[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

Rocky Point in Port Moody is a good launch ramp, but the price is extremely high at near $ 50 per day to park the vehicle and trailer.

Cates Park in North Vancouver is also a good launch ramp and more reasonably priced at near $ 30 per day to park the vehicle and trailer, but has a limit of 4 nights.

MacDonald Beach ramp near the Vancouver airport is similar to Cates park in terms of pricing and maximum duration.

Steveston boat ramp is similar to the Ladner Ferry Boat Launch (it is just opposite on the Fraser River). It is not free, but reasonably priced (I believe it is less than $ 20 per day, but have not used it for several years).

If you are planning to stay for more than a few days, also consider to leave the vehicle and trailer in a storage lot (or private short term storage that can be found on Marketplace). You can then launch at Rocky Point, drive the vehicle to the storage place and taxi or Uber back to the boat. You are allowed to leave the boat tied to the dock at Rocky Point for 3 hours while you go park the vehicle and return to the boat.

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

We use the Easy-On bottom wax on Cassiopeia as well. We spent three and a half weeks in the Salish sea this summer and then cleaned off easily very minimal, soft buildup.

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

We have a MacGregor 26X and I also did some repeated testing during longer trips related to fuel consumption. We came up with the following:

– 1999 Yamaha 4 Stroke 50 hp carbureted engine
– No wind or currents, relatively calm seas
– Ballast in
– Traveling at about 2,500 rpm at about 6 knots
– 2 people and gear on board

1.75 nautical miles (3.2 km) per liter

(One 12 gal tank – using 40 liters of it since the last few liters are not usable – lasts for about 70 nautical miles)

We also traveled with another MacGregor 26X this summer. It had a brand new Honda 50 hp engine. With similar conditions as stated above, they were closer to 4 km per liter from what I remember. Besides being a newer engine, I think that fuel injected engines are more efficient.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Caroline and Andy Sigrist.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Caroline and Andy Sigrist.

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

Not in the Gulf Islands, but on the mainland:

Granite Falls in Indian Arm
Long Island in Harrison Lake

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

We launch and retrieve at Rocky Point typically several times a year on weekends. Generally no significant problems Some key points from our experience:

Launch early in the morning. The ramp gets busy by mid morning and finding a parking spot for the trailer becomes more difficult.

Plan the retrieval of the boat, considering that you cannot walk it on. Driving it onto at trailer is not easy, particularly in a cross wind:

Leave the rudders and swingboard down. Pull the swingboard up just as the bow goes over the backend of the trailer.

If you routinely retrieve at Rocky Point, add guides to the trailer that will keep the Mac lined up as it slides over the trailer

Don’t put the trailer too far into the water. It is easier to leave the trailer higher up, get the Mac straight onto the trailer, then back up another couple of feet to get it all the way on the trailer.

Retrieve later in the evening when things quite down.

Hope this helps

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

Great, glad you found it and repaired it.
Do you know what caused it? Was it just a fatigue crack from trailering or did it result from modifications?

[Caroline and Andy Sigrist]

A MacGregor spring checklist, recently updated by Rick, is available at

http://mycbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Yodocs/MacGregor/Spring%20Checklist.doc

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