MacGregorSailors.com

Alright. It's the dead of a dreadful winter in the NE. The "3rd worse in recorded history". My heart goes out to New England & N, especially - setting new snow accumulation records. & My boat, for the first time, is not wintering in my driveway - but rather a boat yard.

Can't wait till the thaw to start mods. What mods do you friends hope to do this season?

New rigging, lazyjacks, finish galley redesign, solar vent, new hatch boards, bow support on trailer...

Probably move the mast mount where it was supposed to be originally located and fix the damage to the deck.

new anchor and anchor roller installed which means the front light has to move, new composting toilet, extension on the front V berth to make it a couple feet longer, new "mosquitoes proof" (if there is such a thing) screens for the windows and Hatch, redo the rudders and paint them up......and that should be a good start:)

Well,
I have a new sink, stove and water pump to install.
I have a AC/DC panel and will install shore power
I have replaced 1 axle on the trailer and tempted to change the other one. (Tire blow out due to misalignment )
Make a bug proof hatch door.
Thinking about putting a hand shower in head with a vent and sump.

May just sail another year and make sure I need to do these

Tony E wrote:new anchor and anchor roller installed which means the front light has to move, . . .

What's your intended anchor, and for that matter, roller? That's a mod I'm still interested in, but have others more pressing at the moment.

Already installed our new Airhead toilet during a couple warm days in January. Just need to get a new cotter pin to finish installing the new Solas Amita 4 blade prop. Once it is warm enough to wash and wax the boat, I'm good to go!!

Mods at the top of the list:

Second deep-cycle Group 24 battery (wiring is already in place)
Add a Johnson lever to the backstay (ordered - may have to remake the 1/8" wire rope backstay, though)
Install new lifeline gates with pelican hooks (from BWY - Christmas present from FIL )
Upgrade the engine water indicator (pee stream) with larger size for later model Honda BF50s (parts are in-hand already)
Replace trailer light cord and plug with 7-blade round so brake lockout works with Jeep's backup lights (new tow vehicle has 4-flat and 7-blade 'RV' style sockets)

Not as high on the list, but rainy day stuff:

Add backup light to light board that straps to outboard motor, now that I'll have the connection to the tow vehicle's backup lights (empty trailer doesn't need backup lights)
Add LED anchor light to mast
Add 12V faucet to basin in head (not a priority, but the galley one worked so well, why not? )

Not of any particular priority, but I really need a better anchor than the really junky Dutton-Lainson fluke anchor (Danforth knock-off) that was probably original to the boat, and doesn't even want to set in sand. A bow roller and Rocna would be nice.

I'll have to go through my lists from years-passed and see what I'm forgetting for this year.

Oh, where to begin? My poor old 26S wasn't in the greatest shape when I bought it. Years of being unemployed followed by 4 years being a full time college student (thank you GI Bill), and a few more years getting my feet on the ground and career established have left the boat severely neglected. But now I finally have time, money, and a house where I can have my boat. So this year there will be no sailing, but instead a major overhaul of the boat. The list so far (lots of these are just repairs and maintenance, but there's quite a few mods too)

Summer
1. Barrier coat and bottom paint
2. Remove and replace all wiring
3. Re-bed chainplates and replace or reseal rub rail
4. Re-seal windows
5. Repair gelcoat cracks and chips
6. Add second battery
7. Install battery charger
8. Replace all drain tubing
9. Add pressure water system
10. Add floor and storage to stern lazarette
11. Add 2 6 gallon fuel tanks to lazarette
12. Add ventilation to lazarette
13. Add main sheet traveler
14. Replace cam cleats
15. Mount handheld GPS and wire NMEA data to VHF radio
16. Add antenna and 2 meter ham radio
17. Add LED lights to cabin
18. Replace nav night bulbs with LED
19. Replace rotten compass mounting bracket
20. Build new 12V distribution panel
21. Add 120V outlets and fuse
22. Make my own adhesive vinyl letters and add name to hull
23. Add LED masthead anchor light
24. Replace folding spreader brackets with fixed brackets
25. Add bracket for autopilot

Next year:
1. Replace tiller
2. Replace roller furler
3. Replace mainsail
4. Replace rudder
5. Replace centerboard
6. Rent a slip and GO SAILING!

I'll be in northern Lake Michigan now, probably sailing out of Escanaba or Menominee.

Jared

Here in north Texas we have had a terrible couple of weeks. I feel sorry for everyone in the north east. My boat has spent it's first year outside since I bought it 8 years ago. I have not been able to work on it in the last couple of weeks. This year is another year for hevy upgrades/updates.

Replacement/Upgraded Parts:
Used probably 105% head sail to replace original.
New main sail for cruzing and high wind racing.
New sink faucet pump.
New permenant mounted cooler.
Garmin 741 GPS.
Harken rachet blocks for spinnaker sheets.
New custom cushions for the interior seats.

Upgrades
Garmin GWind system with depth speed and temperature.
Garmin GMI20.
Garmin GFS10 fuel flow sensor. (Not sure why)
Simrad AP24 autopilot control head.
NMEA 2000 network for all instruments.
Sailrite spinnaker launching bag.

I'm redoing the interior of my :

- New bamboo countertop for galley with stainless sink, replace useless stock storage underneath with proper shelving
- New dinette table (bamboo also)
- replace seat cushions
- recess coolers under aft dinette seat (food) and aft galley seat (beer)
- replace Porta Pottie with Dry-Flush toilet
- replace MRS with newer one from 26M
- move Batteries to under V-berth storage
- fix lighting and replace bulbs with LED

Then I might take a crack at sanding off the antifouling paint and repainting if I have the energy.

Modding & maintaining, while at times daunting, I think is something we all look forward to. Just look at the replies we already have. Thanks guys. & how many of you after reading someone elses posts said: "Oh yeah; I wanna do that too".

Spring conditioning & modding really whets my apetite for the upcoming season & it's promise. Even if we only get half or a little of our lists done, we use our boats more than most languishing, barnicalling & galvanically corroding in their slip

Don't forget to chronicle & upload mods as done - they help prime the well for many.

Here's to the coming season Boys - Git 'er Dun

I think this year I'm gonna just set my dunk date as 6/1/15. & whatever I get done before that date is it

In the past, I was almost delayed to July because of modding & procrastinating. I had been accused of being the dreamer whose boat & dreams stay on the hard rather than out "doing it".

I'm Not intending to knock dreaming just complacency. I know I've been guilty of it

My mods list always carries over from year to year. I still have things to install from when we got the boat nine years ago! Unfortunately, since I work on the road for weeks at a time and home visits are short, I won't get any workshop time until the start of the boating season. The upside is that I'll have much more time off this summer for projects and sailing!

Gazmn wrote:I think this year I'm gonna just set my dunk date as 6/1/15. & whatever I get done before that date is it

In the past, I was almost delayed to July because of modding & procrastinating. I had been accused of being the dreamer whose boat & dreams stay on the hard rather than out "doing it".

I'm Not intending to knock dreaming just complacency. I know I've been guilty of it

My dunk date is usually around Fathers' Day. How's that for 'late to the party'? But that's partly due to it being in my driveway, which I'm forced to do when my in-laws come up from Florida and I have to get it out of their driveway. It's just toooo easy to keep messing with it.

But when I had a boat I kept in a marina on the hard all winter, I used to look forward to and actually enjoy prepping it to be splashed some time in April. There was something different about it, but I can't put my finger on it. It was launched with a Travelift, so I had to get my butt in gear to get VC17 on it in time for my scheduled date (or I'd get moved to the end of the line), but I don't think that was it. Maybe it was just the 'rite of spring' thing, after a looong winter.

But this year, I'm going to try to haul it down to the Southport Sail in NC in early May, so there's an incentive to get off my lazy arse and git 'er done.