Step-2 MacSailing Confidence Cruise June 27, 2026
Congratulations to our latest group of club members who successfully completed Step-2 (MacSailing) of our 3-Part Confidence Cruises Series: Alan Harrer and Serapiglia, Sharron McGowan, Rich Harder.
Special thanks to Alan and Andrea for volunteering O-Bay-Ba to be our “Host-Boat” for us to sail on. Most every boat owner volunteering their boat gains a few tips and tricks about their MacGregor during these day sails and the club gives every boat $30 to help offset the cost of launch and fuel.
We started the day with very light winds which gave us the opportunity to review the unique characteristics of our water ballast system (how more heel generates more righting ability) as we motored up Indian Arm looking for wind, eventually finding it along with several other boats from the Deep Cove Yacht Club out for a day race. A gentle wind soon filled in and we spent the day under full sail going through the set syllabus of topics with everyone getting time at the helm both upwind and downwind sailing with lots of tacks and gibes, as well as practicing Polynesian steering for landmarks, sail trim techniques and creating the slot between both sails, sail twist adjustments with the boom vang and the effect on boom and sail batten positions, and the principles of sail shape and increased/decreased power (adjusting clew positions of both the main and headsail using the outhaul and track cars) all while into detail about boat balance fore-and aft and heel at no more than 23 degrees and letting go of the wheel while the boat steered itself in a straight line. We made time to go into hove-to for a quick lunch break followed by a little more time under sail before heading back to the ramp. It was a great day on the water with a great group of club members, lots of laughter, sharing and learning… and of course a little more confidence.
–Sail Coach Darry Major.
“Women On the Water” (WOW) Confidence Cruise June 28, 2026
Our WOW Confidence Cruise is a unique experience, not only because it is only woman onboard but also the day’s agenda is tailored specifically to what skills those members would like to practice that day and what aspects of being on their MacGregor that they would like to gain more confidence in. Great job to those who sailed our 2026 WOW Cruise: Sharon McGowan, Linda Putman, Joyce and Kim Popendorf, and Andrea Serapiglia.
Special thanks to Sharon for volunteering Puffin to be our “Host-Boat” for us to sail on. Most every boat owner volunteering their boat gains a few tips and tricks about their MacGregor during these day sails and the club gives every boat $30 to help offset the cost of launch and fuel. Also a big shout out to our WOW Representative Shelley Harris for continuing to do such and awesome job with our “Women On the Water” Program.
Before casting off we spent some time discussing dock lines and docking, the unique characteristics of our MacGregors in confined quarters (around the dock) along with the importance of full ballast with rudders and keel 100% down for best control. We reviewed the boat’s pivot point around the keel and how that effects steering inside the marina, plus the differences between how a car steers (from the front) and how a boat steers (from the back). We spent time doing some docking examples by taking Puffin in and out of different types of slips in the marina, we practiced controlling our speed by feathering the shift/throttle controller (in and then out of gear), how to manage boat position by turning the wheel before putting the engine in gear, we practiced backing up the fairways in reverse while steering from the forward side of the steering pedestal looking back (steering like a car) and finally how to turn around in a fairway as we rotated the boat in 360 degree turn in the boat’s own radius.
It was time to get on the water and so we headed out under power as we talked about the differences and speeds of motoring our MacGregor verses sailing and keel and rudder positions for both, how the water ballast system on the MacGregor operates and an understanding of heel and gravity water ballast, and best practices to raise and lower the sails along with a basic sail shape and trim methods.
We started off with perfect light winds with everyone taking turns at the wheel and winches under sail while tacking and gybing. The winds started to build allowing us to heel enough to use the emergency break (releasing the mainsail sheet) to stand the boat back up. We had enough wind to heave-to for a lunch break but as we got underway again the winds began gusting up which overpowered the boat enough that required us to put a reef in the mainsail and furl in some of the headsail to stay at a comfortable angle of heel (like magic) while using the emergency break in the bigger gusts. Lots of boat traffic in Indian Arm tested us on the right-of-way rules and what to do in different scenarios where others may not be following the rules.
Back at the dock we flaked the mainsail on Puffin while reminiscing about the full day of sailing, which included a few “Oh-Oh” moments (or was that Linda’s ring tone?) but so much laughter and high-5’s all around with individual and collective achievements … and with everyone now a little more confident about being on their MacGregor.
-Sail Coach Darry Major
