt with the boat, not sure if I'll need it soon.

I did look at the process of getting the boat off the ground and getting at the under side, and one of the other m25 owners took the keel out and took it to a machine shop to have the keel-bolt hole drilled out to put an SS bushing/plate in, hopefully I won't have to go that far.

Well, I got my boat over to the house almost a week ago and still trying to get it prepped up. Anyways it looks like it will shape up pretty well, after I buy the gallon of rubbing compound

Anyways it looks like I will have to replace some of the deck hardware; specifically the forestay turnbuckle and most of the fairleads(the ones w/o the SS liner), and one of the genny cars needs a new screw or replace the whole thing. but the item that I need to replace now is the forestay turnbuckle. I think that the standing rigging will be good for another few seasons, but I may want to replace the running rigging (halyards, lines, etc) next boating season.

Anyone, know if any great deals right now on turnbuckles and fairleads and assorted hardware, or is this the wrong time of the season to buy?