btw, I have hank-on head sails because I prefer the better performance..

How might that be? You can't adjust luff tension unless you like the look of
scallops.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
"No shirt, no skirt, full service"

My lord!

RB

"EdGordonRN" wrote in message
...
We bought the boat, we sailed it some, and before the stock market crashed
in
2000 we sold it--thank God, or we never would have gotten out from under
it.

I don't really have any complaints except that we over did it with the
engine.
We got the 50 hp on it, and that's just stupid. But it still sailed very
well.
The steering, however, is not trustworthy, or at least I didn't trust it.
Nevertheless, it did get us through squalls. I saw a new Mac at a boat
show
recently, and I couldn't believe how they ruined it. The layout sucks and
the
materials just keep getting cheaper and cheaper. Everything seemed cheaper
on
it, more flimsy. And they still put it on a single axle trailer!

The Veridican

Jonathan Ganz wrote:

Yup. Now MacBoy has an unbiased opinion of a Mac ower turned
Hunter owner, who is definitely moving in the right direction.
So now MacBoy can *immediately* go sailing out on the ocean in
40kts wind. We'll all be waiting for your return... NOT.

I'm assuming that he was referring to the 26M model (the new boat?),
although it's not completely clear. As I understand the note, Ed didn't
actually sail the "new boat." So it's not really a very comprehensive
report, is it Johnathan?

By contrast, I happened to have had an extended discussion of the 26M
with an owner yesterday WHO HAD SAILED THE BOAT, under high wind and low
wind conditions. He was very pleased with its handling, and in contrast
with Ed, he thought the looks and interior of the boat were spectacular,
particularly for a boat in this price range. One thing I notice from
comments posted on the Mac discussion groups is that owners of the new
model like the new boat, whereas owners of the previous (26X) model
defend their own boats and pick fault with the new model, despite the
fact that few of them have ever sailed one. And since there are many
more owners of the 26X than owners of the 26M, the X owners are
predominate.

Jim

he thought the looks and interior of the boat were spectacular,

if you have been sleeping in the mud on the ground, sleep on cinder blocks with
canvass covering you if spectacular.

It is all relative.

an owner yesterday WHO HAD SAILED THE BOAT, under high wind and low
wind conditions

funny, but you seem to have neglected to mention what wind speed the owner felt
was "high" for the boat and which was "low". Most feel 18 knots wind is too
high for a mac and 9 knots is too low.

WHO HAD SAILED THE BOAT

past tense, as in once he sailed the boat?

btw, how did you find a guy "WHO HAD SAILED THE BOAT"? Advertise all over the
net? Did you check his bonfides?

Wow. Someone who just spent $32,000 claim they like the boat? What a surprise!
People with actual experience with the company don't think its that much of an
improvement. They must all be jealous.

You have a wonderful ability to rationalize, Jim. I suppose it makes life easy.


"Jim Cate" wrote in message
...


Jonathan Ganz wrote:

Yup. Now MacBoy has an unbiased opinion of a Mac ower turned
Hunter owner, who is definitely moving in the right direction.
So now MacBoy can *immediately* go sailing out on the ocean in
40kts wind. We'll all be waiting for your return... NOT.

I'm assuming that he was referring to the 26M model (the new boat?),
although it's not completely clear. As I understand the note, Ed didn't
actually sail the "new boat." So it's not really a very comprehensive
report, is it Johnathan?

By contrast, I happened to have had an extended discussion of the 26M
with an owner yesterday WHO HAD SAILED THE BOAT, under high wind and low
wind conditions. He was very pleased with its handling, and in contrast
with Ed, he thought the looks and interior of the boat were spectacular,
particularly for a boat in this price range. One thing I notice from
comments posted on the Mac discussion groups is that owners of the new
model like the new boat, whereas owners of the previous (26X) model
defend their own boats and pick fault with the new model, despite the
fact that few of them have ever sailed one. And since there are many
more owners of the 26X than owners of the 26M, the X owners are
predominate.

Jim

Jax said: I've seen teenage girls out on Sunfish in 25+ knots. Always
amazed me.

Local kids here seem nonplussed about sailing Butterfly's, sailboards, and
other small dinghy things in the 25+ range here, too....I don't understand
where Ed is coming from with this stuff...he has said he sailed small lakes
and it may be that you wouldn't see them out on a small lake since it would
be more difficult to sail veering wind positions from topographically driven
systems...on a larger lake you would have more space with unchanging wind
patterns...

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

I don't understand
where Ed is coming from with this stuff...he has said he sailed small lakes

I sail on the ocean, and I've sailed in 25 knot winds. Anyone who acts like
that is a walk in the park doesn't sail; they only talk about it.

The Veridican

"Veridican" wrote in message

I sail on the ocean, and I've sailed in 25 knot winds. Anyone who acts like
that is a walk in the park doesn't sail; they only talk about it.


Its more like a jog in the park, Ed. I'll admit that 35+ starts feeling more
like survival than pleasure boating, but I enjoy it, probably because its the
only "survival sport" I feel qualified to participate in.

However, 25 knots is not that big of a deal. I've sailed in those conditions
many, many times. Frankly, there was a period when I didn't bother to go out
unless it was blowing over 20 knots. Nowadays, we might not go out for a day
sail in 25 knots, especially if we have lubberly guests, but a forecast of 25
wouldn't affect our travel plans unless it was dead on the nose and we were
looking for an excuse to stay put. In fact, our last trip home was in those
conditions.

I'll admit that there's a lot fewer boats out when its blowing a bit, but that's
as it should be, since most smaller boats aren't really built to handle it and
certainly aren't comfortable. But there are lot of boats that are quite
capable of handling 25 knots in comfort. Frankly, the wind really isn't the
issue at all, its the seas. Here in New England a brisk NW breeze is offshore
and 25 knots is not that big an issue. A Nor'easter, however, might be another
story.