MAC versatility

[ZANDRAMADAS]

I'll give a more detailed story once i return (we are heading back down tot he gulf tonight, so i am alittle rushed)

But for All those wondering about the MAC, i'll give this little real world usage.

My son, my wife and myself, just got back from Panama City (plus 2 dogs i might add)...went spent 6 days on the MAC...sleeping, eating and playing on-board....rented a Honda generator 2000i which ran the exterior lights and the LOWES $79 A/C mod.....the BOAT WAS A MEAT LOCKER LOL.....we spent a grand total of $420 for the entire trip food, gas down there, gas while there, rental of generator and ice...

Every night, as tide was going out, all the boats either pulled up anchor and left for the night or went out deeper because of the low tides.....we would go TO the beach, in inches of water...walk the dogs, romantic walk on the beach until well after dark...then climb aboard and i would slightly push us out to a depth of 1 foot of water....then the wife would motor to our spot for anchorage...in deeper water....we did this every night....a large motor boat...tried to do the same thing one night after watching us.....it took 4 boats to pull him out 2 days later....and it took 2 days....

I love the places i can go in the MAC....its fantastic...between motoring around, and sailing.....we used maybe 8 gallons of gas for the entire time...and we had a BLAST...

We are heading out again tonight, fOR A 6 DAY trip....leaving the dogs but taking 2 more of the kids...so 5 of us...on the boat...we do this alot...with plenty of room...we are just bringing more blankets this time...that darn A/C will give you the chills...LOL and i met another MAC 26X as he beached himself...we talked for a time, nice guy....he bought a MARINE A/C that attached to the front hatch...he paid alot....but said it leaks inside, no matter what he tried to do to stop it...

oh BTW, the Honda 2000i will run in ECO mood while running the generator, ACDC-Garden lights strung around the rail/life line (so the kids can see on deck at night while anchored) , interior lights, charge the batteries....and still be VERY quiet and not near normal (non-ECO mode) idle....the garden lights pull more watts and more drain on the generator than the A/C did....was surprising....several people asked why we had a generator and didn't run it...i told them it IS on....they couldn't hear it from 10 feet away....

when we finally left....a motor boat, 4 feet shorter than ours...was stuck on the loading dock..his chevy z71 4x4 couldn't pull him out...and of course he had to use his motor to load himself on the trailor....my wife put the trailor all the way in the water...i had a lead line, walked the boat (motor up for traveling) onto the trailor, 2 cranks of the winch to secure it...and our little tundra (6 cyl) pulled our boat right out...the wife walked over to the guy that was stuck and asked if he wanted her to pull him out...(thank god looks can't kill or i'd be a widower)...the park ranger Laughed so loud that i thought the guy in the truck might shoot us all LOL.....

If you are thinking of this boat and another...get this one...if you have got one..be proud of it...it's simply freedom wrapped in fiberglass...and you have a TON more money for other things....we love our boat...and everytime we docked for showers (i;ll fix that soon) someone ALWAYS came up asking about the boat and shocked at the price and that it was trailorable.....god i love this boat...now i have to go repack it for the trip tonight....see you on the water...

Keith

[nchogberg]

Great story! We are over on the east cost in Biscayne bay. I have never thought of renting a generator. What a great idea.

What is the model/make of the A/C? For less than a boat buck that sounds like a great way to keep the wife and kids happy at night.

later...
Hawg

[DLT]

The smallest cheapest you can find will work great.

http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=664

[beene]

Fantastic story Keith.

Thanks very much.

Absolutely LOVED IT!

G

[ZANDRAMADAS]

just a simple 5K BTU at lowes or Homedepot...around $80 window unit....works GREAT...i've fashioned mine to a new door in the rear hatch....got it on hinges so it opens.....BUT because of waves, you will nee to install a garbage bag duct taped to the bottom of the unit, going UNDER the door....for draining.....tape it securely around the bottom 3 inchs of it...and presto....no leaks and it get plenty of air...i also place a towel around the top crack in the sliding hatch to ensure decent sealing from outside air....

[eric3a]

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[bastonjock]

over here,A/C is not that important,you get the odd "muggy night"

having heating onboard is however important,it gets cold and damp so having a warm dry bunk is worth the boatbuck that a quality heater will cost.

glad to hear that you can get 5 onboard as well as pets,dont think ill try for the horses,ill call the line at my labrador

[eric3a]

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[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Keith...that's a great Mac story. The shallow draft is a plus that we enjoy also. Happy Sailing to you and yours !

[ZANDRAMADAS]

yeah we run the AC all night long....it's not loud at all, alittle humming sound, but the new window units are pretty quiet....the generator is quiet too, i place it on top (right now, when i buy mine i want a shelf on the rear of the boat as a permenant holding place) tied to the mast..placed on a thick rubber floor mat used in cars....it isolates the vibrations pretty good...we also have a small fan to force air movement to the rear bearth, i am hot natured, so i like air flow lol....with a towel placed along the crack in the sliding hatch, you will be surprised how quick it cools down...just be mindful fo the generator exhaust...i also have a CO2 detector inside the boat, just in case...oh btw, i received a black & decker 900w 7.5 amp hand held (A/C powered) vaccum for the boat on fathers day..just opened it..WOW its small but will suck the white off the boat LOL.....very nice addition with this many kids going in and out of the boat...it's not a wet dry vac, but i have extra drainage holes to combat that....the sand is what was hard..this picks it up GREAT...i highly recommend it....we are in final loading stage, and i will be driving away soon...you guys take care....and i agree i have traveled the world and florida has some of the most beautiful beaches around...just not as good snorkeling as Okinawa....or australia....but you can't have it all...lol

[eric3a]

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[Bob McLellan]

Where do you mount the generator? And how is it exhausted? We lost another young person from carbon monoxide and 21 others sick from generators and motors on Lake Powell here in Arizona.

[Boblee]

Great little story Zandramas we will be heading off for 2-3 months soon up our East coast and and will use ours to the hilt both as a caravan and a fun boat.
Had a bloke come in off the Golf course that we back onto today and he was flabergasted after checking the boat out.
If the Admiral lasts we may join up with the mac flotilla in September to cruise the Whitsunday Islands, but apparently it will be split this year due to the extra numbers.
My only regret is I did not find these boats until last year.

[James V]

Bob McLellan - There is some threads on A/C and Gen's here. Most common is under the captians seat, on the stern rail seat and next to the mast.

You may want to use a yoke on the anchor line so that the stern is a little more into the wind.

[bastonjock]

A UK "muggy night" is still a nice cool NW Fl or Houston night! ...

i had a buddy come over from san antonio and he told me about the heat and humidity,you just swet 24 hours a day.

ill stick with the cold in the uk