High wind movie, 35+ and 20' waves

[mikelinmon]

Roger wanted some photos just like the ones in the old Classic 26 video. Here in Newport Beach we seldom get to sail in much breeze, no thunderstorms, no lightning and hardly any rain. It gets dark most evenings but that does not produce exciting sailing action. Sometimes it comes howling and I'll try to get a hold of Roger, can't find or he's busy, other times he'll call a few days later, where were you, the wind is gone now.
Just cleaned up a spanking new 26M for the in the water Lido Isle boat show, sails never up on it yet, tuned? i'm in my suit! At the show! Box of brochures and DVD's in the boat, my ice chest loaded, extra chips and cookies in the boat, Roger calls, lets go! No sailors to go with us other than my son, no buddies/crew, his nor mine. He snags his foreman, a big burley lad, the foremans son and his purchasing agent. These fellows have never been sailing before and we are looking at 35mph winds blowing across the Mac70, pressing her tight to the dock. More on that in a moment. Roger says meet him at his dock with the 26M. Jeff and I motor back to Roger's house/dock, i figure no way! Rather than call in chicken, I'll raise reefed mainsail, no genoa and sail by a couple of times heeled right over, they will see it, we'll cancel, OK. Sail by, send them a small wall of water from the passby and tack right at the dock, he calls on ch68, "you have genoa or jib on the furler?" "genoa" says I, "thats what I want" says he.
They push, push, push on the side of " Anthem" as the reluctant sliver of a yacht is forced out of its safe berth. Three miles later as we wind our way out of the Newport Harbor, he calls in "sail out hard on the wind a few miles" We are adjusting several things just like I know we need to, having not sailed in this much wind since my days in New Orleans, adjusting according to lost lessons or disremembered books, too much weather helm. Raise the daggerboard 6", more, more. Now up 18", add genoa, what, we already have way too much sail. Balance is now almost OK. Guess we'll save the 60hp motor for whatever happens next. With Jeff and me sitting high it is sailing at 5 to 6 mph. Now we come to the first big wave. This is the first big wave I've seen, ever. Ride up and over, no drama, give me a bigger one, look down wave at "Anthem", just masts, no boat visible, both masts lean slowly aft, the the slim bow comes up as though from beneath the sea, 30 feet of blue, wet sailboat at 5 or 6 mph angled to the moon. They didn't get wet yet clear in the stern but that bow will soon enough come back to the sea, I could hear it, see it, wish I had a camera. What a splash. Roger had a camera and took 1 and 1/2 hours of our 26M, tons of stills, wish you could see them now, soon on the new DVD, he'll put it on the websight tonight maybe. Can't wait to show them to my wife, she thinks I work for a living. The boat went straight back to the boat show, same genoa and no damage, needs retuning, take out the reef and take some showgoers on demo sails/boat rides. Only evidence to be washed away salt with a waterhose, no scrubbing, I'm still in my suit wrinkled from the rainsuit and PFD, my hair is a mess, usual coffied looks gone away, showgoers waiting on the dock, wondering why the boat looks salty. They want to go for a demo sail, show management walking up tells me to dock it for the day, red flags and all, red flag is nothing to me now, want that little square one, maybe two. Next day, three days of boat show, sailing around with prospective Mac owners, seems so calm, way sailing should be, what a day today, light wind, good ole southern California, I want bigger sails, taller mast, it won't blow again will it?
Mike Inmon

[pokerrick1]

Here in Newport Beach we seldom get to sail in much breeze, no thunderstorms, no lightning and hardly any rain. It gets dark most evenings

Really

Call me the next evening that it doesn't get dark, Mike

Rick

PS Great story - - - but one untruth - - - your wife knows you don't really work

PPS And why were you trying to kill Jeff (#1 son)

[Night Sailor]

Yes, one can know it intellecutually, see it in films or photos, hear first person accounts, and explain it with science, engineering and math, but until one actually experiences it personally, the fact that little boats can just ride right up and down waves as tall as they are just doesn't seem real. It is real, and never to be forgotten.

[pokerrick1]

Well said Night Sailor

Rick

[AKCoastie]

So you got video right? When can we see it?

[Inquisitor]

I REALLY HOPE I AM WRONG; but, I doubt we’ll ever see it…

Read some of the posts here that link to articles about Roger MacGregor’s history. In them you’ll find first and foremost, Roger is a shrewd businessman. He is here, while countless other companies have gone under. His primary marketing strategy is toward first time purchasers. It’s hard enough for him to overcome their motor dependency as it is… he’s certainly not going to scare off the potential, insecure captains and admirals by showing them Mike's consummate mastery of 20’ waves. He doesn’t even want to suggest to the landlubbers that there are even waves that big out there. He wants their minds imagining placid lakes and romantic escapes and towing kids on water toys… not conquering the “wild” ocean. At best, I suspect we’ll see some artistic stills.

… but, please… please… release it to us on this forum. We promise not to let it out. I’d like that little nudge for sailing over the hump from Florida to the Bahamas even if there’s a north wind… and on down into the Caribbean.

[mikelinmon]

Oh, you are going to see it alright, don't you remember the video of the classic 26 in high wind, you may not be as okd sa me, its my favorite video, all that disturbed water. We waited a long time for this wind to come through. The stills look pretty spectacular also/
Mike

[mikelinmon]

How about a link to that clip of the 26m we saw recently on u-tub. I lost track of it, maybe Roger coul post on websight?
Mike

[Inquisitor]

I haven't seen the old one. Do you have a link to it?

[Highlander]

How about a link to that clip of the 26m we saw recently on u-tub. I lost track of it, maybe Roger coul post on websight?
Mike

I think that was Leon & Beene out in the S/F bay
OK Guys here's your chance to be movie stars

J

[Highlander]

Mike

Was just in the Mac site no new video's posted as of yet !

J

[bubba]

My wife the skipper and I the captain have been out in 35+ winds regularally but on the lakes on the Columbia river and in the channels of the San Juan Islands where the biggest waves were 5 feet or so and we were on our 3rd reef trying to be safe ( the top of the main sail is just below the spreaders on 3 rd reef ). The last time out in 35 mph winds we were surfing 5 ft wind swells on the 3rd reef and doing 9.5 running down the waves and 7.5 going up the next wave while cooking burgers on the aft grill, so big rollers should not be too difficult to deal with. I can only imagine the speed you were getting running down a 20 ft wave with more sail up ( was it the standard factory reef ? ), what a blast. What was your speed up the 20 ft wave ? ,that is the real question sailing up the 20 ft waves for open ocean sailing.

[Hamin' X]

How about a link to that clip of the 26m we saw recently on u-tub. I lost track of it, maybe Roger coul post on websight?
Mike

Is this the one you want, Mike?

Macgregor 26M, on auto pilot, 45 deg in 45 knots

~Rich

[K9Kampers]

@ 0:22 : "I can't reach my beer!" - That's alcohol abuse! Don't you know that alcohol should always be kept within easy reach?!

[Love MACs]

I've found that a simple bunge cord works well at securing a bottle of Scotch around my neck, negating the need to reach for anything

Allan