MacGregorSailors.com

so you're 60 miles from home port and the engine fails...
with a Bayliner you'll be calling Tow US and stuck with a big bill.
with a Mac, you just hoist the main and sail back.

or, you've traveled farther than originally planned and will run short on fuel...
same as above.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

I'll second that one Bobby. Motor sailing is also a very cool way to cruise. Even when the wind is pushing you upwind only around 5 mph, you can add on another 2mph to get a more respectable speed and hardly burn any gas at all (well at least with my 4 stroke thats true)...as well as charging up your batteries to keep all the toys running (inverter, DVD, game cube, stereo, etc.).

I went out cruising for a few days last week, figured there was good wind (and no planing speeds planned) so only put 3 out of my 4 tanks on board (with one half empty) for a total of about 12-14 gallons of gas. I came back home and still have at least 5 gallons left! See if you can do THAT on a bayliner!! One day was in the intracoastal and I used the engine for the day without even lifting the sails...that day probably acounted for half of my total fuel burn. Total distance travelled was around 120 miles...I think that is a better gas mileage than my SUV gets!

The Bayliner 265 only sleeps 4. Their cockpit layout does't even work to put a kid out there. That won't cut it with my family of 5. Plus you have to mess with the table in the vee berth every night just to get sleeping for 4. The 265 feels much more confined inside than the Mac X. Nice head though but you pay for it in cabin space.

The smallest Bayliners that sleep 6 are the 285 and 289 the cheapest of which, the 285, starts at well over $70k.

Duane,

Having owned a 1997 2655 for 8 years, and recently purchasing a MacX, I agree that the 2655 is somewhat equivalent to the Mac as far as living space goes. The Mac has more room down below (although not as much headroom with the hatch closed), but the 2655 had much more space in the cockpit (with our full enclosure). If we had to (never did, thank goodness), we could have crammed 7 for sleeping). The new 265 has almost the same dimensions, although I'm not sure if the seatback to the left of the helm is collapsible.

But ........ again, I probably wouldn't have gotten much sailing performance out of the 2655, and maintenance and fuels cost were much higher (2 to 2.2mpg with a 5.7L for fuel economony, and I don't even want to talk about costs for working on the motor!!!) ...the 2655 did cruise at 23mph, though, and I will miss that!) And of course the initial cost differences between the two boats are substantial.

mallardjusted wrote: ...the 2655 did cruise at 23mph, though, and I will miss that!)

you can always re-power with a 90hp and get there w/out a problem. MPG isn't much different between a 50hp and a 90hp IMHO.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

Hi Bobby
Did you ever experiment with different pitches on your 90?

I have a 14x11 and a 14x13. I am wondering if the 13 would go faster with less rpm, say 3000 with both 11 and 13, would I get more speed from the 13?

Any thoughts?

G

beene wrote:Hi Bobby
Did you ever experiment with different pitches on your 90?
I have a 14x11 and a 14x13. I am wondering if the 13 would go faster with less rpm, say 3000 with both 11 and 13, would I get more speed from the 13?
Any thoughts?
G

this was printed in a previous post:

Just installed and trial tested a Quicksilver 14" x 11 pitch prop with the Tohatsu 90TLDI.
The Tohatsu techie suggested that I go with the 11 pitch rather than the 13 pitch (no 12 pitch available). The stock prop is a 13.75” x 15 pitch (pushes the X above 30mph, but rpm’s barely get above 5000 on a light load, captain only).
The 11 pitch has big "dog ears" which provide excellent prop surface area. No cavitation.
The results were as follows on a 26X lightly loaded-captain only boat:
-700 rpms not as quiet & smooth as a Suzuki 50 4 stroke
-1000 rpms smooth running
-3000 rpms 12mph
-4000 rpms 16 mph
-5000 rpms 21 mph
-5850 rpms (WOT) 26 mph
The manufacturer’s recommended WOT-RPM range is 5150-5850.
The Tohatsu techie strongly suggested that optimum performance for the 90TLDI on a 2500+ lb. boat w/ large hull surface area can only be achieved by utilizing a prop that will operate at the upper end of the RPM range.

Rolf currently has a Tohatsu OEM prop 14” x 13 pitch on his X. As a comparison, his rpm’s with an average load at WOT will not get above 5400 rpm’s. But at the 5400 rpm level he gets to 28-29mph.
However, with a loaded X he doesn’t make it above 5000 rpm’s. The Tohatsu techie will tell you that this is not good for the motor.

So, bottom line, use a 14” x 11 pitch in a loaded Mac. But if you are lightly loaded (captain only) and just want speed, go with a 14” x 13 pitch.

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

Thanks for the info Bob

I will try both out, since I have them already.

I will post all results when I have them.

Cheers

G

Well lets see

Fifty miles from home port noon hour on a Sunday, off shore winds starting to build, severe storm warnings for early evening
I watch the keel boaters checking out how much its gonna cost them to leave their boats docked there for the wk . Then on their cell phones calling for a car ride or trying to group a cab together if no bus avail.
Watch the Bayliners make a run for it, listen on the radio to whats that crazy sailboater doing out here, Don't know but it must be one of those macgregor powersailor's he's hanging right in their, almost home put up the sails do a wee bit of crazy sailing before the sh_t hits the fan. Their's the thunder/lightening. Drop the rags fire up the 40hp suzi follow the bayliners into port . Can't do that on a keel/bayliner

She's my little sweetheart . Or as Ray say's my Pony M

Beene nice seening you & Alex yesterday he called this morn I've got to send him my info for my boat .

John

Finally back from holidays and have contacted the local evinrude dealer.I had suggested to them to try the test wheel on another 90 ETEC when they could.They did this and the other motor ran 500 rpm faster than mine.The top trouble shooter guy from bombardier is going to be in Brisbane this week and is supposed to look at my motor.Guess Iwait to see what he comes up with.Surely its now down to progressively replacing things such as injectors or engine management modules until the fault is found..Ive already replaced plugs and done a compression check without finding any faults.Does seem to be dragging on given that Ive now owned the boat a few months.

sorcha...
we all feel your pain. they have made it very difficult for you.
but it sounds like you're finally going to get a fix.
keep us posted on your progress.

I'm with Bobby...

... I am watching very intently and hoping all works for the best in the end.

Cheers

G

thanks guys....but Im not stressing...just simply trying to get it fixed...

I have a 14x11 and a 14x13. I am wondering if the 13 would go faster with less rpm, say 3000 with both 11 and 13, would I get more speed from the 13?

Geoff,
I think you will do better with the 13. I use a 13.25x13 and 14x13 on my 50 hp. Would stick witht he 14 inch if I didn't have the heavier DB.

Hi Leon

I think you are right. I am thinking since my motor is a 4cy 4s fuel inj 1600cc beast with a WOT spec of only 4500-5500, I should easily get within that range with the 14x13 and hopefully a higher top speed.

Ideally, what I want is to be able to get up on plane, keep it there, with the lowest possible rpm's for noise and fuel econ.

I am DIEING to get that motor on and try it out. Still snowing here... can you feel my pain

Geoff