Jeff wrote:

I've always thought the Mac 26 is an interesting choice for boaters in
protected waters. However, I never liked that the are sold based on
on the claim of high speed. While it possible to do over 20 MPH,
there are numerous issues with this. It is only possible if the boat
is "light" and without ballast.

The safety warnings for the boat include: Always operate with ballast
full. But, if you must disregard the primary rule, you can run
without ballast if there are less than 4 people on board, no one on
the forward deck or on the forward bunk or in the head, or off the
centerline. Not in chop over one foot, or in cold water. Sails down
(actually is says "removed").

Elsewhere on the site you can find the comment that one knot of top
speed is lost for every 100 pounds carried. The net result of this is
that if you carry gear, passengers, a full load of fuel, and some food
and water, you're not going to see 22 mph. Further, if you're in
unprotected waters, you're likely to encounter a chop over one foot,
so you can't run with ballast empty.


Ours, with 50hp 2-cycle, can easily do 15-17 mph with filled ballast and
with a moderate load (two heavy adults, gear, ice chest, extra
batteries, etc.). I haven't really tried to see what top speed might
be. I haven't pushed it in rough weather, but it seems to have plenty
of power to cut through fairly significant chop.


Consider that most coastal cruiosers report spending about 70% of their
time motoring and you might get a different perspective on the Mac26.
You might consider it to be a motorboat with the ability to sail.
Unlike most motorboats, this one has the safety factor of being able to
sail home. Does this make it safer than the average motorboat used for
cruising?
Do the properties of the Mac26 allow its owners to go more places than
most other sailboats.......probably. Is the Mac26 safe enough compared
to most other motorboats to allow its owner to safely cruise over to
the Bahamas under power? Consider that its speed under power may allow
it to use narrow weather windows that other sailboats could not or that
time spent at sea might sdetermine your probability of getting caught
out in bad weatrher and maybe the Mac26 speed under power gives it an
edge in safety.
I do not see the Mac 26 as an ocean crosser but as a way for people to
sail in many places. True, they will almost always sail in wind less
than 20 kts but that is what most of us want to do anyway.


I'm not sure how much the Mac's extra power would help in really serious
weather, although it's nice to have the option, in a coastal cruiser, to
run to
port before heavy weather arrives. What I think it does provide is more
flexibility and more sailing and scheduling choices. - It's very
pleasant to be able to motor back to the marina at planing speed after a
long hot afternoon, or to motor out quickly to a preferred sailing area.

Jim