Too Late To Start ?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

So, a sailboat under power will be rocking like that?

Having had the experience of being dismasted at sea, I can tell you that in at least our case the motion without the mast was horrible. Not so much the extent of the roll angle, but the acceleration of the roll. It was very hard to stand up without holding on firmly to something, the gimbaled (sp?) stove threw the kettle off, toast flew off the toaster etcetera. Really nasty...

But just motoring without sails up isn't nearly as bad... still, hoisting even a fairly small bit of canvas does help damp the rolling.

Cheers,

Jim

[Wavewacker]

I do understand the compensation the mast and sail offers, at sea in "rough" waters.

I began this about a sailboat with only an engine for doing the Great Loop in the States. It's a long cruise of the eastern ICW, the Hudson and Great Lakes, the Missippi and other riverways to the gulf and around Florida. Draft should be less than 5' for a Looper and less than 19' in heighth from the water. Several sailboats have been demasted and rigging removed with an outboard on the back for this venture. Staying close to shore in the gulf might be a way to staying safer but there is about 160 miles jaunting from LA shores in the gulf to Florida that is usually taken cutting off shore milage.

Some have simply cut off the keel to turn their boat into a trawler displacement boat. I don't think I would go that far nor would I take such a boat "off shore" for the reasons mentioned.

The good side of this is that you can find a very livable, roomy sailboat with great amenities for a small price, just a couple grand or even less. Say a 24'er....with a galley and head with a V berth and a 15hp outboard. It's hard to find a 24' motor cruiser with those features for that kind of money.

A 30/32 footer could be converted and offer liveaboard features. I'm not sure I'd take the rigging off, might lower it and secure the rigging. On the Loop, most of what you will end up doing is motoring anyway.

I may be interested in going to the Bahamas later on, after I got a little more salty, but my intended initial cruisng grounds would primarily be rivers, the ICW, lakes and even the swamps.....

And as I become an older phart, I'll always be fairly close to medical services, Wal-Mart and Joe's Bar and Grill....

[osirissail]

Look at one of these. It's a sailboat, motorboat, and beachable. MACGREGOR 26 HOME PAGE

[Soundtrackzz]

You do NOT want a Macgregor. Theyre slow and sluggish under power and even worse under sail. Motorsailers rarely work very well at all. Pick one or the other because i dont know of a company that has gotten the compromise between power and sail even close to right

[rgscpat]

It's not too big a deal to run a moderate-size sailboat with moderate draft through the Great Loop, lowering, securing, and padding the mast before entering canal and inland passages. I hope the Erie gets back in business, but until then probably most boats can do Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence.

[Wavewacker]

I'm familiar with the 26X. When they came out I had a sales pamplet in my desk drawer from a local dealer. I've been on them. I bought one three years ago on Ebay and backed out because the seller lied, saying the the boat was three years old and had the 50 hp outboard, the motor was a 70's model, not three years old!

I also called the manufacture and spoke to an engineer who said the boat was not for off shore use, just ICW, lakes really.

I also liked it because I could use the boat on the trailer as a camper.

But really, the 26X while unique, it fails to do either sailing or motoring well, it takes an external fuel tank so fuel capacity is limited, the galley is great for a few days, probably not for a few months and the head is pretty tight. The underdeck berths would be converted to storage for any long voyage.

It's a very cool boat for weekends or maybe even a week. After staring at all that white glass for 30 days I'd be committed. Adding some wall paper, color and nic nacs might warm it up.

But, it probably would be a great boat for my intended purposes, except the liveable side and the suggestion was well placed. And since my interest in the 26X, my requirements have changed as well as outlined here.

[osirissail]

Things may have changed since you experienced the MacGregor 26X - I was looking at the MacGregor 26M. It is definitely a 26 ft boat so inside accommodations are going to be tight, just as they would be on any other 26 ft monohull. Here is a link to the MacGregor 26M in a storm: MacGregor 26

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Soundtrackzz

You do NOT want a Macgregor. Theyre slow and sluggish under power and even worse under sail. Motorsailers rarely work very well at all. Pick one or the other because i dont know of a company that has gotten the compromise between power and sail even close to right

they are sooo slow they make a wake and plane under power--known as a power sailor---how fast do you wish your 26 ft sailboat to go??......

[Don1500]

The MacGregor 26 is so slow you can barley water ski behind it.

http://www.macgregor26.com/index/5_m...ct_15_2009.htm

[zeehag]

ye can ski better with sails up and engine full speed......

[patrick mcclure]

i'm sitting here in my kitchen i'll be 73 in the spring,my boat is on the hard i could sign a contract of sale this week for the house . ive been dreaming about liveing aboard for the last 20 yrs just can't make make up my mind ! don't be like me , go and don't look back pat

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by patrick mcclure

i'm sitting here in my kitchen i'll be 73 in the spring,my boat is on the hard i could sign a contract of sale this week for the house . ive been dreaming about liveing aboard for the last 20 yrs just can't make make up my mind ! don't be like me , go and don't look back pat

Nice first post Pat, welcome aboard, hope the sale works out.

[zeehag]

welcome , patrick--jump in and join us in our crazy but awesome fun lifestyle!!!

[Mexdon]

Originally Posted by patrick mcclure

i'm sitting here in my kitchen i'll be 73 in the spring,my boat is on the hard i could sign a contract of sale this week for the house . ive been dreaming about liveing aboard for the last 20 yrs just can't make make up my mind ! don't be like me , go and don't look back pat

Welcome to CF Patrick, you will enjoy it here. Your sentiments are mine exactly. Hope the sale goes through and just do it:thumb. I have made up my mind and all going well will be aboard in a couple of months. And my advice to others go now and think later.

[Mexdon]

Patrick I am not quite your age but not far short. I know I have not left it too late but what I have denied myself is a lot more years cruising than I will have now. The first time I wanted to just go was when I was 36, had the money but listened to land lubbers and a million trillion reasons not to go. They were all bloody WRONG but influenced me. The next time was about 4 years ago but as I am a Kiwi living in Mexico I have no pensions to help me along so I had to put my money into a business project so I could do what I want to do to say nothing of eating when I am too old to work. That has now come to fruition so I am off as soon as possible.