Provisioning and 'new' cushions

Provisioning Galacitca for sail!

Got a set of V-Berth cushions amongst other goodies from a 1970-ish Venture 24 being parted out by a friend! They are the exact same size as Galactica's vberth cushions. Angie is recovering them and we'll stick them below the 26M's cushions. This gives Angie better support.

4th May - Pedestal Table install

Previously, we've used a folding tv tray for our cockpit table. This year, I've installed a new pedestal table.



I positioned the table, leveled it and when the table post front and back were equal distance from the deck, I marked and drilled the top two holes.



Afterwards, I stuck the bolts through from the inside so that I could position the mount frame and mark the lower holes.



The table folds down out of the way, opens up or can be removed entirely!

30 April 2011

Finishing up mods and preparations for the new season so that we can get on the water next week!!!



Following Sumner's lead (from MacgregorSailor's blog site), I fabricated the bracket for my new anchor light and moved the wind-ex to this bracket too! I welded a small gusset on the inside of the 90 degree bend so that the bracket will stay rigid.

I finally finished wiring up the mast and have moved to the inside where I'm installing a new fuse panel and switches!

Easter Weekend! Helm, pilot, trailer...

More mod work preparing for this season!



I removed the factory steering wheel and replaced it with a much larger 20" wheel. While it was off, I added a torque brake to the steering shaft--also known as a " poor man's autopilot ". Removing the shaft nut was easy. Getting the wheel off proved difficult. I tried rigging a steering wheel puller and thought I was going to destroy the pedestal! A quick search on the www.macgregorsailors.com site suggested a few sharp raps on the shaft with a hammer.

I ran the nut even with the end of the shaft to protect the threads. I used a hammer and gave a few tentative taps then gave it 3 or 4 more manly hits and the wheel slid right off.

Last year, I ran coated cabled encased in pex flexible pipes from the winch post to each goal/guide post in order to prevent wind and current from pushing the boat off the trailer when loading. Unfortunately, they scuffed Galactica's blue hull so I went back to the drawing board this year.

I began welding up the posts.


I welded up 6 new posts. One will mount a marine roller and goes a third of the way back on each side. Two for traditional bunks over each wheel.


Some of the posts required as many as 17 welds. My welds starting looking better after a while.


It took many test fits to try to make these look semi professional.


This is the port forward roller post.



This pic shows the LED clearance light on a roller post. I used plastic wiring gromets with the hope of protecting the wiring. I soldered each connection and tried to protect with shrink tube and electrical tape wrap.

Here are the posts installed after painting:


I backed the truck up to the boat, hooked up the trailer light cable to test.
The goal\guide posts have light caps I picked up on sale at Bass Pro. They are amber on the front side and red on the aft side.

April - Mods continue...Soon will be back in the water!

Seats, Mast Wiring & LifeLines


I've re-rigged the life lines as part of the Stern Rail Seat installation. After reversing the aft life lines, I lowered the connection to the pulpit rails and added a set of snap shackles mid deck so that I can open the lines during rigging. It will make is so that I don't have to perform the "mac dance" with the mast to get the spreaders above the life lines. It will definitely save time when rigging and de-rigging; additionally, the mac dance is hard on the lower back.

Installing the Stern seats was easy but time consuming. The hardest part was cutting holes in the hull to provide access to the nuts for the aft rail stanchions.

I used a dremel with cutting tip to cut an access hole once I located and marked the hole.

The floatation foam in the cavity needed temporarily removed so that I could put on a plate and tighten the nuts for the stanchion bases.

I had decided to add aluminum plates to spread the load. I used Deck Plates to seal the holes. The ring is sealed with marine 4200 and bolted. The cover screws into the ring and self seals.

Once the frame was completly bolted on, the seat was simply four screws. There are rings built into the seat frame which can have blocks connected to make lifting the rudders easier.

As soon as I can budget in a pair, I'll get them and re-rig the rudder lift lines!




With the mast off, I pulled Galactica to the house and gave her a very thorough scrubbing. She had collected a lot of dust just sitting in the barn for the winter. Here, she looks clean but naked without her mast. The new stern seats were visible.

I put the mast crutch and bimini back on. I test fit the bimini (pictured)and will have to slide it forward so that it doesn't block the stern seats.



Another mod involves adding a mast head anchor light. I found an LED anchor light cheap on ebay. Additionally, I found an LED steaming light with a built in Halogen Deck light. I ran 1/2" conduit the length of the mast.



I tied ropes into the rafters and lifted the mast--foresail, rigging and all. After pulling the boat out from under the mast, my son Damon helped me lower the mast down to saw horses. The last time out, I had foolishly switched the bolt holding the mast base to the bow pulpit to a quick pin meant for the mast base when under sail.


The thought was to speed up rigging time and reduce the need for two more wrenches during rigging. Well, apparently inertia bent the heck out of the base plate and rotating bolt--perhaps when braking to slide the boat the last inch to the winch crutch. I'm adding rollers and bunks to help prevent that need in the future. That's expensive mistake I'll not make again. The replacement base is on order from BWY in Seattle.

Using a dremel, I cut saw teeth in the end of the first 10 foot section of conduit. I drilled out the rivets holding the top cap in place and began drilling a hole in the foam core of the mast by pushing and twisting the conduit, pulling it out occassionally to clean the foam out of it. This was extremely easy...for the first 5 feet or so. Then I used channel locks then a pipe wrench to keep turning the conduit.

Finally, it got too hard so I switched to a soft mallet and began laboriously pounding the conduit in.



As I got the section in, I added another 10 foot section and pounded some more. In all, I pounded four 10 foot sections down the mast. I trimmed off the excess and ensured that the conduit was free of foam.

I decided to use the existing pos/neg wires on the new steaming light combo by using a three way center off switch. It saved me having to fish wires from the steaming light 10 feet up the mast to the base. I simply had to run two wires from the mast head down the conduit to the base. Easier said than done.



I don't own an electrical fish wire. I tried thicker wire, weed eater wire, electrical fence wire and more. Many times, I'd get it about 26 to 27 feet down the mast and no more.




Finally, I tried underground 3wire romex. Once I taped a 2' garden stake on the fron and carefully straightened the romex, I was able to push it all the way through. Next, I taped the two anchor light wires to the end. I rigged the wire spools so that they were on a makeshift axle, I simply pulled the romex out the base until I had extra wire on both ends which I tied off so that I could finish wiring the lights once the mast was safely back onto the boat.




I removed the foresail from the mast to make loading it back onto the boat easier. Fortunately, a large number of my son's friends held a surprise party for his 17th birthday tonight. I enlisted a half dozen of the young men and women to carry the mast out and hand it up to me on the boat! Whew! That was easy.

March 2011 - New Season, New Mods!!!!!

I've got Galactica pulled apart. The mast is off, the life lines removed for relocation. It's a new season and I'm adding improvements such as stern rail seats, masthead lighting, a poor man's autopilot, ez cleats for the Genoa and am reworking the guides for the trailer. I used coated cables in pex tubing but don't like the scuffing marks to her pretty blue hull. As soon as I locate some more box tubing, I'll finis new side bunks and rollers!

Here is the starboard stern rail seat!!!

More updates will follow as we hit the water! We plan on venturing out of state, both to the near west and probably to Florida and Georgia!

Christmas Eve, a silent night...

She's nestled safely in her barn. I'm back on my feet after a surgery and now have about 2 months to perform some planned modifications and upgrades before Galactica swims for the first time in 2011!


Here is a short video as I checked on her in her barn, decorated for Christmas!


Smooth Sailing!!!

Great Way to End the Sailing Season!

Beautiful Day, Fun Race & the BattleScar Galactica





The weather's been changing with frosty nights and warm days. We decided to shirk some chores needing to be done and take advantage of the weather on Saturday. Winds 10-14mph, mid 70's temperature.

We got up early and were on the road a little past 7am. This picture shows the early morning shadow of Galactica and her tow beast!

This time, we put in at Ray Behrens Access which we'd never used before at Mark Twain Lake. We've decided that this is to be our primary ramp in the future. It's a few miles closer to home than the ramp we normaly used and a decent setup with flushing facilities.

We met up with some of the MTLSA members and decided there simply weren't enough boats for the chore of setting up the full regatta so a bunch of us decided to do a fun midship race. Dock A to due north of the C navigation marker and back. Winds were strong but flukey in some areas.



We started on a run then tacked port for a long broad reach. Galactica held her own against the bigger sailboats during most of the first half. All of the boats were all fairly together for quite a while even though we started a hundred or so yards behind the other boats. We were leeward of the fleet and with slightly better wind, worked our way to second place. Just as Galactica's bow came up to the stern of Rogue, the winds opened up in the Spalding pool, the 34' Hunter, Rogue, took off and displayed what a fast boat she is, leaving the rest of us way behind.



Winds shifted, foul for a simple return leg and are alway chaotic from the Dam through the BlackJack arm. We followed Recess and Endeavor close to the north shore with the aim of tacking and cutting off some distance into the Blackjack arm. I saw both of them have wind troubles near the shore, trees sticking out of the water and some fishermen. With hind sight, I should have tacked to avoid the same area but winds were keeping Galactica on a slightly better trajectory.

As we got closer, the winds shifted and we tried skirting the point without putting ourselves in irons. The Wind fluttered and clost to a treetop, sticking a foot out of the water, the current grabbed us heading midship directly towards the tree top.

I dropped the motor, fired it up and powered around a fast tack, kissing the treetop along the last 10 feet of Galactica's port side... Hence her new nickname at the marina: Battlescar Galactica. Fortunately, the skuff will buff out of her pretty blue hull!

We lost ground with the flukey winds of the Blackjact arm which gave us more trouble than normal. Regardless, it was a beautiful and fun day. We would have been better had we reefed the main or at least partially furled the 150 Genoa foresail. We spent a large portion of the sail heeled over from 25 to 35 degrees, a major gust put Galactica over to 50 degrees. I rounded up quickly, eased the main sheet and she didn't go over but it sure felt like it. Angie thought it was fun!

Our fuel tank on the windward side had its breather vent open. Though only half full, a lot of gas leaked out and ran over my foot due to the angle of heel. Note, when sailing in good winds--close the fuel vent...




We enjoyed conversation and ice cream at the marina. We were going to leave Galactica berthed while we went out on a 37' Tartan, Higher Porpoise, but their puppy fell through a hatch, falling 6 foot to the deck below and breaking her forearm. They took her to the vets. Angie and I went for a short lazy sail with just the Genoa up in good wind. Very pleasant and fun.

The ramp has a center dock so that two lines of vehicles can put in or take out at the same time. An idiot and his girlfriend/wife decided it was a nice free dock and parked their fish&Ski boat on the starboard side--blocking that half of the ramp. They proceeded to hike along the shore to fish from the beach. It took us 40 minutes of idling in the current while the traffic jam cleared. We were next so I held back enough for someone to pick up their driver and another moron shot in with his fish&ski and took his time going up to get his truck. Meanwhile, someone in a boat chewed out idiot number one about blocking the ramp where upon the idiot cast his rod again and commented that they were not done yet.

More boats arrived so I pushed Galactica in and quickly retrieved our tow beast and pulled her out. Angie had the fins up and everything prepped while I was jogging up to the parking lot.

We had a lot of folks come by as we de-rigged Galactica and a Lawyer from Centralia even came aboard to check her out. We got home in time to enjoy pizza with our son! All in all, a great day on the water and if this is the last time we get to sail Galactica this season, it was a wonderful way to end the season!

Lazy Weekend cruising Mark Twain Lake

Cruising in early October's warm days and cold nights.



Angie and I left Friday after work. Our sons did not want to go, deciding to stay back with Grandma and Grandpa. We arrived at Mark Twain Lake after 9pm. We set the pace for the weekend and took our time rigging Galactica for the water.



It was a magnificent and clear night with so many stars and planets visible. We had about a 7-8 mile trip to the cove we were to use for our anchorage. We slowly putted that way. I alternately navigated using constellations and the shadows of the shoreline with occassional checks with a GPS for positioning in narrow channels and sighting buoys and markers with my night vision scope.




After setting our Danforth anchor, Angie cleaned up and retired to the vberth to read. I spent quite awhile in the cockpit star gazing, playing with my night vision scope and enjoying Sam Adams Octoberfest beer. Eventually, the temperature dropped significantly and I headed in.




We slept in, enjoying the cove to ourselves. There were a lot of critters to watch so we kicked back and enjoyed the morning and a great breakfast.



Amazing how good food tastes when your out traveling.

The trees are beginning to rust towards their Autumn colors.

There is a sand beach at the Indian Creek recreation area which was closed for the season so I took the opportunity to beach Galactica for the first time! Standing in the 68 degree water was chilly!



It's odd t see a sailboat on the shore! Angie and I enjoyed the warm sand in our bare feet. We decided to hike up a rocky trail to see if a bathhouse was available (open). We unaffectionately dubbed the trail, "Tenderfoot Trail"





While returning to the boat for lunch, a half dozen recreational boats began showing up. There had been a constant 4-5 knot wind all morning so we hoisted Galactica's sails and left the buoyed anchorage. Naturally, the winds dropped and were practically non-existent most of the rest of the day. The web had predicted 5-8 mph winds all day. The winds didn't actually pick back up until after we had furled the sails for the last time and decided to head home.



We spent a couple hours at BlackJack marina enjoying ice cream and talking with Alan, a sail association member who had sold his MacGregor 26S and is looking at a 26X or a 26M like Galactica.



We sailed the rest of the afternoon in 1-2 mph winds. After ghosting by a group of young men preparring to water ski, we decided to head home, furled the sails and rocketed back to the ramp.



Murphy's Law, When the ramps are busy, it seems that we are less than graceful tying up to the dock and loading Galactica on her trialer. When it's empty, things run so smoothly we look like mariner pros. The ramp was empty as we we approached it for the last mile. Then a fish-and-ski swooped in and tied up to the side ramp we were on final approach towards with fenders out and Angie on the bow line. Additionally, a pontoon boat pulled up towing an overloaded and out of gas bass boat. That group was having a devil of a time including nearly crushing a guy between boat and trailer wench. The first fish-and-ski boat forgot to lift his motor and drug his motor up the ramp. We came in, docked picture perfect. Gawd, what old salts we appeared to be. I jogged up and backed the tow beast and trailer down with no issues. The dead bass boat's driver wasn't a good trailer driver and was still jack-knifing and having a bad time getting into the water... Angie and I walked Galactica onto her trailer and I decided to back in a bit further so that I wouldn't have to do the 'mac bump' to finish sliding the boat up to the wench. We looked professional. I glanced at the bass boat fiasco, smiled to myself and did something I'd never done before...I slipped off the trailer tongue...SHWACK...splash!!! My leg hit the trailer hard and swelled up something fierce immediately...so much for mariner gods....



Here is a YOUTUBE video from this lazy weekend on the water:

VIDEO, Lazy Cruise on a MacGregor 26M -- Galactica