Parallax wrote:
Like many ppl who own "Real" sailboats, I have long considered the Mac
26 to be a toy sold to gullible first time buyers but may be changing
my mind. Currently I own a 28' S2 and all of my sailing is coastal
cruising. When I really analyse my sailing needs, the Mac 26 comes
close to filling them.
If that is really true, then the list should probably not be "sailing."
Consider this instead
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...39013024ncOIjH
Consider:
1. I think that in Florida having extreme shoal draft capability is a
real safety issue because so much of the state is seriously shallow.
Agreed. It a twofold improvement to have shallow draft... better
shelter, a wider range of options with regard to holding ground, and
more effective scope (you can even set the anchor by hand).
2. Shoal draft ability greatly enhances ones ability to see
interesting places both in Florida and in the Bahamas. Most of the
places I want to see are in shallow water. The Mac 26 has less than
2' draft with board up.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...39014035lhmlmJ
3. Face it, sailboats are slugs, even under power.
The boat in these pictures will sail rings around a Mac26X
4. Trailerability, do I need to say more? Not having to pay slip
fees, not having to rush to the coast just before a hurricane hits to
tie things down, not worrying about the cost of a bottom job, etc.
The ability to trailer to the Keys, to the Chesapeake, etc.
Agreed.
But if you are seriously considering a Mac 26X (or the makeover 26M)
then why not just get a motorboat and skip the farce of trying to sail one?
5. Safety at sea. Apparently they have a range of stability greater
than many more traditional boats.
That is utterly false. These boats are topheavy and have less stabilty,
which is why you can find (if you look) several news articels about them
capsizing... in at least one case, with fatalities.
I'm sure that MacGregor advertising is very carefully worded to avoid
false claims while presenting a rosy picture of stability... sort of
like the way they make it appear the boats actually sail...
6. Sailing ability. From what I hear, they sail better than some
more traditional boats, certainly better than a Morgan OI.
Uh huh.
Perceived problems:
1. Quality. I suspect that the engineering of the Mac26 is better
than of a Pearson of 1970 considering advances in materials.
I suspect you'd be wrong.
2. Spartan interior.
Actually it's quite roomy.
3. Any others?
So, would they be ok to sail across the stream to the Bahamas?
Sure, if you pick the weather carefully enough. There used to be a race
for Sunfish across to Bimini, so this ain't saying much though.
I'd like to hear from Mac 26 owners.
http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/macgregor/index.cgi
Actually, what you want is to hear from *former* MacGregor owners. I
know several. Most of them eventually move on after one or another
ongoing frustration with the boat. It's a great staging platform for
playing in/on the water, and a decent camper trailer. But it's not
really a sailboat IMHO (stunts such as racing one PHRF unballasted with
trapezes notwithstanding)
Fresh Breezes- Doug King