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Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:17 pm
by NiceAft
Has anyone taken their Mac there?

It’s a long haul, but doable with extra fuel on board, I think. Has anyone done it?

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:31 pm
by Jimmyt
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=goywarMDS9Q

It's been done. Wish I could say I had done it....

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:58 pm
by NiceAft
I just looked it up. There are eight videos in the complete trip. I will start watching the series tomorrow.

Does anyone know if the “Bonnie Blue” is a member of this site?

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 9:50 am
by Seapup
http://thecyberbuddy.com/sailing/dry%20 ... 202004.htm

older but nice write up of a conch cruisers trip in macs.

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:43 pm
by NiceAft
I remember the Conch Cruisers. They disappeared. Their trips to the Bahama’s were famous for the preparations they did, and for not traveling faster than the slowest boat. I believe Chip did more than one of their excursions. Not certain if any other MacGregorSailors.com member ever went with them.

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:53 pm
by whgoffrn
Ive considered going but not sure if my motor is efficient enough...every trip to the keys ive gone on ive averaged like 2 to 3 mpg.... i have 4x 6 gal tanks and carry 2more 5 gal tanks but still not enough for 150 miles plus gas for the generator to have a/c during those insanely hot nights during the summer ..... ive never went long enough distance going hull speed in my mac to see if i can get the 10mpg some claim doing 5 or 6kts....i can tell you though in my boat at 10kts fully loaded and towing my dinghy im lucky to get 3mpg

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:55 pm
by NiceAft
Interesting.

This summer I tried experimenting. I took a trip, about forty miles round trip. I stopped figuring out the gas mileage when I realized that I had used barely one twelve gallon tank, and gone over forty miles. That works out to more than 3.3333MOG. How much more, I don’t know. I know I can get eighty miles with my two twelve gallon fuel tanks. How to get another eighty is the challenge.

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:52 pm
by ris
Had a friend who took his M to Ft. Jefferson this past April. He left the sail at home and motored the whole trip as he ha limited time. I will check with him and get his speed and fuel consumption.

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:50 am
by NiceAft
Terrific :!:

Please ask him; if he had the luxury of time, how long would he have preferred to allot for the trip?

Do you and Jill have any trips planned?

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:11 pm
by jimmy alonso
Hi Ray;

Going over Navionics Web App It's a 65 Nautical Mile trip from Key West with the Marquesas as a possible place to stop to break the trip in two legs. I would wait for weather to be able to sail there (13 hours sailing @ 5 knots) and then motor back if its upwind. With my Yamaha 50hp with ballast full I use 1.5 gallons per hour at 6 knots going windward which is always against the waves/current too. And 1 gallon per hour at 6 knots with wind and waves.
So 65 NM at 6 Knots is 10.8 hours and using up 16.2 gallons of gas.
BWY 17 gallon tanks is a good upgrade.
If its downwind sailing a whisker pole is great to have you can leave it up for hours.
Minimum 1 week trip I think or more if you have to wait for weather. Best not to rush it. Enjoy.

The furthest offshore I've been was to Mona Island 50 Nm from PR went and came back the next day :? ...had to go back to work, sailed about 20 miles motored the rest. Cell phones quit working after 12 miles out. Got the inReach after that trip. The Admiral got worried when I didn't answer the phone.

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:38 pm
by NiceAft
Great information, thanks.

Those BWY tanks appear to be quite an asset for our boats, but I doubt that is something we are ever going to invest in.

Ray

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:05 am
by whgoffrn
Walmart is now stocking the scepter 6 gal tanks that fit side by side to give you 24 gals. 50 bux a piece ive seen several walmarts now with them right on the shelf

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:20 am
by NiceAft
whgoffrn wrote:Walmart is now stocking the scepter 6 gal tanks that fit side by side to give you 24 gals. 50 bux a piece ive seen several walmarts now with them right on the shelf
Nice Aft came equipped with two twelve gallon tanks.

RY

Re: Dry Tortugas National Park

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:23 am
by ris
Lee was in a M and he said he had 20 gallons in the tanks and 30 gallons on the roof. When he got back to Key West he had 10 gallons on the roof and not sure how much in the tanks. He did run hull speed and he has a 50 hp Etec. I did not see the questions above but he spent 3 days at jefferson and 2 days each way on travel by stopping at the Marquesas. If any more questions I can call him again. He did not take sails as he was traveling from Texas and had limited time so he motored the whole way. He returned against the wind, so had waves on the nose the whole way back. Jill and I are doing the National Parks and are in Blanding Utah with Sumner and his wife at this time. We are going back to Florida for the winter and will do a couple of trips around Florida on the Mac.