MacGregor 25 Questions: towing / outboard

[ChockFullOnuts22]

Hey Mac 25 authorities,

I have an opportunity to buy an '83 Mac 25 for a very good price. However, I have no hands-on experience with this boat, so I want to ask some questions before I commit to this purchase....

1. Towing. Do you think that the boat can be safely towed (20 miles or less) with a 1997 S-10 Blazer (4 door, 4X4, 4.3L V6)?

2. Power. Boat does not come with an outboard. Is a 6HP outboard strong enough to do the job on a 25?

3. Launching. Are the 25's easy to launch on a regular boat ramp, or should I expect to have to back the Blazer far into the water to get the boat to float free? (Talking about a typical slope, nothing terribly shallow.)

4. Hull. Almost forgot to mention...this boat has the short-bunk-board hull problem. It's not terribly severe, but there are noticable indentations in the hull at the aft ends of the trailer bunk boards where the weight of the boat is causing the hull to sag off the board ends. No cracks, as far as I can see. Will this be a problem even after I extend the bunk boards, or is there nothing to worry about once the trailer is properly set up to support the stern?

Thanks!

[kmclemore]

1. Towing. Do you think that the boat can be safely towed (20 miles or less) with a 1997 S-10 Blazer (4 door, 4X4, 4.3L V6)?

Properly equipped (proper hitch, wiring, brakes and cooling), yes.

2. Power. Boat does not come with an outboard. Is a 6HP outboard strong enough to do the job on a 25?

Rather depends on what 'the job' means. If you mean navigation at the dock and some limited calm-water travel, yes. If you want to pull a water toy or navigate heavier water, probably not.

3. Launching. Are the 25's easy to launch on a regular boat ramp, or should I expect to have to back the Blazer far into the water to get the boat to float free? (Talking about a typical slope, nothing terribly shallow.)

They are very easy to launch, and no, your car won't get floated away!

4. Hull. Almost forgot to mention...this boat has the short-bunk-board hull problem. It's not terribly severe, but there are noticable indentations in the hull at the aft ends of the trailer bunk boards where the weight of the boat is causing the hull to sag off the board ends. No cracks, as far as I can see. Will this be a problem even after I extend the bunk boards, or is there nothing to worry about once the trailer is properly set up to support the stern?

Not sure.... photos?? But extending should only make the problem better, not worse, I should think.

[ChockFullOnuts22]

Thanks for the answers. I don't have photos just yet.

I ended up buying the boat. Now comes the getting-it-home part. I have a class III hitch and tow package. The brakes on the Blazer are nothing special in terms of size. Only one way to find out how she does.... Worse comes to worst, I have a buddy with a 1/2-ton pickup and a tow package. I know his brakes are considerably larger than mine.

In terms of the outboard, "the job" means getting from the dock out onto the water, and then keeping the bow into the wind long enough to get the sails up. If I could scare up a bigger outboard, I definitely would use that instead of the little 6 hp wheezer. Too bad the owner sold the 9.9 that used to be on the boat. That's my choice outboard right there.

[3sheets]

You mentioned deformation on your hull. One thing I learned, you must lower your keel to the trailer or it will cause your hull to bend. Experience can be a harsh teacher. But, it least it popped back out after a week with the weight off...No lasting damage...Good luck
Robert

[ChockFullOnuts22]

The hull returned to shape on its own? I hope I'm that lucky. The previous owner had the keel cranked all the way up instead of resting on the trailer like it should have been; I let the keel down against the trailer when I checked the boat out, though. I'll have to wait and see if my hull straightens back out like yours did.

[McTexan]

Worked out of an S10 with the V6 for a lot of years, and they are a tough little vehicle. Hauled some crazy loads with that little thing. The old dude I bought it from 12 years before I junked it actually hauled a cattle trailer with it, and before that it got a good workout as a company unit for Bell Telephone. I don't expect to ever again get the kind of value and service I got out of that truck. It was a good one.
It's easy enough to find the towing capacity for your particular one,
but the biggest hazard you can unexpectedly run into is the tail wagging the dog thing. The shorter the tow vehicle or the longer the trailer, the worse it gets. You might be coasting along peacefully, hit a weird spot in the road, or a crosswind, or nudge up on your speed going down a hill...whatever. When that sucker starts wagging back and forth like crazy, you will have your hands full! It can get deadly serious in a hurry. More so with an S10. I have little doubt the V6 will pull it, but if you don't have trailer brakes installed, keeping the assured clear stopping distance gets higher on your priority list, and using the transmission to slow down does as well. First thing you can do to minimize the tail wagging is to make sure you have enough tongue weight on the hitch. That helps a bunch. If you throw an outboard motor on and tow with it, you might find you need to do something to put weight back on the hitch. If that doesn't do the trick then the alternative is to hunt down a load leveling hitch with sway control arms. They are not infallible, but nearly so if tensioned right. You'll like the boat.

[left-IS-right]

I don't see why the S10 would not pull it short distances as you suggest, but retrieving the boat may be a bit hairy, especially if the ramp is at all steep. My very strong opinion is that this is a boat you will want to keep in a slip if at all possible. They are a real pita to rig and unrig, launcch and retrieve every time you want to go sailing. The cost of the slip is defrayed by the fuel and time you save each time you go, and you will go a lot more because all it takes is a quick trip to the marina and ten minutes later you can be motoring out. Otherwise you are wasting about two hours, one at the front and one at the back, each time you go sailing.

I used a 15 horse on mine and it was more than enough. A six horse is the bare minimum for the Mac 25. I have a six horse on my O'Day 20 and its as low as I would go on it, at five feet shorter than yours.

[McTexan]

Neglected to add that I put a 4 stroke 6 horse Nissan on the 22 and find that much above half throttle mostly amounts to extra noise and gas consumption with two normal sized people and enough stuff for a weekend on board. Loading the boat on the trailer on windy days can be a royal pain in the arse, so we added bolt-on goal posts, and ran a tightly drawn half inch rope from the top of each to the winch tree. Haven't missed since.

Hey Mac 25 authorities,

I have an opportunity to buy an '83 Mac 25 for a very good price. However, I have no hands-on experience with this boat, so I want to ask some questions before I commit to this purchase....

1. Towing. Do you think that the boat can be safely towed (20 miles or less) with a 1997 S-10 Blazer (4 door, 4X4, 4.3L V6)?

2. Power. Boat does not come with an outboard. Is a 6HP outboard strong enough to do the job on a 25?

3. Launching. Are the 25's easy to launch on a regular boat ramp, or should I expect to have to back the Blazer far into the water to get the boat to float free? (Talking about a typical slope, nothing terribly shallow.)

4. Hull. Almost forgot to mention...this boat has the short-bunk-board hull problem. It's not terribly severe, but there are noticable indentations in the hull at the aft ends of the trailer bunk boards where the weight of the boat is causing the hull to sag off the board ends. No cracks, as far as I can see. Will this be a problem even after I extend the bunk boards, or is there nothing to worry about once the trailer is properly set up to support the stern?

Thanks!

[ChockFullOnuts22]

I definitely experienced the tail-wagging-the-dog thing yesterday when I brought it home. I had plenty of power to get the rig up to 55mph, and the surge brakes on the trailer allowed me to slow down and stop easier than I can actually do with my V222 (no brakes on that trailer). HOWEVER...hitting bumps, weird spots in the road, or strong cross breezes made the back end of that Blazer wag on its tires in a way that I have never felt in a vehicle before. Freaked me right out the first time I felt it. There is DEFINITELY a lack of tongue weight on the trailer...although the previous owner didn't snug the bow into the "V" on the winch tower the last time he pulled it out. Shifting the weight 2-3 inches further forward might make all the difference in the world.

And I know what you mean about going through the hassle of rigging and unrigging the thing every time you sail. The mast on this boat feels considerably heavier than my 22's mast, and I can't imagine trying to raise it by myself without using the trailer winch. I single-handedly step my 22's mast without a problem in just a few minutes. The 25 will clearly be better off in a slip. I should plan on doing that.

Goal posts will be an add-on for me, as well. I have them on my 22's trailer....can't imagine retrieving the boat without them.

As far as retrieving the boat in my marina's ramp, the ramp isn't too steep. I usually kick it into 4-high when retrieving a boat, anyway; just in case the ramp is slick with algae or other such slime. I would just hope that the ramp is steep enough to float the boat off before the Blazer's rear end is underwater. The 25 sits a LOT higher on the trailer than the 22 does.

[McTexan]

HAHAHA.....tends to pucker you up in places that pucker if you're not expecting it!!!! Yeeee haaaaw!
I have had it happen coming down the Rockies with a 30 foot trailer behind a 1 ton Suburban, and with
sway control. It ain't no joke. If you have separate brake controls you can generally stop it by hitting the
trailer brakes separately. Even behind a 4 door F 150 rated to haul nearly 10,000 the 22 did some interesting acrobatics.
I ended up adding some tongue length and mounting the spare further forward. Either that or move the axle, or take the motor
off every time. Wife and I can get it rigged and ready for the ramp in 15 minutes with no stress, and messing with the motor
would add to the hassle. I lash it to the safety rail to keep from stressing the transom, but that's it.
We are 22 miles from driveway to ramp of the nearest large lake, so it's about 45 minutes from wild hair
to splash for that one. Only problem around here is there is not much wind this time of year, so we are working
up a 65 Lone Star 17 footer to fill in the gap. Spring and fall seem to be the best for sailing where we're at.

I definitely experienced the tail-wagging-the-dog thing yesterday when I brought it home. I had plenty of power to get the rig up to 55mph, and the surge brakes on the trailer allowed me to slow down and stop easier than I can actually do with my V222 (no brakes on that trailer). HOWEVER...hitting bumps, weird spots in the road, or strong cross breezes made the back end of that Blazer wag on its tires in a way that I have never felt in a vehicle before. Freaked me right out the first time I felt it. There is DEFINITELY a lack of tongue weight on the trailer...although the previous owner didn't snug the bow into the "V" on the winch tower the last time he pulled it out. Shifting the weight 2-3 inches further forward might make all the difference in the world.

And I know what you mean about going through the hassle of rigging and unrigging the thing every time you sail. The mast on this boat feels considerably heavier than my 22's mast, and I can't imagine trying to raise it by myself without using the trailer winch. I single-handedly step my 22's mast without a problem in just a few minutes. The 25 will clearly be better off in a slip. I should plan on doing that.

Goal posts will be an add-on for me, as well. I have them on my 22's trailer....can't imagine retrieving the boat without them.

As far as retrieving the boat in my marina's ramp, the ramp isn't too steep. I usually kick it into 4-high when retrieving a boat, anyway; just in case the ramp is slick with algae or other such slime. I would just hope that the ramp is steep enough to float the boat off before the Blazer's rear end is underwater. The 25 sits a LOT higher on the trailer than the 22 does.

[McTexan]

Some folks who don't want the expense of a slip or the hassle of rigging every time manage to find a place near a ramp to park it on the trailer with
the mast up. Seems like a decent compromise if you like going to the same lake each time.

There's "something" about that last few inches to the bumper stop when you pull that darn thing out of the water. I don't care how tight I winch it up
in the water...when it's out, there's that elusive 3 or 4 inch gap. Somebody coined a cute name for it somewhere, but I can't recall what it is.
Another had a name for the procedure where you get a run across the parking lot, slam on the brakes and hope it slides forward on the wet bunks.
Funny.

I definitely experienced the tail-wagging-the-dog thing yesterday when I brought it home. I had plenty of power to get the rig up to 55mph, and the surge brakes on the trailer allowed me to slow down and stop easier than I can actually do with my V222 (no brakes on that trailer). HOWEVER...hitting bumps, weird spots in the road, or strong cross breezes made the back end of that Blazer wag on its tires in a way that I have never felt in a vehicle before. Freaked me right out the first time I felt it. There is DEFINITELY a lack of tongue weight on the trailer...although the previous owner didn't snug the bow into the "V" on the winch tower the last time he pulled it out. Shifting the weight 2-3 inches further forward might make all the difference in the world.

And I know what you mean about going through the hassle of rigging and unrigging the thing every time you sail. The mast on this boat feels considerably heavier than my 22's mast, and I can't imagine trying to raise it by myself without using the trailer winch. I single-handedly step my 22's mast without a problem in just a few minutes. The 25 will clearly be better off in a slip. I should plan on doing that.

Goal posts will be an add-on for me, as well. I have them on my 22's trailer....can't imagine retrieving the boat without them.

As far as retrieving the boat in my marina's ramp, the ramp isn't too steep. I usually kick it into 4-high when retrieving a boat, anyway; just in case the ramp is slick with algae or other such slime. I would just hope that the ramp is steep enough to float the boat off before the Blazer's rear end is underwater. The 25 sits a LOT higher on the trailer than the 22 does.

[ChockFullOnuts22]

HAHAHA.....tends to pucker you up in places that pucker if you're not expecting it!!!! Yeeee haaaaw!

OHHhhh, ain't it the truth! For one or two seconds there, I actually began to think that I was going to wreck on the boat's first trip home. I just kept thinking, ' oh, I hope these tires are good enough to keep hold...'

I hadn't even thought of the dry-slip option, keeping the boat at the ready on its trailer at the marina. I'll have to see if my marina is willing to offer this option, or if any others in the area are.

There's "something" about that last few inches to the bumper stop when you pull that darn thing out of the water. I don't care how tight I winch it up
in the water...when it's out, there's that elusive 3 or 4 inch gap. Somebody coined a cute name for it somewhere, but I can't recall what it is.
Another had a name for the procedure where you get a run across the parking lot, slam on the brakes and hope it slides forward on the wet bunks.
Funny.

Somehow I think that if I tried gunning it across a parking lot with my little Blazer and then slamming the brakes with that big 25 hitched to the back, I'd either throw a rod or glaze the brakes on my way into a tree or something at the edge of the lot, hahaha.