MacGregorSailors.com

Ok ... first my background ... the only boat I've ever owned before was a rowboat with no motor when I was 14.. so .. I'm sure my first day's experience will give everyone a good laugh.. but I do have a few questions..

When I first left the slip under power it seemed to be all over the place .. meaning I was constantly correcting my course.. I lowered the daggerboard a little and it seemed to help a lot.. is this normal?

About 4k on the tach gave me about 11knots .. two people on board.. is this normal performance?

What is the maximum "safe" rpm for the engine.. honda 50hp

So as far as my first day goes.. getting out of the slip was no problem .. motored out onto the lake.. shut off the engine.. hoisted the main and we're sailing.. if you could call it that .. about 1 knot.. I had to get a reference on land to see if we were even moving! .. Then of course since its my first day out the bad weather rolls in .. drop the main and motor back in the poring rain.. trying to get it back in the slip was a real treat.. why does the boat seem like it's 500ft long and the slip I'm trying to get into looks like it's 2" wide? And since its late in the day all the other boaters at the marina gather to watch.. on the second try I was able to get in the slip.. not too bad .. at least I didn't hit anything.. sure hope this gets easier.

Im not laughing at you, but your post reminds me of my first outing with my Mac (& also a few outings following). Believe me...the Mac takes some getting accustomed with. Im still a "novice" but sailing the Mac has become much easier in my case. Ive found, nothing will replace becoming experienced & familiar with this boat, which seems to be learning on the water.
Do as I have, stay in this forum often, because its an excellent learning arena.

Thanks to this forum site, Ive learned some serious safety & sailing tips.

Ill leave the other professional advice to those of much more experience in this forum. Ive only sailed the Mac X 2 years, and a previous Mac S for nearly 2 yrs.

Happy Sailing. Dont get discouraged

Here is my routine

1) Start the motor and get it warmed up and batteries charging.
2) Lower the rudders and daggerboard all the way down. Without these, you will not have good control over the boat. I have forgotten to lower these and have provided lots of entertainment to others in the marina.
3) I motor out at 3 to 5 mph as measured on the GPS. Anything over 5 mph can get entertaining.
4) I grew up as a powerboat guy where you set in the midsection. It was a shock to me sitting for the first time at the back of the boat and you saw this long deck sitting out in front of you. I don't have tides and currents to worry about so when I am going back into the slip, depending on the wind, it is a fairly simple maneuver to cut power, glide into the slip, use a little prop wash and slide over to the port side to hook up a dock line.
5) What I have been working on is training the wife to be able to take te boat over, drop the sail and get it back to the marina. She has it down to everything but pulling into the slip, and without wind, currents, etc, that part is pretty easy.

I also start the motor, and while it comes up to temp I lower both rudders on my X. I motor out the channel at 2000 to 2500 RPM max. On the return trip I lower both rudders before entering the channel, but I also let out about 3-4 inches on the keel line (about 4-6 inches on an M with daggerboard). I find that I approach the dock with the motor about 1500 RPM and I have good control. Took me all summer to figure this out, but it's amazing how much better she handles with the keel part way down. The secret is not to try it too slow as you lose all control.

Sounds like you had a pretty good day, nothing bent or broke. My first time I dented the trailer, couldn't start the motor, and almost took out a power line with the mast. 2nd or 3rd time I used the anchor roller as a ram to open a hole in the seawall but it only bent a little, and I thought I was doing rather good for starting.

Lots of posts on tricks for leaving and returning to dock under control. As far as steering squirrelly under power goes, I agree that a little centerboard can sometimes help. I've also noticed that our boat is more work to steer if we're heavy in the stern, which is often the case at the start of an extended cruise. Shifting some weight forward seems to make a positive difference.

The secret is not to try it too slow as you lose all control.

Quite correct. If you ever just sit around for a bit at a marina and watch big keel boats come in, you will see they keep their speed up till the last second.

Quite scary when you first see it done. 8000lbs of boat coming into a slip at 5-6mph.... then slamming into reverse hard to come to a stop before smashing into the dock. One of these days the motor will fail when they are performing that maneuver and I don't want to be there when it does.

G

beene

One of these days the motor will fail when they are performing that maneuver and I don't want to be there when it does.

not a big deal, you just get adept at replacing your bow hardware

this is our 27 footer, it got loose in a storm and did some customizing of the rub rail and pulpit, good thing the mast is keel stepped.

We have been out 4 times and the last was with a 10mph cross wind, coming across the trailer. Took 5 times to get it right. Gun shy after scraping hull on trailer the 3rd time we went out. needed to back further down the ramp.

This time I put it in so i could barely see the posts out of the water. Used down rudders and dagger board to dock then pulled dagger to get on trailer. The water is deep enough I can leave rudders down till on trailer.

Do not do what i tried to do the first time out and think you can load or dock with out the rudders. Zero steering in reverse when trying the reverse and steer to the left. LOL

She handles a cross wind worse than a Cessna 172.

I was trying to get drift just right and should have kept more speed. Felt like a total dumb***. But we live and learn.

Jeff

jeffz wrote:She handles a cross wind worse than a Cessna 172.

OUCH!

For best manuevering have both rudders and the daggerboard down if the depth permits it. Also make sure your motor steering linkage is hooked up so the motor turns with the wheel. When we get out sailing we always disconnect ours and lock the motor straight ahead. You can still manuever this way but not as well and the boat needs to be moving to steer. With the motor steering linkage connected you can turn the boat from a dead stop. When you want to go over 6 knots or so pull everything up and make sure the linkage is connected.

Getting the boat on the trailer in a cross wind can be tricky because you can't have the board down. The is a trailer mod that consists of guides to help with this.

Usually when launching, the Admiral is backing it in while I'm in the cockpit. All lines have been removed and the winch disconnected. When we're just about to the water I put the motor down. She backs it in until the boat just floats off the trailer and the momentum sends it out. By this time I have the moter started and can drive the boat to the dock to pick her up.

Daniel

Sorry to be rude and forgot to issue a welcome. Welcome Cpost.

We are brand new also, having a blast with the Mac.

Funny, only the die hard rag baggers seem to be wary of the Mac. Many positive comments from the Power Boat crowd. Especially the ones who have 2 V8's to feed fuel to.

Driving rhe boat backwards is highly recommended for added control, visibility, and easy dismount to dock access.
Usually sailing singlehanded, (well, just me with my own two hands ),
I find it comfortable to enter the marina and at some convenient place for a one point turn, stop and then drive the boat in reverse.
Standing in front of the pedestal, facing the stern with the wheel now in front of you like normal, the boat steers instinctively and predictably. Turn the wheel left, the boat goes left as usual. The rudders are right there to see in front of you, the steering effects are immediate, and you can see where you are going very clearly, looking over the transom.
With only one rudder down, and the cb down just enough to make the boat track behind the motor, everything is alot more predicable, and the prop has an immediate effect of pulling the boat's steering end where you want it.
Going in reverse means the flat transom is resisting glide, and the motor is doing most of the work, so that the boat responds to prop speed changes faster with less forward drift to counter.
When it is the right time to put it in "reverse" (actually forward gear ) and gun it a second to lose speed, you can then put it into neutral and quickly step over the side of the boat onto the dock and tie it up. There is alot more way available to dismount onto the side finger dock at the earliest opportunity without waiting until the boat is fully into the slip, and pull it into place without ramming the dock. It really works great, and leaves the boat ready for an easy exit forwards out of the slip.

TRY IT, it was so easy once I did. Completely solved the problem. Try it next time you are out in the water, even before finally returning to the dock, to reassure yourself that it works. Remember that the forward and reverse gears are effectively the opposite now. But since the shift lever is now on the opposite side of the pedestal from when normally driving, you'll find it easy to adapt and not get confused.

VERY SATISFYING to see other sailors on the dock be amazed at the peaceful and uneventful docking of a 26' sailboat by yourself, with no crew, no panic and no dockside help.

Only one disadvantage has been pointed out, for those that like to stay on the boat and relax, drink, poke, or party while docked, your open cockpit and cabin hatch are facing the dock in view of others walking by. That is not a problem for me, and the advantages ..... well, I just couldn't drive the boat in forward at all, without panic attacks, and gel-coat attacks.