Fw: [Rhodes22-list] Mac 26x and R22

[Peter Thorn]

I really intended to share this with the list.  When I "Reply" with Outlook,
it somehow bypasses the list if I'm not careful.  Any ideas?

PT

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Thorn" <pthorn at nc.rr.com>
To: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2005 6:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Mac 26x and R22


> Bill,
>
> To be sure we'd have a good one, I brought one with me from NC: a
> small/medium Danforth with 20' of 1/4" chain and 150' 3/8" nylon.  That
> anchor held just fine.
>
> Prior to setting out and at my urging, Tom spent over $500 on basic
running
> rigging upgrades at West Marine.  His 26x is three years old.  He bought
it
> new, so all the lines and rigging were Roger M's original junk.  We joked
> about the incredibly low quality running rigging Roger puts on his boats
> throughout our trip.  The few lines we didn't replace would kink or the
core
> would push through in places, making them function very poorly.  Imagine a
> mainsheet with the core poking out 3/4" getting hung on a sheave.  When
poor
> quality effects function, I think safety is effected too.
>
> The mooring cleats are undersized and not installed with any backing.  I
> think there are two 4 or 5" cleats at the bow and two at the stern.
They're
> really too small for the purpose.  I've read that most Mac owners upgrade
> quite a bit and many consider the boat delivered from the factory to be a
> "kit", so they expect to spend more upfitting later.
>
> I suppose it's possible your new anchorage neighbor lost his bow cleats in
a
> blow.  Suggest you don't moor downwind of him and watch the weather
closely.
> I am surprised to read it's the first one in Greenwich.  Last year, we
> anchored in Oyster Bay near the prominent waterside home of  the NY
> Cablevision chairman/ceo and later fueled at the Sewanica (sp?) Corinthian
> YC fuel doc, so I know they've seen at least one of them up there.
>
> The place we put in the Upper Chesapeake late last month, Casa Rio in Mayo
,
> MD has about 50 Macs in drysail mode on the hard.  These boats seem to be
> the model Ts of recreational motor/sailing.  They all look alike and are
> featured and priced to attract a broad following.  It's unfortunate they
> don't sail a lot better.
>
> The Mac 26 predecessor to the 26x was a much better sailboat.  I almost
> bought one before I started thinking about the R22.  Too bad they
> discontinued it, but I very glad now to have Raven.
>
> My new neighbors moved in about a month ago and have a Mac26M (the new one
> with dagger board).  They sold a 30' S2 in FL, moved to Chapel Hill and
> bought the new Mac.  It looks a little better than the 26x, but I really
> don't know much about it.  They took it to the Pamilco and Neuse for 3
> weeks.  I hope they make it back OK.
>
> PT
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
> To: "Peter Thorn" <pthorn at nc.rr.com>; "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2005 5:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Mac 26x and R22
>
>
> > Peter,
> >
> > I gather your anchor set-up held outside Clinton.  How was it
> > configured?  The 26x next to me last night did not seem to have a bow
> cleat.
> >
> > Bill Effros
> >
> > Peter Thorn wrote:
> >
> > >Bill, Ed, Rob and Lurkers,
> > >
> > >Having circumnavigated Long Island, except the blue water part, in a
26x
> , I
> > >can say Richard Smith's comments about them are right on the money.
They
> > >really don't either sail or motor that well.  The steering is very hard
> too.
> > >But, IMHO, that's not the worst part.
> > >
> > >About a year ago Cousin Tom and I sailed in his 26x up through Big and
> > >Little Pequot, passed Plum Island, entered LIS and then traveled a 30
km
> > >long port tack in SW winds until arriving in Clinton, CT after dark.
It
> > >was calm and we were whooped, so, as cruising novices, we made the
> biggest
> > >mistake of our trip then.  Instead of traveling the last 300 yards in
the
> > >dark into an unknown (to us)  protected anchorage, we set the hook
right
> > >there in open water.  Tom took the queen bed under the cockpit and I
the
> vee
> > >birth.
> > >
> > >Now a 26x, even with the tanks full, is a light boat for its size.
Think
> > >ping pong ball.  About 3 am the winds changed from calm to storm
> approaching
> > >from the east.  Waves 2-3' started bouncing our 26x ping pong ball
around
> > >like Gin in a martini shaker.  I believe the vee birth took most of the
> > >activity.  By 4 am I was truly getting green around the gills, so I
woke
> Tom
> > >and discussed getting underway to take advantage of the winds from the
> east.
> > >We started to get ready,  but by 4:30 it was dry heaves over the side
for
> > >me.  My first seasick experience!
> > >
> > >This year I've sailed Raven enough to fully appreciate what a wonderful
> 22'
> > >foot sailboat Stan and Phil Rhodes have created.   Raven has a fine
> enough
> > >entry to avoid the pounding and smacking the 26x flat bottomed ping
pong
> > >ball gives it's riders in rough conditions.
> > >
> > >On paper, the 26x is supposed to be faster than the R22 under sail.  In
> > >reality that is not my experience.  Under all conditions except
motoring,
> > >Tom could not keep up with us in Raven in the upper Chesapeake last
week.
> > >The 26x has tighter headsail sheeting angles, but with the flat bottom
it
> > >must be footed to keep the flow going over the high lift rudders and
cb,
> or
> > >in light air they stall and leeway results.    Raven makes much better
> VMG
> > >to windward.  We would start sailing together, but as each day
progressed
> > >the result would always be the same:  when our lead became large, the
26x
> > >would convert to "motor boat mode" and run the 50hp Suzuki to catch up
at
> > >the end of the day.   We would arrive first, and we would have sailed
the
> > >entire distance.  Much better quality of experience, wouldn't you say?
> > >
> > >In fairness, the 26x was a great boat to travel around Long Island in 7
> > >days.  If the wind or our bad judgment let us down, the 50 hp Suzuki
> would
> > >bail us out.  While passing down the East River and by the battery it
was
> > >nice to be able to throttle away from any threats.   Any small boat is
no
> > >match for those ferries and tugs, so it was nice to be able to get out
of
> > >the way.
> > >
> > >But anyone interested in pure sailing should think twice before buying
a
> > >26x.  There is just no comparison to our lovely R22.  If you believe
that
> a
> > >motorboat will get you there faster, but that in a sailboat "you're
> already
> > >there", then a high quality sailing experience easily trumps the
> flexability
> > >advantages of the 26x hybrid boat.  The light responsive helm and
> > >dinghy-like sailing characteristics of  the Rhodes are very worth the
> price
> > >of the boat.
> > >
> > >PT
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message ----- 
> > >From: "ed kroposki" <ekroposki at charter.net>
> > >To: "'The Rhodes 22 mail list'" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > >Sent: Friday, July 15, 2005 7:29 AM
> > >Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Bill's reply on Mac 26 and Hunter Sailboats!
> > >
> > >
> > >Bill Said:
> > >
> > >"Actually, I owned a Mac 26 water ballast ... is fun, although it is
> > >true that failing to put any water into the tank gives the word
"tender"
> a
> > >whole new meaning...it's hairy.  A cheap thrill ...1/2 filling the
> ballast
> > >tank is also very interesting."
> > >
> > >Bill:
> > >So if you liked water ballast so much, why don't you still have a
> > >water ballast boat, like the Mac or Hunter?  Give the two guys looking
at
> > >the Hunter and the Mac your insights.
> > >Are there any safety or boat integrity issues specific to water
> > >ballast?  You are the one who has had both type boats.  What are your
> > >experienced insights?
> > >
> > >Ed K
> > >Greenville, SC, USA
> > >Addendum:   "This ... is like an Enron budget -- smoke the numbers,
cook
> the
> > >books, hide the truth and hope no one finds out."  Senator John Kerry
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >__________________________________________________
> > >Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > >__________________________________________________
> > >Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > >
> > >
>