An old man's idea?

[walt70]

Have been working on an idea. Bought a 1991 Mecgregor 26S and have been repairing cracks and chips, getting it ready to sail, when it warms up. Want to take it to Port O’connor Texas to sail and FISH off shore. I have fished this area for years and am hoping this boat will solve two problems.

Am on SS and my 22 SeaRay uses a lot of gas, so am very limited on the number of trips I can afford. The wind blows daily at 5-15 in the morning and 10-20 in the afternoon. So we have to pick a few days when it is less. On a calm day we can fish 10-20 miles out and then run in. The better fishing is 30 to 50 miles out, and I don’t try that in my boat. It might be safe enough but a rough wet ride back if we get wind.

Now for the Macgregor, if we go out 50 miles with a weather window, we would plan to stay out for 2-5 days. I would plan to ride the night on a sea anchor and sail back to the fishing area the next morning. If the wind came up, it might get a little un-comfortable but dry and safe enough. IS THIS A REASONABLE IDEA???

A little more info. I am 75 years old and only sailed a hobby cat about 55 years ago. Have many years in many power boats 16-36 feet in lakes and the gulf coast. I will sail on Lake Texoma to get the hang of this boat before going to the Gulf.

Wife thinks I’m a crazy old fool! Your thoughts please.

[Cheechako]

well................ no reason why you cant.... if you are good at watching and understanding the weather situation. Probably gonna take you 5 hours to get out though... and all the rigging on a sailboat makes for difficult sportfishing from a sailboat. If you flat out enjoy the sailing then good. If not, and you only have so much life left... maybe getting there at 35 MPH isnt a bad idea! If you go out and sea anchor for days with the motorboat .. does that help the economy of doing it?

[ozskipper]

The Mac 25s isn't exactly an offshore boat. But in the right conditions it will be ok- just ok. I wouldn't want to get caught out in anything more than 30 knots in one of those boats. Not 50 miles off shore. (make sure the keel has a device to lock it down-if you get rolled and the keel slides back in, the boat may not right itself-let alone possibly destroy the top of the CB case)

Running with the wind will probably only give you a average speed of about 6 knots unless its really blowing, so you could expect to take 9-10 hours to get to your 50 mile location. Sailing into the wind will take you longer of course.

My thoughts are that you would need to upgrade or own a larger outboard for obvious reasons. This will come at a higher purchase cost and mean that you will have to carry plenty of fuel (double the required amount for the round trip would be sensible)

To be really honest. If I were in your shoes, I would spend the grand kids inheritance on fuel for the Searay. And use the mac for lake and close to shore trips.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

well................ no reason why you cant.... if you are good at watching and understanding the weather situation. Probably gonna take you 5 hours to get out though... and all the rigging on a sailboat makes for difficult sportfishing from a sailboat. If you flat out enjoy the sailing then good. If not, and you only have so much life left... maybe getting there at 35 MPH isnt a bad idea! If you go out and sea anchor for days with the motorboat .. does that help the economy of doing it?

It will be a lot longer than 5 hours. (That would mean a speed of 10 knots). There is no way that mac will do that. Remembering its a Mac 26s not a Mac 26.

But I agree with you Cheechako, that he may be better to be on a sea anchor in the searay. I love trailer sailers! Everything they are designed for works- budget, beaching, transporting, simplicity. They really fill that niche well. But I don't particularly like them as offshore boats.

[MacG]

Is this the "notorious" McGregor with the double bottom acting as a keel when sailing?
It can be fitted out with a heavy outboard and act as a sort speedboat.
Is that the one?

[walt70]

Well the Mac has water ballast and an 8 hp outboard. The SeaRay is an open boat, not made for camping(no weather protection). Not just the gas savings, but love to sail, and want to make more memories.

[MacG]

If you fill up the ballasttank, make sure that it is filled up till the very neck. Never ever fill it half or partially. If the water can move in the ballasttank it may render the boat unstable. It is a boat for the sheltered waters, not so much for off shore purposes. Br very cautious.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by MacG

Is this the "notorious" McGregor with the double bottom acting as a keel when sailing?
It can be fitted out with a heavy outboard and act as a sort speedboat.
Is that the one?

It doesnt appear so. The OP said it was a mac26s. not a mac26

[SV.Maverick]

As I know Lake Texoma very well if you go out on a rough day it will give you a idea of what the gulf would be like. Texoma can get rough so if you can ride out heavy wind for 18-24 hrs in your Mac and your happy with how the boat does I would say go for it. I would have one of the riggers in the area check all your standing rigging for anything you may have missed.

[MacG]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

It doesnt appear so. The OP said it was a mac26s. not a mac26

What is your point?

The boats are basically similar.

[mrohr]

Listen to your wife on this one; sounds like she knows something about boats.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MacG

What is your point?

The boats are basically similar.

I think the range makes a difference in OP's scenario - 50 miles at 15 knots (?) is 3 hours or so, at 6 or 7 knots it's around 8 hours......apart from the "commute" to the fishing grounds that means the weather window is narrower.

Personally I would not feel comfortable on something like a Mac26 where I could not nip back to shelter within a few hours. IMO staying 50 miles / 8 hours out for up to 5 days would be pushing luck too much on having decent weather......in which case the consideration becomes how well would the boat (and me) stand up to a serious blow? Appreciate I have no idea what the weather is usually like in OP's locale.

Not saying it can't be done - just that I wouldn't choose to.

Personally I would be looking for something else, something that would allow trolling under sail or simply as a steadying sail (once arrived in the fishing grounds) rather than for passage making (in practice will allow a smaller rig) and would also be comfortable at both displacement speeds and on a plane under power - for the "commute".

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

It will be a lot longer than 5 hours. (That would mean a speed of 10 knots). There is no way that mac will do that. Remembering its a Mac 26s not a Mac 26.

But I agree with you Cheechako, that he may be better to be on a sea anchor in the searay. I love trailer sailers! Everything they are designed for works- budget, beaching, transporting, simplicity. They really fill that niche well. But I don't particularly like them as offshore boats.

I thought he was only going out 20-25 miles... guess I got that wrong... "On a calm day we can fish 10-20 miles out and then run in. The better fishing is 30 to 50 miles out, and I don’t try that in my boat."

[James S]

Sounds reasonable to me.
Given your signature "You don't make many memories sitting behind a desk or in a rocking chair, So HANG ON, dig in the spurs, and lets GO FOR A RIDE!!"
I'm thinking your the guy for this.
You didn't mention which direction the wind is blowing...but figure a day (daylight day) to get there and a day to get home.
Go for it Walt

[Cheechako]

Yeah, just make sure the boat is sound and you have a big bilge pump and battery that will stay charged. Maybe one solar panel for that?