magregor 26

[rwatson]

Originally Posted by Zappi

I cant think of one production monohull with a rotating mast. Please, if you can think of one or even more I'll eat my words. The gain it gives is less turbulence directly behind the mast. 30' feet of stick is not going to make much difference if any. But it sure sounds good. The Mac needs more help than this to go up wind.

Well, if you Google "rotating mast monhull" you will get a plethora of examples

eg
http://www.southernspars.com/souther...uildpage&p=448

Less turbulence is not a minor thing - it controls whether you get proper air-flow attachment on the critical first third of the sail, and is especially important when you have an overlapping jib.

The Mac has no trouble going into the wind. I personally have matched some of the popular trailer sailors on a beat in a non rotating mast Mac version. Downwind is a different matter without some detailed sail changes. The mac has a high aspect foil unlike many other trailer sailers with flat steel boards.

If you havnt managed to locate some Real life mac Rotating mast info, one quote
"Well, to open a can of worms; maybe rotation of the mast contributes up to 1/2 knot of speed like recently posted. Maybe more. I think most of the time, much more. Big picture is mast area is 15 sq-ft (6" times 30 feet). Un less rotated, It is turned sideways to the wind causing the boat to lean over and not giving lift or forward drive. First thing we noted on the first Mac with rotated mast was the lower heel angle, just our estimate, no measurement. The M was then designed to have 2' more mast than before. in light wind you have more drive, in high wind you have less heel. Any questions can be adressed to the by now many X owners with the rotating mast retro-fited. In general, they say " best add-on ever done". None I know of would switch back. Now as to the slugs, many have enjoyed the ease tof sail handling that slugs add, most state they are worth it. Few noted lower performance (although I am certain of it, that is just me). Most speed producers give such a small increase you can't measure it on a GPS. Try this; get someone to tighten all the way and ease/release the vang back and forth while keeping close watch on the GPS. I think you can feel much more change on rotation of the mast than mismanagement of the vang. A GPS will show the mast rotation! See, we had to decide whether to spend some Macgregor money on a very costly mast rotation based on pure performance. Not only that, we lost the backstay in the process. Roger really did not want to lose the backstay. Was tested for a year with no backstay and treated very rough with full standing gybes in high wind before the rotating mast got the go ahead. Notice the base of the mast has a tang which can and was used to control rotation. Tests indicate max rotation is needed upwind and even more downwind so the controls were not added. Good place to experiment on your own, let me know! Just grease the little washers under the mast once every tow years.
Mike Inmon"

[Zappi]

Again.. You wont find any production sailboats with rotating masts other than some multihulls. Yes, there are customs out there with it but Mac is the only. It seems spreader and chainplate width is the most prohibitive efficiently on monohulls. I dont spose Mac cares too much about that though seeing as how they're not opposed to use nicropressed standing rigging on factory production boats.
I see an amount of "maybes" in your quote. It "maybe" added 1/2 knot or "maybe" more??? Sounds like some very scientific studies. According to gps. Hmmm... Again where was he sailing? Are currents "maybe" changing things up? While the mast may be thirty feet tall I'm certain the main luff is not that. IMHO. The mast is very similiar to the pilothouse windows errr, I mean stickers.

[rwatson]

Originally Posted by Zappi

Again.. You wont find any production sailboats with rotating masts other than some multihulls. Yes, there are customs out there with it but Mac is the only. It seems spreader and chainplate width is the most prohibitive efficiently on monohulls. .

oh - I get it now, you seem to think that because "production" boats dont use a rotating mast, that it isnt an improvement. That doesnt make sense when plenty of "exotic" monohulls use, and pay big dollars, to install a rotating mast, for performance improvements. One serious reason why you dont see "production" yachts use rotating mast is due to class rules. The Australian Trailer Sailer organisation actually restricts mast to non rotational. I daresay, the added expense puts a large percentage of other classes off the idea as well. To infer that it doesnt improve performance is just silly.

Roger Macgregor was also the first production boat to use water ballast as well, so that fact he is leading again (even has a provisional patent on the mast design) shouldnt surprise anyone.

Originally Posted by Zappi

I dont spose Mac cares too much about that though seeing as how they're not opposed to use nicropressed standing rigging on factory production boats.

Whats with the nicopress comment? Whats wrong with Nicopress ? They use it for Hang gliders, planes as well as boats. See
http://www.eaa.org/video/homebuilder...oId=8601416001
to get the standards for aircraft use.
My fittings didnt even seem under anything like dangerous loads, even if the swage wasnt done by an expert. If you are worried about crevice corrosion then use a smear of duralac to solve most issues. duralac being a zinc chromate paste designed for killing off electrolytic corrosion problems.
Stainless steel in shrouds is in itself a second rate option for serious sea going boats, (any old salt will use galvanised in preference) , but its the 'standard' for 90% of "production boats".

Originally Posted by Zappi

I see an amount of "maybes" in your quote. It "maybe" added 1/2 knot or "maybe" more??? Sounds like some very scientific studies. According to gps. Hmmm... Again where was he sailing? Are currents "maybe" changing things up? While the mast may be thirty feet tall I'm certain the main luff is not that. .

sigh - that was one positive comment I picked from over a dozen I have read in the last twelve months, because you hadnt done any research.
The luff is 24.5 ft, and that is plenty of leading edge to optimise. I have been on a boat where just changing a shorter mast to aerofoil section from a round section, made a discernable difference, so how you can say rotating a mast section would have no performance benefits amazes me.
Your doubting noises based on your zero experience with the boat, despite a large support base of experienced users, makes your condescending tone laughable, and not at all 'scientific'.