MacGregor 26X & M National Regatta

[Arthur Kelly]

I have often thought how great it would be if there was a annual national regatta for the MacGregor 26X and M. Considering the number of these boats built and their friendly active owners, it would seem like a natural to put something together for those who love to race or would like to learn. You could hold the event in the midwest to limit the distance for folks living on the coast. Any thoughts?

[TonyHouk]

Arthur,
I think you should start planning one for next year at your place. All in favor say padeye. Padeye. Happy sails, Tony

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I think you would be better off with having them near the coasts, probably more boats there than in the midwest. Also, when there is a one-design regatta, what happens to those who have shortened their forestay to reduce the mast rake?

And why would we want a powered portion of the competition?

[Scott]

The lake of the ozarks is not a good sailing lake. Almost the entire lake has bluffs that block the wind and cause mean eddys.

Stockton lake missouri however was voted one of the ten best sailing lakes in the nation, super consistent winds and almost no shoreline obstructions. I can attest to this as seen in the photo section of our website.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Because it's a powersailer. The concept is a multievent weekend that fully evaluates both vessel & crew.

For a one-design competition, you would need to have everyone with the same engine to be fair. This is probably impractical.

[Schock Therapy]

Typically annual one-design regattas move around to different venues every year. That way you are not forcing the same people to drive or sail long distances, while others play at home every year. Of course the innagural event goes to whatever area has the sailors that actually get the idea off the ground!

As for one-design rules, you can customize them to suit the boat and competitors. The first step would be to form a class association. Things such as forestay length should not be a problem, since that is considered tuning, not modification. As soon as people get their asses handed to them by a better tuned boat, they will make similar changes. Class rules will govern things such as maximum sail size and cloth restrictions. You can be strict one-design, or you can be more of a development class, where modifications are allowed.

Other problems you could run into would relate to outboard size. I'll wager the boat that shows up on the start line with a 9.9 hp outboard will have a serious advantage over those with the 50hp beasts.

I hope you guys can get something going! Regattas are great fun, and are an excellent way to pick up new ideas about improving your boats sailing performance.

If you really want to have a powerboat race as well, talk to your local powerboaters about Predicted Log races. I don't know all the details, but you basically have a point-to-point course, and you have to calculate exactly how long it will take you to complete the course, and then the winner is the one who comes closest to his prediction. It sounds like a good exercise in navigation, and it allows for all the different size engines.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

You can count me in for the Florida Regatta Saint Petersburg is a great place for regattas, I see them there all the time, both sailing and power. Of course, most stuff happens there November - May (also corresponds with the good wind season).

[Mark Prouty]

Because it's a powersailer. The concept is a multievent weekend that fully evaluates both vessel & crew.

For a one-design competition, you would need to have everyone with the same engine to be fair. This is probably impractical.

A Predicted Log race makes engine size irrelevant & surmounts this hurdle.

Regards,
David

A Predicted Log race?

But there is one of these puppies out there!



and some other nut has a 115hp that does over 32 mph!

Zoom, Zoom

[Arthur Kelly]

As posted before, a national Mac competition would seem like a natural considering there must be close to 6,000 X and M's out there by now.

Obviously there would be a lot of specifics to work out. This shouldn't be that difficult if there is a group of volunteers willing to pitch in and get the job done.

It would be nice to have an event where individuals could pick and choose things they felt comfortable participating in. Predicted Log races are pretty fun and are a real test of piloting skills under power. Sailing competitions can be set-up so that there is something for a newbie and for the serious. For those not interested in either, perhaps a day long group cruise?

The big thing is to make the event fun and not scare away potential attendees because they feel that they do not have the appropriate skills. Symposiums can be set-up to help in this area.

Schock is right. Most of the one-design regattas switch venues each year and we might want to consider this. But we need a starting point. If you take a look at the membership of this board, it appears that it is fairly well distributed across the country. Southern California may have an edge in terms of Mac population. The reason that Lake of the Ozarks and Stockton were brought up was simply to come up with a location that would make driving time somewhat equitable for all involved.

I have the time to work on a project like this and Dave has also expressed an interest. What is everyone's thoughts? If we can hammer out a location, then the rest should fall into place.

Art

[Robert T. Pierce]

Count me in!
I sail Narragansett Bay and would love to see the first regatta here. The only problem would be slip space. Although there are plenty of marinas, they are all pretty full. Getting everyone into a single location would be pretty difficult. I would be willing to travel 1500 miles one way to attend this. Just the chance to have a few beers and meet some of the folks on this board would be worth it.

[ghardy]

I would really be interested in meeting a lot of the people I have read on the site. Count me in. I have often wondered what Stockton Lake was like for sailing. Sounds like a great location if they can handle the "invasion".

[marc ducharme]

i would look forward to this type of ragata in the mid west. Thanks to all of you for taking up the cause. this should be great.

[Jim Bunnell]

You may have misunderstood Schlock's point about engine size. From his comment "Other problems you could run into would relate to outboard size. I'll wager the boat that shows up on the start line with a 9.9 hp outboard will have a serious advantage over those with the 50hp beasts." I would infer that the weight aft is more what he is thinking of, rather than the horsepower available. Perhaps combining the two types of competition, sailing and power, for an overall winner would balance this. The heavy, highpowered boats could do better in the powerboat activity, and the lighter, lowerpowered boats might excel at the sailing.

Just a thought from a non-racer

[Mark Prouty]

I'll wager the boat that shows up on the start line with a 9.9 hp outboard will have a serious advantage over those with the 50hp beasts."

I'd take you up on that. I can't speak from personal experience, but Billy has sailed with other X boats. He'd probably tell you he could keep up with the best of them with his 140 hp.

[Idle Time]

The best part would be just seeing what everyone has done to their boats. I'd love to go. We havnt done any racing, but couldnt we come up with classes for each size motor? A different area each year would give everyone a chance to make use of having a great trailer-sailer. Most of us bought them to tour with...didnt we?