MacGregorSailors.com

A guy came up to me while I was getting ready for my trip for next weekend. Showed me an invoice for a new Mac that he was getting ready to buy. 29,000+, wow even with all the extras he was ordering I thought it a bit high. He asked about what I would leave on the invoice as extras and what I would take off.

My first question to him was how many tools you have? His reply was a screwdriver. So I guess sears will get a thousand dollars more from this boat.

I have installed nearly all the extras he was ordering on my boat myself and saved a lot of money. But thinking about it after he left, Its been a year since I bought my boat and Im still installing things.

So the choice would be to have the dealer add things like radio, CD players and pressure water systems. Pay about twice as much or do it yourself. I went with the do it yourself thing. And have spent nearly every weekend at the boat doing it. Time wise it doesnt add up.
I asked myself what would I do if I were to do it again? Have the dealer set it up exactly like I want? or go through the hassle and do it myself?

I would do it myself was the answer. It was never about the money; it was about being intimate with the boat getting to know her inside and out.
Going through the frustration when things are not working out and the pure pleasure when they come to be. I have always added things to all the boats I have owned in the past, but not like the Mac. Almost all the
My spare time is spent with her, Im setting up a boat that could be lived on
Yet she will be day sailed 90 percent of the time, Im changing and putsing
All the time. All because I want to be with her. She pi$$ me off, she puts a big grin on my face, she fights me on every front but she never let me down. I have spent more time working on her then if she was a 20 year old used boat.
Well what would I do if I had it to do over? Nothing, I would do it all the same.
The M Mac out of the box is plain. Macgregor has provided us with a painting that needs the detail painted on it. Now you can have someone else paint the detail or paint it yourself. Or you can hang it on the wall as is, but if you only own a screwdriver maybe you are getting the wrong boat.

Well got to get back to the boat and finish getting ready. I wonder if I should bring red roses or white?

I bought Catigale from Art Reiders and took all his advice on what to buy, what to install, and what to do myself...Ill give him credit for erring on the side of my doing it, while still giving me an enjoyable first season of boating some years back.

Now its easier to say I would do more, but I would advise a newcomer to make sure your first year isnt lost to making the boat right....have fun with it too.

To Arts credit I havent undone anything he did that I can think of.

Yours for a fair tide, Art (He has since passed away).

One rule I have is to not do anything that cant be done in one day, And it wont keep me from useing at at will. I use her alot........When I first bought the boat I brought all this stuff to install, Big box, but one thing at a time finish and move on.

I bought my 2004M used (for one month) and it had zero mods and add ons. The only non-standard item or extra was the roller furler and some beach towles. I parked the boat on the side of my house and spend almost every day working on it, sitting out on her, and thinking about what I needed to do. Some items I installed/bought are:

VHF Radio
shore Power
two additional house batteries
battery charger combiner
three-way One-both-off switch
Three 12V recepticles (two in cabin one in cockpit)
three fire extinguishers
new 6-switch 12V DC panel
Garmin 178C
plastimo 32gal water bag with water pump and new sink spicket
sail slugs
genoa UV strip
Mainsail cover
wench covers
helm cover
misc charts
12V search light
microwave
two 120V shore power receptables
battery charger
1500W inverter
spare tire w/mount


Wow I haven't really made a list like that before...and would hate to put a dollar number to that list. Ofcourse I do have a list of things I still want:

Buy second anchor, chain and rode
Buy manuel bilge pump
Buy Spare Fuel Line/bulb
Buy Channel Island Charts
Buy Panama Jack sun screen 75 SPF
Buy 6-8 rocker-stoppers
Buy back-up VHF/GPS unit
Buy Helm Grip
Buy XM capable CD/MP3/AM/FM Stero
Buy Marine Speakers (external)
Buy Wisker Pole for Genoa
Buy clamp-on umbrella
Buy LED anchor light
Buy LED night-light
Buy BLUEChart for GPS (Ebay)
Buy Stern Rail Seats
Marine Plywood Sole


And then there is the "TO DO list" I keep running:

Replum Inlet water line with deck Fill
Scotch Guard Aft berth
Fix galley water drain (1/4 kinked)
Clean and paint the fiberglass in the Holds
Wire the GPS to the VHF radio
instal VHF radio 12v whip line
Secure Water Tank
Mount Microwave
Dingy "Box"
Dingy Tow set-up
Head Secure
Head Cloth door
Wax Boat
Silicone Spray
Instal Two New Fire Extinguishers
Instal head holding devices


Man I do LOVE my boat! There are benefits to having it stored 2hrs away in Oxnard, CA. I don't think I would get anything done around the house if it were still here.

I can't wait untill I get to go out on her again this tuesday.

Rich

Some of our mods were already done for us:

• Compass
  Davis Windex
  12 Gallon Tempo Tanks
  Power to Pedestal (for compass light)
  Pedestal Grab Bar
  Nicro 24x7 Solar Vent
  12V outlet on galley
  Pergo Battery Switch
  Dual Batteries
  Inside Latch on Head Door
  3 Fire Extinguishers
  Anchor, chain, and rode

Some we got from Bill@Boats4Sail:

• Mainsail Slugs
  Mainsheet Upgrade/Vang Kit

Some of the PO mods we had to redo/replace:

• Replaced compass under warranty (bubble in fluid)
  Relocated pedestal grab bar higher to clear GPS
  Added dual battery support platform & floatation
  Relocated fire extinguisher that blocked head door
  Relocated fire extinguisher that blocked ladder
  Removed painted-on registration numbers (not fun)
  Replaced 8 lb anchor with Guardian G-11

Some of the repairs/maintenance we did/need to do:

• Replaced all 3 trailer tires
  Cleaned and relubed winches
  Replaced broken cam cleat
  Replaced bent spreader
  Replaced kinked head sink drain hose
  Replaced 5 gallon jugs, sanitized new ones & lines
  Replaced centerboard line
  Repaired dings in centerboard and rudders
  Repair gel coat on companionway hatch (awaiting work)
  Repair gel coat bubble in galley sink (awaiting work)
  Reseal chainplates (awaiting work)

Some of the mods we've added or have parts for:

• Factory cockpit cushions (installed snaps)
  Custom fitted sheets for V and Aft Berth Cushions
  50 QT Ice Cube Cooler on Aft Galley Seat
  (installed 4 Eyestraps and Tie-Downs for above)
  36 QT 5-day Cooler Under Dinette Seat (rehinged)
  Paper Towel Holder Over Sink
  Mount, Wiring, and In-Hull Transducer for Garmin
  Deck Plates to Access 12 Gallon Tanks' Fillers
  Swage-Free Pelican Hooks on Cockpit Lifelines
  Stay and Turnbuckle Covers
  High-Density Foam Mats in Aft Berth
  Boat Hook Holder (Velcro)
  SSI Dry Toilet Paper Holder Next to Head Sink
  Anchor Light/Dual-Polarity Switch (in progress)
  Telescoping Fore Hatch Adjuster (awaiting work)
  Two 12V outlets near dinette (awaiting work)
  One 12V outlet on pedestal (awaiting work)
  Light for above port seating (awaiting work)
  Light for head (awaiting work)
  Anchor roller (awaiting backordered part)

A few trailering upgrades:

• Polyurethane Bow Stop
  Extended Guide-Ons
  Motor Support
  Home-sewn tire covers

And that doesn't include the dreams and schemes for the future.

--
Moe

The guy did ask me if I would do the work on his boat. I chuckled.
The list you guys posted was a labor of love. They sound like honey do's.


Sail slugs
Lines led aft
BBQ mount
12 volt plugs 6 two on ped.
3 120 shore power plugs added to 2 already installed
roller furler pully system
stereo cd
Marine radio
down haul
optima batterys
rail seats
lights on ped
extend bimini
13 gallon water tank and elect. pump to sink( maintained manual pump for sparklets bottle)
refridge
remote and 120 volt house lights
electric water valve for ballast tank( now back to manual valve)
compass
depth finder
large wheel
cam cleats all over to replace reg cleats
topping lift
12 volt gauge
trim gauge
wind vane
stove
dvd tv not really installed
screens for forward hatch and rear hatch
waiting on BWM steering system

The to do list is just as long Ya sure guy I will work on your boat........ got a year?

IF you are inclined to the work, no one else's efforts will satisfy as well as your own carefully considered, researched, chosen and placed mod. No-one else loves your boat like you....
But if I was not a "fixxer"-type person, i would definitely want someone else to install mods. Some of the smartest and most talented people of course can't even butter bread without cutting themselves and making a mess.
'Boat is not only a hole in the water where you throw money, it's a black hole in your time continuum, making hours disappear. I really don't "enjoy" doing the work myself, just the result.
Admirable Admiral ... " it took you all morning just to put that light there ? "

" it took you all morning just to put that light there ? "

No Honey - I had to think it over for a week first...

Catigale wrote:

" it took you all morning just to put that light there ? "

No Honey - I had to think it over for a week first...

Glad I'm not the only one who does this.

--Mike

correction on the price of the Mac the guy was buying.....39,000 10 grand more than I paid for mine. I thought it was a bit much.

Aya,

Just a quick note from an enemployed economist. If you have the dealer install a bunch of stuff and it is included in the invoice it is part of the cost basis of the boat. This has two implications both to do with taxes.

If the guy gets a loan to help buy the boat, the interest is tax deductible as a second home. This can help reduce the bite of getting a really nice boat set up right out of the box. If you pour a bunch of money in later, you just eat it or worse if it is a big ticket item and you put it on credit, the interest is not deductible.

On the down side, the cost basis of the boat is what is used to determine the amount of property tax you have to pay. The more that is on the dealer invoice the more you pay at whatever the property rate (registration) applies to you in your state or county. This tax though, is still deductible on the federal form.

So, if the guy is truly ponying up 39K, I would give him a quick call and have him crunch some of those numbers before deciding what to have the dealer install. Depending on his tax situation, it could make $1000s of dollars difference per year.

Theo

The $39K sounds only a little high to me. It all depends on what the dealer is installing. If you look at the BWY price list and add in everything they sell, like the compressor cooler, big motor, color chartplotter, blue hull (an absolute necessity!), etc. etc. you can approach $35-$38K pretty fast. While this seems a lot compared to the $19K I paid for my '98X boat, it doesn't seem too much compared to other keelboats in the same size class.

People will vary in their interest and ability to do their own work and as Theo pointed out their are lots of things to think about when financing/buying the boat. We still have the best deal on the planet.

Aya,

I see on your list you went to an electric ballast valve, but then went back to manual. Any reason? did you not like the electric valve? I actually have one on my "want" list and wanted to see if you had any problem.

Rich

Rich:
The electric valve lasted a couple months. Although I sealed everything I could with 5200 and tried to make it water proof even the manual override was sealed. But the thing is not made to be submerged.
I havent taken it apart yet, (soon Ill report) but my guess is that water got into the motor. I did make sure it was getting power from the switch.
It worked great for awhile. Im going to write the company and see if they will come up with a sealed version. I suppose if I took it apart at first and sealed it up from the inside it may have worked.
There are other options. There is an air valve, a valve that comes with a cable pull and electric. But for now the manual valve seems to be the best
Option.


As far as the options the guy was ordering for the boat I saw nothing like fridge. Standard stuff we all have already. Things like Marine radio 590 bucks same for CD player, no chair rails. I dont have the guys phone number I should have wrote the list down but I didnt see anything special. Not even a blue hull.