Newbie Introduction and questions 1999 26X

[Late2sail]

Hello,
My wife and I are brand new to sailing and to MacGregor ownership. We live in Central Virginia and recently purchased a 1999 26X that included the 99 and up upgrades (steering, repositioned ballast breather, improved room in aft birth, etc). I was wondering if there is a resource that consolidates the most common modifications/upgrades to these boats? Is there a resource that provides detailed drawings of the cabin construction (i.e. what is the maximum safe screw length for attaching accessories to the inside cabin fiberglass? There are existing holes and mounted items - I'm just unsure of how much room I have to work with in different areas.
I found a picture of a 26X with a nice hinged bifold hatch with windows - does anyone know of a source for this item?
Finally (for now), I have noticed that water is getting into my aft birth after it rains - The bottom of the cushions become damp. I cannot tell where it is getting in but I noticed water pooling on the inside upper lip of the rear most access panel (the area that contains the drain hose for the transom). Any and all suggestions would be welcomed.

[vizwhiz]

Welcome to the forums, the shadetree boatyard, the nuthouse, and the commissary! Newbie buys the pizza!

So if you click on "Mods" along the top row up there, you'll find many helpful pics and descriptions of all kinds of modifications people have done, both inside and out. Also, using the advanced search will bring you a lot of additional insights, as not everyone posts their mods in the mods section.

As another helpful tip, if you limit your post questions to one or two related questions in each post, with an accurate title, you'll get a lot more response on each one...

[sailboatmike]

Normally leaking from the engine bay drain into the aft berth, HOWEVER, it can run for a LOOOOOONG way between the deck and the liner

Welcome to the world of "Chase that leak"

[Russ]

is a resource that consolidates the most common modifications/upgrades to these boats?

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/

[Late2sail]

Thank you for the replies - anxious to get started on this adventure. My wife and I joined an 'inland sailing association' in our area, so hopefully we will have a lot of patient teachers to help us get started. As for the pizza, I will let you know the next time I'm in Florida:)

[dlandersson]

You don't have to wait 'till you're in Florida - many of us are on the Great Lakes.

Thank you for the replies - anxious to get started on this adventure. My wife and I joined an 'inland sailing association' in our area, so hopefully we will have a lot of patient teachers to help us get started. As for the pizza, I will let you know the next time I'm in Florida:)

[Ponaldpe]

You don't have to wait 'till you're in Florida - many of us are on the Great Lakes.

Thank you for the replies - anxious to get started on this adventure. My wife and I joined an 'inland sailing association' in our area, so hopefully we will have a lot of patient teachers to help us get started. As for the pizza, I will let you know the next time I'm in Florida:)

Your going to get fat eating all of the pizza. Well maybe you will work it off on all the $100 boats you buy.

[Tomfoolery]

Is there a resource that provides detailed drawings of the cabin construction (i.e. what is the maximum safe screw length for attaching accessories to the inside cabin fiberglass? There are existing holes and mounted items - I'm just unsure of how much room I have to work with in different areas.

Room behind the headliner depends on where you're drilling. Consider adhesive for lightweight things, and not hanging anything that's heavy.

Wellnuts (rubber and brass that expands in the hole when you tighten a screw) are also your friend here, though it takes some room behind the liner. I used them to hang a fan from the cabin roof, where I know there is room (pop off a round plug that's hiding a nut for something on deck to check). But that liner is very thin and weak, so if in doubt, use adhesive. Or don't mount whatever it is you're trying to attach at all.

I have the same boat, but mine has the companionway step instead of the ladder, even though there's no vent in that step.

[dlandersson]

According to my kids, I'm way past the "get fat" concern. I take my kids dogs out running just about any halfway decent morning (2+ miles). And I do situps and pushups aftwards (mostly). In the past (pre-50) this was enough to keep me a lean mean sailing machine. Not anymore.

You don't have to wait 'till you're in Florida - many of us are on the Great Lakes.

Thank you for the replies - anxious to get started on this adventure. My wife and I joined an 'inland sailing association' in our area, so hopefully we will have a lot of patient teachers to help us get started. As for the pizza, I will let you know the next time I'm in Florida:)

Your going to get fat eating all of the pizza. Well maybe you will work it off on all the $100 boats you buy.