MacGregorSailors.com

It probably is. Somewhere around '99 they eliminated the ballast vent under the step (mine) then eliminated the step and the bump it sits on altogether (yours).

My 98 that I posted in the picture does not have the ballast vent under the removable step, it's up under the V berth. I don't mind the step but it is a fairly small target and a pretty tall step. I have only slept in the boat once. I slept great on the dinette and my buddy creaked out in the V berth. I don't have mattresses installed in the pizza oven berth because I haven't stopped the leaks back there yet and I don't want my mattress to get moldy.

I'm no fiberglass expert but I've done enough to muddle my way through general repairs. If I cut away the step, I would probably have a hard time making the final finish seamless, but I could make it acceptable without too many attempts. The nice thing with fiberglass is you can sand it down and redo the work pretty easily and quickly... but it's super dusty. I've never played with gelcoat but I've painted plenty of things. I don't think gelcoat is too hard to do.

Hi Sheppie62

We’re still curious about your step tower structure and if/how the structure vents the ballast tank... and how to possibly make a modification that would minimize its intrusion into that area of your vessel.

Please post some detail photos if you can of the outsides and insides if you can....

A nice easy set of wood stairs that can flip up out of the way would work as well as the steel ones and possibly look better too. (Inquisitor made really nice looking “paddle” stairs for his Mac26M as an idea generator.)

I will take detailed pictures tomorrow, my boat has nothing it the lower fixed stoop, thanks for your interest! Where is that wood staircase post, sorry didn’t look long.

OverEasy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:57 pm Hi Sheppie62

We’re still curious about your step tower structure and if/how the structure vents the ballast tank... and how to possibly make a modification that would minimize its intrusion into that area of your vessel.

Please post some detail photos if you can of the outsides and insides if you can....

A nice easy set of wood stairs that can flip up out of the way would work as well as the steel ones and possibly look better too. (Inquisitor made really nice looking “paddle” stairs for his Mac26M as an idea generator.)

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28242&p=349573&hili ... se#p349481

“The Grand Staircase” by Inquisitor

In lieu of SST pipe hardwood such as straight grain hickory (like used for hand rails and good closet rods) with an O.D. Of 1-1/2 or more diameter should also work as should thick wall 1-1/2 O.D. Aluminum tubing (polish and clear coat with something like Minwax Crystal polyacrylic and it would be hard to tell the difference).

What’s inside? Where’s Geraldo to open it ? There are plastic plugs for hardware nut access. I’ll remove those tomorrow take a peak inside. I stuck a wire in the drain hole in front, wire hit something immediately.

Hi Sheppie62

That is really interesting!
I wonder if someone whose Mac26X with this arrangement but with the ballast vent could help by providing some comparison pictures before you do surgery...???

Is there sealant at the base to walkway or is that fiberglassed?

If it wasn’t the vent it might have made sense as a battery compartment for balance aspects sort of...except the battery helps offset the head and dinette weights.....

Hi Sheppie62

I found this in the Mac26X 1996 manual.



It gives some idea of what might be in some remnant form within the step base.

Some additional 1996 info images



Hope these help some....

“Is there sealant at the base to walkway or is that fiberglassed?,

might have made sense as a battery compartment for balance aspects”

No sealant the bottom stoop is part of the floor, that would be a great place for a starting battery! Give room for 2 deep cycle batteries in orghinal spot.

Hi Sheppie62

That would be a cool option for a start battery location as well as the dual storage batteryies!

This gets me wondering...
> Did MacGregor continue using the old molds for the hull/ballast/interior shells during a transition phase but just didn’t do the center fill/vent machining?
> Did MacGregor change the hull/ballast shells and continue using up the older interior shells?

Before you take the sawsall or grinder to it might I possibly suggest that you carefully drill a 3/4 or 7/8 diameter hole in the fwd face center of the molded in stoop to see what is inside?

This might give you an idea as to the potential options and/or the amount of work you would be taking on.

932734944619

There are two plastic plugs for access to the nuts holding the hardware for the top step mountings, a heavy battery on top of ballast tank might not be good idea, could weaken it. I’ll look inside in a few hours. See photo

Still has ballast tank in there. Would have to cut that down as well, I’m not comfortable doing that. So maybe just stairs above stoop?

iCould cut top of tank off and raise up for a live well bait tank, put led light in there and open back valve at night to collect free bait. Haha