MacGregorSailors.com

In the aft berth area there is a panel that separates the transom from the said berth. Has anyone sealed that area with expanded foam to prevent leaks? Do you think that is a worthwhile idea? Thanks for any comments.

That area is open to the 'bilge' area under the stern berth sole (or floor), I believe. Hard to seal such an area up, and it would make it pretty hard to run wiring around the back to get from one side to the other. Plus there's the motor well drain in there, and you need access to that for maintenance and repair - it's vulnerable to freezing, and being hoses and fittings, it's vulnerable to old-age.

if u use the open cell expanding foam with the moisture down there u r inviting mold to grow in there , where as if u leave it open u have access to the area & can spray bleach cleaners up in these area,s as I do every once in a while usually in the spring to keep mold at bay
U could always fill it with closed cell foam blocks just stuffed in there , then its removeable for cleaning or other maintenance as Tom say,s if u r lookin for extra flotation in the aft birth a air mattress is one way to go I know some on here have gone that route

J

Highlander wrote:. . . if u r lookin for extra flotation in the aft birth a air mattress is one way to go I know some on here have gone that route

I'd never thought of it. That's brilliant. A couple of cheap air mattresses, one for the table or vee berth, and one for the stern berth, makes for a lot of flotation. If you know you're going down (slowly), pump 'em up!

As to the mold issue, just last year I had to clean up after some rodents decided it was nice and warm in the boat (probably early spring), and the ability to open up every single panel and hatch so I could spray Anti Icky Poo around with a weed sprayer (after spending half a day with my little wet/dry vac). It worked great, by the way, and the boat is full of moth balls for the winter - I can't breathe the air down there for long, and I don't think the meeces can, either.

I use the cedar scented moth balls

J

Why would one need extra flotation in the form of an air mattress? Doesn't the boat have enough flotation by itself?

Cougar wrote:Why would one need extra flotation in the form of an air mattress? Doesn't the boat have enough flotation by itself?

If u ever get a water leak inside ur boat and any of ur open cell cushions get wet u would b amazed at how much water they can soak up they r so heavy u can barely lift them this also includes cockpit cushions , if u were ever to get swamped real bad where u were in real trouble u,d have to toss these cushions cause no bilge pump can get that water out of them , they should have been made with closed cell foam
when they get wet they take wk,s to dry out
and no there would not b enough floatation in the boat if that happens it wont sink but if u can,t get that water out of there because it,s absorb in the foam , knee or ankle deep cabin floor in water can b bilge pump scooped or bucket it out
This would b in a hypothetical situation of coarse where something went really wrong in bad sea,s

air mattresses float & any water below them can b typically pump or bailed out

Just Sayin That,s All not a big issue if u r on small water but they r a pain when they do get wet for whatever reason I can testify to that when most of my cushion,s were stored in the aft birth & I developed a leak from rain water that was workin it,s way down to the aft birth

J

I wasn't looking for more flotation, I was looking for a way to seal a leak. I sealed around everything with caulking and there doesn't appear to be any more leaking. Thank you for all your suggestions but took the advice from the admiral who said "That idea sucks, don't do it." So there you go. Once again, thanks.

<tangent>
I'm always amazed at the folks worried about their boats sinking. How many Macs do you know of that have sunk to their flotation?
How many of us sail offshore where we need to worry about sinking and being stranded?

Maybe it's just me, but I've never thought of clinging to a swamped (yet floating) hull as a safety feature.
</tangent>

--Russ

The leak I experienced was around my binnacle. I have a full, fitted cover for storage, and now have a bimini. We shall see if I get any other leak. As far as flotation, etc, if my boat was awash enough to get the cushions soaked, they would be the least of my worries! Time for a bilge pump, bucket, and possibly a bung or two. Honestly, as I don't have any seacocks, I am not sure where that kind of catastrophic ingress of water would come from, short of a hull breach, unless it came in one of the hatches.

I do some coastal sailing, at it honestly has never been a serious consideration, but one that needs to be planned for anyway.

RussMT wrote:How many Macs do you know of that have sunk to their flotation?

I know of at least two! The and from the famous factory videos.

I always think the X needs a storm board in case you take a wave over the back there is nothing to stop it going into the cabin.

At least the M has the bridge deck to help in that situation.

This is one mod on my list and I feel its an important safety requirement

sailboatmike wrote:I always think the X needs a storm board in case you take a wave over the back there is nothing to stop it going into the cabin.

At least the M has the bridge deck to help in that situation.

This is one mod on my list and I feel its an important safety requirement

The only hatch board for the X, as you know, is the full one-piece job it came with. My last boat, and many many others, had 4 sections that went in sequentially, and stored in a wooden 'pocket' in a location that would be the door of the X. And being open transom, it was great being able to simply put one or more boards in as needed. And they were thick, smoked Lexan, so they let light in, too.

That would make a very nice mod for any of our boats in fact.

Yes Tom
One of my nicest mods really allows a lot of light into the cabin & when all closed up affords a nice view mine is a 2 piece unit


http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 700279.jpg



http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 89743a.jpg

J

Tomfoolery wrote: The only hatch board for the X, as you know, is the full one-piece job it came with.

boats sold in the Netherlands, including mine, had a 2-piece perspex smoke transparant hatch board. It may have been a standard dealer mod.