I too did extensive research on the MacGregor 26M
and to my amazement discovered hundreds of very happy
sailors. Some have sailed the boat from Nova Scotia
al the way to Abacos.
See Silver Donald Cameron's book
It may not be the perfect sailboat.. nor the perfect
motorboat. But for the person who wishes to do both
at a reasonable price,, it does the job.

"John W. Bienko" wrote in message
...
I too did extensive research on the MacGregor 26M
and to my amazement discovered hundreds of very happy
sailors. Some have sailed the boat from Nova Scotia
al the way to Abacos.
See Silver Donald Cameron's book
It may not be the perfect sailboat.. nor the perfect
motorboat. But for the person who wishes to do both
at a reasonable price,, it does the job.


Just because you have a bunch of happy owners, does not a good sailboat
make. Most people don't understand what distinguishes a good one from a
so-so one. M26s are a lousy compromise between sail and power. Just about
any boat can be sailed offshore. Doesn't mean you should. Sure, there are
some conditions under which an M26 will perform fine. There are limits to
all makes/models.

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

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:19:26 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"John W. Bienko" wrote in message
...
I too did extensive research on the MacGregor 26M
and to my amazement discovered hundreds of very happy
sailors. Some have sailed the boat from Nova Scotia
al the way to Abacos.
See Silver Donald Cameron's book
It may not be the perfect sailboat.. nor the perfect
motorboat. But for the person who wishes to do both
at a reasonable price,, it does the job.


Just because you have a bunch of happy owners, does not a good sailboat
make. Most people don't understand what distinguishes a good one from a
so-so one.

Never saw a poster on the Mac forum who thought Macs are good sailers.
But they are sailed. There is one guy who leaves his mast at home and
does short cruises with his wife, 3 kids and a dog. They've been
having a real good time for years, gunkholing.

M26s are a lousy compromise between sail and power.

You don't understand Macs. The attraction of them has very little to
do with sailing. It has more to do with owning a fairly large boat
with shallow draft that can be trailered, motored at least twice as
fast as sallboat, and sleep/shelter a bunch of people at a very low
price. After all that it can move under sail.
Some owners are former sailors and they tweak the sailing aspect, but
they didn't buy the boat because it sails well.
There is no compromise. It is what it is because it sells to a target
market.
It's on my 2-boat short list of boats when I move to Florida, so I can
give my thoughts as part of the target market.
The other I'm considering is a 24' Carolina skiff.
Why?
1. It's cheap brand new.
2. It can motor at good economy when throttled back.
3. It's good for gunkholing and can be beached.
4. It's roomy for its length, mechanically simple, and needs no
thruhulls.
The above applies to both boats.
The skiff is a better fishing boat, and the Mac a better overnighter.
The skiff is faster and more maneuverable, the Mac more seaworthy.
The Mac can travel under sail when fuel hits $10.00 a gallon.
It's all pretty simple.
Doesn't have much to do with sailing or romantic notions of the sea.
If I never intended to hoist a sail, I would still consider the Mac
for my purposes, none of which is offshore sailing.

Just about
any boat can be sailed offshore. Doesn't mean you should. Sure, there are
some conditions under which an M26 will perform fine. There are limits to
all makes/models.

Once all is made watertight, the limits of the man at the helm are
more important.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:19:26 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"John W. Bienko" wrote in message
...
I too did extensive research on the MacGregor 26M
and to my amazement discovered hundreds of very happy
sailors. Some have sailed the boat from Nova Scotia
al the way to Abacos.
See Silver Donald Cameron's book
It may not be the perfect sailboat.. nor the perfect
motorboat. But for the person who wishes to do both
at a reasonable price,, it does the job.


Just because you have a bunch of happy owners, does not a good sailboat
make. Most people don't understand what distinguishes a good one from a
so-so one.

Never saw a poster on the Mac forum who thought Macs are good sailers.
But they are sailed. There is one guy who leaves his mast at home and
does short cruises with his wife, 3 kids and a dog. They've been
having a real good time for years, gunkholing.

M26s are a lousy compromise between sail and power.

You don't understand Macs. The attraction of them has very little to
do with sailing. It has more to do with owning a fairly large boat
with shallow draft that can be trailered, motored at least twice as
fast as sallboat, and sleep/shelter a bunch of people at a very low
price. After all that it can move under sail.
Some owners are former sailors and they tweak the sailing aspect, but
they didn't buy the boat because it sails well.
There is no compromise. It is what it is because it sells to a target
market.
It's on my 2-boat short list of boats when I move to Florida, so I can
give my thoughts as part of the target market.
The other I'm considering is a 24' Carolina skiff.
Why?
1. It's cheap brand new.
2. It can motor at good economy when throttled back.
3. It's good for gunkholing and can be beached.
4. It's roomy for its length, mechanically simple, and needs no
thruhulls.
The above applies to both boats.
The skiff is a better fishing boat, and the Mac a better overnighter.
The skiff is faster and more maneuverable, the Mac more seaworthy.
The Mac can travel under sail when fuel hits $10.00 a gallon.
It's all pretty simple.
Doesn't have much to do with sailing or romantic notions of the sea.
If I never intended to hoist a sail, I would still consider the Mac
for my purposes, none of which is offshore sailing.

Just about
any boat can be sailed offshore. Doesn't mean you should. Sure, there are
some conditions under which an M26 will perform fine. There are limits to
all makes/models.

Once all is made watertight, the limits of the man at the helm are
more important.

--Vic


Mostly, I agree, except for "Mac can travel under sail," and sailing Macs in
the SF bay is probably not a good idea, at least not in the north bay in the
summer.


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

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
news:a_ednQdiPrRdwJzVnZ2dnUVZ_jGdnZ2d@bayareasolut ions...
The Mac can travel under sail when fuel hits $10.00 a gallon.
It's all pretty simple.
Doesn't have much to do with sailing or romantic notions of the sea.
If I never intended to hoist a sail, I would still consider the Mac
for my purposes, none of which is offshore sailing.

Just about
any boat can be sailed offshore. Doesn't mean you should. Sure, there are
some conditions under which an M26 will perform fine. There are limits to
all makes/models.

Once all is made watertight, the limits of the man at the helm are
more important.

--Vic


Mostly, I agree, except for "Mac can travel under sail," and sailing Macs
in the SF bay is probably not a good idea, at least not in the north bay
in the summer.

Well, I would not enjoy trying to beat to windward in one, but I guess that
is when the skipper of a Mac starts the motor.
But with wind on or aft of the beam it would certainly sail and that might
be the only kind of sailing certain families would want.
Horses for courses...