mtb
Well-Known Member
I may have an option of one needing basic work year unknown
I'm hoping they dont sail like my matilder which is a bitch
cheers
mick
I'm hoping they dont sail like my matilder which is a bitch
cheers
mick
Macwester 26ft are they good bad ?
- Thread starter mtb
- Start date
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
We had a Mac27 for my formative years. Sturdy boat but a bit of a plodder - 4 knts was really flying and in normal conditions it seemed to 3-3.5knts in just about every direction.
They are no racing machine, but ours was fairly well built and served our family well for 12 years.
They are no racing machine, but ours was fairly well built and served our family well for 12 years.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Built like a Brick Out-House.
you wont win races ( she would Starve you rather than Drown you )
you will be comfortable.
a friend an 85 yr old Lady still sails hers she has owned since the early 70s.
it has a Sabb in it , the engine stands still the boat & rig move /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
you wont win races ( she would Starve you rather than Drown you )
you will be comfortable.
a friend an 85 yr old Lady still sails hers she has owned since the early 70s.
it has a Sabb in it , the engine stands still the boat & rig move /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
chrishelen
N/A
Hi, a mate of mine sails one and i can confirm they are slow,even in a blow you might not see 5knts,But its horses for courses and they have pretty good accomodation and i think about 5ft 9ish HR,very strongly built with three short keels, so a expect a bit of leeway.
VicS
Well-Known Member
The Macwester 26 is famous for its leeway isn't it? The 27 has deeper keels, I believe, so not so bad.
Always thought that the Matilda was a decent little boat. I know someone who had one for a good few years!
Always thought that the Matilda was a decent little boat. I know someone who had one for a good few years!
Slow_boat
Well-Known Member
I've got one for sale.
Had her three years and can confirm that she does make a lot of leeway. The weather helm can be very heavy. The knack is not to let her heel more than 15 or 20 degrees. Reef early. And she slams in a short chop.
On the plus side, she's a cheap, solid shoal draught cruiser with good accomodation that will still be going long after the crew have given up.
Had her three years and can confirm that she does make a lot of leeway. The weather helm can be very heavy. The knack is not to let her heel more than 15 or 20 degrees. Reef early. And she slams in a short chop.
On the plus side, she's a cheap, solid shoal draught cruiser with good accomodation that will still be going long after the crew have given up.
oldharry
Well-Known Member
"I'm hoping they dont sail like my matilder which is a bitch"
Do you mean the Tucker 20 foot drop keeler? Having had one I am puzzled. Mine sailed quite nicely. I dont know the Macwester 26 except by reputation, but if you think a good Matilda is poor, then the Macwester is worse. My Matilda could run circles round them - and did once.
+s's for the Macwester over Matilda: accomodation, headroom, much bigger heavier boat so much better in a rough sea, much more room everywhere.
-s's Slowerrrrrr - much slower. Not so good to windward. slower, much heavier boat, slower, never ever won a race except against another one, slower.
Do you mean the Tucker 20 foot drop keeler? Having had one I am puzzled. Mine sailed quite nicely. I dont know the Macwester 26 except by reputation, but if you think a good Matilda is poor, then the Macwester is worse. My Matilda could run circles round them - and did once.
+s's for the Macwester over Matilda: accomodation, headroom, much bigger heavier boat so much better in a rough sea, much more room everywhere.
-s's Slowerrrrrr - much slower. Not so good to windward. slower, much heavier boat, slower, never ever won a race except against another one, slower.
C
catalac08
Guest
had one for 10 years - in original form not quick but if you get a cutter rigged one the extra foresail transforms the boat. not sophisticated but very strongly built (some of these are 40 years+ now and still going strong) with good headroom and accommodation. You want one that has been re-engined rather than the original stuart turner or vire engine. Perhaps a better bet than a centuar where many had hull weaknesses. The helm can be heavy if you have not got the sail balance right but all in all an excellent cheap cruising boat that will look after you - you do not need to reef until a 5! We did 10K NM in ours with many trips to Ireland and never felt the boat would let us down, in fact it looked after us very well when occasionally I got thinks wrong. Strong owners association as well
mtb
Well-Known Member
I have had the matilder for two years, it's just so bad re handling in light winds in a good wind it's very good I've had over 5kn against current.
It's twin bilge keels not swinging keel with a nice lump of lead.
Matilders are very I mean very stable also forgiving when like my self you are learning and don't ease your sails intime before a squall hits
The soon to be misses wants more room cant say I blame her
Well it looks like I'll need to keep looking not that I'm trying to race but going slow is hard work
cheers chaps you've saved me from a mistake
mick
It's twin bilge keels not swinging keel with a nice lump of lead.
Matilders are very I mean very stable also forgiving when like my self you are learning and don't ease your sails intime before a squall hits
The soon to be misses wants more room cant say I blame her
Well it looks like I'll need to keep looking not that I'm trying to race but going slow is hard work
cheers chaps you've saved me from a mistake
mick
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
On the plus side, she's a cheap, solid shoal draught cruiser with good accomodation that will still be going long after the crew have given up.
[/ QUOTE ] The 26 and the 27/28 are completely and utterly different beasts:
The 26 has short twin or even shorter triple keels. The 27 and even better the 28 has deep twins set at an angle so that the leeward keel is vertical when you heel.
The 26 has a short mast but the early 27 has a taller rig. Later 27's and then the 28 (sometimes called the Atlanta 28) has a taller rig still. The genoa on the 28 we had was huge and really moved her along.
We sailed a 28 and hard pressed to windward she was slow and made leeway. On any other point of sail other than a dead beat and when she was reefed properly she did very nicely. We made an average of 5.15 knots according to the GPS on our two week holiday to Belgium.
They have a big forecabin, big saloon and with a newly installed engine go for £6k if you haggle (the boat next to us went for £5k with a new beta in it). Ignore the advertised price!
You'll love the build (solid) and if you get a tall rig 27 or a 28 you'll quite like the sailing ability. The price is a fraction of a modernish 27 footer.
On the plus side, she's a cheap, solid shoal draught cruiser with good accomodation that will still be going long after the crew have given up.
[/ QUOTE ] The 26 and the 27/28 are completely and utterly different beasts:
The 26 has short twin or even shorter triple keels. The 27 and even better the 28 has deep twins set at an angle so that the leeward keel is vertical when you heel.
The 26 has a short mast but the early 27 has a taller rig. Later 27's and then the 28 (sometimes called the Atlanta 28) has a taller rig still. The genoa on the 28 we had was huge and really moved her along.
We sailed a 28 and hard pressed to windward she was slow and made leeway. On any other point of sail other than a dead beat and when she was reefed properly she did very nicely. We made an average of 5.15 knots according to the GPS on our two week holiday to Belgium.
They have a big forecabin, big saloon and with a newly installed engine go for £6k if you haggle (the boat next to us went for £5k with a new beta in it). Ignore the advertised price!
You'll love the build (solid) and if you get a tall rig 27 or a 28 you'll quite like the sailing ability. The price is a fraction of a modernish 27 footer.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
The Macwester 26 is famous for its leeway isn't it? The 27 has deeper keels, I believe, so not so bad.
Always thought that the Matilda was a decent little boat. I know someone who had one for a good few years!
[/ QUOTE ]
27 is an adaptation similar to Snap 24 - 747 ..... higher apsect ratio sail plan to try and reduce weather-helm. There is also small alterations to keels and internal. Basically they are similar.
Macwester - great boats for making sure you get somewhere. Slow, heavy, lee-way and weather helm are attrociuos until you learn her secrets in trimming and setting sails.
Really should be classed as a sail boat looking Motor sailer !
Offered one ? Take it and enjoy. Seriously.
The Macwester 26 is famous for its leeway isn't it? The 27 has deeper keels, I believe, so not so bad.
Always thought that the Matilda was a decent little boat. I know someone who had one for a good few years!
[/ QUOTE ]
27 is an adaptation similar to Snap 24 - 747 ..... higher apsect ratio sail plan to try and reduce weather-helm. There is also small alterations to keels and internal. Basically they are similar.
Macwester - great boats for making sure you get somewhere. Slow, heavy, lee-way and weather helm are attrociuos until you learn her secrets in trimming and setting sails.
Really should be classed as a sail boat looking Motor sailer !
Offered one ? Take it and enjoy. Seriously.
maxi
Well-Known Member
Great boat, mega strong and very roomy for a 26'. Needs to be sailed upright to reduce weather helm and I fitted a transom hung rudder which does not eliminate weather helm but reduces it slighly and makes it far less hard work for the helmsman.
Very few construction faults.
Very few construction faults.
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
27 is an adaptation similar to Snap 24 - 747 ..... higher apsect ratio sail plan to try and reduce weather-helm. There is also small alterations to keels and internal. Basically they are similar.
[/ QUOTE ] Basically identical inside. Keel is more than 50% deeper on the 27/28. The total draught is 3' 8" versus 2' 6". Mast is 4' longer on the Mac/Atlanta 28 - a huge increase in area, but my trig isn't good enough to calculate it!
27 is an adaptation similar to Snap 24 - 747 ..... higher apsect ratio sail plan to try and reduce weather-helm. There is also small alterations to keels and internal. Basically they are similar.
[/ QUOTE ] Basically identical inside. Keel is more than 50% deeper on the 27/28. The total draught is 3' 8" versus 2' 6". Mast is 4' longer on the Mac/Atlanta 28 - a huge increase in area, but my trig isn't good enough to calculate it!
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
Bad.
.
.
MarkJohnson12345
Well-Known Member
Probably a good first boat.
But if you are ambitious, then skip it, go for something a bit slimmer and faster.
You will soon get fed up with 4 knots max.
But, a sound boat no doubt.
IMHO
Mj
But if you are ambitious, then skip it, go for something a bit slimmer and faster.
You will soon get fed up with 4 knots max.
But, a sound boat no doubt.
IMHO
Mj
Evadne
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
You will soon get fed up with 4 knots max.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree. A friend bought a Mac at the same time I bought my Elizabethan. He sold her after about 3 years, I've still got mine. I think it was the 48 hour channel crossing that finally did it.
You will soon get fed up with 4 knots max.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree. A friend bought a Mac at the same time I bought my Elizabethan. He sold her after about 3 years, I've still got mine. I think it was the 48 hour channel crossing that finally did it.
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