Ive always dreamed of retiring to a sailboat somewhere. Of course the woman I love was having no part of it. So in an effort to get her to buy in we have been through a progression of 3 boats, (larger each time) we find ourselves the proud owners of a Mac 26x.(Now she has the sickness too!! I am not forrest Gump, however Jenny is the most beautiful name in the wide world. So I named our boat that. Problem is the blank canvas syndrome that a naked Mac will inspire. Our boat was decked out with every available dealer option in 97, but that still leaves a lot of real estate available for modifications. The lake we sale on is Smithville lake just north of Kansas city MO, a grand total of 5 or 6 sailable miles of waterway. Hence the title Overkill. In my defence we are outfitting the boat in hopes of bigger water.

Sideshot of jenny

The first upgrade has to be electrical. The Mac is severely deficiant in that area. I opted to use GFCI and plugs for A/C as opposed to 4-600 dollar switch panels. Cant belive the manufacturers are that proud of thin pieces of aluminum. Each circuit is slaved into shore power through a heavy duty outdoor plug, switching to inverter is accomplished by switching plugs to same and clipping inverter to battery. The D/C system is also clipped to the battery for away disconnect and there is a slave fuse panel for the starboard D/C. The onboard charger is in the pic behind the battery.

Electrics

Upgraded Wiring Diagram

Wiring Diagram

We used Plastic GFCI outlets (wet location) from Home depot. Cheap cheap cheap

A/C Outlets

12 volt too

More outlets

Slaved into master w/ 30 amp fuse

Starboard fuse panel

My favorite part

Tool Storage

Just in case I find the need to do mods while under sail.

Close up of tool storage

With the exception of the occasional emergency offload, the only thing the head is good for is storage. I mean come on, when was the last time you washed your hands in there. We just streched nets everywhere and pile stuff in. For pooping we recommend going to a neighbors boat that has a pump out head.

Head storage

We use a lot of Wal-mart cutting boards instead of the high dollar marine plastics. Thats what this shelf is. The bolts go through the bulkhead and hold up my rope storage.

Head shelf

Other side of that bulkhead

Rope storage

Cant forget further back on that bulkhead, the missus reading light and fan.

Berth light and fan

Something else the Mac is mildly lacking

Now for storage

We dont really need it cause we go to the neighbors boat, but ya know gotta keep up appearences

TP storage

Bookshelf 1

Bookshelf 1

Bookshelf 2

Bookshelf 2