Biggest ever rally

[mike uk]

As part of its 21st year celebrations, the UK MacGregor Owners Association has just held its August rally on the east coast of England, where we explored the coast and rivers including Arthur Ransome’s famous Secret Water.

The territory is ideal for a Mac – one minute jostling for a gap in between a procession of huge container ships in force 6 winds, the next minute inching our way up twisting, winding channels in just a metre of water (sometimes dropping to zero water – but a rising tide soon resolves the problem).

As usual with our rallies, there were plenty of pontoon parties and/or fish and chips but on this occasion we also had a proper dinner in the yacht club at Suffolk Yacht Harbour in their adapted lightship premises. Those with boats were joined by other members past and present – over 70 members in all.

So here’s a summary of the boats attending:-

2 Mac 19
1 Mac 26C
11 Mac 26X
3 Mac 26M
1 Imexus 27
1 Odin 820

Plus guest appearances from members on board:-

Wylo 36 foot gaffer
Bavaria 44
Benetau Sun Odyssey
Yarmouth 23

We have about 150 current members but naturally not all of them trail their boats around, so we were all delighted with the turnout.

We usually have about half a dozen rallies a year but this was our biggest ever.

You can see more of what we do on our website

http://www.macgregorowners.org.uk

Mike

[NiceAft]

Congratulations That must have been fun.

Did one of those M's happen to come out of the Tollesbury Marina A member of this board (Andrew Widger) sails out of there in his Yarmouth, and in the slip next to him is a blue

Ray

[mike uk]

Andrew attended on board his Yarmouth 23. I'm not sure if the Tollesbury marina M was there or not. We were all together for the first couple of nights but because of the size of the rally we got a bit spread out after that. Some went home after the long weekend and others stayed on for up to a week. I'll try to post some photos later.

Cheers
Mike

[NiceAft]

The Admiral and I were at the Olympics in August, and had a chance to take a side trip to meet Andy. A true English gentleman. After a nice day on the boat, we went to a pub for some food.

Ray

[StUrrock]

The Admiral and I were at the Olympics in August, and had a chance to take a side trip to meet Andy. A true English gentleman. After a nice day on the boat, we went to a pub for some food.

Ray

Hi Ray

It was a great day when you both came over to see me at Tollesbury.
You were the best husband and wife crew ever to step aboard my Yarmouth23.

The Mac rally was brilliant, great company and some brilliant sailors! On day 2 the wind really picked up (F7) on a sail from Levington to Walton on the Naze, we were the last to leave along with Bjorn and Rolly who were sailing Rolly's 26M. (It is a Blue one, that means it must be the high winds, high speed model ).

Well my Yarmouth is a pretty heavy boat for its size and sails well in strong winds, with Rick, a great sailor aboard, we felt we were motoring.

Then suddenly just outside Harwich, Bjorn & Rolly came past us at a break neck speed! At this point the wind was pretty strong and we were the only two yachts in sight.
To see these guys sailing the M in these conditions was a wonderful and thrilling sight and it just goes to prove that anybody who knocks the Mac for its sailing abilities, is talking rubbish and has never been aboard a Mac with a good skipper.

[NiceAft]

It's good to see a posting from you Andy. Hopefully we will meet up again.

Ray

P.S. How's the dog

[StUrrock]

Hi Ray great to hear from you.

The dog as you can see is still crossing oceans!