Back in the day – Illusion being built

** We’ve been sorting through a big box of photos which had been stored under the bed in Illusion for quite a few years. It’s been quite a surprise to find out which photos survived and which were damp and stuck together – we haven’t got through them all yet, but so far there are some great ones from various adventures, including travels in Mexico, South Pacific tropics, and New Zealand. Over the next few weeks we’ll scan some and post them here on the blog to give a bit of Illusion‘s back story. **

I was living in an apartment in Tiburon (near San Francisco), California, failing to find a used boat to buy. I almost gave up after a boat deal in Germany fell through. Then the MacGregor video of their 65 foot sailboat at a local boat show sparked my interest in taking a closer look; a factory visit to meet Roger MacGregor; and a downpayment to get on the waiting list. A year and a half later, in late 1994, I went back to the factory in Costa Mesa, California to see her being built. Surprisingly, the photos of her in pieces, with the hull partly assembled, survived in good shape!

Here’s the deck:

Shiny new engine:

Freshly ground lead keel:

These are the bulkheads that frame our salon, looking from the aft, above where the galley is located:

Galley, before being fitted into the hull:

These are the baffles (reduces water sloshing) inside our 220 gallon water tank, the top of which forms the galley’s floor:

The pointy end of Illusion (from the inside, part of the anchor locker):

Looking into the V-berth, which is just aft of the anchor locker:

Aft stateroom and engine room compartments:

Steering/rudder compartment, aft of the engine room and below the transom steps:

On left, the head liners for the underside of the deck:

Various molds and pieces that make up Illusion‘s insides – note the hull mold on its side (dark shape) up against the far wall:

And finally, another deck view – no windows yet!

It’s amazing to look back at her before all the adventures and miles at sea. Not the most elegant of boats, but we’ve had some good times together!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.