So who HAS sailed a MacGregor?

[photodog]

Sails look to be setting pretty well...

 

[Alfie168]

Being interested in the MacGregor or equivalents, I'd have to say that the Baycruiser looks like it has a lost less room inside generally, and headroom would be a definite problem.

Just one small thing (and bear in mind I'm a novice when it comes to things larger than a dinghy) I assume you don't have to fit a 50hp motor? The web site implies a minimum of 5hp so I assume anything in between is fine.

Reading the American posts it seems that anything more than about 20hp is superfluous, and he implied that buyers amost expect a 50hp on the back as bigger is obviously better..innit, so no, you don't need a 50 hp unless you are planning on towing water skiers with regularity. A 10hp would be perfectly adequate I reckon.

Tim

 

[Searush]

She looks to be pointing quite well too, despite a swell that would play hell with any boat's ability to sail. Many boats would dive into the backs of the waves & stagger to a halt, my guess is that the Mac is bouyant enough to lift over them. Nice pics.

 

[SamSalter]

Photodog,

I'm not disagreeing with you. I don't like them and wouldn't sail one in rough seas. ...However, when I sail on the west coast - Vancouver, Seattle, Victoria, Puget sound etc., I see them everywhere.
Somebody is sailing them and in big seas too! And they appear to be getting back in to sail another day!

 

[macsail]

I've sailed a 26M for years, I also manned the wheel of a RCN destroyer

Different boat different feeling. I prefer my 26M cause I don't have 3 people telling me one after another port 10, port 10 port 10 before I can take a swing to port!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSV1NpFn8Uc

At the time this video was taken 2 traditional 36 footers were eating my dust after dropping their sails to motor home with their iron jennies.

As this was happening ..this is what my main cabin looked like.

ha ha not really, but that's my cabin and I like it!
Q1

 

[Wandering Star]

I had a couple of work colleagues who sailed a Westerly Conway back from Athens, this was their first time sailing and they quite caught the bug. We visited the LBS together and I left them to drift around the show looking at boats whilst I got on with the serious business of annoying the chandlery assistants with sensible questions. We agreed to meet a couple of hours later. I was absolutely gobsmacked to discover they'd bought a new Mac 26X on a whim!

I sailed it with them several times after it was delivered, it was the most awful sailboat I've ever had the misfortune to sail. People talk about the windage and the reality is the windage makes it really hard to sail. Even getting it onto the purpose built trailer was a nightmare with any sort of beam on wind. All the videos I've seen are shot in totally calm conditions. The interior as delivered, was totally bare, just a moulding with no cooker, taps or toilet. I can't remeber exactly what happened after all these years but I vaguely recall that to switch from sail to the outboard engine required the twin rudders to be raised and the way it worked was a hair raising job.

So yes, I've sailed a Mac 26X and I hated every minute of it. t's definitely not what I'd recommend for sailing around the UK. The guys who bought it, sold it after a few months. I'd far rather spend the money on a decent well built secondhand sailboat or a decent well built secondhand motor boat than go for the dual role concept if Macregor is the only option.

I am not tarring the Mac 26C with the same brush, I've sailed one of those too and it sailed well and was sturdy.

My 2p worth!

Cheers, Brian.

 

[DaveS]

A couple of years ago there was a McGregor 26 moored further in on my pontoon at Craobh, so I passed it frequently and looked at it often. The beam seemed quite narrow for its length, and the hull at the maximum width point seemed quite vertical sided - both, presumably, to comply with Merkin trailer towing regulations. It occurred to me that, if the beam is 7 foot or under, then it is a boat which could also be used in the English narrow canals opening up a whole new dimension to its possibilities. Anyone know if this is the case?

 

[Lakesailor]

Google says - Width (Beam) :7 feet, 9 inches

 

[Alfie168]

I'm not sure exactly how much difference it made in the final analysis, but the 26M was introduced to overcome some of the handling deficiencies under sail experienced with the 26X. The 26M has a deeper Vee to the Hull I am told, which is supposed to stop it slamming quite so badly, and helps it upwind.

I think the 26M also has a dagger board rather than a centre board as well, and is better able to carry its sail than a 26X. The 26M is still no ballerina of the seas.

Having never sailed either, this is just gleaned from various sources. Actually..now I've googled it its all on the Macgregor website..


http://www.macgregorsailboats.com/sailboat_comparison.html



Tim

 

[photodog]

I see that there is a bit about the 26m in this months PBO.... about one which lost its centerboard.... damn thing just dropped off aparently...

 

[Alfie168]

Early 26Ms did not have a safety line to prevent the dagger board dropping through the hull, and a few lost their boards this way. I gather Macgregor quickly modified it to include a safety line and replaced some lost boards FOC with a new modified ones.....but this is several years ago now as the 26M commenced in 2003.

P.S. From what I can glean there are plenty of stateside sailors who think that Mac26 owners are mainly novices and gullible.

Tim

 

[Slow_boat]

I sailed one a few years ago, don't remember which model. I seemed to be perfectly good for what it was designed for ie a trailer sailer for sheltered waters that can take a big outboard and is okay for a weekend away for two couples who get on well.(open plan)

Perfectly good for real world weekend sailing, river hopping, lake solent and the like in fair weather. Not fast by any standards and a bit like a big dinghy with a lid.

I didn't like it, though.

 

[macsail]

Early 26Ms did not have a safety line to prevent the dagger board dropping through the hull, and a few lost their boards this way. I gather Macgregor quickly modified it to include a safety line and replaced some lost boards FOC with a new modified ones.....but this is several years ago now as the 26M commenced in 2003.

P.S. From what I can glean there are plenty of stateside sailors who think that Mac26 owners are mainly novices and gullible.

Tim

Should I also get a Beneteau?
I find it really difficult to understand the mind set of (people) who dump on sailors because of their choice of boats.

I don't mind (don't like it ) but don't mind being called to order because of my un seamanship like actions when handling any one of my boats and have never dumped on someone else because of his choice.
Q1

 

[Alfie168]

Should I also get a Beneteau?
I find it really difficult to understand the mind set of (people) who dump on sailors because of their choice of boats.

I don't mind (don't like it ) but don't mind being called to order because of my un seamanship like actions when handling any one of my boats and have never dumped on someone else because of his choice.
Q1

No, Get a Bavaria because then you are dead meat on here

I'm not as anti Mac as you make me sound. I did seriously consider buying one and if you read all my posts you will see I take a fairly benign view of them. For me though their sailing qualities were not what I wanted and I chose a small Dehler which is quite a finely honed sporting boat to sail with lots of things you can tweak..a hangover from my dinghy racing days. It suits me but I fully accept that the vast majority of Mac owners are perfectly happy with their boats, and that they fulfill a need in the boating world, self evidently from the numbers sold.

I apologise for upsetting you, can we call a truce?

Tim

 

[macsail]

P.S. From what I can glean there are plenty of stateside sailors who think that Mac26 owners are mainly novices and gullible.

Tim

Tim
No apologies necessary. I was commenting on your P.S. and truly do not understand the reason people badmouth sailors cause of their boats, and that............ only since I bought the 26M for obvious reasons. The only thing that comes to mind are 3things:
1. They wish to make me aware that it is dangerous to sail this boat and fear for my safety lol,
2. They are jealous, which could be ridiculous or not, cause they hate the boat!
3. Because they are mean,unhappy or enjoy making people feel bad for personal reasons.
My last boat was way more worthy of being crapped on being an old noname locally built 19 foot sailor.

I have learned much by following threads on Scuttlebutt and enjoy reading a forum from those whom I always considered the most seaworthy sailors in the world ......The English!
Bertrand


P.S. My inflatable is also powered by sails

 

[Alfie168]

I picked that remark up off a US forum, and I think it was said at least partly in jest and partly as yachty snobbery, which slightly surprised me as I didn't think the Mac provoked a similar kind of reaction as here stateside, but you are quite right, I was a bit finger happy and shouldn't have tried to be clever by including it, at the very least out of context. Sorry again.

I thought the entire reason for the existence of inflatables was to be modified. Mine is so cheap it came out of a Christmas cracker (bought at Aldi..a German chain that sells stuff cheap if you are not familiar...I keep calling them Audi to wind certain car owners up...ooops there I go again)

Tim

 

[Fourbees]

I once had a MacGregor 26X...

...when starting out in boating. Why? Because it was cheap for a new boat, I liked the idea of it being trailable with an ordinary car, and I thought the hybrid nature of it (mine had a 50hp outboard) would allow SWMBO and me to see whether we really liked sailing, motoring or what.

What was it like? It sailed better than you might think, though rather slowly - better after we swapped the jib for a genoa. It was so light that it often blew sideways ("like a crisp packet", we heard someone say) which presented a challenge in marina manoeuvres! You really couldn't use it with the water ballast out and rudders retracted (supposedly steerable just with the outboard). I think the centreboard we had was better than the current daggerboard as it would kick up if necessary. We were fine in the shallows but didn't like to take the ground as nothing solid to rest on, and we hardly ever trailed, though we did have one holiday in Scotland that way (we were normally based on the South Coast, but trailed up and launched at Nairn). Mostly we sailed in the Solent and didn't risk a Channel crossing. Our one useful "party trick" was being able to punch the Solent tide is necessary, or whizz home rapidly after running out of wind, rather than chugging along at 5 knots as we would now! And we never managed to capsize or lose the centreboard...

We kept the boat for three seasons, by which time we'd decided that we liked sailing and wanted to go to France, the Channel Islands etc.. We bought our current vessel (lift keel Feeling 32) and have been very happy with her (and still are). We now cross the Channel for summer cruises and have been as far as Ostend one way and Brittany the other, plus everywhere in between. We're still based in the Solent, and with our lift keel we take the ground happily at Rye, Ryde, Newport etc..

 

[Major Catastrophe]

...when starting out in boating. Why? Because it was cheap for a new boat, I liked the idea of it being trailable with an ordinary car, and I thought the hybrid nature of it (mine had a 50hp outboard) would allow SWMBO and me to see whether we really liked sailing, motoring or what.

What was it like? It sailed better than you might think, though rather slowly - better after we swapped the jib for a genoa. It was so light that it often blew sideways ("like a crisp packet", we heard someone say) which presented a challenge in marina manoeuvres! You really couldn't use it with the water ballast out and rudders retracted (supposedly steerable just with the outboard). I think the centreboard we had was better than the current daggerboard as it would kick up if necessary. We were fine in the shallows but didn't like to take the ground as nothing solid to rest on, and we hardly ever trailed, though we did have one holiday in Scotland that way (we were normally based on the South Coast, but trailed up and launched at Nairn). Mostly we sailed in the Solent and didn't risk a Channel crossing. Our one useful "party trick" was being able to punch the Solent tide is necessary, or whizz home rapidly after running out of wind, rather than chugging along at 5 knots as we would now! And we never managed to capsize or lose the centreboard...

We kept the boat for three seasons, by which time we'd decided that we liked sailing and wanted to go to France, the Channel Islands etc.. We bought our current vessel (lift keel Feeling 32) and have been very happy with her (and still are). We now cross the Channel for summer cruises and have been as far as Ostend one way and Brittany the other, plus everywhere in between. We're still based in the Solent, and with our lift keel we take the ground happily at Rye, Ryde, Newport etc..

Nice report and it should be noted that the 26M allegedly sails better than the X.

 

[Kitcat]

Well, if this thread is still alive, then I can confirm that the posters who have been positive about the Mac are quite correct in all they say. I am in my second season with 26M and it does just what it says on the tin, no more no less.

It is a lot of fun, I can take it home at the end of the season and keep it in my drive, where I can work on it to my hearts content, no cost and no inconvenience. If I want to go to some new sailing ground I just hitch up and away I go, easy, and as for sailing, well it is a light boat, [the whole thing with a trailer and kit only weighs in at around 2500kgs or so, I tow with a pickup truck but any large car would do it, no need for a Disco or Defender], and any light boat will be a compromise in the water, but I really don't think there is another boat in the world that does all that the Mac does, and if some people don't like it - tough, keep your opinions to yourselves and consult real owners, I'm fed up with reading bad reports from people with no idea what they are talking about and just want to see their biased opinions on the net, sad or what?

 

[Lakesailor]

the whole thing with a trailer and kit only weighs in at around 2500kgs or so, I tow with a pickup truck but any large car would do it, no need for a Disco or Defender

I just looked at Ford as a for-instance.
The only vehicles they produce that will tow 2500Kg are one model of the Explorer, some of the top Rangers and some Tourneos. (Executive Transits)

You can only tow loaded trailers up to the maximum recommended by the manufacturer.
I doubt there are many non-4x4 vehicles that can legally tow 2500Kg.