MacGregor 26x

[Miker]

Re: CE Categories

I came across the following somewhere:

Category Significant Wave Height Beaufort
A - Ocean Exceeding 4m Exceeding 8
B - Offshore Up to & including 4m Up to & including 8
C - Inshore Up to & including 2m Up to & including 6
D - Sheltered Up to & including 0.5m Up to & including 4
Significant wave height means the average height of the highest 1/3rd of the waves over a given period. Waves of double that height may occasionally be experienced. It is possible for a vessel to have a CE marking in more than one design category provided all requirements for those categories are met.

 

[toad]

Sam,i dont think the CE mark you are talking about has anything to do with seaworthiness ,my video has CE on it.I think it means made in the EEC or something.You often see MacGregors for sale only one season or hardly used which makes me think that thay are not as good as the vidio shows them to be.For that sort of money you can get a very good second hand boat of around 26ft check out the Horizon 26,Mirage 26,27,Griffion etc

 

[Guest]

Re: MacGregor 26x - I wouldn\'t either

We have 2 McG s in our club and 1 hasn't left it's mooring in 12 months. They must be the worse boat I have ever seen laying to a mooring because they are so light they always face into the wind, the tide has very little effect which is really akward when everyone else is laying to the tide. Our 2 have 50Hp Yamahas on the back, OK if you want to water ski but as soon as you get close hauled they tend to go two steps sideways and one step forward.

 

[JeremyF]

Sam,

Last suggestion. Take a look at the Mac owners site http://www.macgregorowners.com/

It has owner reviews of each model. See what they are using the Mac for - it seems mostly to be fishing, often on US lakes.

You have had a lot of negative feedback here, including from me. I guess this forum is a bit conservative and purist. On reflection, the Mac is great for some. Just give careful thought to what you want from a boat. If you want to sail, rather than sail in order to get to a destination, then the Mac is unlikely to satisfy.

There are some postings on this forum from Tim Eades. He seems to have researched the trailer sailer market, and has selected something different. Have a look at his web site, and hook up with him.

http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.eades/

 

[bedouin]

Re: Horses for courses

Don't be unduly put off by the negative sentiments expressed in this thread. ALL boats are compromises and so are subject to criticism by people with different values. Threads in this and other forums have often been scathing about BenJenBavs as totally unseaworthy as well.

I like the concept of the MacGregor - and it seems to be well executed within its design criteria. However it is important to realise that it is essentially a lightweight powerboat with a mast, not a true sailing boat. So its use should be considered as restricted to those conditions when a comparable size powerboat would be safe.

That said, and speaking from a position of total ignorance as I have never sailed one, I would regard them safe for coastal sailing in settled conditions, especially as a decent size engine will enable you to run for cover much faster than a conventional yacht if conditions worsen.

 

[graham]

If you are only intending sailing in sheltered waters then possibly this could be the boat for you.

My earlier posting about this type of craft was intended to draw attention to the limitations of them.Personally I would not venture onto the open sea in one.At least one has capsized in conditions that other small craft could cope with.(Yacht Enigma)

Re prices,remember that asking prices are not real prices,also a second hand boat could have £2000 worth of extras.I dont know what the basic spec includes on a new one.

If you are determined to go for one you have to accept the limitations to your cruising range.Even if at present you have no intention of leaving Carrick Roads give it a few years and you will be more ambitious .

If you wanted a boat with good headroom, large enclosed toilet,loads of room in the accomodation AND reasonable sailing performance possibly a secondhand Hunter Horizon could be in your bracket.I have never sailed one but would not be frightened to go to sea in one.

It would be interesting to hear the views of a McGregor owner,You would think at least one would stand up in defence of their boat.Most owners are fiercely proud of even the most unlikely craft.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Boy , have you opened a can of worms or what Sam ? Your question comes on top of another thread re " Power Sailers" which though the name of the boat wasn't mentioned it was obvious that is was a "sh-you-know-what !!!".
Some comments Sam. Firstly some of the reasons mentioned on this thread re the McGregor's sailing abilities apply to ALL trailer sailers. They're designed for keeping weight down and towing and are always a compromise for sailing. They're mostly used for estuary and calm coastal sailing. Nothing wrong with that , it's just the way they are.
Don't under any circumstances believe manufacturer's glossies.
Hulls optomised for sailing and ones for power boats are totally different animals and any compromise on that means you are accepting BOTH compromises and you'll never get the best of either world.
If you only want a boat for pottering with good accommodation then there are some good trailer sailers around that'll do the job. You said that you'll only put a 8-10hp on it.If that's the case why bother as you're not using the boats claimed power capabilities ? You'd be better off with either a trailer sailer or a small sailing cruiser , or a small cabin cruiser.
If you're not bored rigid reading this by now - one last thing. Someone said on this thread that you could always motor if the boat cannot cope under sail. NO , NO and NO again. It's entirely the opposite for the simple reason that engines , especially outboards can fail and you're boat must be capable of sailing you out of trouble. Hope this helps and good luck with your final choice.

 

[Guest]

I ended up ordering the Ocean 760, delivery in the next few weeks, because it suited us and it fulfilled the needs I had . Although coming in the heavyist of the 4 at 1650 kg and therfore not towable behind your average family car.

I also had a look at the Sportina 680, MacGregor 26X and Europa 740

The Sportina is a nice little day/weekend sailor but was decided against because of the lack of seperate heads and cooking facilities (supplied by 2 burner in plastic case)

The layout and interior finish of the Europa and MacGregor put us off these, to much white, bizzare fabric etc.

One other thing that put me off the MacGregor was feedback from ex-owners and brokers who found that people that bought them purley for sailing soon became fed-up with performance.

Having said that people who bought them so they could sail if they wanted or drop the rig and use it for water skiing were happy.

At the end of the day it is personal choice and what you really want to get out of the boat you buy.

One other point that has been raised is cost. The Ocean 760 at £16,700 looks very attractive but this is bare minimum. After adding extras, mast head lights, compass, sea toilet, hooking up gas & electricty system, trailor and outboard the final total has been just under £26,000

Anyway, good luck.

P.S if you havent had a sea trialed the Ocean 760, I think you will find it well worth the trip to Penryn. You need to speak to Duncan on 01326 377222.

Tim Eades
http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.eades/

 

[robp]

It's important that when you do get your trial, it is reasonably windy (F3 or 4) and choppy and you sail it. Otherwise you will learn little. Then it's as important to trial a conventional sailing boat, of which there are many (used) in this price category. At this time, it's important that you get a decent sailing comparison.

If the weather is too calm, simply front up and call it off. Don't think, "I'll only go out on nice days anyway". This country is famous for it's "Weather".

Good luck.

 

[Jeremy_W]

Do you actually want a trailer sailor?

Hi Sam

No offence meant but if you live in Falmouth and plan to sail from Falmouth, why do you want a trailer-sailor? Are you planning to lift the yacht out of the water, lower the mast, secure everything, tow it a mile and park outside your house after every sail? I think this will pale quickly.

Trailer-sailors are built light specifically so that they be trailed at a reasonable speed over long distances. The need to be trailable forces the designer to make compromises with the sailing performance.

I would suggest that if you don't need the lightness of a trailer-sailor, take a good like at either a fin keeler (which you would keep on a marina berth or swinging mooring) or a bilge keeler which will dry out on the mud every tide. Restronguet Creek, complete with a good local pub, used to be the mecca for bilge keelers many years ago as half the creek dries out. It's probably chocker with Olympic sailing wannabees these days trying to match local lad Ben Ainslie.

My Second Hand suggestions - (bilge keel) Westerly Griffon (fin keel) Jeanneau Fantasia - both more than capable of cruising along the coast to Plymouth, Salcombe, Dartmouth.. and eventually cross Channel as your skill level and confidence rise. Both good fun for day sailing out in Carrick Roads with a guest or two. Neither would disgrace themselves if you fancied the odd novices' cruiser race.

Regards,
Jeremy.
jeremysailing@hotmail.com

 

[tcm]

Re: web reviews/info

if you go to
http://www.google.co.uk/
and then search for "macgregor26" there are loads of discussions, chats and so on, inlcuing of course the company's own site.

Most of the comments here are substantiated in various discussions. If you are not ambitious for sea voyages, the headroom and trailerability will be atttractive. I undertsand from friends in the area that day sailing "there and back" can involve long days and unprotected western approaches. A short trail to devon or further down the coast would be attractive.

 

[Guest]

Well, I own a MacGregor 26x since 1999. Have sailed it from Oslo to Kungshavn in Sweden and would do it again. I also came from powerboating with little sailing experience. Would I buy one again? Yes! She is not a good powerboat and not a good sailboat, but - wow!!! - an unbelievable combination. And until recently the only one available. Today you can also buy a Dufour DUO, a Vi:Ta, an Odin 820 and 2 projects are known - a french one and an australian.

She is built light and somewhat cheap. But I had no serious failure yet, a good part cosmetics however (as I wrote: cheaply built).

If I wanted to sail only, I wouldn't buy one. And if you want to put only 8-10hp on the stern - I wouldn't buy one.

Andreas

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: MacGregor 26x - I wouldn\'t

To be legally on sale in Europe the CE classification will be known...it is not an option.

Associate Publisher ybw.com websites kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: MacGregor 26x - I wouldn\'t

No we don't but I believe a couple of the yachting titles here may have reviews pending...

Associate Publisher ybw.com websites kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[Guest]

Trailer sailers

Hasn't an edition of PBO in the last couple of months or so done a really thorough feature on trailer sailers? I read it from the point of view of not knowing much on the subject, and it left me with a pretty good view of the pros and cons of the genre.

Definitely worth a look if you're hunting for a bit of perspective/overview, I should have thought...

 

[Guest]

Re: Trailer sailers

It went quite a long way into trailer sailors but stopped short of 3 on the market at the moment.

They only looked up to 24 ft, this covered the Sportina at 23ft but as yet has not included the Ocean 760 & Europa at 25ft and of course the MacGregor at 26ft

Tim Eades
http://www.btinternet.com/~tim.eades/

 

[graham]

Bill ,I am not familiar with all the new trailer sailers but I cannot believe they are all as bad as the Mc Gregor.

In my younger days I sailed a Lysander with an open non draining cockpit no buoyancy ,nav aids radio etc.from Cardiff to Ilfracombe,Milford Haven and back some of it in bad weather so who am I to judge what people go to sea in?

A combination of a craft with limited seakeeping ability and an inexperienced crew is recipe for disaster.

Whoever said you can power your way out of danger is talking utter garbage as at high speed under engine in a seaway is when these craft are at their most dangerous
one lapse of concentration could result in a broach very easily.

My present boat is an Anderson 22 trail;er sailer .With limited headroom and accomodation she could not compare to the luxurious Mc G. But when the wind blows and the sea turns unfriendly I know which I would rather be on!

 

[Guest]

Sue and I greatly appreciate all the many responses we have received to yesterdays posting. You have given us good advice and certainly food for thought. Without doubt we will now view the possible purchase with care and caution whilst also looking out for other options.

If you are typical of those who enjoy sailing we have some great times ahead of us, once we have taken the plunge!

Thanks again for your time and trouble...happy sailing.

Sam.

 

[Guest]

Re: MacGregor 26x - I would rather swim

Sorry, look at the number of "nearly new" for sale in the boating press, why do you think that is? As a previous correspondent said, it's a crap motor boat and a crap sailing boat, so why buy one??


Regards,

Peter
http://www.yachthawkwind.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Lots of good advice here, but my advice is buy any boat you like the look of and sail safely! Your first boat is never "right" or perfect, but all part of the learning process. It is only by experience of your own boat you will get to work out what you,personally, really need, and will know what to look for in your second boat!