BoatBanter.com - Mac 26 M

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Scout wrote:
Thanks to all for your responses!

I'm looking with a lustful eye at the Tide 28, http://www.tide28.com/

Haven't seen any US dealers though. Seems like she's a much more
seaworthy craft (than the Mac), and since I like excursions off the
Jersey shore, it would be a real comfort to have that 6' of lead hanging
beneath me. And I like the fact that she'll draw less than 20" for
ducking around the back bays behind Long Beach Island.

No that's a cool boat... except for the goofy looking windows...

The hull & configuration are similar to a modern sportboat
type; somepbody prob'ly figured that if it will plane with a
spinnaker, it will plane with a motor... beef up the transom
to carry the weight & torsion, that's all.

It's not that new of an idea, I used to know a guy who put a
75HP outboard on the back of his Flying Junior and go
fishing. Most of the time he'd leave the mast off though.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks to all for your responses!

I'm looking with a lustful eye at the Tide 28, http://www.tide28.com/

Haven't seen any US dealers though. Seems like she's a much more seaworthy
craft (than the Mac), and since I like excursions off the Jersey shore, it
would be a real comfort to have that 6' of lead hanging beneath me. And I
like the fact that she'll draw less than 20" for ducking around the back
bays behind Long Beach Island.

Scout

http://www.motosailer.ru/

As you can see there are a few boats in the Mac vein, there was also another
named the "Mast 28" -German manufacturer, saw one at the Chicago sail show
several winters back, it was fairly pricey, around 50k IIRC.
With the exception of the Mac, they are all European boats and might be
difficult to obtain or even inspect on this side of the pond.

John Cairns

John Cairns wrote:
http://www.motosailer.ru/

As you can see there are a few boats in the Mac vein, there was also another
named the "Mast 28" -German manufacturer, saw one at the Chicago sail show
several winters back, it was fairly pricey, around 50k IIRC.
With the exception of the Mac, they are all European boats and might be
difficult to obtain or even inspect on this side of the pond.

I like this one, the "Alekstar 25"
http://www.motosailer.ru/index.php?menuid=6

Looks like the Flying TIger 10m, a pretty generous & modern
sailplan.

A lot of boatbuilding in Poland, nowadays. The former
Yugoslavia too... any place where skilled labor is cheap.

DSK

What happened Scout, I thought you were going to get a
*real* sailboat and move to the Ches. Bay?

S c o t t y

"Scout" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any actual experience with the Mac 26M?

In my unending search for the right boat, this boat appears
to have many features of interest. I understand that the
sailing performance is compromised to gain in other areas,
but if speed is not my thing, why should I care?

If the 26M is a poor boat, that what trailerable boat in
that size range (abt 25') can do better?

Scout

Scotty,
If I get something I can trailer easily but big enough to spend a week or so
on, I can do both the Chesapeake and Jersey Shore, they are close enough to
being equidistant from my home. The only thing I'm sure of is that I'll have
another boat. It might be something with a beam of more than 8', and if so,
it'll be in a slip in the Ches area.
Believe it or not we're still unpacking boxes from the move last summer.
It's been a wild ride, between that, and the other things going on here,
which you know about.
I still have the bike though, and actually I've fallen in love with it again
since moving out here. Every road has a New Hope feel to it. The ride to
work is awesome with lots of twisting, hilly roads to keep it exciting.
Beats the heck out of the PA turnpike! We should hook up for a ride or a
beer or both before the summer is over. I ride out your way all the time
now, it's a beautiful area. I road to Lancaster a few times this summer. Got
a punctured read tire but made it home with air to spare. Next time I'll
remember to put the patch kit in my saddle bag.
Scout

"Scotty" wrote in message
...
What happened Scout, I thought you were going to get a
*real* sailboat and move to the Ches. Bay?

S c o t t y

"Scout" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any actual experience with the Mac 26M?

In my unending search for the right boat, this boat appears
to have many features of interest. I understand that the
sailing performance is compromised to gain in other areas,
but if speed is not my thing, why should I care?

If the 26M is a poor boat, that what trailerable boat in
that size range (abt 25') can do better?

Scout

Trailer sailors sure do have their advantages. The best part
was having the boat here at home, safe and convenient for
maintenance stuff. I took my Mac to a few lakes, but after
sailing the bay I never went anywhere else but. It just
got too small for me.
We had a great ride on the 6th, after Ephrata. back roads
down though MD. They paved a few roads around here this
Summer, Sweet! nothing like a newly paved, curvy back road.
Plus I put some new sport tires on.

Patches? Your bike doesn't have tubes.....does it?

Scotty

"Scout" wrote in message
. ..
Scotty,
If I get something I can trailer easily but big enough to
spend a week or so
on, I can do both the Chesapeake and Jersey Shore, they
are close enough to
being equidistant from my home. The only thing I'm sure of
is that I'll have
another boat. It might be something with a beam of more
than 8', and if so,
it'll be in a slip in the Ches area.
Believe it or not we're still unpacking boxes from the
move last summer.
It's been a wild ride, between that, and the other things
going on here,
which you know about.
I still have the bike though, and actually I've fallen in
love with it again
since moving out here. Every road has a New Hope feel to
it. The ride to
work is awesome with lots of twisting, hilly roads to keep
it exciting.
Beats the heck out of the PA turnpike! We should hook up
for a ride or a
beer or both before the summer is over. I ride out your
way all the time
now, it's a beautiful area. I road to Lancaster a few
times this summer. Got
a punctured read tire but made it home with air to spare.
Next time I'll
remember to put the patch kit in my saddle bag.
Scout

"Scotty" wrote in message
...
What happened Scout, I thought you were going to get a
*real* sailboat and move to the Ches. Bay?

S c o t t y

"Scout" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any actual experience with the Mac 26M?

In my unending search for the right boat, this boat
appears
to have many features of interest. I understand that the
sailing performance is compromised to gain in other
areas,
but if speed is not my thing, why should I care?

If the 26M is a poor boat, that what trailerable boat in
that size range (abt 25') can do better?

Scout

It just got too small for me.

The guy I bought my Mac from... came to the same conclusion.
He and his family enjoyed it for a year or so then decided to
upgrade to a Pearson 365.

At this stage of my life I am by myself and a solo sailor. So
the limited space thing does not pose a problem. For me it's
a one man boat and when I sail off the coast... hope that my
maritime VHF transceiver and Cat 2 EPIRB are in good working
order. (smile)

And "CM" said it like it is concerning the foredeck area. When
I'm out at sea... the cockpit or below deck is the only onboard
environment that I feel secure about while under way.

Bill

Scout,

Dog and I watched a 26M go out of the Harbor the other day, Temp 74.
wind about 12 knots. It didn't even have a boom on. Owner wasn't even
pretending to be a wind jokey

He was the only power boat on the Bay though. He had his Mast up and
rigged.
Don't know if he had the boom & sail below? That cabin on the 26M is
probably big enough to hold that.

The wind was blowing out of the South, right on his nose. He may have
been motoring out to get some good, easy sailing. I was thinking that a
26M is exactly the right boat to do that but not rigging the Boom on the
Hard made me doubt it. Didn't hang around to see.

http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage

Scout,

I have a 26M purchased in 2004, and I do like the boat. - It has a
number of features that make it a good choice for the sailing I do in
the Houston-Galveston area. Whether it would be the best choice for you
may depend on what kind if sailing you expect to do. As you can easily
see from the Mac discussion group Bill mentioned
(http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/), lots of Mac owners use their boats
for coastal cruising, for trips from California to Catalina island,
sailing the Keys, etc.

Because it is designed to motor and plane, and because it has a
water-ballasted hull, the Mac doesn't perform under sail as well as a
larger, heavier boat with longer waterline, weighted keel, etc. It's
relatively light (around 4,000 pounds loaded and with water ballast),
and its hull is something of a compromise (semi-V bottom). - I bought
ours after sailing a number of larger, heavier boats, so I'm aware that
the Mac isn't the kind of boat you would choose if you expect to make
extended, open-sea voyages. (For one thing, it doesn't have the storage
capacity needed for provisions for such cruises.) So if you expect to
spend lots of time cruising offshore or sailing in heavy weather, you
might want to look at a larger, heavier boat. Hunter and Catalina also
make boats somewhat similar to the Mac. As you probably know, there
are lots of used boats of various makes, designs and conditions on the
market.

On the plus side, the Mac 26M is just plain fun to sail. It's the most
popular sailboat of its size, with thousands of owners in the US and
foreign countries. As you probably know, the Mac doesn't require a slip
(no slip fees or bottom treatments), it's easy to launch, roomy,
versatile, can maneuver in shallow water (they float in one foot of
water), safe (how many other boats discussed on this ng have flotation
that keeps the boat afloat even if the hull is broken open below the
waterline?), etc. The motor permits me to motor out to a desired sailing
area at 15mph+ and to motor back quickly at the end of the day or if bad
weather comes up, so I'm able to get in more time sailing when and where
I want to sail, and I'm able to avoid problems that would otherwise keep
me from enjoying the day.

There is one major disadvantage to owning a Mac 26M, however. - They
aren't a conventional boat, they cost much less than most, and you will
be subject to some pretty sarcastic ridicule by owners of larger,
conventional boats. Your original note asked if anyone on the ng had any
actual experience on the Mac 26M. - You got a number of responses,
mostly negative, but only one of them (Bill's) was from someone with
actual experience on the the 26M, and he seemed to like his. This is
fairly typical.

In any event, look around at all the options and sail as many different
boats as you can.

Jim

Scout wrote:
Does anyone have any actual experience with the Mac 26M?

In my unending search for the right boat, this boat appears to have many
features of interest. I understand that the sailing performance is
compromised to gain in other areas, but if speed is not my thing, why
should I care?

If the 26M is a poor boat, that what trailerable boat in that size range
(abt 25') can do better?

Scout

Well, despite what may happen, I would not recommend taking a Mac-anything
on the ocean unless I was darn certain the conditions were going to be
benign. I've seen them on the SF bay, and this is pushing the limit on them
in my view.

So begins the long arguments from Jim. :-)

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

"JimC" wrote in message
om...
Scout,

I have a 26M purchased in 2004, and I do like the boat. - It has a number
of features that make it a good choice for the sailing I do in the
Houston-Galveston area. Whether it would be the best choice for you may
depend on what kind if sailing you expect to do. As you can easily see
from the Mac discussion group Bill mentioned
(http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/), lots of Mac owners use their boats
for coastal cruising, for trips from California to Catalina island,
sailing the Keys, etc.

Because it is designed to motor and plane, and because it has a
water-ballasted hull, the Mac doesn't perform under sail as well as a
larger, heavier boat with longer waterline, weighted keel, etc. It's
relatively light (around 4,000 pounds loaded and with water ballast), and
its hull is something of a compromise (semi-V bottom). - I bought ours
after sailing a number of larger, heavier boats, so I'm aware that the Mac
isn't the kind of boat you would choose if you expect to make extended,
open-sea voyages. (For one thing, it doesn't have the storage capacity
needed for provisions for such cruises.) So if you expect to spend lots
of time cruising offshore or sailing in heavy weather, you might want to
look at a larger, heavier boat. Hunter and Catalina also make boats
somewhat similar to the Mac. As you probably know, there are lots of
used boats of various makes, designs and conditions on the market.

On the plus side, the Mac 26M is just plain fun to sail. It's the most
popular sailboat of its size, with thousands of owners in the US and
foreign countries. As you probably know, the Mac doesn't require a slip
(no slip fees or bottom treatments), it's easy to launch, roomy,
versatile, can maneuver in shallow water (they float in one foot of
water), safe (how many other boats discussed on this ng have flotation
that keeps the boat afloat even if the hull is broken open below the
waterline?), etc. The motor permits me to motor out to a desired sailing
area at 15mph+ and to motor back quickly at the end of the day or if bad
weather comes up, so I'm able to get in more time sailing when and where I
want to sail, and I'm able to avoid problems that would otherwise keep me
from enjoying the day.

There is one major disadvantage to owning a Mac 26M, however. - They
aren't a conventional boat, they cost much less than most, and you will be
subject to some pretty sarcastic ridicule by owners of larger,
conventional boats. Your original note asked if anyone on the ng had any
actual experience on the Mac 26M. - You got a number of responses, mostly
negative, but only one of them (Bill's) was from someone with actual
experience on the the 26M, and he seemed to like his. This is fairly
typical.

In any event, look around at all the options and sail as many different
boats as you can.

Jim

Scout wrote:
Does anyone have any actual experience with the Mac 26M?
In my unending search for the right boat, this boat appears to have many
features of interest. I understand that the sailing performance is
compromised to gain in other areas, but if speed is not my thing, why
should I care?
If the 26M is a poor boat, that what trailerable boat in that size range
(abt 25') can do better?
Scout