MacGregorSailors.com

New Mac X owner here. Can someone give me a quick explanation of how to disconnect the motor from the steering? Someone here advised one do this when sailing. The suggestion is that it makes turning the rudders easier while the engine is up.

As an aside, I've been keeping the vent cap of my gas tank(s) closed tight when not in use, then unscrewing so air can get in while using the motor. Does anyone leave them open all the time?

I leave my gas tank vent open all the time.
Q1

Sometimes you get more results than you can sift through with the search.

There's a bar that connects your engine to your starboard rudder. Look a couple inches foward from where the bar meets your rudder and you should see another post sticking up. Move the bar from one post to the other. You may have to shorten the linkage to make it fit. Mine has to be shortened exactly 15 turns. Then raise the motor.

Also one post on my boat uses a large ring ding while the other uses a locknut.

Is that clear enough? There's pictures somewhere on here but I can't find them at the moment.

I leave mine open that way when I fill up the tank at the gas station and pick it up to put back into the Ford a little squirts out and drips down my leg to remind me to close it before filling. It is these little "extras" that make boating so special.

on edit: I am referring to the vent and not my fly although I have noticed.... well never mind, it is the vent that drips.

The pivot bolt for the port rudder is put in with the nut on the bottom. The pivot bolt for the starboard rudder has the nut on the top. Just remove the engine drive link from the front of the starboard rudder arm and drop it over the exposed threads of the starboard rudder bolt. No adjustment should be needed. If the hole in the link does not meet the threads, turn the motor a little by hand until they do line up. The link adjustments are for aligning the motor with the rudders when you are motoring with the rudders down.

I only vent the tank I am using.

I wondered about that. No idea why I have to adjust mine but to keep the motor straight I do.

tangentair wrote:I leave mine open that way when I fill up the tank at the gas station and pick it up to put back into the Ford a little squirts out and drips down my leg to remind me to close it before filling. It is these little "extras" that make boating so special.

on edit: I am referring to the vent and not my fly although I have noticed.... well never mind, it is the vent that drips.

,

lucky that you were quick with the edit,the boys would have had a field day with that one

are you sure that its not down to age

bastonjock wrote:

tangentair wrote:I leave mine open that way when I fill up the tank at the gas station and pick it up to put back into the Ford a little squirts out and drips down my leg to remind me to close it before filling. It is these little "extras" that make boating so special.

on edit: I am referring to the vent and not my fly although I have noticed.... well never mind, it is the vent that drips.

,

lucky that you were quick with the edit,the boys would have had a field day with that one

are you sure that its not down to age

A little bit of antibiotic will knock that right out, you know.

Okay, I will take a look at this today and see if it's as straight forward as it sounds.

enufsed wrote:Okay, I will take a look at this today and see if it's as straight forward as it sounds.

If not check out the thread on the bent furler, most are recommending heat or a trip to Florida to get it straight again.

I have the little bracket to unhook the motor. Only did it once though, a real PITA if you ask me. I leave the motor down and make sure it is in neutral and have always had good boat speed. Non event if you ask me.

Nels

I think that disconnecting the motor from the steering linkage is a very bad idea.

I looked at my 2006 M, and saw that the exterior steering linkage to my 60HP Evinrude E-tec is located within the transom motor well. I assume that there is an interior linkage located at the aft end of the aft berth. Crawling into either of these locations while on the water would require a contortionist of Circe de Soliel abilities, in my opinion.

Besides, what would happen if seas suddenly got a little rough and the skipper decided to get back to shore ASAP?

Reconnect everything before starting the outboard!

Steering with the motor attached builds a little bit of upper body strength, something I could use.

That's my editorial opinion for the day.

Dennis

I don't know what the M is like but on my X it takes 60 seconds max to either disconnect or reconnect the motor. As mentioned there's a quick connect on the starboard rudder and that's it. No contortionist act required.

When it comes to the steering linkage location, the and the are very different. The has no "back porch" -- all of the rudder linkage is internal. The only exposed piece is the SS tube that connects the port rudder linkage to the motor [visible just above the floor of the outboard well -- best photo I have of it, sorry].

There is at least one "quick connect" option available for that link, but I, personally, agree with Dennis that re-connecting it under unfavorable conditions would not be fun... especially if I wasn't the one making the connection. I can just imagine telling the Admiral, "Now, Dear, I'm going to disconnect the motor from the steering wheel, so if I should become incapacitated for some reason, here's what you'll have to do - in addition to lowering and starting the motor - before you can steer the boat. Watch closely." Right!

wow, that's a pretty major difference. Thanks for the picture, I had forgotten what the back of an M looked like.