"chrisR" wrote in message
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"Jeff" wrote in message
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* Duncan McC (NZ) wrote, On 6/10/2007 10:02 PM:
My issue with this situation is that the boat is marketed to novices,
yet requires extra attention to issues that are found on very few
other boats.

Absolutely - so really the instructions should be *always* operate the
boat with the ballast in place (when on the water).


Here is the decal from the 26M. I don't know if the 26X had the same
warning, but IIRC the boat that rolled didn't have a decal.

http://www.macgregor26.com/safety/sa...l_apr_2006.pdf

The M version was redesigned to include several hundred pounds of
ballast plus foam in the mast which means that it should be
self-righting in most situations. In the X version, they say that if
the boat heels 50 degrees without water ballast it will quite possibly
capsize and not self-right.

Here is the full list of safety recommendations/warnings on the site:

http://www.macgregor26.com/safety/safety.htm

Some of the warnings would apply to any boat, but many are unique for
a 26 foot sailboat sold as a "cruiser." In particular, without the
water ballast crew size is limited to 4 people/640 pounds. Having
sailed many years in daysailers 15-19 feet, the concept of a 26 foot
cruising boat with a cabin that is unsafe with 5 people on board is
quite unexpected.

That is a bit of an eye-opener!
It is hard to believe that a boat designed with these use restrictions is
offered to its target market, even for use in calm coastal waters. I
wonder
how many dealers ensure that buyers know exactly what they are getting?
ChrisR

I used to know the owner of one of the largest dealers of them in Northern
California. He told me two things. They sell like crazy, and they're crap
boats. No, they don't fully inform the prospective owners certainly.... they
want to make the sale.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com