im going around the world in my 26x.....

[Idle Time]

Maybe he wants to do it...just because no one else ever has...(done it in a Mac).

[Scott]

Idle, I respect that. By the same token noone has ever done it in a dumpster either. Boy think of it...... just a few mods and its ready for blue water.

[Catigale]

I dont think 'guts' describes spinning the chamber and playing Russian Roulette by taking a boat on a trip like - somehow thinking it proves something because Nature doesnt decide to chomp you down like the insignificant little speck in the open ocean that you would be......whatever floats your boat....

Now Dimitri......

Doing your best to help the Admiral raise four kids in todays world of (long list of bad things edited out here) ....now that takes some GUTS.....

[Jeff S]

Idle, I respect that. By the same token noone has ever done it in a dumpster either. Boy think of it...... just a few mods and its ready for blue water.

. Hey the Marines have pioneered the blue water dumpster vessel.





Ok, to Make the Mac seaworthy- Coat the fiberglass with Steel, paint it gray, add about 200,000 pounds of ballast. Here is the Stennis- 65' deck height, 102,000-tons. For those who have crossed the ocean in rough seas it is eye-opening. I would never try it in a Mac- I have seen the waves crash over a Navy L-Class Amphibious assault ship (~50' deck height)- not too fun.

[johnnyonspot]

Only once in my four+ years stationed on a Spruance class destroyer did it get so rough that we had to secure the weatherdecks. I had to send two of my guys out to stuff rags in the leaking torpedo loading hatch. Both were tied off, one of them by me. Despite the numerous times I had tied a bowline, this time I had inadvertently tied a slipknot. The look on that guy's face when we undid his line and it was clear the knot was... er, a slipknot, was absolutely priceless.

[Chip Hindes]

Hey the Marines have pioneered the blue water dumpster vessel.

Take it from a Marine who's BTDT, only a complete fool would choose to be out in blue water in one of these on a bad day. Same as with a Mac.

They're not all that great on a good day, and guess what: no positive flotation. I knew quite a few who didn't think these should be any further offshore than you could easily swim. The LVT/AAV P-7, not the Mac

[Jeff S]

They're not all that great on a good day, and guess what: no positive flotation. I knew quite a few who didn't think these should be any further offshore than you could easily swim. The LVT/AAV P-7, not the Mac

No doubt. We still do over the horizon operations with the AAV (Sea state dependent). In my first life as a grunt I remember the worst part was leaving the well deck of the ship and splashing into the sea. The feeling of being in the back of one of these, not being able to see, and going completely under water was unnerving. I remember the water dripping in from the top doors. I also remember watching as one almost capsized in waves coming ashore- that was a sight. It really is a dumpster with a motor (or a coffin at times). The new AAAV will be much faster.

I would certainly take the Mac farther than an AAV (although ironically I have been farther offshore in an AAV than a Mac), but much like going over Niagra falls in a barrell- crossing the ocean in a Mac is possible, but that doesn't mean it is a good idea.

Jeff S

[Rob M]

found this to be quite interesting
http://www.expeditioncanada.com/index.html