Why DOES everyone sneer at the MacGregor 26?

Oh yeah, and why do people not like Tom Cunliffe?

Not saying I like him, just curious as I usually get knocked over by him at Boat shows...
 
They are a fugly POS, that doesn't do anything very well. I wonder how many are sold to non first time buyers?
 
They look dreadful (aesthetically) and are oft quoted as falling between the two stools and so serve neither well. However, they have an admirable cruising record in the states considering all the berating they receive.

They're not everyone's cup of tea obviously, but they do have a market obviously.
 
Not everyone dislikes them. I met some people last year who were trying one out as a "second boat". I've been on board one, but not sailed on it, and I must say I was taken aback by the Tardis like interior. Much more space than I'd expected.

Depends what you want a boat for. My feeling is that it's fine as a weekender in sheltered waters, but of course that won't suit everyone. My guess is that the volume of used MacGregors on the market possibly reflects their former owners wanting to sail something a bit more substantial. But that's just my supposition.

I also guess that the relatively high freeboard might adversely affect sailing performance.
 
We have sailed dinghys for 25 years and our first boat to sleep on board was a MacGregor 26X. It did exactly what it said on the tin. Trail behind a car (VW Touran), lifting keel to go up creeks, stacks of space inside, huge double berth. Of course there is no such thing as perfection - certainly not at that price. So after two years we were ready to move on to a bigger boat that sailed better and could cope with more exacting conditions. No it doesn't sail very well - at least not to windward, but then it has a perfectly good engine for going to windward. Yes, I'm sure that if you don't follow the recommendations then you can capsize it and I'm sure if you try to go out in a Force 7 you'll break the mast. But if you use it for what it is designed for, then it's fine.

As they say "horses for courses". Would I have one again? No, but that's because we've moved on. If we hadn't had our MacGregor we would probably never discovered the delights of sailing in The Netherlands, so for that we owe the MacGregor a big thanks.
 
When I was looking for my first yot, I got seriously interested in the McGregor 26. It really covers a lot of bases quite adequately, and I was quite aware of its limitations.

What emphatically made up my mind not to buy was watching one attempting to battle to windward on Rutland Water, with no waves worth mentioning. It truly struggled, and the windage from the high freeboard was giving the helmsman some difficulties in controlling the beast. I seriously thought to myself that in any sea sailing I needed a boat that could sail convincingly to all points that a sailing boat can, for safety, but also because I could see myself getting very frustrated with a boat with such limited performance. I am not entirely convinced the rig is meaty enough either.

I bought my little Dehler 22 instead, which is a delightful ballerina of a boat to sail, but which has very limited space below. For me the decision was 100% right, but I can fully understand those who go the MacGregor route and get lots of enjoyment from their boat. When all is said and done we get afloat to get away from it all and enjoy ourselves, and the Mac is as good as anything for that purpose, so lets not get snooty about them.

Tim
 
I saw one trying to tack up the Orwell, over canvassed into a F5; not only was the leeway measured in nautical miles but the angle of heel and the speed with which it attained it caused me to have great concern for the sanity of the owner.
 
Wouldn't argue with the prevailing opinion although I've never stepped on one - my question is ... is that you in the oil painting?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Wouldn't argue with the prevailing opinion although I've never stepped on one - my question is ... is that you in the oil painting?

[/ QUOTE ]


Shhhhhh! It's supposed to a secret! It is, but she keeps it up in the attic...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
There was an article in one of the yotting mags a couple of years ago about a guy who took his MacGregor to the South of France. Having sailed across the Channel to Brittany he took the canal across the penninsula and set off for the Gironde. Part way across that corner of the Bay of Biscay the keel fell off. Given the nasty things said about Bavarias and keels on this forum I'm therefore surprised that anyone's got a good word to say about MacGregors!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I saw one trying to tack up the Orwell,

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite possibly the same one I have seen, owned incidentally by a friend. They were apparently trying to go to windward, but in fact just reaching back and forth across the river with little progress. We wanted to to get close enough to invite them to visit our house which they had not previously seen, but it was extremely difficult to sail that slowly on the same heading. We were in a 20ft One Design.

I suppose, as another poster has said, if you want to go to windward you use the engine. Same comment applies to the Drascombe Lugger, but it is a more attractive looking vessel at least.
 
Its designed to sail on lakes in N america, were they also have boats like "Pontoon boats"

PartyBarge.jpg


Pictured above is the "Party Barge 22" (Seriously..)

Its just a totally different market...

Frankly the boat is incapable of beating off a lee shore, so is not suitable for conditions in the UK.

Windermere pre the speed limit was probably the only place in the UK suitable...maybe lock lomond as well...

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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