| MY BOAT MC FASTRACK is a 70’
(21.4 meters) Ultra Light Displacement Boat (ULDB) built by
Roger MacGregor in 1985 and held in his company for his use
for two years before selling it to a group of sailors that
raced her out of Newport Beach, California, typically to the
Farallons, Catalina, the Channel Islands, and Cabo San Lucas
etc. Macgregor built about 30 of these boats and then
switched to a heavier version with pilothouse and shorter
mast and built about 100 of those.
I bought her in November 1991 and raced her in the Vic-Maui
in 1992, Swiftsures and Southern Straits in 1992-1994. By
1995 I had begun her conversion to a ULDB cruiser. Since
then I have sailed her in charters and as a fast cruiser on
the B.C. coast. Her displacement remains essentially the
same. Externally the major change is the addition of a hard
dodger, and a 5’ sugar scoop on the stern; internally some
furniture and a teak sole have been added as well as shore
power. All changes can be reversed in about a day if anyone
ever wanted to seriously race her again.
With my Autopilot (by Paul Wagner) I regularly sail her
single-handed. The best sustained speed I have had
single-handed is 17 knots for 3 hours on a broad reach in 25
knots of wind. Upwind she will do 9 knots. Of course, with a
full racing crew and spinnaker, on the open ocean she surfs
to 25 knots on the big swells. Speed=stability=comfort=fun.
| LOA |
70’ |
| LWL |
66’ |
| BEAM |
11’9” |
| DRAFT |
8’6” |
| HULL DRAFT |
1’6” |
| DISPLACEMENT |
23,000 LBS. |
| BALLAST |
8,000 LBS. |
| MAST HEIGHT FROM DECK |
70’ |
| ENGINE |
85 HP |
| SPEED UNDER POWER |
11 KNOTS |
| SAIL AREAS: |
|
| MAINSAIL |
826 SQ. FT. |
| WORKING JIB |
430 SQ. FT. |
| GENOA JIB (150%) |
1401 SQ. FT. |
| DISPLACEMENT |
23,000 LBS. |
| SPINNAKER |
3456 SQ. FT. |
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Here she can be seen anchored at Sydney Spit, with the hard
dodger and the 5’ sugar scoop extension.
| RIG DIMENSIONS: |
|
| MAST TO JIB TACK |
18’3” |
| MAST TO GENOA TACK (J) |
25’11” |
| FORETRIANGLE HEIGHT (I) |
70’9” |
| MAINSAIL LUFF (P) |
64’1” |
| MAINSAIL FOOT (E) |
23’7” |
| FORETRIANGLE AREA |
916 SQ. FT. |
| FORESTAY |
75’8” |
CUTTER RIG: she is set up as a cutter with an easily
removable inner forestay which allows her to be converted to
a sloop in about a minute.
NOTE: I do not normally fly the 150% Genoa Jib or the
Spinnaker due to their size and power. They are typically
used only with a full and experienced crew. I do fly the
number 2 genoa on roller furling.
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My first sight of the boat – in Newport Beach south of Los
Angeles.
Hauled out for inspection and survey, she towered over the
trucks in the area. I got my first real sense of her
potential for speed, stability and comfort.
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It took a pretty big mobile crane to pull the mast for
shipping by truck.
It also took a sizeable truck.
After diverting around many overpasses that were too low and
watching passing motorists gawk at this boat flying up the
I-5, she finally arrived in Bellingham where the bottom gel
coat was redone with epoxy, faired and painted.
This gives a perspective of the size of the keel-stepped
mast, extending well beyond the truck.
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The interior was functional but sparse.
The cruising interior is somewhat more refined and
comfortable. But form still follows function, which is the
way it should be.
 .
A new sink provides a great bathtub for a pretty new baby.
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