In praise of MacGregors

Ex-SolentBoy said:
Not a chance. No matter how fast or how comfortable it is I refuse to being forced to sail with a bag over my head to preserve my reputation.
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and that may well be the main problem with the boat

it is what people think about them rather than what they actually are

however, the slug came with a paper bag as standard

Dylan
 
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Extract from the article - gets it about right. I will never, ever understand why people who don't want one are so vociferous in disliking them, it's kind of bizarre really.


The kids want to get slaphappy silly getting the bejesus bounced out of them while hanging onto a tube for dear life and inhaling half the lake?
No problem. This boat has an app for that.

Want to enjoy a nice light wind sail and teach the kids about sailing, until they get bored and want to go tubing?
No problem. This boat has an app for that.

Wind picks up, storm clouds threatening, everybody is getting a little nervous and you want to get back to the dock quick?
No problem. This boat has an app for that.

Want to take the whole family on a sailing vacation for a couple of weeks in the Keys, but you live in Cincinnati?
No problem. This boat has an app for that.

Are you a novice boater, unsure whether you will like sailing, unsure whether you will like powerboating, don't want to guess wrong and buy a sailboat when you would rather have a powerboat?
No problem. This boat has an app for that.

It's not for me, but it may be the right boat for my friends, and at the end of the day, if you're on the water with a grin on your grille surrounded by a family grinning just as big, then it's the right boat for you.
 
It's a matter of taste !

Some of us haven't sailed them because it's bleeding obvious what they are and we don't want to be seen anywhere nearby; there's nothing wrong with a Macgregor a Sea Eagle missile or Mk 46 torpedo couldn't fix. :)
 
As someone who has recently bought a small boat for family sailing and with no real opportunity yet for proper cruising (due to wanting to spend time with aforementioned family), I am almost convinced by that article. Almost.
 
I sailed one about four years ago in the Solent. The wind started at force 2 and the boat slammed along pointing badly. On the return journey from Yarmouth the wind increased to force 4 or maybe just force 5 and I was so glad to get off that boat. Even with a reef in both sails, sailing off the wind, we were on our ear one minute and rounding up the next. Heaven knows how it would have felt outside the Solent in 'proper waves'. My view is that it is a plastic toy and should come with a health warning that limits its use to small lakes and ponds! The sea has to be treated with respect as the weather can change for the worse in minutes.
dylanwinter said:
here is a great column from Dock Six Chronicles

it is one in the eye for the mac knockers

well worth a read and maybe Ex-solent boy should consider adding one to his fleet

http://docksixchronicles.blogspot.ca/2013/03/requiem-for-spork.html

Dylan
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I was sailing along in my 17ft Seahawk last year and looking for a bit of better wind to improve the excitement of the sail. About half a mile away a guy sailing to my lee on a similar course to me was on his ear.
I moved across towards him to try and pick up his wind. (It's very localised on the lake).
I got quite close and he had the advantage of having held his course so I could see he was in a Mcgregor.
We were now sailing in the same breeze (about 12/15 mph). I was still heeling fairly gently and he was still on his ear. But we were now doing the same speed.

Tender or what?
 
I'm a bit prejudiced against water-ballasted boats. One of these flipped while carrying a group of graduate students from the center where I work. The boat was way overloaded with ten onboard. Two died. The theory is that the boat ran into shallow water, so the centerboard was raised, which resulted in the boat losing stability.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/boat-capsizes-in-the-james-river

I believe the boat was a MacGregor Venture.

picventure24106a.jpg


Having read the article that began this post < http://docksixchronicles.blogspot.ca/2013/03/requiem-for-spork.html >, I have to say that I am intrigued by the MacGregor 36 catamaran. I have often wondered why multihulls aren't more popular around the areas of Great Britain with drying harbors.

picmacgregor36100a.jpg
 
mainsail1 said:
I sailed one about four years ago in the Solent. The wind started at force 2 and the boat slammed along pointing badly. On the return journey from Yarmouth the wind increased to force 4 or maybe just force 5 and I was so glad to get off that boat. Even with a reef in both sails, sailing off the wind, we were on our ear one minute and rounding up the next. Heaven knows how it would have felt outside the Solent in 'proper waves'. My view is that it is a plastic toy and should come with a health warning that limits its use to small lakes and ponds! The sea has to be treated with respect as the weather can change for the worse in minutes.
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Is that when you fire the big outboard up get down the sails and get out of it?
 
mainsail1 said:
I sailed one about four years ago in the Solent. The wind started at force 2 and the boat slammed along pointing badly. On the return journey from Yarmouth the wind increased to force 4 or maybe just force 5 and I was so glad to get off that boat. Even with a reef in both sails, sailing off the wind, we were on our ear one minute and rounding up the next. Heaven knows how it would have felt outside the Solent in 'proper waves'. My view is that it is a plastic toy and should come with a health warning that limits its use to small lakes and ponds! The sea has to be treated with respect as the weather can change for the worse in minutes.
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There have been several up here on the broads but not for long, its not a sail boat or a motor boat, more a caravan that floats which is Ok if you fancy a caravan, or are you thinking of getting one Dylan ?.
 
interloper said:
I'm a bit prejudiced against water-ballasted boats. One of these flipped while carrying a group of graduate students from the center where I work. The boat was way overloaded with ten onboard. Two died. The theory is that the boat ran into shallow water, so the centerboard was raised, which resulted in the boat losing stability.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/boat-capsizes-in-the-james-river


well.... the bloke overloaded the boat. I assume that you need to keep the tanks full for stability - especially when overloaded with ten drunk adults

I have a 23 footer and would never allow ten on board - let alone at night and pished

I would not necessarily blame the boat but would blame the way the owner

as for cats in the UK

we had striders and few others but a boat without a cockpit can be a tough proposition

1/ no shelter from our carp climate

2/drying harbours often have stony bottoms

3/ steep,confused water often stops cats from getting into their stride


having said that I would be very happy with a little Hirondelle for creek crawling
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interloper said:
(snip)

picventure24106a.jpg


Having read the article that began this post < http://docksixchronicles.blogspot.ca/2013/03/requiem-for-spork.html >, I have to say that I am intrigued by the MacGregor 36 catamaran. I have often wondered why multihulls aren't more popular around the areas of Great Britain with drying harbors.

picmacgregor36100a.jpg
Click to expand...

Because that has no accomodation or shelter suitable for cold wet Irish Sea, English Channel or North Sea summers. Each hull is a seperate coffin berth, no chance to sit together for a meal or shelter from teh wind, rain & spray on a passage either. I have sailed a dinghy cat & it was great fun but incredibly wet. But I was always glad to get warm, dry & changed at the end of the day.
 
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