Search found 765 matches

by Rick Westlake
Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:03 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Aurinco Solar Panels
Replies: 26
Views: 10593

Re: Aurinco Solar Panels

I've been a long time gone ... came in looking for this thread, because I'm planning to buy some Aurinco panels for my Bristol.

Never posted the way I installed the Sunwize SolCharger panels, did I? They're at this link: Cabin-top solar panels
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 20, 2013 4:04 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Mac 26M Yawl conversion--any reason not to?
Replies: 27
Views: 9769

Re: Mac 26M Yawl conversion--any reason not to?

What I want to know is - how are you going to get the mizzenmast out behind the rudders on a 26M? That's what defines a yawl. :? Or did you mean a ketch conversion? :P (Oh, never mind. I want to see what Highlander would do. Incidentally, I want to see him step the main aft and the Hobie mast forwar...
by Rick Westlake
Tue May 14, 2013 5:44 am
Forum: MacGregor Powersailor Discussion
Topic: Good Bad or Otherwise
Replies: 7
Views: 2082

Re: Good Bad or Otherwise

My only experience with a Delta was quite unsatisfactory; it was in my current boat, a Bristol 29.9 sloop. I sold that anchor to a fellow at my marina who had lost his same-size Delta, and bought a Manson Supreme - now that anchor holds! I prefer a spade-style anchor, like the Rocna or the Manson Su...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 13, 2013 9:37 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Battery question - solar charger
Replies: 33
Views: 6700

Re: Battery question - solar charger

Sea Wind wrote:
Two batteries Perko switch, controller hooked up to the switch, I charge house, or starter or both by using the Perko switch.
I have the same setup
Take a look up the gate end of Greg's line-up. Bossa Nova has a 'duo' circuit setup ...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 13, 2013 9:34 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Battery question - solar charger
Replies: 33
Views: 6700

Re: Battery question - solar charger

There's a lot of supposed experts when it comes to electrickiery ......then again an EX is a has been and spert is a drip under pressure....not sure if it translates from OZ to US but you get the drift In fookin'asshole-Yank, 'spert' is spelled with at 'u' as in 'spurt.' But you're right about the ...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 13, 2013 9:27 pm
Forum: MacGregor/Venture Discussion
Topic: I'm back...Bimini top and many upgrades
Replies: 354
Views: 141950

Re: I'm back...Bimini top and many upgrades

Yeah but they do it on purpose: Left turn signal=eject passenger. Nah. I remember. It was a push-button under a flip top on the gear-shift lever. All old James Bond, Ian Fleming, Sean Connery, bull... scat jokes aside ... that boat really is cute as Christmas. The Sunfish mast leaves me thinking of...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 13, 2013 6:27 am
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Battery question - solar charger
Replies: 33
Views: 6700

Re: Battery question - solar charger

I set my solar-charging system up with a dual-output charging controller, a Chinese knock-off of the Morningstar SunSaver Duo.

(I put the Morningstar SunSaver Duo on my trade-up boat, my Bristol 29.9 - the one I found included a battery meter. Worth considering.)
by Rick Westlake
Thu May 03, 2012 6:33 am
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Splicing solar panels together.
Replies: 23
Views: 6089

Re: Splicing solar panels together.

I put a 15-watt Sunsei solar panel on top of my hatch slider as a winter project, the first year I had Bossa Nova. (The mod is http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=1128 .)Being a glass-topped panel, though, it didn't last ... So in February 2011 I removed the Sunsei panel and its supp...
by Rick Westlake
Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:42 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: solar panel ratings
Replies: 28
Views: 7255

Re: solar panel ratings

For my boat and my purposes, I decided that solar panels would best be used to "top up" the batteries and keep them fully charged when I was away from Bossa Nova. I started out with http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=1128 - a single Sunsei 18-watt panel on top of my hatch,...
by Rick Westlake
Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:43 pm
Forum: MacGregor Powersailor Discussion
Topic: 26x to 19
Replies: 6
Views: 2562

Re: 26x to 19

Went "bigger" myself - but at least I've had both. Sold the :mac19: to a fellow in St. Louis, and he's sailing it with great pleasure. The 19 is a nice little boat for a day-sailer. but at 17 feet LWL she is not gonna be fast. I described Beija Flor to non-Mac-savvy sailors as "an obe...
by Rick Westlake
Tue May 17, 2011 6:24 pm
Forum: MacGregor Powersailor Discussion
Topic: The time has come...to say goodbye
Replies: 15
Views: 4143

Re: The time has come...to say goodbye

Puggsy, you might consider a gaff rig ... give you some more mainsail, and you could drop enough to get under a 7-meter bridge in one twitch of the gaff. As for the rest of ye ... I'm not quite leaving MacGregorLand yet, but I have bought me the next boat up; she's a Bristol 29.9 that will live on t...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 09, 2011 2:11 pm
Forum: Repairs and Modifications
Topic: Reconnect Centerboard Cable
Replies: 7
Views: 2576

Re: Reconnect Centerboard Cable

I had my cable corrode through in 2009 - while at anchor, and it's a highly unkind way to be woke up when the centerboard goes down CLUNK! I went through the same drill, crimped an eye on the board end and bolted it in place, peened down the bolt so it wouldn't let go (so I thought!), and reinstalle...
by Rick Westlake
Mon May 09, 2011 2:00 pm
Forum: Destinations, Clubs, Events and Venues
Topic: ASA101 / 103 certification
Replies: 12
Views: 3961

Re: ASA101 / 103 certification

I believe ASA 101/103 is of little importance to the boat owner ; it's more for people who do those bare-boat charter vacations down in the Caribbean. If you are experienced enough sailing your Mac to figure you could "test out" on ASA 101/103, why bother? You DO owe it to your crew, your ...
by Rick Westlake
Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:51 pm
Forum: Destinations, Clubs, Events and Venues
Topic: Anchoring
Replies: 10
Views: 3601

Re: Anchoring

I went to the trouble of installing an Orca Green Marine LED anchor light at the top of the mast of Bossa Nova; if I'd thought things through better, I wouldn't have done this, because a Davis MegaLight (the one mdeane is talking about) tied a few feet up the boom's topping lift would do just as wel...
by Rick Westlake
Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:30 pm
Forum: Performance & Tuning
Topic: That main sheet attachment point...
Replies: 11
Views: 6449

Re: That main sheet attachment point...

Vizwhiz, I use a double-mainsheet rig on my 26X, and it works very well. There's no reason you couldn't do the same on a 26S, or any sailboat. Here is a pointer to my rig: http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=1186 You might have to install padeyes on the cockpit coaming, if you don't ...