Just Purchased 26M

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:08 pm

Ahoy:
Cindy and I just purchased our first sailboat; actually, we just purchased our first boat period. This is something we have considered for many years. We came close to buying a MacGregor five or six years ago but it wasn't the right time for us. The time is right now and we pulled a 26M home with us last Saturday.

We didn’t put it into the water, though Saturday was a nice day, we decided to go home and get familiar with the exterior, interior, and rigging as well as stowing the stuff we had already purchased for the boat. As we were about to pull away from MacGregor Yachts, Mr. MacGregor pulled up and we chatted a short while. He said that it wouldn’t take us long to become familiar with the rigging and that we would be sailing and having adventures before we knew it. It was nice to meet the man behind the engineering of such a great boat.

Cindy and I will launch from Newport Beach Dunes, Long Beach, or Dana Point; Newport Beach Dunes will be our home port as we live in Corona. We have toyed with the idea of putting in at Lake Elsinore but would much rather Sail the ocean; we both surfed for many years and may get back into it if I can rig surf board racks to the deck.

We haven't actually painted the name on our boat yet but we plan on calling her Miss Dallie after our dearest departed friend, our dog, Dallie (1989-2004)...We truly miss her.

We would like to hear from any/all of you and look forward to meeting some local sailors for some weekend adventures.

Aloha,

Ron and Cindy

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:33 pm

Hello Ron and Cindy,
Welcome aboard and congratulations on you new boat!
We have had our 26M for almost four years now (June 2007) and have had many wonderful sailing days on her. Take your time learning to sail her and on any given day, you will wonder just where the time went.
We sail out of Marina del Rey and because the boat is on a trailer, we have decided to join the Venture Club in San Diego and tow her down there several times a year to participate in their events.
Fair winds,
Finn

mastreb · Post by **mastreb** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:51 pm

Welcome aboard! I'm new to the board and the MacGregor

myself--Ours is two months old now. It's a simple boat to sail, and you'll be modding the boat to no end shortly. It's my second sailboat but first "powerboat" so I'm really learning the motoring side of things. We homeport in Oceanside but will be putting in at Dana Point tomorrow for a trip to Catalina for the week.

Things I've put on so far:
--Fortress anchor and longer rode for anchoring at Catalina
--Boomkicker to hold the boom off the deck
--BWY Stern rail seats to make more room in the cockpit
--Garmin 421s chartplotter + Sounder
--NMEA 2K cable for the Evinrude E-TEC 60 to connect to the Garmin as a fuel gauge

We're having a ton of fun with it!

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:28 am

Finn wrote:we have decided to join the Venture Club in San Diego and tow her down there several times a year to participate in their events.

This sounds like fun, do you have the URL for the Adventure Club?

Ron

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:37 am

mastreb wrote:Things I've put on so far:
--Fortress anchor and longer rode for anchoring at Catalina
--Boomkicker to hold the boom off the deck
--BWY Stern rail seats to make more room in the cockpit
--Garmin 421s chartplotter + Sounder
--NMEA 2K cable for the Evinrude E-TEC 60 to connect to the Garmin as a fuel gauge

--Fortress anchor and longer rode for anchoring at Catalina

I have thought about a longer rode, don't know the differences between anchors.
--Boomkicker to hold the boom off the deck

Boomkicker? Does the boom ride on the deck? I really need to look this up.
--BWY Stern rail seats to make more room in the cockpit

Are these the seats that hang over the port and starboard sides of the stern?
--Garmin 421s chartplotter + Sounder

I already purchased this; just a matter of setting it up now.
--NMEA 2K cable for the Evinrude E-TEC 60 to connect to the Garmin as a fuel gauge

I read about this in a different post and copied down the information. This is something I do plan on doing right away.

Ron

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:42 am

Thanks for the warm welcome. Cindy and I hope to run into many of you out there (not literally run into you) in the deep blue. We are anxiously waiting for the day we are ready to venture out to Catalina. Until then I will be happy just putting Miss Dallie in the water! We are going to get her wet on Sunday.

Aloha,

Ron and Cindy

Obelix · Post by **Obelix** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:48 pm

Ron & Cindy,

Best of luck for your maiden turn.
We got our

in May 2008, it is also our first boat and we have lots of fun still learning the ropes

You will find you made a great choice selecting the Mac.

Take your time learning and most of all, have fun while doing it.

Obelix

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:15 pm

Welcome Aboard..... : )
As Obelix said .. Have Fun Doing it.. Ours is a 05 M and we have Never regretted the purchase..

Theo · Post by **Theo** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:52 pm

Welcome aboard!

I suggest Dana Point over Newport for a first launch. There is no PCH bridge to cross under before raising the mast. I have heard Dana Point can be a very friendly harbor for a Mac. Call them up and inquire about guest slips and moorings. Lots to do on shore too. Being on the open Pacific, be sure to check the surf sites for large wave events. If it is Maxing, stay in port and run down to Trestles!!

Theo

roger · Post by **roger** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:08 pm

Welcome,
We also sail out of Newport Beach and don't like not being able to raise the mast until we clear the PCH bridge. I would not do it for the first sail, but it is our port of choice, do to the location. When we purchased our Mac from the dealer in Newport we bought the two orientation lessions he offered. You didn't get these? Good luck of your 1st voyage.
Roger & Julie out of Riverside

Theo · Post by **Theo** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:45 pm

Actually, the real problem with the PCH bridge in Newport is that it is a pain to get to the other side from the harbor. That is where the lobster shack is. Bon Appetit.

When you are a bit more experienced Newport is a fun Harbor to get a mooring at also. It is big enough you can play inside the harbor and environs for a weekend without going in the open ocean. It can be extremely congested though.

Theo

Post by **Russ** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:31 pm

Welcome.

RE: Boomkicker

I find a simple topping lift line from the top of the mast to the end of the boom works well and is simple. The boomkicker has other benefits, but I wouldn't buy one just for a topping lift.

Post by **Russ** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:35 pm

Miss_Dallie wrote:We haven't actually painted the name on our boat yet but we plan on calling her Miss Dallie after our dearest departed friend, our dog, Dallie (1989-2004)...We truly miss her.

Oh yea, don't "paint" the name on unless you are really good at that stuff. You can order the decals from a number of places.

--Russ

Miss_Dallie · Post by **Miss_Dallie** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:29 am

RussMT wrote:Oh yea, don't "paint" the name on unless you are really good at that stuff. You can order the decals from a number of places.

This could have been disasterous.

Thanks for the advice Russ, I will ask at West Marine when I'm there today.

Ron

c130king · Post by **c130king** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:59 pm

Ron,

For boat name decals check out boatus.com

Cheers,
Jim

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

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