Looking for other Mac owners in Australia

[StokerJock]

Jock, You the sort of guy who catches Zeds in a rack, likes a brew in the morning, reddez on his Mystery bag, and brings back lots a rabbits when ya come back from up top on the grey funnel line Pusser?

Hi Mac26MPaul,
Yes I did a bit of time drinking Goffa's & eating Macca's (not the Macca's of today of course) on the ship's side grey war canoes of the DE & DDG designation. Many a watch down the dusty's den, keeping the paddles moving.
Cheers
StokerJock

[Mac26Mpaul]

Ahh, shipside grey, got many a spot of that on me 8s,
ya didnt spend any time on this one did ya?

My rack was about under that forward 5 inch gun. If you were on it, my pychic powers tell me you were likely closer to the ass end. Unless of course you were just an Officer in which case somewhere nice and comfy in the middle somewhere maybe I lived on HMAS Brisbane for a coupla years, was on Perth too, but only during a drydock refit for three months in about 88! Otherwise, I was also on Gaybay (Jervis Bay) for a few years there.

When I finished Uni as a mature age student in 2006, stupidly, I almost went back!!! glad I woke up in time

[Mac26Mpaul]

Bart, ya got ta be thankful to have a job at all these days. Things are not looking that great at my job right now, but I'm not going to let it spoil my Xmas break!

The description you give of what you intend to be doing over Xmas sounds like heavon to me - doesnt quite work that way on my little ship because I'v got two young kids to drive me batty not giving me a minute to myself...

If that is your backyard in Fiji Stacey, what the he-ll are you doing here Looks great.

[dlandersson]

looking back (not always at the time), I don't regret my time in the service. These days I feel fortunate to have a job.

When I finished Uni as a mature age student in 2006, stupidly, I almost went back!!! glad I woke up in time

[bartmac]

A job is one thing (no one would be silly enough to employ me).....our businesses which I work in is something else....the buck stops with me...thats all bucks.So its not 8-4.30 5 days aweek but 24/7 sometimes for little reward in this depressed economic environment...unless you are in a mining region....Our kids are all grown up...one going to the US for 6 weeks and the other is working in the mines earning a bucket loads of money for very very very loooooong hours

[Mac26Mpaul]

Ahh, "own business", thats different, tried the small business thing for a while there and was working crazy hours (often for nothing), and soon realized its a lifestyle not suited to lazy bastards Now I have a job which is well suited my wife says (deffinately aint going to make me rich, but thats okay)

[bartmac]

"own business " isn't a license to print money...has some benefits but also drawbacks

[KookaSnook]

Is this LITTLE ANNIE inside... looks nice and fancy even a photo on the wall??

[KookaSnook]

Bart, ya got ta be thankful to have a job at all these days. Things are not looking that great at my job right now, but I'm not going to let it spoil my Xmas break!

If that is your backyard in Fiji Stacey, what the he-ll are you doing here Looks great.

These are photos of our back yard on Ken's knoll at KesuKesu Rabi Island 2 acres sitting 90 foot about the water where you can watch the fish below on the reef. This place and KookaSnook are all part of the DIVINE PLAN for future years. Our coconut farm is on Taveuni about 14 miles across the Somosomo Straits from the south end of Rabi. Ken's land is on the most easterly point of the island and he wants to mount a solar beacon on the end here to help our guys when they are out at sea here at night in their little outriggers. Ken knows what its like trying to find your way home on a dark stormy night in complete darkness. Now you know why we wanted a lift up keel.

PS I should explain here that we run our own Coconut company here in Australia and are a joint venture with our farm back on Taveuni

[kadet]

KookaSnook all I can say is nice, hope they all weathered Evan OK.

When I get the big boat Fiji is at the top of my destination list, just a bit far for the

[KookaSnook]

KookaSnook all I can say is nice, hope they all weathered Evan OK.

When I get the big boat Fiji is at the top of my destination list, just a bit far for the

Yes Ken and I have just been around to Cameron's warehouse: Blue Reef sailing and checked out the Very different to the and loved some of the add ons. Loved the shower and water tank and Cameron said they are easy to fit also loved the dropped down table - just great. Already ordered one and a new steering unit as Cameron said they start to stiffen up and need replacing after a while and ours definitely does. He also showed us the concealed steering unit on the motor controls and advised us to contact Suzuki with the model number of our motor to see if we can get one for ours.

So good to talk to Cameron and get all the advice from him. Great to see how they make the pods on the front fit and he even offered great advice on the Lazy Jack. He said they make it harder and longer to rig the boat with the mast down but because we leave ours up would make it much easy to get the sail up and down. He also suggested putting on a mast line to hold the boom up but the only problem we have is that we have to drop our mast to do all this. Something we haven't done before. What else we found a bit surprising is that Ken could not stand up straight in the as its not as high as our inside. I was OK and it seemed very nice inside. Loved the leather cushions all the girl stuff. So now we know what you guys are talking about with your

And yes KADET... that's a question we posed to Cameron about do you think we could pay anyone to sail it to Fiji for us as he was telling us how tight a fit it is in a 40FCL, have to take the wheels off the trailer and not easy to get it in and even harder to get it out the other end. His answer was a definite NO!!

[Mac26Mpaul]

Not sure about headroom. The M has a bit more freeboard and is said to have about 2 inches more headroom. Six foot under the hatch and 5,10 (more lke 5'9) just forward of that. Headroom is fine for me as I'm 5'10 and the headroom is heavon compared to most other Trailer Sailers (of course the price you pay is all the freeboard)
Some stuff about M and X differences here
http://www.macgregor26.com/comparison_w ... nd_26m.htm

Yeah thats Little Annie. These boats are a bit "clinical" inside, and need a bit of sprucing up with something, photos, nick naks or whatever. I had framed family photos but decided to cut down on weight (always an issue with a trailerboat) and just laminated some photos. Will get around to making the boat a bit prettier with some varnished shelving etc sooner or later....




Coconut farm in Fiji, got it made

You could sail a trailer sailer to Fiji, and you may even make it, You'd just have to have a few Roos loose in the top paddock to attempt it is all

[StokerJock]

Ahh, shipside grey, got many a spot of that on me 8s,
ya didnt spend any time on this one did ya?

My rack was about under that forward 5 inch gun. If you were on it, my pychic powers tell me you were likely closer to the ass end. Unless of course you were just an Officer in which case somewhere nice and comfy in the middle somewhere maybe I lived on HMAS Brisbane for a coupla years, was on Perth too, but only during a drydock refit for three months in about 88! Otherwise, I was also on Gaybay (Jervis Bay) for a few years there.

When I finished Uni as a mature age student in 2006, stupidly, I almost went back!!! glad I woke up in time

Mac26M Paul,
Sorry for the time lapse in response, I should log on a little more religiously
I spent most of my service time on Torrens 53 & Yarra 45 (3 & 2 stints respectively) with a one off draft to Perth 38 (aft PO's Mess) & Aware ACPB. Officer No I worked for a living

I got out in 85 and like a lot of guys who got out around that time, I wanted to get back in during Desert Storm year, but in the end,I did not enjoy being screwed re: DFRDB changes made me tell them ......., 2nd word off
I'm not sure what it's like now but the training we received at the time (Tech rates at least) left me in good shape for future employment. Still working with Pipes, Valves Pumps & Turbines quarter a century later!
I'm going to Brizvegas in March, hope fully we can catch up for a beer & discussion on and other things nautical.

Best Regards

Jock

[Mac26Mpaul]

ahh, I had just drafted off Brisbane when they decided it was going to Desert Storm, and like everyone else desperatly wanted back on but didnt get there, I was safely tucked away on Jervis Bay (not sure if that was in service when you left, but it was the old Tassy car ferry which we were attempting to use as some sort of a troop carrying ship)..

I only joined for my 6 year stint in 87 but things were changing for the worst when I got out...

Yes, they set you up with job skills for civvy land, unless you were an extra stupid 17 year old that thought there might be a great future in playing with guns, then you got out with SFA in usefullness LOL

Yes, if I'm about then, a beer will be nice

[Mac26Mpaul]

Anybody make it out on Moreton bay over New Year. We left on the 28th aiming for Amity and Tangalooma. Got to Peel Island and the missus got sick on day one. We turned back and spent the night at Blaksleys anchorage. Next morning we had a nice sail back to Peel Island. Got the poor mans autopilot out (bungee cord on the helm) which got us there barely having to touch the helm.

By 1030 the Coast guard was buzzing around Horseshoe Bay warning of the coming 30 knots straight into the bay and most of the 100 or so boats were hightailing it out of there.

We left there and it hit us and my boy got real sick. Couldnt head back south as not enough petrol, so went over to Dunwich and managed to get some fuel. Then fought out way south for about 5 hours (real wet ride for me... ) with the wind on the nose all down the Canaipa passage. Finally made it to Tipplers. Next morning straight into the wind again and into Southport. Got the best spot closest to the fireworks near Broawater parklands there.

All up 5 days, but probably one of our worst trips for things not working out.... Came back absolutely stuffed.... Saw two other Macs, anchored near one at Tipplers, and saw one anchored over near Seaworld. Then there is the 26M "Interlude" that llves on the Swing mooring near the Southport Yacht club of course.

I hope you wernt at Tangalooma on the 28th/29th Stacey, as you would not have had much fun I should imagine, The wrecks wouldnt have done much for the 30 knot southerly...