Waterproof electric linear actuators are available on Ebay from six inch stroke to 18 inch stroke. As several fellows have pointed out, the hard part is where to put them not to be head-knockers. Oh, and the measured weight of the pop-top on my 22 is 80 pounds. So 100 would be a good guess for a 26....

By actual measurement, the transom on my Mac 22 is 1/4 inch thick. If your 26 is similar, through-bolting is the only way to go.

Chip V.

Ladies & Gents: Under my Mac 22, two pieces of 2 x 6 run longwise near the axle of the trailer. Right now, they are curved nicely to fit the boat. But she is sitting way low on the trailer and other parts of fiberglass are in danger of hitting steel. I suspect the nice curve is the result of age...

Our ham radio club has "transmitter hunts" where one person goes out and hides a miniature transmitter and the rest of us take our portable radios and find it. None of us are less than 50 years old. I guess we're all kids at heart.
Chip V.

Um Barry:

It seems you have a Frankenmotor. Although you reference a 50 HP 3-cylinder, iboats shows the 25XD having two cylinders. They do opine that XD is extra durable with a chrome water pump with long vanes. Please send over any and all number plates that we might help.

Chip V.

California used to be the state of the art for nuts and flakes. But recently Florida seeks to out-do them.

Chip V.

Looks good from here.
Chip V.

Welcome to the forum, Bob. My boat doesn't have stern seats so I can't answer your question, but somebody will.
Chip V.

BOAT, The only thing I disagree with in the above post, is about the daggerboard in the M being ballasted by the water that is inside when the daggerboard is lowerred. That water doesn’t become a ballast; while submerged, it is the same weight as the water around it. That submerged fin is what give...

My Mac 22 has a wood support post directly under the mast, braced by a half-bulkhead. Is yours similar?
Chip V.

Ray is right and I didn't mean to diminish Ris' success. Not only is he 95% of the way to an anchor splice, he's ahead of 95 % of the alleged sailors out there. Good job, Ris.

To de-mystify the eye splice, it's just a short splice made back on itself. Untwist enough rope to make the splice. Make the eye out of still-twisted rope. Then take one strand and work back toward the bitter end. Straight up the rope, go over one strand and under the next five times. Turn the rope ...

Gee, I wish I had this problem. After 47 years in Florida, the gelcoat is a distant memory. I just try to keep semi-decent paint on her.

Chip V.
S/V Sand Dollar

Hi Bill: I think they are the original lifelines. The boat spent the early part of her life in Howey in the Hills (actual place) in fresh water. She wasn't introduced into the rough and tumble life of salt water until about ten years ago. The brown insulation-like stuff under the peeling white layer...

I am peeling the deteriorated plastic coating from the lifelines of my 1974 Mac. Both to renew the plastic and to inspect the wire itself. I found that a heat gun and a sharp knife make the job easy. In my case I found that the cable needs to be heated about 60 seconds per foot. YMMV. Chip Veres S/V...