Why no Macgregor 26's in the West of Scotland?

[Seastoke]

Where do I send my tenner?

stoke

 

[Alfie168]

Here is a Mac 26M in the middle of York last September...obviously in Motor Boating mode. The M has a slightly better hull shape than the X so sails a bit better, and has 300 lbs of built in ballast in addition to the water ballast, unlike the X, but all other caveats apply.

I see MacGregor ceased boat building in Nov 2002, so nearly 19 years ago. How time flies. I now read that Roger MacGregors daughter still builds a modified 26M in Florida called the Tattoo 26....Oh Oh...no she doesn't, it all seemed to wind up in 2015 after trying to produce a 22 footer that got as far as one hull.....oh dear.

 

[Dellquay13]

Dunno but they are very very fine boats. They are moulded in Milford haven. There is a very new one (maybe couple of years old) on our pontoon at Milford marina. I am no mobo fan but the Dale Nelson is a really fab boat.

Called Cunjic if I'm not mistaken, I admire it every time I walk past it.

 

[boatiebert]

Just compare the rig on a Mac. to a Westerly Centaur or other 26 ft European boat. I believe the Mac also requires water ballast tanks to fill and empty before and after use.

No need to believe, just check your facts & be sure. They do use water as ballast. I think you're missing the point to compare them with a sailing boat though. A tri- or catamaran would be vulnerable to be being knocked about when the fish farmers come to play dogem cars.

Plus points trailerable, float in a minimal amount of water hence low cost or even free beach launches, open transom makes a good working platform, fast in/out, six-feet of headroom and a fully enclosed head. I'm guessing the original poster isn't going out in storm conditions. Go for one the 15 minute, singlehanded mast drop system.

 

[scruff]

I'm guessing the original poster isn't going out in storm conditions. Go for one the 15 minute, singlehanded mast drop system.

Thats just the thing, you might not plan to be going out in rough weather and it might not be in the forecast. Doesn't mean you won't experience it.

Case in point - anchored last year in Areceid Moor, Rona. Navtex and shipping forecast was for 15kts. We set off round the top of Skye, heading south. What we actually encountered was 40tks with 3m(?) waves in the tide race.

By time we were at anchored a few miles away at the head of Loch Snizort it was flat calm.

There is a very good reason most of the boats up here are predominantly Nicholson/Moody/Westerly/Najaid/Halberg Rassy & Malo. You need a boat that can take a surprise kicking and be OK.

A boat designed for pootling about Key West / the Bahamas has an entirely different set of design requirements of which I'm sure the macgreggor meets admirably.

 

[Kelpie]

There is a very good reason most of the boats up here are predominantly Nicholson/Moody/Westerly/Najaid/Halberg Rassy & Malo. You need a boat that can take a surprise kicking and be OK.

I'm not disagreeing with the point you're making about the conditions we experience round these parts, but there are plenty of average production boats successfully cruising here. The Isle of Skye Yachts charter fleet was entirely composed of AWBs and seemed to get on just fine.

Not too many MacGregor 26s though...

 

[WoodyP]

Last time I was in Kerrera, Oban, admittedly a few years ago there was someone living full-time on a M26, admittedly ashore, but I am sure it was better than a cardboard box.

 

[Bilgediver]

I'm not disagreeing with the point you're making about the conditions we experience round these parts

I wonder how they would fair if when chased by a salmon farm work boat they dropped down the 80 HP outboard and sails lifted the rudders and tried to take off into a force 6 or above out of the Loch at 30 knots to escape both the work boat and the shore based party in their Defenders and arrive at their destination still able to float and the crew able to get ashore and hide in the bushes.

 

[penfold]

Chased? What is this, the wild west?

 

[Kelpie]

I wonder how they would fair if when chased by a salmon farm work boat they dropped down the 80 HP outboard and sails lifted the rudders and tried to take off into a force 6 or above out of the Loch at 30 knots to escape both the work boat and the shore based party in their Defenders and arrive at their destination still able to float and the crew able to get ashore and hide in the bushes.

That's quite a vivid imagination you have there.

 

[Bilgediver]

That's quite a vivid imagination you have there.

The mixture of Welsh blood and Scottish influence over 40 years and visualising the OP's intended use of the Mac !!!!!