Like many ppl who own "Real" sailboats, I have long considered the Mac
26 to be a toy sold to gullible first time buyers but may be changing
my mind. Currently I own a 28' S2 and all of my sailing is coastal
cruising. When I really analyse my sailing needs, the Mac 26 comes
close to filling them.

Consider:

1. I think that in Florida having extreme shoal draft capability is a
real safety issue because so much of the state is seriously shallow.
From Carabelle, Fl to Tarpon Springs, there are not many places where
one can get close (within a half mile)to shore with more than 5' of
water. When cruising, most of my dangerous incidents happened either
while anchored or trying to reach a safe anchorage. With extreme
shoal draft ability, the number of anchorages would easily quadruple.
When a 70 knot thunderstorm sweeps an anchorage, deep draft boats
anchored in deeper water tend to drag while a Mac 26 in shallow water
protected by shore or even beached would be safer.

2. Shoal draft ability greatly enhances ones ability to see
interesting places both in Florida and in the Bahamas. Most of the
places I want to see are in shallow water. The Mac 26 has less than
2' draft with board up.

3. Face it, sailboats are slugs, even under power. Because they
typically cannot outrun weather, they have to be overbuilt to "take
it". However, while the conventional sailboat is slugging his way
through unexpectedly rough weather, the Mac 26 owner has turned on his
motor and gone to port at 15 kts and is having coffee and watching
the lightning show.

4. Trailerability, do I need to say more? Not having to pay slip
fees, not having to rush to the coast just before a hurricane hits to
tie things down, not worrying about the cost of a bottom job, etc.
The ability to trailer to the Keys, to the Chesapeake, etc.

5. Safety at sea. Apparently they have a range of stability greater
than many more traditional boats. They are also intrinsically
righting unlike multihulls and some more traditional monohulls. They
have positive flotation unlike most monohulls.

6. Sailing ability. From what I hear, they sail better than some
more traditional boats, certainly better than a Morgan OI.

Perceived problems:

1. Quality. I suspect that the engineering of the Mac26 is better
than of a Pearson of 1970 considering advances in materials. Part of
this is due to lighter materials that causes the perceived low
quality. But you have to remember that the Mac 26 is made for
trailerability and it should not have to be caught out in really bad
weather.

2. Spartan interior. This is actually a plus for me. I am used to
tent camping so even a spartan interior seems luxurious and I hate
gadgets that break down and cause problems.

3. Any others?

So, would they be ok to sail across the stream to the Bahamas? Across
the Northern Gulf back and forth to N or S. Florida? Down island to
the Caribbean? What are the limits?

I'd like to hear from Mac 26 owners.