JimC is full of it. He says MacGregor 26s are not flimsy. He's wrong. Here's proof:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...en&btnG=Search
I searched *MacGregor 26 broken* and got 295,000 returns. JimC says there are
30,000 MacGregor 26s sold. That means each one broke about ten times. Duh!
If that ain't flimsy nothing is.....


Cheers,
Ellen

Ellen MacArthur wrote:
JimC is full of it. He says MacGregor 26s are not flimsy. He's wrong. Here's proof:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...en&btnG=Search
I searched *MacGregor 26 broken* and got 295,000 returns. JimC says there are
30,000 MacGregor 26s sold. That means each one broke about ten times. Duh!
If that ain't flimsy nothing is.....


Cheers,
Ellen

Your reasoning is as bad as your fake persona.

Ellen MacArthur wrote:

JimC is full of it. He says MacGregor 26s are not flimsy. He's wrong. Here's proof:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...en&btnG=Search
I searched *MacGregor 26 broken* and got 295,000 returns. JimC says there are
30,000 MacGregor 26s sold. That means each one broke about ten times. Duh!
If that ain't flimsy nothing is.....


Cheers,
Ellen


Cheers to you too Ellen.

That's quite a Google search. Results include description of the
MadGregor dorm at MIT, reference to the Houston MacGregor Medical
Association (they are concerned that their urine samples may have been
contaminated), reviews of a book entitled "The Broken Cord" (from the
word "broken" in your search request), and some references to MacGregor
boats such as the second one down in which the owner of a Mac 26 states
that in four years of sailing his Mac, "nothing has broken and
maintenance has been nil" (I guess your search for the word "broken"
includes both boats that were broken and those that weren't.

In any event, this is just more propaganda of the kind that Mac-Bashers
typically come up with when they don't know what they are talking about,
have no evidence (and are too lazy to do their homework and come up with
any), and have never even sailed a current model Mac. - Really, Ellen,
this is simply ridiculous. If you had any self-respect and concern for
getting the facts, you would be ashamed of posting crap like this in the
first place.

Jim



----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Every year, Houston's MacGregor Medical Association (MMA) provides
health care to some 3,000 pregnant women who dutifully leave urine
samples in plastic cups and proffer their arms for blood tests at each
checkup. When one patient's urine test result showed evidence of small
amounts of protein in early 1996, her doctor wasn't overly concerned;
such samples are frequently contaminated




Originally Posted by mackid068
What is the Mac26 like to sail (ie how does it sail)? Anyone like it?
Sails like many other light weight boats with high freeboard. Similar to
Hunters and others. Very decent reaching, so so up wind.

I have sailed on one (26X) and we averaged 5.5 kts (GPS record) after
sailing all day around Narragansett bay, RI. We passed a few boats going
down wind (doing 7.5 kts for a while) and a few boats passed us going up
wind. The boat was rigged with main and 150% genoa.

The big outboard made threading through a narrow marina and docking
incredibly easy. Turns and stops on a dime.

The magazine reviews I have seen are all positive. Wife liked it very much.
The owner of the boat I sailed bought it new. In 4 years of sailing
(about 40 outings / year) nothing has broken and maintenance costs have
been nil.
He dry sails it and spends 40$/year for the ramp permit and uses about
12gal of gas a year.

I may buy one.
Reply With Quote


"The Broken Cord" is the heart-wrenching story of a young man, single
and in graduate school, who adopts a developmentally disabled boy who,
like himself, has Native American ancestry. The man learns gradually
that his son suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, just as the medical
community is starting to figure out what Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is. As a
child psychologist, I have found the information in this book
invaluable. You can read research papers, journal articles, and
textbooks to learn all of the facts of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (a complex
set of deficits caused by in utero exposure to alcohol), but "The Broken
Cord" goes well beyond that and lets you know what it's like to live
with, raise, and love a child with this disorder. This book is full of
love, pain, and limited triumphs. It is also very well-written. Have a
box of tissues handy.

"JimC" wrote in message ...
| Cheers to you too Ellen.
|
| That's quite a Google search.

JimmyC sure luvs his Macgregor. Now I know why. Here's a picture I found of him.
He's doing what he always does just before he posts lies about his boat.
http://www.infoimagination.org/ps/dr...ck_smoker.jpeg

Cheers,
Ellen

JimC wrote:

Cheers to you too Ellen.

That's quite a Google search. Results include description of the
MadGregor dorm at MIT, reference to the Houston MacGregor Medical
Association (they are concerned that their urine samples may have been
contaminated), reviews of a book entitled "The Broken Cord" (from the
word "broken" in your search request), and some references to MacGregor
boats such as the second one down in which the owner of a Mac 26 states
that in four years of sailing his Mac, "nothing has broken and
maintenance has been nil" (I guess your search for the word "broken"
includes both boats that were broken and those that weren't.

In any event, this is just more propaganda of the kind that Mac-Bashers
typically come up with when they don't know what they are talking about,
have no evidence (and are too lazy to do their homework and come up with
any), and have never even sailed a current model Mac. - Really, Ellen,
this is simply ridiculous. If you had any self-respect and concern for
getting the facts, you would be ashamed of posting crap like this in the
first place.

Kinda puts his/her/its other posts in perspective, eh?

No evidence, no reasoning, just sophistry and bluster.

//Walt

Funny, I've been looking at the MacGregor for a while now as a potential
purchase. I would really like a sail boat but the family wants a power
boat. I occasionally sail on a friends 1929(?) wood hull sailboat and
that is the life for me. My family likes our other friends 21 ft
Chris-Craft.

It seems to me that sailors don't like it because it's not a "real"
sailboat. Powerboaters don't like it because it isn't a "real" power
boat and then there are those with them who more or less seem to like
them. I have heard some say it bobs like a cork under sail and that the
hull is weak.

Certainly there are compromises made just like an enduro will never be a
great dirt bike or a great road bike but, it has it's place. The
question is, how is the MacGregor? I'd like to do coastal sailing in
Southern California. I probably would never venture farther than
Catalina or the channel islands. I'd also like to sail some of the
lakes like havasu, Powell, etc. so the trailerability of the MacGregor
is appealing. Family of 4 up to 1 week trips once or twice a year. I
wouldn't consider myself the fair weather type; as skills progress I'd
sail year around in as much weather as the ship and her captain are
capable of.

Opinions?
Carl

lid wrote:

Funny, I've been looking at the MacGregor for a while now as a potential
purchase.

Does that mean that you've really bought one already and are
looking for validation?

It seems to me that sailors don't like it because it's not a "real"
sailboat.

I dunno about other sailors, I don't like them because IMHO
they are ugly (a matter of personal taste) and because they
have very poor performance under sail... a matter of well
documented fact, regardless of what the MacGregor
advertising says (they wouldn't LIE would they?!?).

The older Mac26 model (made in the 1980s and early 1990s)
will sail rings around them, as will many other trailerables.



.... I have heard some say it bobs like a cork under sail and that the
hull is weak.


Supposedly the newer Mac 26-M is stronger built than the old
ones, but that would also make it heavier. A problem for
them under sail is that they are difficult to steer, and
they react badly to any wave action.... "bobs like a cork"
is a fair description but doesn't convey all the
implications.... wet, noisy, heavy yawing, slowed
dramatically by waves.

In my experience, they will only make ground to windward
under a certain range of conditions, if the wind is too
light they can't point and if the wind is too strong, they
have too much windage and get shoved backwards by waves.


..... I probably would never venture farther than
Catalina or the channel islands. I'd also like to sail some of the
lakes like havasu, Powell, etc. so the trailerability of the MacGregor
is appealing.

THere are a LOT of other trailerable boats out there. One
issue is that powerboats with any accomodation are heavy.
You will need a large tow vehicle to pull a powerboat with
accomodations anywhere approaching the Mac-26.

But trailer cruising is very rewarding and you can explore a
lot of places. Shallow draft is one of the benefits that
goes along with trailerability, often not appreciated until
you "move up" to a big keel boat and realize how many places
you can't go in it.

Family of 4 up to 1 week trips once or twice a year. I
wouldn't consider myself the fair weather type; as skills progress I'd
sail year around in as much weather as the ship and her captain are
capable of.


The ship is always more capable than the captain (and/or crew).

Opinions?


Get either a motorboat or a sailboat, trailerable is a very
good call, and get out there on the water. The Mac-26 is
neither, it's really a floatable camper trailer, with a very
vocal cult following. If you want to join the cult (or have
already joined), that's fine too. We will probably see at
least a few angry replies to this post as an example.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:
lid wrote:

Funny, I've been looking at the MacGregor for a while now as a potential
purchase.

Does that mean that you've really bought one already and are
looking for validation?

It seems to me that sailors don't like it because it's not a "real"
sailboat.

I dunno about other sailors, I don't like them because IMHO
they are ugly (a matter of personal taste) and because they
have very poor performance under sail... a matter of well
documented fact, regardless of what the MacGregor
advertising says (they wouldn't LIE would they?!?).

The older Mac26 model (made in the 1980s and early 1990s)
will sail rings around them, as will many other trailerables.



.... I have heard some say it bobs like a cork under sail and that the
hull is weak.


Supposedly the newer Mac 26-M is stronger built than the old
ones, but that would also make it heavier. A problem for
them under sail is that they are difficult to steer, and
they react badly to any wave action.... "bobs like a cork"
is a fair description but doesn't convey all the
implications.... wet, noisy, heavy yawing, slowed
dramatically by waves.

In my experience, they will only make ground to windward
under a certain range of conditions, if the wind is too
light they can't point and if the wind is too strong, they
have too much windage and get shoved backwards by waves.


..... I probably would never venture farther than
Catalina or the channel islands. I'd also like to sail some of the
lakes like havasu, Powell, etc. so the trailerability of the MacGregor
is appealing.

THere are a LOT of other trailerable boats out there. One
issue is that powerboats with any accomodation are heavy.
You will need a large tow vehicle to pull a powerboat with
accomodations anywhere approaching the Mac-26.

But trailer cruising is very rewarding and you can explore a
lot of places. Shallow draft is one of the benefits that
goes along with trailerability, often not appreciated until
you "move up" to a big keel boat and realize how many places
you can't go in it.

Family of 4 up to 1 week trips once or twice a year. I
wouldn't consider myself the fair weather type; as skills progress I'd
sail year around in as much weather as the ship and her captain are
capable of.


The ship is always more capable than the captain (and/or crew).

Opinions?


Get either a motorboat or a sailboat, trailerable is a very
good call, and get out there on the water. The Mac-26 is
neither, it's really a floatable camper trailer, with a very
vocal cult following. If you want to join the cult (or have
already joined), that's fine too. We will probably see at
least a few angry replies to this post as an example.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I think the MAc26 is done reasonably well for such a compromise. Like
any compromise, it doesnt favor either motor or sail very well but
people buy it knowing it is a compromise. Consider "motor sailers",
they sure do not sail well but few people criticize them. Consider the
Morgan OI series, not only do they look like hell but sail poorly too
but people buy them for their roominess. Buying the Mac26 for its
compromise is a legit decision. I'd be willing to bet that mac26
owners boat in more places than 99% of other sail boats. As far as
safety is concerned, I'd say that its ability to get out of the way of
bad weather with speed and its ability to anchor in very shallow
protected places actually make it safer than a deep keel conventional
sailboat.
Many of us with "real" sailboats also own "real" powerboats and know
the pains of owning two boats. Owning just one would be nice.
This argument about the Mac26 reminds me of an argument over whether a
friend should buy a pontoon boat for his family. Many people toild him
"No" cuz a pontoon boat was not a "real" powerboat and it wasn't
seaworthy. He bought the pontoon boat and does more boating with it
than the rest of us but he restricts himself to appropriate places and
weather.
I say, "Buy the Mac26 and enjoy it.You'll do more sailing in unusual
places than those of us with heavier non-trailerable sailboats. You
will keep peace in your family which is a serious consideration".

wrote:
I think the MAc26 is done reasonably well for such a compromise. Like
any compromise, it doesnt favor either motor or sail very well but
people buy it knowing it is a compromise.

Maybe so. From what a lot of Mac26X or -M buyers say and
post, they start out believing in the compromise and then
move rapidly into a state of total denial.

We sailed in company with a number of them for a few years,
and there are 2 of the newer model Mac26M sailing around New
Bern, one in our marina.


Consider "motor sailers",
they sure do not sail well but few people criticize them.

True. Generally the motorsailer type is rather heavy & slow,
understood to be such. OTOH the Mac26M is badly misrepresented.

.... Consider the
Morgan OI series, not only do they look like hell but sail poorly too
but people buy them for their roominess.

The funny thing about that is they're not very roomy
compared to a modern boat. The best Out Island cruiser I
know of was converted to a trawler.


Buying the Mac26 for its
compromise is a legit decision.

Agree

... I'd be willing to bet that mac26
owners boat in more places than 99% of other sail boats.

How so? None of the ones that I see ever go any place that
other people don't.



.... As far as
safety is concerned, I'd say that its ability to get out of the way of
bad weather with speed and its ability to anchor in very shallow
protected places actually make it safer than a deep keel conventional
sailboat.

Possibly. But it's "speed" is a lot lower than most people
think, the video of it pulling a skier is with the boat
stripped. Loaded with people & gear it is barely faster than
a conventional sailboat under power, and the wide stern
makes it pull a huge wake.



Many of us with "real" sailboats also own "real" powerboats and know
the pains of owning two boats. Owning just one would be nice.

Agreed. But I personally have no interest in owning a
sailboat that's not FUN to sail. To some, the Mac26M (or the
older 26X) might be fun, sure it's nice to get out on the
water. But the lack of performance is sure to be frustrating
to anybody who pays enough attention to notice.


This argument about the Mac26 reminds me of an argument over whether a
friend should buy a pontoon boat for his family. Many people toild him
"No" cuz a pontoon boat was not a "real" powerboat and it wasn't
seaworthy. He bought the pontoon boat and does more boating with it
than the rest of us but he restricts himself to appropriate places and
weather.

What's appropriate? We met a couple who completed a Great
Loop in a pontoon boat.


I say, "Buy the Mac26 and enjoy it.You'll do more sailing in unusual
places than those of us with heavier non-trailerable sailboats. You
will keep peace in your family which is a serious consideration".


But he won't do more sailing than any other trailerable
sailboat, he'll just go slower and have a harder time
steering. Why do people have to act like the Mac26 is the
*only* trailerable sailboat?

Keeping peace with the family is a very serious
consideration, agreed.

DSK

I may have missed a couple over time but that seems to me the first sensible
post I have read about the Mac 26.
So what if it is poor to windward?
People with families avoid going to windward by starting the engine because
the alternative is a lot of grief from ****edoff family members.
And because you can lighten it for trailering by dumping water you are
likely to see more sailing grounds than most people with 'deepwater' boats.
I had a S&S 34' which in a decent wind could leave most boats of that size
for dead going to windward. With double reefed main and no 2 genoa and 30
knots of apparent wind across the deck I had a wonderful beat of 20 miles to
windward on the French Biscay coast. but when we anchored my crew said 'what
an awful experience that was'.
But she still sails with me and now we have a 38' boat of the same type but
I am playing it more carefully and using the engine more as it is not much
fun single handing!
So I am not going to knock anyone who opts for a Mac as long as they do not
claim it can do things it is not designed for.

wrote in message
ups.com...

DSK wrote:
lid wrote:

Funny, I've been looking at the MacGregor for a while now as a
potential
purchase.

Does that mean that you've really bought one already and are
looking for validation?

It seems to me that sailors don't like it because it's not a "real"
sailboat.

I dunno about other sailors, I don't like them because IMHO
they are ugly (a matter of personal taste) and because they
have very poor performance under sail... a matter of well
documented fact, regardless of what the MacGregor
advertising says (they wouldn't LIE would they?!?).

The older Mac26 model (made in the 1980s and early 1990s)
will sail rings around them, as will many other trailerables.



.... I have heard some say it bobs like a cork under sail and that
the
hull is weak.


Supposedly the newer Mac 26-M is stronger built than the old
ones, but that would also make it heavier. A problem for
them under sail is that they are difficult to steer, and
they react badly to any wave action.... "bobs like a cork"
is a fair description but doesn't convey all the
implications.... wet, noisy, heavy yawing, slowed
dramatically by waves.

In my experience, they will only make ground to windward
under a certain range of conditions, if the wind is too
light they can't point and if the wind is too strong, they
have too much windage and get shoved backwards by waves.


..... I probably would never venture farther than
Catalina or the channel islands. I'd also like to sail some of the
lakes like havasu, Powell, etc. so the trailerability of the MacGregor
is appealing.

THere are a LOT of other trailerable boats out there. One
issue is that powerboats with any accomodation are heavy.
You will need a large tow vehicle to pull a powerboat with
accomodations anywhere approaching the Mac-26.

But trailer cruising is very rewarding and you can explore a
lot of places. Shallow draft is one of the benefits that
goes along with trailerability, often not appreciated until
you "move up" to a big keel boat and realize how many places
you can't go in it.

Family of 4 up to 1 week trips once or twice a year. I
wouldn't consider myself the fair weather type; as skills progress I'd
sail year around in as much weather as the ship and her captain are
capable of.


The ship is always more capable than the captain (and/or crew).

Opinions?


Get either a motorboat or a sailboat, trailerable is a very
good call, and get out there on the water. The Mac-26 is
neither, it's really a floatable camper trailer, with a very
vocal cult following. If you want to join the cult (or have
already joined), that's fine too. We will probably see at
least a few angry replies to this post as an example.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I think the MAc26 is done reasonably well for such a compromise. Like
any compromise, it doesnt favor either motor or sail very well but
people buy it knowing it is a compromise. Consider "motor sailers",
they sure do not sail well but few people criticize them. Consider the
Morgan OI series, not only do they look like hell but sail poorly too
but people buy them for their roominess. Buying the Mac26 for its
compromise is a legit decision. I'd be willing to bet that mac26
owners boat in more places than 99% of other sail boats. As far as
safety is concerned, I'd say that its ability to get out of the way of
bad weather with speed and its ability to anchor in very shallow
protected places actually make it safer than a deep keel conventional
sailboat.
Many of us with "real" sailboats also own "real" powerboats and know
the pains of owning two boats. Owning just one would be nice.
This argument about the Mac26 reminds me of an argument over whether a
friend should buy a pontoon boat for his family. Many people toild him
"No" cuz a pontoon boat was not a "real" powerboat and it wasn't
seaworthy. He bought the pontoon boat and does more boating with it
than the rest of us but he restricts himself to appropriate places and
weather.
I say, "Buy the Mac26 and enjoy it.You'll do more sailing in unusual
places than those of us with heavier non-trailerable sailboats. You
will keep peace in your family which is a serious consideration".