MacGregorSailors.com

I recently purchased a 1999 Mac26X.
I noticed the previous owner had tied a figure 8 knot in the swingkeel lifting line.
When out on my new Mac, I let the swing keel down to where the knot stopped at a locking line dealy(I think they're called a line clutch).
What was odd was that with just the main sail up in about 10 knot wind, I could not turn the boat into the wind...the rudders would stall. I could not point the boat up on a close reach. I'm thinking that the keel was not all the way down.
When I put the jib up, she sailed like a dream. Perfectly balanced with no weather helm...like being on auto pilot. I could let go of the wheel and she'd stay on a close reach

Can someone tell me about how much line is let out on the swing keel line to put the keel all the way down. Seems like on mine from fully up to the knot location was only about +/- 1 ft.

Any ideas...and appologies for my ignorance.
thanks,
Tex

On Bossa Nova the centerboard pendant (swingkeel lifting line) travels about 24 inches between "full up" and "full down". If the boat isn't moving when I release the pendant, I can hear the board "clunk" when it hits the bottom stop in the centerboard trunk. I hope that your figure-eight knot is at least a couple of feet before the bitter end of the line....

I can measure it for you as I'll be going out this weekend - but I would agree it's about 2 feet

Many thanks Rick and UK Dude.
I don't think the knot on mine travels 2 feet...plus with the stalling rudders under main trying to point on a close reach leads me to believe the keel was not all the way down.
gratefully,
Te

Here's a bit of "useful trivia" I noticed on Bossa Nova - the hatch-slider tracks are screwed down at 8-inch spaces, so you can mark the pendant alongside the "next screw forward" from the cleat and use that to check how much C/B you've got down. A few inches of C/B can really help the directional stability of our boats, at docking speeds.

Tahoe Jack posted this info to the Mods section. I have found it to be very useful.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=841

Pat

It is not the centerboard nor the line that is the problem.
On an you cannot expect to point without using the foresail, even with the centerboard all the way down.
On the X, the foresail is the more essential sail, even if you have a small jib. ( That is why most X owners prefer a Genoa )

Whereas the does alright with the main alone, the needs the foresail to go upwind, for balance.
In fact, the X can be sailed with the foresail alone, especially with a 150% Genoa, but tacking is difficult, so it is easier if using the Genoa alone to just jibe about and then you can continue upwind ok.

IIRC, the does not do nearly so well on the foresail alone.

MadMacX wrote:Tahoe Jack posted this info to the Mods section. I have found it to be very useful.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=841

Pat

Thank you very much. This is great information.
"Straight Tales"
Te

Tex, I understand your frustration and I was thinking the same thing but ALX is right, with main alone my X's just wont point. In very heavy weather (I typically solo) as hard as it is to control both sails on my small CO lakes, I've found I can't sail main alone if I'm not running (reaching is a stretch)! Close hauled with main only, "Anywhere But Down" insists on pointing strait into the wind, then you do the embarrassing sail slapping around and you get blown backwards until you get to that magical 45, then you start up again and then it insists on going right back into the wind (start over embarrassing sequence!)

I'm setting myself up here to get bashed but once I forgot to fill my ballast in fairly heavy winds and the boat sailed great with a lonely reefed main, she was a bit tippy (found out why later!!!!) but she FLEW! And it was fairly leisurely sailing with just a reefed main and cruising around! I better not try that again though... Maybe the ballast has something to do with our problem?

Steve

I agree with the 24" of line travel. Mine is knotted at that mark, and then I have a little more than 12" to the next knot at the end of the line. Both knots help to grip the rope when raising the swing keel.

Steve - it is correct to describe the Mac boats as 'under ruddered' - there is not a lot of rudder surface area to control and point the boat, so in fairly light winds they will round up and behave exactly as you describe. You cant just put bigger rudders on since the hardware is 'light' and you will likely break something in the steering gear doing this.

The solution is balance your sails to minimise the weather helm of course - as you note.

..

K9Kampers wrote:I agree with the 24" of line travel. Mine is knotted at that mark, and then I have a little more than 12" to the next knot at the end of the line. Both knots help to grip the rope when raising the swing keel.

I'll measure mine next time I get down to "Nameless". I don't remember it looking like 24"...more like 12-16".

Anyway, I appreciate the posts.

Te

You can let the line all the way out, then get in the water with a dive mask and see the position of the swing keel. If you want just a few inches of keel drop for motoring, have someone man the line while you watch under the boat, then mark the line. I've done this in the water and it's interesting to how little line travel relates to how much keel swing.