MacGregorSailors.com

Fellow Mac'ers,

My first full season of playing with my Mac26m is about to come to an end. End of Sept, is typically when I pack up my lake cabin, winterize the fifthwheel and generally prepare the lake property for the long winter sleep.
This weekend, I will sail the boat if there is any wind? The skies in Northern Idaho and Western Montana where my property is, has been running between half mile and mile and a half in thick smoke. Low pressure supposed to move in Friday and possible rain for first time in about 2 months.
If one could script a more confusing, depressing, locked up feeling year, I don't know what else you might add to this 2020?
I've had about 5 good sailing days in the whole summer. Rest of time I was either on lockdown, smoke, no wind, something.
I certainly hope others in other parts of world got more sail time? Been one challenging time.
I am not deterred. I think next summer should be considerably better. I'm an optimist on certain days. LOL
This weekend will be the last stay at the lake and on Sunday the boat will get trailered and the mast brought down and all rigging put away. Bummer.
For my part, I enjoyed my first experiences with the boat. Bit of a handful to sail by myself but I did it. The other half doesn't much care for her experiences. She said, "It leans too much". Well I guess you can see the battle I have on my hands? LOL
This is what 27 yrs of power boating has created. A flat world. NO leaning.
I suffered the same thing when I got my sailplane rating and took my power plane friends out gliding. Many got back on the ground and said, "too many steep circles for me". I see the parallels between sailplanes and sailboats. It's more interesting for the person doing the operating and less so for the passengers. Best way to enjoy either in my opinion is to get engaged in the process. Make yourself useful and not just a benign passenger.
Such is life and my first year of Mac ownership. Hopefully it will get better?

Larry in North Idaho
2005 Mac 26M

2020 has been a real challenge to optimism - no question. But, yesterday, I was looking down the barrel of a hurricane. It decided to go east of us - putting us on the easy side. So, I had 24 hours of 30-75mph wind instead of 85-125 mph. As you say, you were quarantined, or smoked out. But, I bet smoke is better than burned down. My 2020 hasn't been great either, but it could have been so much worse!

The Admiral may get used to heeling. It takes time. Don't push it too far too quickly.

Sounds like you have a nice place to get away! Hope your next year is better. Heck, I hope EVERYONE's next year is better!

Larry,

I feel your pain, but since we have had no time on our Mac (first time in 15 yrs.), I am jealous of your five days

Just try to keep the heeling at 10-15 degrees (let the main sheet out a little); she will get used to it, in time

I’ve got a cousin in Sand Point, Idaho that we were planing on visiting during the summer, plans got changed . Is that anywhere near you?

BlueSky Sailor wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:38 amThe other half doesn't much care for her experiences. She said, "It leans too much". Well I guess you can see the battle I have on my hands? LOL
This is what 27 yrs of power boating has created. A flat world. NO leaning.

Ah, yes - "tilting" is the bad word the admiral uses.

She comes from a power boat family, trawlers to be specific. Big and slow, but no "tilting".

Ray,

I live in Coeur d Alene but keep the boat in Montana on a very small lake. Bull Lake.
Sandpoint is halfway between my home and my lake property. Pendoreille Lake is a fantastic sailing location but I don't have time to be in multiple locations in the summer time. It's off work, grab what I need and head out on a 112 mile drive for the weekend. Lake isn't totally practical for sailing being so narrow and long but I sure get a lot of experience changing course.
Main idea when I bought the Mac was to be able to visit multiple lakes and possibly do the ocean around San Juan Islands after I retire in a year. Sailing performance was secondary to ability to trailer easily and the Mac just seemed like a plausible answer for what I want to do. I think it will be good.
In case anyone gets any ideas of moving here, Idaho is full. No more folk's allowed in per my order. LOL
Getting to the point there are no more "new frontiers" and places to get away from the kaos of the cities.

Larry

Sounds similar to our summer. Did not get to use the boat nearly as much as wished for all kinds of reasons. We also have a 90 mile drive to the lake which makes it a full day.
We were planning to go up this Monday (we avoid weekends) and then this SMOKE came in and we scrubbed our plans. Visibility is horrible and it's hard to breathe this stuff. Gone are our blue skies. I can't imagine what it's like further West for those people dealing with these fires.
We could use some rain. Everything is dry. The mountain range a few miles north of our house went up in flames a few weeks ago. Burned 10,000 acres and I think it's still not 100% contained. It was eerie at night to see it glowing on fire.



Yea the healing doesn't sit well with most women I've noticed. The admiral generally goes "woaaaah" when we start to go. The Mac is a very tender boat at first and this causes a lot of "woaah"s. I found giving her the main sheet allows her to feel in control and able to stop it easily.

I'm not sure if it's COVID or the fact that people have learned they can work remote via Zoom, but we are seeing tons of people coming here. We are a tourist town, but this year has been busier than ever. People can't fly to Europe or far off places. Most flights are empty. Not here. Planes are FULL and they are adding flights coming in.
Half the licence plates are from other states. Every camp ground is full. The Wal-Mart parking lot has turned into a campground full of RVs.
And real estate is going crazy. Stuff sells in a week. We are considering cashing out and downsizing and taking advantage of this hot market.

We also have a similar bumper sticker.

Russ wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:43 am
We were planning to go up this Monday (we avoid weekends) and then this SMOKE came in and we scrubbed our plans. Visibility is horrible and it's hard to breathe this stuff. Gone are our blue skies. I can't imagine what it's like further West for those people dealing with these fires.
We could use some rain. Everything is dry. The mountain range a few miles north of our house went up in flames a few weeks ago. Burned 10,000 acres and I think it's still not 100% contained. It was eerie at night to see it glowing on fire.

Smoke around here has been a real problem. Early on, when our local fires were contributing, it absolutely stunk, and fine ash was falling out and covering everything. After a few days it simply got very smoggy, and that's still the case. Oregon and California smoke drifting up. I'm wanting to get out to scout for deer, and there's simply no point, until the visibility returns.