amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

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Brian-Up-North
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amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Brian-Up-North »

I saw this discussion of putting outriggers on a mac to make it a trimaran

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... 1zRi0OP8n0

Has anyone tried this?
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Chinook
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Chinook »

A somewhat legendary guy named MadMike, who posted here around 2004-2007, did exactly that to his 26X. His boat was named Xena's Arrow, and he fabricated retractable outrigger pontoons using a pair of retractable kicker motor mounts on either side of the hull, so he could raise or lower the pontoons. He did some other very unconventional modifications, got rid of the big outboard and used a pair of small outboards, 10hp range, if I remember correctly. He cruised his boat down the MacKenzie River to the Arctic Circle, went down the Mississippi and across the Caribbean to South America, and into the mouth of the Amazon. He was talking about sailing to Hawaii around the time he stopped posting. Not sure what ever became of him, but he was a most adventurous soul. I don't think his old posts are still accessible here. Maybe others can add to memories of MadMike.
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nedmiller
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by nedmiller »

I remember MadMike quite well. He made his outrigger mounts out of outboard “kicker” mounts..the kind that you can raise or lower in order to put your small outboard in the water or take it back out. I assumed that he could then raise outriiggers up (by using that type of small outboard mount). I think I still have a picture of his mount captured on my old computer. I don’t remember ever seeing the outriggers attached.
As I remember, he would charter his Mac, and his guests would sleep in the aft berth of the Mac and he would sleep in one of the outriggers. I do remember his telling stories about being on the Amazon in his 26X.
His mods were unique and more extreme than any other Mac I’ve seen. At first I was in disbelief, but then he posted actual pictures and I became a believer. One mod, that I still have a picture of, was a big winged keel. I will try and find it..
Another mod he did was to take out the V berth and turned it into more of a living room kind of space, and it included an ice maker, presumably to satisfy his charter customers.
...sorry, now I have gone off topic.
Last edited by nedmiller on Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
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nedmiller
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by nedmiller »

Image

Hopefully, MadMike won’t be mad that I posted his mod!
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kurz
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by kurz »

thanks for the photos.

Would be great to get some more other about this mod!
Brian-Up-North
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Brian-Up-North »

I found this on madmikes adventures, but sadly no photos

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index ... ngs.72139/

it would be great to find photos of these mods
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kurz
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by kurz »

wow, interesting. So when reading the blog it was not quite the meaning of having a change to a trimaran. The intesion was to have save downing runnig without ballast using a spi.

I thought of having better high to the wind abilities so you could use more sail and get mor speed.
So it seems to be not soooo easy to get this...
Brian-Up-North
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Brian-Up-North »

on the site above MadMike writes
"Outrigger specifications: 2 x Stock 18' x 26" Dia. Aire Leopard (whitewater) Hyperlon Cataraft tubes."

hence they look like this

Image
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nedmiller
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by nedmiller »

For those of you not around when MadMike was a board member, here is the old thread of discussions back then and may answer some of your questions about his mods and travels. You can also get a sense of how members originally thought he may be a myth.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4416&start=15
Last edited by nedmiller on Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ixneigh
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Ixneigh »

I don’t like the inflatable idea. Also I think the outboard mounts wouldn’t be strong enough
I did a lot of research and concluded there would not be much of a gain in speed, if any. Better off selling the boat and buying a similar sized multihull.
Ix
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Jimmyt
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Jimmyt »

Apparently it’s been done with a Venture. See video sailing in 3-5 knots. Looks like the boat is making good speed for light air. Guy did a nice job on the mod.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=15V5vmnCSbY
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Hamin' X
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Re: amas (outrigger on a mac 26)

Post by Hamin' X »

Mikes boat was named "Zeno's Arrow" and his member name here is maddmike, with two d's. You can see all of Mike Dunn's posts Here

search.php?author_id=1239&sr=posts

It's been about ten years since he posted here, although he did post on other forums. I can assure you that he is/was real.

~Rich
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