Macgregor 26

The other Mac26 thread is dead, it won't let me reply there, so I'm copying/pasting my post I was going to post there here:

I've been doing a lot of research lately (planning for new boat purchase in 2-4 years), and the Mac26M has caught my eye.

A lot of my research has taken me to threads that have started in like 2007 (the thread I wanted to reply to was first started nearly 5 years ago to the day). But my question is, has people's attitudes changed in those 5 years? How are the Mac26M these days? Any change? Same thing?

I'm actually already preplanning a couple mods should I get one (the other boat we're considering is actually a Yamaha jet boat - I know quite the difference). But I've been researching 12v air conditioning units to try to fit one forward (maybe using the existing hatch up front) and also thinking of installing shore power (with inverters)).

The idea of an inexpensive cabin boat that is easily trailerable with my current vehicle (V8 Toyota 4Runner) that I can sail AND motor around in appeals to me greatly. Their marketing team must be magic, because they've caught me hook, line, and sinker. Heck I think I'll even throw on a few more cleats (popup) and tie up with my friends' Rinkers and Bayliners in our little "redneck party cove) and our boat might be the one that the kids retire into for A/C (if I get it working) when it's over 100 out.

I love sailing, but my wife does not (she's wanting the Yamaha) and this might get her. The only downfall for us is only 6 people.... we like bringing family and friends out on the water.... maybe with the money we save we can get a pontoon, too

 

There is something weird with the Mac26M. You get a lot more boat for your money than with any other brand, yet the forum pays little or no attention to it.
My son wants to buy one and to find out how good it is, he has rented the probably only Mac26M in the Adriatic for the 1th week in August.

The relation between a Macgregor and 12v A/C eludes me. You can install that in any boat, but the power drain is massive, much more than an outboard engine's alternator can supply.

 

I would have a 2nd (maybe 3rd if I can find a suitable location?) battery for the AC if I go that route. Plus for stereo, etc. I squeezed a 2nd battery in my current runabout (20 ft VIP) where there wasn't really room for one. I'd like to get a slip some day, so I'm not opposed to just using it on shore power, either

One thing that appeals to me about the Mac is that it's a really inexpensive cuddy. The cheapest powered cuddy is like $60k, but the Mac is $22k, plus a sail!

I know the elitists don't like it, etc, etc, but honestly I had to deal with that when I had my Harley... the rubs (rich urban bikers) thought that their Harleys ruled. They'd sometimes ignore my buddy who had a Honda. In reality, it's a pair of wheels man, we're all bikers. I say the same about the Mac. Surely you can find other things to complain about?

 

I'm also not opposed to one of the portable ice cooled 12v systems

But I guess I'm getting away from my original question of: is the attitude still the same in 2012 as it was in 2007 or prior?

 

It's not a mater if the "elitists" not liking it, but the fact it does neither sailing or power boating very well. As a sailboat, it's left wanting on several points and as a powerboat the same is true. It's like buying a Winnebago, when you really want a condo.

Attitudes haven't changed about the Mac 26. The target buyer is a person that doesn't have much experience with either power or sail, so they don't know what they're missing. Simply put, most that have a Mac 26 will not go out and buy another, if it's time for an upgrade. They select a powerboat or a sailboat, depending on where their real interests lie.

As to 12 VDC A/C and a few batteries, well you need to run some very simple calculations for viability, which will be quite dismal ultimately. You can carry several hundred pounds in batteries (where would you put them) and still only have an hour or two of A/C. Ice makers are a little better, but still limited usefulness on batteries. You'll find it's much better to run a generator (just like everyone else) instead of batteries. You'll get much more run time, for a whole lot less weight and money. A/C and ice making requires huge amounts of power, which small craft have difficulty making and storing. It's a pounds per dollar thing, which is why a generator is the easiest and most economical method. Of course, finding a place for a gen set to live on a Mac 26 should be interesting, unless you bungee cord a 2.5Kw Honda to the deck.

 

I am a bit biased (so far) towards the Mac. I can only trailer, and we live in the middle of the country (Kansas) with smaller lakes. One of the reasons why I'm considering it is the power reason... like stated above my wife is about fast, whereas I could do just fine if it was only me (I'd seek out a traditional sailboat).

But the inexpensive cabin is drawing me in.

I also found this in my research (for 12v AC): http://www.dometic.com/enus/America...-Self-Contained/products/?productdataid=80905

Even if I don't get the Mac, I will keep it in mind for whatever cabined boat I get that doesn't have an AC unit or generator already installed. Now I realize it still isn't maybe quite right, but it's the closest AC unit I've found.

Our overnight stays wouldn't likely have it on... mostly for during the hottest parts of the day for the kids to retire into for naps. Sleeping out on the boat moored will be just fine with the hatches open and a couple small 12v fans.

I'm also getting shore power on whatever we get in case I can dock at a friend's slip, or overnight at a marina, etc.

I do wish that the Macgregor had battery compartments in the lowest possible part of the hulls that is feasibly possible (like maybe make it part of the permanent ballast), I like power (electricity) and don't like giving it up in case I need it.

As I type this, I realize that maybe I'm looking at the wrong boat, but the price and cabin keep reeling me in.

 

The Dometic with only 3500 BTU capacity is a toy, but it is better than nothing at all. Yet it drains half the charge of a 60 Ah battery in one hour, that is as deep as you can discharge a battery without causing permanent damage. So with 2 120Ah batteries you can keep your head or your feet cool for one afternoon.

If you insist on not using a generator, buy an evaporation type air cooler. It has no compressor, only 2 fans and a water tank so it draws just a few Amps. Works reasonably well if you add alcohol or methanol to the water to lower the temperature.

 

As a previous owner, I can tell you the ups and downs of the boat.

Start with usability - if you get the best sailboat in the world, but cant comfortably get it to the water, and launch it easily with a reasonable size vehicle, it will do what 80% of great sailboats do - sit in the marina all year costing slip fees.

If you get a great motorboat, will it have enough comfort on it to stay for several nights ? If you don't have sails - you have to pay for fuel, and if the motor breaks down, hope you get a tow.

The size of the cabin, the home comforts, the ease of towing, the ease of raising and lowering the centreboards mean your other half and/or crew will enjoy the experience, and like most Mac owners, you will get double the use of a lot of more exotic boats.

Par is correct in that it doesn't do power as well as a lot of powerboats, or sail as well as many other yachts - but he neglected to say it sails 100% better than any power boat, and powers 100% better than any sailboat.

The trick is to address usability of any boat - how will it fit with your lifestyle/travel goals/budget.

I re-iterate -most boats spend less than 30 days a year in the water, and are way too uncomfortable for your teenager to use as a second bedroom.

 

I agree with the days most boats see the water... ourselves, we trailer a 20 foot VIP open-bow at least once a week during boating season (so roughly May through October here in Kansas). At the minimum our little boat is on the water 24 times, but a lot of times we go out 2 or 3 times a week as the water heats up (for swimming, etc).

I think that if we had a cabin, we'd stay out more because we wouldn't have to drive all the way across town to our house and then back again the next day. The kicker is getting my wife over her aversion to sailboats (mostly because she can't bring her sister, mom, nieces, etc.... she likes the social aspect of boating). With our open bow we can take 10 (crowded), but with the Mac it looks like max of 6? If the Mac is ballasted, can more than 6 fit or is that asking for trouble? I'm saying adult-sized people, btw.

 

Oh no another MacGregor thread... Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water. Please don't ask about water ballast. Check old threads.

 

The old threads won't let me reply in them with questions, which is why I started the new thread.

 

6 is a real crowd on a Mac to sail, but OK for the dockside social scene. I personally think its ideal for 2-3 adults or say 2 adults + 2-3 kids at most under usual sail conditions. In calm weather, you could take 6 for medium power spin to some beach or other, but unless you were really keen, sailing for 6 would be restricted to calm weather. I am very conservative about passenger comfort and safety.

The cabin was a big plus for me, because in unexpected bad weather, you could simply camp in it like a caravan - and your long weekend wasn't totally ruined. You could even wait out two bad days, and still be ready for two good days. Bad weather can be cold and wet, or just really windy.

I don't know what MyDoffin is on about. The water ballast works like advertised, and is effective for the sail plan on the Mac - as thousands of people have found out.

If you don't mind being sneered at by some of the 'standard' yachting fraternity, especially as you power back to the launching ramp at 12 knots on a no wind day, or hand crank the Mac onto the trailer after draining the water ballast while they juggle their electric power winches to pull up a tonne of lead with half a metre of permanent fin keel etc etc, it can be a good choice.

If you thrive on the power surge of sailing races, or doing blue water expeditions, you may want to think again. Though, the old forums have a great thread on a couple doing the West coast of the US including a bit of Alaska.

Have a good read and maybe join http://www.macgregorsailors.com/, where they will talk your hind leg off about it all.

 

You should be able to reply to an old thread by clicking the checkbox under "Old Thread Warning" that appears on either the quick reply or full reply screen. (If it's not showing up for you, what browser are you using?)

 

Ok thanks for that info, Mod. There was a message about replying in an old forum not being allowed (since it was too old) and I guess I just closed the window and didn't really read anything else on that screen. I was using Safari.

I know some places are really touchy about reviving old threads (thehulltruth is on of them) so I opted for a new thread.

Personally I would rather there be fewer relevant threads as opposed to a bunch of same-topic threads if the information is relevant 5 days or 10 years later

 

How fast do you need to power? I see a number of F24s around in the price range of a Mac26. I have a Venture 17, and although a bit of a pig of a little boat I've had a LOT of great days on it for a very low entry price. Hell, the outboard cost more than the boat...

Anyway I have nothing against the macgregor, but I would buy an F24 any day over the mac. It will sail much much faster, and with a good outboard will probably power pretty quickly too. I'm sure it won't handle a 50hp outboard, but IIRC I believe some have been set up with 20ish hp outboards. I'd imagine they would be capable of 15knots. And they'd have a lot of deck space for people to hang out for day use - just a thought that's a little outside the standard options.

good luck.