MacGregorSailors.com

I get a half knot to a knot in high winds with the rotation and about a half knot in light winds. In between winds I do not notice a huge difference in the rotation effect.

The rotating mast is most effective on a beam reach. The GPS pegs 6.5 but pinning the mast will knock that down to 5.5 or so. I find it improves speed better than a vang. I also have found that the traveler improves speed second best.

Here is the order of things in regards to how well they improve speed in my opinion and in my experience:

#1 Rotating Mast
#2 Traveler
#3 Vang
#4 Autopilot (greatly reduces rudder drag from human oversteering)
#5 Reefing
#6 Heel under 20 degrees

One of the best speeds I ever got on 'boat' was in Long Beach inside the breakwater - the wind was blowing about 22 knots - but because we were inside the breakwater there were no swells, no breakers, and no chop!

I had the main on the first reef cringle
AP held the course steady
I had the vang attached - and the traveller fully relaxed (that helped keep the heel down)

We were SCREAMING at 6.9 knots - and I have heard tales of other M drivers getting over 7 knots in the same conditions. I saw a guy in a MAC D scream past us once near Los Alamitos and I figure he must have been going about 9 knots in similar conditions and configuration - I always watch those D drivers - they know how to go fast.

In those conditions the set screw on the mast will help stop the plate from moving.

I doubt the rotating mast makes that much of a difference. At least with the X/M.

However, since Roger built it to rotate, why not make it rotate. The bearings made a big difference for me and I'm on my original set.

Here is what my mast looks like.. considering buying an entire new base plate
Its pinned.. and the van connection was bent more flat (not a problem)

Russ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:49 am I doubt the rotating mast makes that much of a difference. At least with the X/M.

However, since Roger built it to rotate, why not make it rotate. The bearings made a big difference for me and I'm on my original set.

x don't got no rotating mast

so maybe it don't make me go faster - (FINE!) why not let me live in my own little world?
(some people suck the joy out of everything)

Anyways,



The plans from the factory says it's gotta have EARS! with GOOD STRONG WELDS! (so THERE!)

As you can see above the little ear keeps the mast from rotating in the base. I suspect they added it when they added the vang tang.

(And don't make fun of me because I said 'vang tang')

So Boat, I'm one of those D guys you love so much, but I no longer race. The admiral would like the traveller out of her way (it is in the middle of the cockpit seats mounted to the top of the seats). Since you obviously have an opinion, do you think I could get away with cutting the traveller shorter and mounting it down on the floor (it would be about 15" long down there)? Or am I going to be forced to get creative and mount it overhead in order to keep the length as is?

BOAT wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:57 pm


The plans from the factory says it's gotta have EARS! with GOOD STRONG WELDS! (so THERE!)

That’s cringe-worthy. As someone who’s spent the last 40 years designing weldments and fabricated structures with machined features, that just, well, irritates I guess. “Good strong weld”? Sheesh.

It sounds like something Roger would say on the full 26M video! . "You need a good, strong, weld here to keep the world from ending. All of our boats are built with good strong welds..."

Awsome!
I do believe I have the 3" x 5" mast..
what is that plan for?

Also if you look, it looks like the vang attachment was bent out of the way as I have a solid vang.
(no biggie..)
and I do have a

AD

adudinsk wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:01 pm Here is what my mast looks like.. considering buying an entire new base plate
Its pinned.. and the van connection was bent more flat (not a problem)

Yea, that pin doesn't belong there. It keeps the mast from rotating. Might be good while on the trailer.

Consider the BWY bearings to make it rotate easier.

hey adudinsk

Like Russ said, that pin is okay for trailering but we are hoping you remove it for sailing.

And don't forget the ears Tom, just like my head the space between the ears is not just 3 inches but THREE INCHES EXACTLY! So don't forget!







In the case of Maraquita there are other options for traveling the main by securing it to other places on the deck but unfortunately they mean removing the block with a clip and moving it to another place every time you tack. I even do that when i am trying to point very high.

Think of the boat rotating under the sail - you can only beat so high with the boom as close to midships as the block can pull it:



In theory, the boat should turn around the mast in regards to the wind. The red spot on the picture is the turning point. The idea is to rotate the boat under the sail at that point. The sail stays in the same place in reference to the wind in both pictures here. The sail and the wind are not changing at all nor is the boom position to the wind. All the traveler does is rotate the boat under the boom and sail:



So wind to sail angle does not change, wind is the same, boom position in space is the same - but we moved the boat under the boom and that turned the boat higher but the sail is still in the same place.

Now, In the case of Maraquita because he is a D pilot there is no real improvement in speed - and it's only slight in the M - so it really depends on how important pointing is to the D driver which is probably not much but for the M driver he needs all the pointing help he can get (cuz M don't point as good as D)

THe previous owner removed the rotating mast as he felt it was more a pain then what it was worth. He sailed with the mast pinned all the time.

I intend no on putting the bearing in, and putting it back to factory.

AD

Another issue, this bracket it VERY VERY wobbly, I assume the pop rivets are loose, and an wondering if I should use HIGH STRENGTH aluminum or stainless steel? All 4 rivets are wobbling around, about 1/2" play at least.

Hey Maraquita,

One of the things that we talked about here a while back was replacing the traveler with dual mainsheets. It's actually a great idea for folks that do a lot of long distance voyaging.

The idea is that you have a sheet block from the starboard side of the boat to the boom and also another duplicate sheet block from the port side of the boat to the boom.

Most folks rig these up from the genoa tracks back on the gunnels up to the end of the boom.

The reason these are great for long distance legs is that you can also use the sheets as preventers that way when going downwind - one of the issues of long distance travel is long legs downwind and a wind shift while your below making lunch (or eliminating said lunch) and WAM! you jibe.

Also, the dual mainsheets allow you to really travel that boom WAY over midships and it really helps boats like the M boat point higher. If the wind is not too strong sometimes I cheat and hook my mainsheet block to the stanchion base so I can get my main way over center and point much higher. When i do that I run the genoa line onto the cabin top and furl the genoa in all the way to the mast.

I am not confident at using the stanchion as a preventer because i think the sail could rip the stanchion off the deck - not sure - I need Tom to calculate that before I attempt it but a mod I would be willing to do is add a track on either side for dual mainsheets to run in certain conditions.

adudinsk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:12 am Another issue, this bracket it VERY VERY wobbly, I assume the pop rivets are loose, and an wondering if I should use HIGH STRENGTH aluminum or stainless steel? All 4 rivets are wobbling around, about 1/2" play at least.

Mine has a stainless self tapping screw and a stainless pop-rivet. You probably need to remove the bracket and see if the holes have been damaged. If so, you may need to move the bracket up or down slightly and re-drill. I would not use an aluminum rivet there. The bracket needs to be very secure to be safe. What is going on with the hardware there? It appears to have been bent. Also, there is a bracket that I don't recognize. Mine looks like this:

Extra bracket is for the sail tack - you would not have that Jimmy because your sail is attached to a furler - not to the mast.