Jeff wrote in
:

* Vic Smith wrote, On 6/7/2007 12:02 AM:

Yeah, they really hold their price.

Do they? I just looked a YachtWorld and there were several about 5
years old that were 2/3 the price of a new one - and that includes a
trailer and a big engine. This is a myth.


I'd say two-thirds new price is exceptional. Most heavy keel boats lose
about half their value in the first two years. So how is that a myth,
man? You're full of it.


A few likely reasons, in no
particular order. Might be out-of-the-box thinking here, since the
MacX/M are called "Powersailors," not "Sailboats."

Yes, its true they have a unique niche, and for some people its a good
choice. If you like to drive around the country and power/sail in
lakes, it could be nice.


Now you're talking sense. Macs are the most versatile sailboat going.


1. Even if the owner gets tired or "sailing," he still has a
decently fuel economical and trailerable powerboat, with about the
same cabin space of a $75k Bayliner. But about 18'' draft. Leave
mast and sails at home. Some do that, and look at it as powerboat
only.

There are much, much better powerboats, including the Bayliner. And
are you sure about that comparison, or are you just parroting someone
else's comment? The Bayliner will carry more people further and
faster and in much more comfort than the Mac. And it only draws 20".


Powerboats cost about twice as much new. You pay huge sums for those
expensive inboard motors. You guzzle gas and you can't sail to save on
gas. Macs are better in almost every way.And you forgot about all the
space inside that those inboard motors (twins in most cases) take up.
That's space you can't use. All the space inside a Mac is usable space.


2. Macs normally don't have holding tanks/stinking hoses, don't
smell like ****, and don't have **** floating in the bilge.

Are you seriously claiming that having to use a porta-pottie is a
major advantage? This is sounding a lot like the mac is the boat for
people who never want to use a boat.

And didn't the factory have to add an inspection port so you could
tell if water was accumulating in the bilge? And wasn't that because
the boat would be dangerously unstable with too much bilge water?

Porta-potties are much better. You comply with the law and you don't
have plumbing trouble. You don't have thru-hulls and holding tanks and
plumbing to leak and stink. I've been inside some expensive yachts and
they all smelled like **** and diesel fuel. Yuck. At least you have
clean air in a Mac.

And you need to get a clue, man. Macs put water in the bilge tank to
make them MORE stable for sailing. How can you claim bilge water makes
them less stable. Busted!


3. You can park it in your yard, and avoid mooring/dock/layup costs.

True, but how is this different from all of the other trailer boats?

4. If you decide to go overland, just hook up the trailer and you've
got instant Winnebago.

True, but how is this different from all of the other trailer boats?

Just because it's not different from other boats doesn't make it any
less of an attractive feature, does it? You might have brown hair and
lots of other people have brown hair but that doesn't mean brown hair
isn't good to have.


5. They aren't tricked out like a Victorian whorehouse - very little
wood and cabinetry to maintain. Some people don't think wood and
salt mix. Simple and easily reached electrics. One thru-hull for a
sink drain?

This speaks more to a desire to do limited inland, daysailing. I go
out for several weeks at a time, sometimes with guests. We've cruised
for a year at a time. Would you want to do that with just a little
porta-pottie?

Wood is just a matter of style - most boats nowadays have very little
outside wood; mine has none.

Wood is a matter of work. It doesn't last long unless you keep after it.
You gotta paint and varnish and sand and seal. The more fiberglass all
you have to do is wipe it off once in a while and wax it sometimes and
it's done.


6. They are recent - the oldest X is '95, M 2002(?)

OK. Its pretty funny to see the same broker list a new boat at 37K
and a four year old boat at under 22K while you're claiming they "hold
their value."


Liar. Prove it, man. And even if you can prove it it's only one case.
One case doesn't make it the case for the majority of for sale Macs.


7. While Macs are light, glass quality is consistently good, no
balsa in the hulls. I wouldn't even bother with a survey on these.

You must be the type of person who always wins at the casino.


He just happens to be right. The fiberglass on Macs is premium quality.
I challenge you to find ONE Mac with osmosis blisters.


8. They sail at the low end of performance. Some sailors modify
them to reach moderate sailing performance in most but light air.

whatever - certainly there are a few who have stripped them out and
sail without ballast, but is this a reason to buy one???

Most of the forgoing items are more important than sailing
performance to Mac buyers. If they just wanted to sail, they'd get a
performing sailboat.

Most of those "advantages" don't hold up to close inspection. With
the exception of being able to use the large engine, they are not much
different from other trailer sailers, except that the don't sail as
nicely. MacGregor did not invent the concept of a simple boat with an
outboard engine.


Bull, you don't sail a Mac. You never sailed a Mac because you're
talking out your ass, man.



There might be more reasons Macs hold their price, but those are the
big hitters.

I'm sorry, are you really claiming they hold their value because they
have a porta-pottie???

Let it go, man. you're wrong and you know it. It's got nothing to do
with porti-potties. It's got everything to do with simple, low maintence
and safety. Macs are used mostly for day-sailing. You don't need a built
in toilet with smelly holding tanks that break and leak.


Some of those reasons are real attractive to me, but
DAMN! I don't have the cash to afford a Mac!

Are you sure? I saw some with an asking price under 15K. Without the
big engine maybe you could get one for 12.

Hey, the big engine makes the boat. You just don't understand. When you
need to go someplace in a hurry you fire up the big engine. A fifty HP
Honda gets better gas mileage than a diesel. It uses maybe half a quart
an hour at half throttle which is about twenty miles an hour.


I've read quite a bit on the Mac forum, and boy do I envy those guys.
Super-cool bunch too. Polite and helpful.

You mean like boaters almost everywhere, except at ASA?

Did you read that, man. A cool bunch. Mac owners share a certain
comradry that keelboaters don't. Keelboaters like you are snobs who just
can'f fit in. Mac owners are social people who like each other's
company.



One other guy says he buys a couple a year, cleans them up and fits
them out and sells them for thousands more than he paid for them. He
says he never has to sit on them for more than a month at most and
most sell the first week he puts them on the market. I've seen
several really choice ones but they wanted more for them than I paid
for mine new.

That guy was probably lying to you. Lot of that going on.
It's just plain difficult to get any good deal on a Mac.
But not impossible, so maybe this guy is sharp.

Duh! Ed is making this up. If it is Ed.

You calling me a liar? What an ass!


But remember, Neal lost his "unsinkable" boat.


Then maybe he'll get an unsinkable Mac26X instead. I think you can buy
one from the factory with that option.

So stop with all the negativism will ya? What do you gain complaining
all the time and putting other people's boats down?


--
Cheerio,
Ed Gordon
http://www.egordon873.homestead.com/drug.html