Jeff Morris wrote:
Yes - the PHRF I've seen for the 26X is 320. I've been rather surprised that so
few fleets even list the newer Macs (X or M) - none of the larger East Coast
fleets list them at all, I've only seen them in isolated inland fleets.

Well, a Google search turns one up in Narragansett Bay sailing at 233! I
wonder if he's allowed to use his motor on the windward legs?

Anyway, there are a couple of other interesting links... USSA is
awarding a medal to the vessel "Irish Mist" (and presumably her skipper)
for rescuing 7 people off a MacGregor 26X in SanFran Bay. Then there is
the guy who announced he is going to sail his Mac26X up the NW coast to
the Arctic Circle, then circumnavigate South America by way of Cape
Horn.... his web site hasn't been updated for a few months BTW.


Normally, the rules preclude racing without water ballast tanks full, so I'm
always surprised to hear of situations where someone was allowed to race with
empty tanks.

This guy was a dealer for them Mayo, Md; and apparently a pretty good
racing sailor in other boats. According to the story I've heard, he
wanted the boat to have a provisional 240 rating, and did this
no-ballast-&-trap stunt to show how fast the boat was, and ended up
proving that it could sail to a rating around 260. Some of the
Chesapeake Bay guys may have more details.

It seems likely to me that very few Mac 26X sailors would be interested
in racing. OTOH I know of a bunch of old-model Mac 26 and Mac 25 sailors
who race PHRF and these boats' performance is pretty well documentable.
They're rated in the low 200s some places, up to about 225 in others
(which is why I find a hard time believing a Mac26X at 233).

Fresh Breezes- Doug King