MacGregorSailors.com

Neo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:02 pm Great story and pictures.

Yep the 26D is a very different animal ... no heavy ballast tanks for start.
In the absence of ballast I've seen a 6.8Knot burst that lasted 2 or 3mins.... that was just before the wind knocked me flat .... I learnt just how great a Mac is that day/

"Boat Bucks" I like that term... I gonna steal that off you if I may

I always keep my ballast tank full but I do change the daggerboard height to suit the conditions. The board was fully raised for the 9.3 knots downwind surfing. I've been rounded up numerous times but never knocked down.

I can't take credit for the origination of the "boat bucks" term so use it all you want!

svscott wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:57 am

Neo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:02 pm ..."Boat Bucks" I like that term... I gonna steal that off you if I may

...I can't take credit for the origination of the "boat bucks" term so use it all you want!

Waiting for enough warmth > 40F so I can work on the boat and I was curious also.

I did a search with "boat buck". Got 646 hits and 44 pages. The first time they were used together "boat buck" was on page 40 by waternwaves in May of 2005. Catigale responded as if he'd already knew the term though. Over the years, I've read it many times and had finally gathered that one boat buck is equal $1000 US. I'm sure it works out in any other currency as an amount that makes you wince... that you have to ask the Admiral... or that you feel guilty if you didn't. Those that consider that beer money, are probably not sailing a Mac.

Note: This discussion began to move off-topic into a discussion of electric motors. As such, that discussion was moved to a new “electric Motors” thread where such discussion may continue, and this thread can now get back to discussing sailing boat speed.

New thread on electric motors is here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=28121

-your friendly moderator

========

Hinweis: Diese Diskussion begann sich vom Thema zu einer Diskussion über Elektromotoren zu bewegen. Aus diesem Grund wurde diese Diskussion in einen neuen Thread für „Elektromotoren“ verschoben, in dem diese Diskussion fortgesetzt werden kann, und dieser Thread kann nun wieder auf die Diskussion der Geschwindigkeit von Segelbooten zurückkommen.

Neuer Thread zu Elektromotoren ist da:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=28121

-Ihr freundlicher Moderator

96 26X full ballast, much weight forward, mast 2-3 D back from vertical, Hyde Main, Doyle hanked genoa, wind 10 - 18 knots, reaching, hitting 6.1 to 6.3 knots GPS twice in last 2 weeks on South Bay, San Diego. Always looking for another X to compare my improvements. This is my best upwind performance to date with the boat. She is 25 years old in May.

Newell wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 2:50 pm 96 26X full ballast, much weight forward, mast 2-3 D back from vertical, Hyde Main, Doyle hanked genoa, wind 10 - 18 knots, reaching, hitting 6.1 to 6.3 knots GPS twice in last 2 weeks on South Bay, San Diego. Always looking for another X to compare my improvements. This is my best upwind performance to date with the boat. She is 25 years old in May.

Never mind the top speed how did you go pointing into the wind with the hanked genoa? ... Lower point-to-point travel times (progress) is where the real speed comes from

Never mind the top speed how did you go pointing into the wind with the hanked genoa? ... Lower point-to-point travel times (progress) is where the real speed comes from

Don't know if you are asking about how long it takes to tack or what tacking angles achieved. Close hauled I can do 110 average, Reaching more like 120+ .

2011 M pretty heavy with personal things and 250 lbs extra ballast

Best speed down wind sustained: 6.5 knots 25 knots wind, nearly on the stern, single reef, heavy air jib. Hit 7.5-8 briefly surfing.

Best speed reaching, 5.5-6 knots. 15 knots of wind on the beam. Full main, standard jib, (Hyde sails)

Hard on the wind in flattish water, 4.5-5.5 in 15 knots of wind.
Ix

I race Fast Sunday 96X every 3rd Saturday each month South Bay San Diego. Last race sustained winds 11-14 knots hit speeds up to 6.4 knots and long periods over 6. This was with new 150 hanked Genoa, Toughskin, it's taller than any furled genny. 15 boats racing, I'm 3rd smallest, started 1st finished last .

Too much sail for conditions, To prevent roundups and hold course my wheel was 180 d turned into the wind, which slows the boat dragging the rudders. Steerig gear broke on the next outing, at least it made it 25 years, replacing with a better unit at present.

Newell

I just bought a '91 "S", with virtually no sailing experience (except what comes from crewing on a tallship, and of course youtube). On my 3rd time out I was comfortably cruising @ 5 kts in ~10 kts of wind, with the main and jib. The hull is totally oxidized, the ablative antifoul is quite fouled, and the sails are pretty trashed, but I was able to reach ~77% hull speed on my 3rd time out !
What a fun boat !!

Newell wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:47 am I race Fast Sunday 96X every 3rd Saturday each month South Bay San Diego. Last race sustained winds 11-14 knots hit speeds up to 6.4 knots and long periods over 6. This was with new 150 hanked Genoa, Toughskin, it's taller than any furled genny. 15 boats racing, I'm 3rd smallest, started 1st finished last .

Too much sail for conditions, To prevent roundups and hold course my wheel was 180 d turned into the wind, which slows the boat dragging the rudders. Steerig gear broke on the next outing, at least it made it 25 years, replacing with a better unit at present.

Newell

If you are sailing for long stretches above 6 knots in an X, you probably know the following...

Couple of quick suggestions.

But first, please clarify; if you were worried about roundup, why were you turning into the wind?

Turning helm into the wind, indicates you have too much headsail pressure. Mast may be raked forward, or Genoa sheet too tight.

Turning helm off wind indicates too much main pressure, or mast raked aft. Loosen main sheet to balance helm.

Only slight helm should be required to hold course when you have the sails trimmed properly.

Check your mast rake. If the mast isn't raked improperly, use the sheets to balance the rig where you aren't having to apply a lot of rudder to maintain course.

Rumor has it that the X and M boats sail better at lower angles of heel. So, if your rub rail is wet, try easing the sheets a tad.

There is a lot more to sail trimming, i.e. twist, etc; that can be explained on YouTube by better technicians, but these are basics that I hope you (or others) may find helpful.

Your analysis is certainly correct. If the rudders are at a severe angle compared to boat travel direction, you're braking.

I got a Mac 26S in September of last year and am still learning what the boat "likes".

I use the "Sail Free" app to measure SOG. It agrees closely with my KnotStick.

It seems that my best speed is achieved when on a beam reach. 6 knots is fairly easy to attain, 6.5 is the "normal" max, and I can sustain 6.7 to 7.0 if the wind will stay steady, which it never does on our lake, so speeds much above 6.5 are more like bursts. I think the highest speed I have ever seen reported by my phone app is 7.3 knots, but that was not sustained, nor could I count it as definitively accurate. The boat seems to be at its best when winds are upwards of 12 MPH, but less than 18. Above 18, if I'm not reefing the main then I'm fighting weather helm to the point where turbulence from the rudder spoils the flow and/or I am dumping air from the main, and I find myself again limited to 6.5 knots or so.

I am running new Rolly Tasker sails, and my jib is a hank-on 100%. I have just installed rails, and am experimenting to see if there are different optimal points for a beam reach vs close-hauled.

I am surprised how well I can do on a close reach. Not at all unusual to see speeds above 6 knots, even sustaining 6.5 on a few occasions. Close-hauled about 1 knot less.

I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of an airfoil rudder to see if I enjoy the purported improvement in heeling and weather helm. If so, I would expect to see at least a few 10ths of a knot improvement in speed.

Update with results of airfoil rudder...

I ordered through Blue Water Yachts, and it took a little over a month for the order to be fulfilled, but no big deal there.

As requested, it came un-drilled. Drilling was easy, using the old rudder as a template.

The first time I lowered it into the water, it floated and I had difficulty pulling it down into place. This has become less problematic over time. I suppose this is a result of the rudder taking on some water(?) and me learning to tension the hold-down cable while releasing the hold-up rope, taking advantage of the downward momentum to get it fully into vertical position.

At first I was disappointed as I seemed to be dealing with as much or more weather helm than with the original rudder. Then I realized that my hold-down rope was slipping in the clam cleat, so switched it out. This has made a big difference.

What I am seeing:
Pointing is definitely improved (2 to 3 degrees)
I am seeing significantly less turbulence in the wake off the stern
There is less weather helm
I am believe I am seeing an increase in boat speed (maybe .2 to .3 knots on average). On a recent outing I was sustaining 6.7 to 6.9 knots on a broad reach.

I'm not sure about the purported "less heeling" benefit. Perhaps I could comment on this if I had an inclinometer, but I do not.

I replaced my old jib last season, and I would say the airfoil rudder had a greater effect on my boat's performance than the new jib.

Bottom line - a worthwhile improvement. If you are sailing your Mac 26 with the stock rudder, you are not getting maximum performance.

I can't find the airfoil rudder on BWY ... could you post up the link please?

Try this link. Should get you there.


http://shop.bwyachts.com/category-s/316.htm

So are this air foil rudders different for port and starboard rudder???