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We took our Mac26M out for a week on the Ottawa river near Ottawa two weeks ago. It was a nice day, sunny, few clouds, I was talking on the cell to a friend on another boat nearby and suddenly we got caught in a wicked storm. The wind was well over 50mph with large hail. We had put a nylon tarp over the hatch for sun-shade (no sails up), the wind took a hold of it and pushed the boat down on its side, the engine stalled, I tought that was it!. I finally got the engine started and started to run with the wind but the wind shifted and broad sided us down again, meanwhile I am shouting at my wife, (the wind was howling), to cut the tarp off and let it go. By the time she started working on it, the wind knocked us down again. Finally we ended up about 3 miles down river with the wind, my wife was bruised all over her arms, and I needed a scotch bad. After we discussed what we did right and what we did wrong... life jackets need to be at hand at all times, we realized that our boat had performed really well, it kept us safe, despite the foolishness of putting up a tarp. I feel much more confident about our Mac and what it can handle.

Adrenaud
Just Relaxing
Montreal, Canada

Wow, that's pretty wild! Glad you're ok. Quelle veine!
I find it hard to picture such a storm bursting out while you were talking on a cell phone. For us down in Iowa, a storm takes a while to develop. You see the clouds massing, the wind starts picking up; a sure-fire sign to drop anchors and , batten the hatches, roll up the sunshady tarp, and/or run for cover. Sounds like this one took you totally by surprise. Of course, there's always the "I wish" factor and one imagines that the wind will keep low because one wishes that the wind will keep low. What was the weather report saying?
How far down was the boar knocked over? Did water get into the cockpit? Was the watter ballast in?
Yes, life jackets are de rigueur under sich circumstances, but I would have considered beaching the boat even ebfore that, if possible

Policy developed long ago: Keep your head out of the boat (Be aware of your surroundings at all times).

PFDs don't become personal, or effective unless worn. On my boats, PFDs are donned before the boat leaves the dock and are not removed while topside, until tied up at the dock, or the anchor is set. No exceptions.

Glad you survived with nothing more than cuts and bruises.

~Rich

Good advice Rich, one not to be taken lightly. The ottawa river is not that wide, but a series of storms (micro-burst) came on very suddenly, there were even a few tornados in the area (which is very rare for our area). Beaching was not an option the shore is very rocky. And the boat went completely on it's side, but no water came in... but it was close.

Andre
Just Relaxing
Montreal, Canada

Ballast?

Bob

I'm guessing "yes" on the ballast question

Rick less in Las Vegas

Full ballast.

Andre
Just Relaxing
Montreal, Canda

Mac sailors should be fair weather or motor sailors only, the boat handles well in shallow waters, and people taking then in conditions they should not be in give then a bad rep.

Doesn't sound like this guy "took ' this one into a bad situation , sounds like a bad situation took him by surprise, it happens.

Happy to read the boat did its job , and kept ya'll safe.

Never doubt that the M is a good boat.

Waterbear wrote:Mac sailors should be fair weather or motor sailors only, the boat handles well in shallow waters, and people taking then in conditions they should not be in give then a bad rep.

Waterbear, powerboats, big sailboats, large yachts and even ships at sea get into trouble on the water, any water, at times. The only bad rap comes into play when people think they can analyze an event from afar. It doesn't work. I've been out on waters from Pacific coast, Puget Sound/Strait of Juan de F u c a and large/small US & Canadian lakes and weather can come up fast and furious at times. It doesn't matter what kind of 'boat' you are in. Cut the guy some slack please. Sounds like they and their Mac handled the situation pretty well. Rob

Yep

I beleive I was out driving in that storm when it came through Ontario 5" of water on the roads two hands on the wheel throught my pick-up was going to take flight , when I got home my mast which was loosly tied to the mast crutch because I had been working on it was laying off to the side off the crutch roller luckely the line held or I would have been buying a new mast their was I believe 8 confirmed touch downs & a lot of damage the person who was with me at the time she said are you not scared, I said no unless I was out in the boat !!!

J

Obviously we would not venture into bad weather on purpose. Just one of those situations that occur very quickly, had we been able to go for cover we would of done that. But the Mac did surprise me by it's ability to bounce right back up.

Andre
Just Relaxing
Montreal, Canada

In aviation we have a saying: "When the crash-trucks get to the wreckage they find blood all over, but no brains." I've taken that to mean "When you mess up we'll all be pointing our fingers at how you messed up!"

Glad to see so little finger-pointing here, from our fellow MacGregor Sailors.

André, I'm just glad to hear that you got out of it OK, and that your boat ultimately took good care of you. Your recount of "what you could have done better" is a lesson we could all bear in mind.

I've been rather timid about weather, but who's to say I might not have such a surprise one day? Or one night, anchored out? Should it happen, I hope I've learned from your story and that I'll be able to ride it out safely too.

Best of luck and keep having fun.
- Rick

I have a 3 section hatch board arrangement and keep the lowest board in place when the wind picks up with crew on board. I think it now advisable to keep the two bottom boards in place while single handing.

Good job maintaining your cool

Bob