Blisters--a new hiding place

[Billy]

I don't want to panic anyone, but this discovery really surprised me.

I have a friend who recently purchased an '88 MacGregor D that sat on its trailer most of its life. It still had the original 3 year state registration decal on the hull ('91). The hull had a beautiful mirror finish. The bunks had rotted and were temporarily with replaced with 2x4s, blanket strips, and zip ties to get the boat home. After putting the boat on blocks to refinish the trailer, blisters were discovered only where the bunks were.

Evidently, over the years, the weight of the boat had pushed the water (rain water) from the carpeted bunks into the fiberglass. The boat appears to have be parked in a shaded area while stored. This is the only conclusion we have been able to come up with.

BTW, after a month of detailing, we put the boat in the water and the performance was unreal. Roger nailed it with this design. Almost makes me want to trade my X for a D. (Nope, can't give up the 140 hp yet. But maybe a 2nd Mac?)

May want to check the bunk areas in your bottom one day.

[dlandersson]

Yeah, every off-season I find myself shopping for a 26 C or D - not sure what I'll do with two Macs.

I don't want to panic anyone, but this discovery really surprised me.

I have a friend who recently purchased an '88 MacGregor D that sat on its trailer most of its life. It still had the original 3 year state registration decal on the hull ('91). The hull had a beautiful mirror finish. The bunks had rotted and were temporarily with replaced with 2x4s, blanket strips, and zip ties to get the boat home. After putting the boat on blocks to refinish the trailer, blisters were discovered only where the bunks were.

Evidently, over the years, the weight of the boat had pushed the water (rain water) from the carpeted bunks into the fiberglass. The boat appears to have be parked in a shaded area while stored. This is the only conclusion we have been able to come up with.

BTW, after a month of detailing, we put the boat in the water and the performance was unreal. Roger nailed it with this design. Almost makes me want to trade my X for a D. (Nope, can't give up the 140 hp yet. But maybe a 2nd Mac?)

May want to check the bunk areas in your bottom one day.

[Highlander]

Yeah, every off-season I find myself shopping for a 26 C or D - not sure what I'll do with two Macs.
bolt them together for a hybrid cat

J

I don't want to panic anyone, but this discovery really surprised me.

I have a friend who recently purchased an '88 MacGregor D that sat on its trailer most of its life. It still had the original 3 year state registration decal on the hull ('91). The hull had a beautiful mirror finish. The bunks had rotted and were temporarily with replaced with 2x4s, blanket strips, and zip ties to get the boat home. After putting the boat on blocks to refinish the trailer, blisters were discovered only where the bunks were.

Evidently, over the years, the weight of the boat had pushed the water (rain water) from the carpeted bunks into the fiberglass. The boat appears to have be parked in a shaded area while stored. This is the only conclusion we have been able to come up with.

BTW, after a month of detailing, we put the boat in the water and the performance was unreal. Roger nailed it with this design. Almost makes me want to trade my X for a D. (Nope, can't give up the 140 hp yet. But maybe a 2nd Mac?)

May want to check the bunk areas in your bottom one day.

[Steve K]

I've had two........
Newell has two.
There's no law against it

If you like sailing performance............
Once you've had a D boat, you'll never go back ............

that is, if you don't care about powering speed, which I don't. Don't even like the noise of an outboard. And I have a tiny, quiet little Honda 4 stroke (8HP)............... and if you don't care about head room in the cabin. The pop top helps, but I don't really mind the low ceiling. I always put the pop top up at the end of the day, when the Admiral is on board though.

Hope to re-finish the bottom of my D this spring. I plan to fair her to perfection. Can't imagine how a brand new, clean shiny hull will perform. I know this improved both my 26X and my Catalina22.

Best Breezes,
Steve K.

[Ixneigh]

So are we talking like, seven knots in ten to fifteen of wind?
Ix

[Steve K]

I've been @ 7 plus often. A 15 mph breeze is an great ride Actually have had the boat going much faster a few times.
However, it's not just speed......... it's the way the boat responds to controls and the fact that it points very high (if the rig is tuned right). The D boat will tell you very quickly if it likes how you are trimming, for a given condition. She accelerates quickly (I mean acceleration you can feel too) and responds nicely to trimming. They are just plain fun to sail in most any condition.
When sailing with all my X boat friends, I usually leave the beach last and arrive at our destination first, at the end of the day (by hours on a day sail sometimes).

Comparing the X and D, performance wise, would be similar to comparing a bus to a pony car (hope that doesn't bother the X owners).

The two are very fine boats for their designed parameters. I always loved the RV feel of the X and it's multipurpose ability. But for strictly sailing, the D is the Mac to have.

There are plenty of better boats out there, but the D boat is so simple, light, easy to maintain and has a price point that is a lot of bang for the buck. I love mine, as you likely guessed

Best Breezes,
Steve K.

[finding41]

Steve is right. The 26D is the best of the Mac boats in terms of sailing.
It's true about the acceleration too! I sailed my Siren 17 at our club this year and it was a dog to sail unless the wind is at 20knotts. It didn't point worth ....! (I did come 2nd of the keel boat class in the Pumpkin Regatta a few weeks back though...) I worked that boat like it had never been worked before!
I'm going to look over another 26D on Sat. to add to the fleet. It will probably follow me home.

[mastreb]

I hear what you're saying about responsiveness to trim. It took me quite some time to get good at sailing the 26M because it takes a long while to get response from trim. You pretty much have to know exactly what to do, do it, and then wait for speed to build over the course of a few seconds (while keeping the nervous helm absolutely on course). The boat will go fast, but it's not particularly responsive to trim changes. I find having an autopilot does wonders however--makes it much more like a tiller boat.

[Catigale]

I've been @ 7 plus often. A 15 mph breeze is an great ride Actually have had the boat going much faster a few times.
However, it's not just speed......... it's the way the boat responds to controls and the fact that it points very high (if the rig is tuned right). The D boat will tell you very quickly if it likes how you are trimming, for a given condition. She accelerates quickly (I mean acceleration you can feel too) and responds nicely to trimming. They are just plain fun to sail in most any condition.
When sailing with all my X boat friends, I usually leave the beach last and arrive at our destination first, at the end of the day (by hours on a day sail sometimes).

Comparing the X and D, performance wise, would be similar to comparing a bus to a pony car (hope that doesn't bother the X owners).

The two are very fine boats for their designed parameters. I always loved the RV feel of the X and it's multipurpose ability. But for strictly sailing, the D is the Mac to have.

There are plenty of better boats out there, but the D boat is so simple, light, easy to maintain and has a price point that is a lot of bang for the buck. I love mine, as you likely guessed

Best Breezes,
Steve K.

None taken. I love the for cursing the Cape, and my Harpoons will leave the Mac in its wake if I get the need for speed....and this hacker can even get it on plane which is really fun....