# Mac Dinghy



## nickster60 (Jun 5, 2009)

My first boat was a Mac Dinghy. I was looking for one and did find one. I am trying to put it back together it is mostly there. If anyone has any information about these boats or had one I would it would be greatly appreciated. The daggerboard isnt right and I am not sure the rudder right.


----------



## SaltyDogTampa (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi,
I am really new to sailing and found your post online. I bought an old Mac Dinghy last year and have been learning to sail. Last week the weather was rougher than normal and the old wooden rudder literally disintegrated.  Do you know if it is possible to buy another rudder for these old boats?
Thanks in advance for your response!


----------



## nickster60 (Jun 5, 2009)

Salty I wish i did. My rudder doesnt retract and I would love one of those. How is your centerboard mine appears to be to small. Maybe we could brain storm make them both right. 

nick


----------



## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

It's not too hard to make one. Get a book on building small boats, read the threads on the Woodenboat forum.


----------



## nickster60 (Jun 5, 2009)

I agree Salty. You could just copy what was there. It doesnt have to be very fancy. If you decide you dont want to build one I may interested if decide you dont want your boat.


Nick


----------



## Brydonwood (Aug 23, 2010)

I bought a Mac Dinghy in august as my first sailboat. It has Penn sticker from 1969 but it seems brand new. If you need pictures or measurements of the rudder or daggerboard let me know. I haven't found any info regarding the Mac Dinghy and am curious as to it manufacturer and history.


----------



## nickster60 (Jun 5, 2009)

The Mac dinghy was also my first boat many years ago. I stumbled across my boat years later. It kind of brings back memories when I first started to sail. I would like to put it back together. The dagger board inst right and the rudder also doesn't seem to be the way I remember it. Any help you can offer would be great, I do have a little info about the boat.

Nick


----------



## Brydonwood (Aug 23, 2010)

I took some pictures of the rudder and dagger board.


----------



## nickster60 (Jun 5, 2009)

I knew my dagger board wasn't right. My rudder has a fixed blade and it isn't aluminum. What is the overall length and width of the dagger board.

Thanks
Nick


----------



## ramcatdoc (May 29, 2013)

I still have my Mac Dinghy. I bought it new in 1970 in the Pittsburgh area. Cost $600 plus shippiing! Was a lot of money for a 14 year old. It is still very seaworthy. Have used the same sails since 1971 (original ones were defective). My original sail number was 2312, now 2358. 

The daggerboard is just a piece of plywood. The pictures above look like bonafide original equipment.

I've actually had this boat planing at times, although it is not really a planing hull. We used to race them on Lake Arthur, north of Pittsburgh. In the 70s, there was quite a happy following of these boats. Some even flew spinnakers!

They were originally designed and produced by the McClintock Sail Loft in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. They were made in Dubdam, Holland.


----------



## 1stansail (Nov 16, 2013)

I have a Mac Dinghy but I need sails. Anyone have the dimensions or know where I can buy some.


----------



## 1stansail (Nov 16, 2013)

I am searching for sails for my Mac Dinghy. If you would share your sail dimensions I would have a set made. Thanks.
Stan Hall
Richmond, VA


----------



## 1stansail (Nov 16, 2013)

Do you have the Mac Dinghy sail dimensions? I need a set. Thanks. 
Stan Hall
Richmond, VA


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

I am supposed to pick one up free tomorrow! I'll measure the sails. I am very excited I used to call them cute bathtubs when I sailed a shark catamaran at lake Arther.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Hum Say's I have to have 10 posts before I can post pics. Got the boat.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

She cleaned up nicely, was a true Barn find!


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Trying to finagle a PA title and registration without a hull ID # . It is sail # 2595 which I assume was the 2595 boat built.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Made a bow spirit out of a wood hand rail. Hope to find a jib from a JY FJ 420 ect to run dinghy as a cutter.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Shopping for 1/4 stainless steel plate to make a keel/daggerboard.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Planning on two small trolling motor batteries on each side of daggerboard trunk


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Thought about bad ass bilge pump between the daggerboard trunk and transom as an inboard jet.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Got her tarped and in the back yard so wife can have her garage back.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

I think i'll make a short wood dagger board and a long aluminum board and stainless board for different wind conditions.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

My Mac


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Mac Jib 8' 7" x 4' 3" x 7' 10.5"
Intensity sails has a Pico sailboat jib for 80$ that is only missing a couple sq/ft where the foot is angled up more. I like it because it helps to see under it.

Mac Mainsail 11' x 6'6" x 12'7"
I emailed Intensity sails about their RAD 420 main for 200$ I hope/think that a "Reduced Area Design" for the 420 sailboat will be close in size! I'll know when they let me know the length of the luff and foot.

Less than 300$ for replacement sails for a Mac dinghy can't be beat.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

A flag for my Dinghy I'v been working on.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Found a video of some kids sailing and swamping a Mac!


----------



## Capt. Kirk (May 13, 2014)

I too have a Mac Dingy with Main, Jib, and Spinnaker. I am the original owner and have sailed it in 1978 from Homestead FL to Key West in the Atlantic. Mine is all original and for the most part in good shape. The rudder blade broke off shortly after my keys trip but I was able to make a replacement. If anyone needs photo's of any parts of a Mac Dingy please let me know and I will be glad to send them. We are in the process of downsizing and may consider selling it for a reasonable offer.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Wow Homestead to Key west that's like 160 miles. I sailed mine the other day and was moving along nicely upstream at about 4 mph but the current was flowing downstream at 4 mph so as long as I didn't look at the shore it felt like I was going somewhere!

Can you measure your spinnaker. I want one and the only ones I can find that might be close to the right size are from Mirror Dinghys.


----------



## Capt. Kirk (May 13, 2014)

Yes that was a 4 day trip with pretty much beer and sleeping bags, we would stop and eat along the way, it was a lot of fun. I was 20 then and now in my 50's and could never do that again in such a small boat.
I will try to get around to measuring the spinnaker over the weekend but no promises, I have a ton of work head of me as we are getting ready to put our house on the market soon.
Regards,

Kirk


----------



## Capt. Kirk (May 13, 2014)

I actually used the spinnaker for that trip a good part of the way. I have a bunch of other great stories about my Mac I'd love to share sometime.


----------



## jrcanoe (Dec 5, 2013)

Cornering the Mac Dinghy market. This one came with a set of new never used sails and the original sails. Had an ad in for spinnaker and the lady responded about a whole boat but still no spinnaker for me yet.


----------



## mrbeanbag (Feb 3, 2015)

Hey, Just wanted to pass on the news that The Sailors' Tailor is now making boat covers for the Mac Dinghy. I got mine for around $260 plus shipping. See sailorstailor.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MACD01T%2DM

See you on the pond...
John


----------



## Lulu (Aug 31, 2020)

Brydonwood said:


> I took some pictures of the rudder and dagger board.


Do you happen to have the dimensions? I don't have a rudder for my Mac 10, so I am going to attempt to build one. Thanks!


----------



## cartopper (Sep 9, 2020)

Lulu said:


> Do you happen to have the dimensions? I don't have a rudder for my Mac 10, so I am going to attempt to build one. Thanks!


I just picked up a mac a few weeks ago. I will get some rudder measurements for you. Was hoping to find someone that had the original manual for the boat.


----------



## Riles (Sep 11, 2020)

nickster60 said:


> My first boat was a Mac Dinghy. I was looking for one and did find one. I am trying to put it back together it is mostly there. If anyone has any information about these boats or had one I would it would be greatly appreciated. The daggerboard isnt right and I am not sure the rudder right.


My first sailboat was a Mac Dinghy 10. I was living in Pittsburgh and found one advertised for $100.00 (Probably mid-1980s). We (Me. Girl Friend and three very young daughters) would sail north of Pittsburgh (Lake Arthur?) and it was a blast. It was incredibly easy to learn to sail and we would every weekend. About five years later I bought a Hobie 16 for me and painted the Mac's hull bright red for the girls. We would still go to the lake every Saturday. Great memories. If anyone want to get rid of one. Now have a bunch of grandchildren who I would love to teach to sail.


----------



## Lulu (Aug 31, 2020)

cartopper said:


> I just picked up a mac a few weeks ago. I will get some rudder measurements for you. Was hoping to find someone that had the original manual for the boat.


Thanks, Cartopper! I would appreciate those measurements very much!


----------



## cartopper (Sep 9, 2020)

Hi Lulu, sorry for the delay! I hope these images help. Let me know if they don't.


----------



## Lulu (Aug 31, 2020)

cartopper said:


> Hi Lulu, sorry for the delay! I hope these images help. Let me know if they don't.
> View attachment 137097
> View attachment 137098
> 
> ...


Thanks, Cartopper! This helps a lot! One more question...what kind of metal is the rudder made of? Thanks again!


----------



## cartopper (Sep 9, 2020)

Lulu I think it is stainless steel. I suppose if I dig up a magnet I could check.


----------



## joenowlan (5 mo ago)

I just acquired an old Mac Dinghy with a wooden mast and boom and (mostly) complete rigging, but I’m struggling to figure out how it all fits together. Could anyone post photos of how the boat should look when rigged? There’s so little info on this boat but it does look like the pics that I have seen!


----------

