How far Macwesters have sailed?

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

We all agree that Macwesters are slow, reluctant to go close to the wind and they love to make leeway.

However, some Macwesters have crossed Oceans (mine has been to the Baltic). Do you know of any Macwesters that have gone beyond the pond?

 

[webcraft]

.
Met one in Porto Santo in 2006 that had been to Brazil and back.

- W

 

[Applescruffs]

A blast from the past

I had a MacWester Rowan up until 5 years ago, and had I not sold her , another story, would have felt confident in taking her just about anywhere. Have heard stories of trans-Atlantic crossings etc... Terrific boats, vastly 'over-engineered' but sailed like a 'slug in treacle'...every tack had to be 'sailed a-round'.

I have recently bought a 'Mirror Offshore' and to my mind this is a smaller version of the Rowan....tough, sturdy and 'over-engineered' and still 'sails like a slug in treacle!'

I will watch this thread with interest....

BTW: there is/was a very active MacWester society....If you are not already a member it may be worthwhile to 'google' a quick internet search....I still have my MacWester burgee and baseball cap!!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

We all agree that Macwesters are slow, reluctant to go close to the wind and they love to make leeway.

However, some Macwesters have crossed Oceans (mine has been to the Baltic). Do you know of any Macwesters that have gone beyond the pond?

I know of two which have sunk on our club moorings because the keels were badly fixed! So they have "gone beyond" in one sense.

 

[Litotes]

There are quite a few in the USA, most of which crossed "on their own bottoms". A 22 ft Rowen circumnavigated and I know (personally) two 32 foot Wights that have crossed the Atlantic - one twice and one pretty much every year, to winter in the Caribbean.

 

[alant]

We all agree that Macwesters are slow, reluctant to go close to the wind and they love to make leeway.

However, some Macwesters have crossed Oceans (mine has been to the Baltic). Do you know of any Macwesters that have gone beyond the pond?

Wasn't the 27 Bilge keeler 'tank tested' to great acclaim by Southampton Univerity?

 

[xxyyzz]

I quite fancied a 27 and was under the impression they sailed reasonably well, is that not the case then?

 

[guernseyman]

In St Malo in 1998 I met an ex-employee of Macwester who had settled in France and had just purchased a series II Macwester 27 'Dauphin Blanc' which he believed had crossed the Atlantic under a previous name 'Borgnefesse'.

He is interested to know if anyone can verify that claim.

 

[NickRobinson]

I know of two which have sunk on our club moorings because the keels were badly fixed! So they have "gone beyond" in one sense.

Mac keels are encapsulated, not fixed through and sealed like others, perhaps Westerlys? (eg 'Centaur splay')

Love the thread, took my Mac26 to Gateshead from Gibraltar Point, a voyage for me at least!

A Mac 26 with a junk rig has done the Jester Challenge

Nick
Magna SYC

 

[earlybird]

Mac keels are encapsulated, not fixed through and sealed like others, perhaps Westerlys? (eg 'Centaur splay')

Rowans, and maybe Rowan Crowns, had steel bilge plates bolted to the hull to make them triple-keelers.
Maybe these caused the problem

 

[Nicholas123]

Is the claim to have crossed oceans really such a big deal when some bloke sailed round the world in a 16 foot dinghy?
I have been looking at them as a possible replacement to my boat but there are so many factors it ai'nt an easy decision to make.

 

[Nicholas123]

Mac keels are encapsulated, not fixed through and sealed like others, perhaps Westerlys? (eg 'Centaur splay')

Love the thread, took my Mac26 to Gateshead from Gibraltar Point, a voyage for me at least!

A Mac 26 with a junk rig has done the Jester Challenge

Nick
Magna SYC

Your wrong there check this out you can clearly see the join in many of them.

http://macwester.wordpress.com/macwester-27/

 

[daveyw]

Saw a liveaboard 27 sailing off Assos in Kefalonia a couple of years ago.

 

[Rowana]

I have a Rowan 8 meter -see here -

http://macwester.wordpress.com/macwester-rowan-rose-rowan-8m/

Fin keel & built like brick wotsit. Not sailed oceans, but everywhere between Wick & Newcastle.

Not fast, but if I want to go somewhere in a hurry, I'll go by car!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Mac keels are encapsulated, not fixed through and sealed like others, perhaps Westerlys? (eg 'Centaur splay')

Love the thread, took my Mac26 to Gateshead from Gibraltar Point, a voyage for me at least!

A Mac 26 with a junk rig has done the Jester Challenge

Nick
Magna SYC

Agree, the Macwester keels are encapsulated with very thick layers of GRP; hence no joins. Also, the position of the keels is very good balanced, for sitting upright when it dries out.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Is the claim to have crossed oceans really such a big deal when some bloke sailed round the world in a 16 foot dinghy?
I have been looking at them as a possible replacement to my boat but there are so many factors it ai'nt an easy decision to make.

No it is not a big deal. Actually one may argue that it is safer to cross the Atlantic than crossing the Solent.

 

[[448]]

Agree, the Macwester keels are encapsulated with very thick layers of GRP; hence no joins. Also, the position of the keels is very good balanced, for sitting upright when it dries out.

Wrong, at least with the 27 bilge keeler. These have moulded stub keels to which are bolted cast iron ballast keels. These cast iron ballast keels are about 2 feet deep.
I have a 27 and and every other 27 that I have come across is the same. In my area all the harbours dry, so it is easy to see this.
Dave

 

[yodave]

There are quite a few Macs in the Netherlands (that's where we found ours). At around 400nm, not all that far away though.

How about this 1971 Macwester 26 for sale in Perth? (Australia not Scotland).

http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/macwester-26/102199

This is a very tough shallow draft sailing boat built to stand the tough sea conditions on the West coast of England and to settle upright on it's keels and skeg when the tide leaves it high and dry. It was sailed here by a retiree from the UK and I am the third owner in Australia. I have been told by the previous owner it is the only fibreglass one in the country and that there is one wooden one in Tasmania.
The standard specifications can be found on the Macwester Owners Association website:
http://www. Macwester. Org/
I am selling the boat with it's mooring in Bull Creek, the mooring was inspected in April this year and is in good condition, only about a 30m row from the nearest car parking. AU $26,500

 

[Appledore]

Just back from my own Rowan, ashore up the Tamar. I've only done a couple of trips to the Channel Islands, but there was one Rowan (as has been said) that did a circumnavigation some years ago, the owner used to live locally.

Yes, very heavy, and you really do need an engine (I'm on the third one - and hopefully the last - now!!). When we were caught in heavy seas and strong winds off Guernsey, I soon realised that my Rowan was very seaworthy, so long as you avoided lee shores! My boat was built for someone in Alderney, so I guess he knew they would be safe boats.

Geoff

 

[r_h]

Wasn't the 27 Bilge keeler 'tank tested' to great acclaim by Southampton Univerity?

Yes - which resulted in a much improved keel configuration - they sail hugely better to windward than the 26 and indeed better than some fin keel boats.