JimC wrote:
Doug, read the damn note a little more carefully before you pop off like
that. Those comments were quotes from owners of Mac 26Ms expressing
their own opinions of their own boats, posted here by me to give the OP
some idea of what other 26M owners thought about the boat. My own
opinions, posted over and over again, have been that the Macs have good
and bad points and are not suited for everyone or for every intended
use, but that there ought to be a little more balance in some of the
discussions of the Mac. - What do you expect me to do? - Track down
those Mac owners and tell them that they don't know what they are
talking about and that they ought to apologize and issue a retraction of
their comments? Apparently, the thought that some Mac owners like their
boats and enjoy sailing them drives you up a wall.

Jim




DSK wrote:
JimC wrote:

The boat's best features: Sailing ability.She sails as well as any
boat costing double the price I have sailed on.


Glad you added the qualifier of boats that *you* have sailed.

I don't mean this to be insulting, but it is a fact that the Mac26X and
successor the -M are slow, especially to windward. There are many boats
that are cheaper which will sail rings around it.

Of course, JimC won't admit that, and he doesn't have to because he
himself hasn't sailed any of them. I have.



The 26M is a practical fun boat that can be used for serious sailing
without the major costs involved.


It is a practical fun boat that can have sails hoisted.



The boat's best features: She doesn't pound in 3 foot rollers at
speeds of 14- 16 mph.


???

... She will sail well with just the main.


She won't sail "well" ever, unless you like going slow & steering poorly.



.... There is something to be said about going to Catalina and
arriving 2 or 3 hours ahead of the fastest sail boats out there.



???

"Which "fastest" sailboats are these? Considering that there are boats
which break 20 knots regularly, making this claim shows your limited
knowledge & experience (or mendacity, depending).





...It will heel quite easily to 15-20 degrees, but at this point, it
starts to lift the water ballast tank out of the water and so stiffens
up and does not heel much more.


Physics isn't your strong suit, is it Jim? "Lifting the water ballast
tank" has nothing to do with the boats stability. The water ballast
tank, when full, lowers the boat's senter of gravity.

Gravity doesn't know or care if the water ballst tank is "lifted above
the waterline."

Th "lifting above the waterline" effect of water ballast has been stated
often, since the beginning of water ballasted boats, by a bunch of
ignorant blowhards. I guess you believed it.




I have read many things on the web against the macgregor. Frankly i
don't know what the _____ they are talking about.


Yep



The boat's best features: Easy to sail and forgiving, excellent
handling under power. Mast raising system is as advertised and a
pleasure. While rigging is neither arduous or difficult, it is time
consuming, but not an issue for me since I keep the vessel in a slip.
The vessel is comfortable for our use, which tends to two adults and
(occasionally) a grandson.


I am glad that you like your boat Jim, and have a great time with her.
It shows that you have chosen well.

But your remarks about the boat's sailing performance are just plain
wrong, but it doesn't matter if you yourself are content with the boat's
performance. But one might wonder why you feel the need to either lie or
remain ignorant of what other boats are capable of.

We've had a number of friends with these boats, and they have all been
happy with them. However they also moved on (as we did too, from a
trailerable). I wish you many happy days aboard your vessel.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King


A friend of mine was boat shopping once and I suggested several newer
boats that I would like and he replied "No, I want a good traditional
hull" to which I replied that "The bottom of the ocean is littered with
good traditional hulls". It amazes me that people like DSK will even
accept that new fangled fiberglass stuff instead of the old tried and
proven wood hulls.