Opinions on Macgregor 26

[MarioCoccon]

Hi, some friend bought a Macgregor M26, the boat sails very fast in 15knts and no complain about the 20knts with the 50hp. The magazine said unsincable, very stable bla bla, all thats true, some know more about this boats. Iam thinking in one, can be take out of the water in hurricanes and for maintaince, very fast and handy why not?. But my concern is in rought water, I take my Columbia and the Newport in any cond but could be possible do the same in a Mac without any risk of capsize o maybe broke the hull or something like that??. Please opinions welcome. Thanks. www.Macgregor26.com

[usa2]

Do you really want opinions?

[Hunter25]

It is designed to compromise too much in each category, it sails like a pig, is really a motor boat with a steadying sail and is built by a manufacture well known for their inferior craftsmanship and materials. If you need 10 times the HP of other similarly sized boats, in its displacement range, then it obviously has identity issues. I can not think of a single MacGregor model that has held any real value, in there full line of yachts, from beginning to current models. It is the Hugo of production sailboats. This is not an off shore boat and would be very foolish to take there. If you do, make sure you are paid in full on any life insurance, so your family can collect.

[Mikey]

It is simply not possible to get it all. The Mac26 is, as Hunter25 says, very much a compromise, its whole existance is a compromise

But it is a best-seller so it can't be bad for all. It's like American cars, generally considered crap in the rest of the world but pretty good in the States. Why? It's because HOW you use them.

For Mac26, the how is not rough weather
Mikey

[hiracer]

I see'm being motored with the mast removed. That says something.

[Ike]

Unsinkable?? So was the Titanic. Yes, it has buillt in flotation and under most circumstances won't go to the bottom. But I have investigated several occurances of these boats swamping and then rolling over. They have a rather complex water ballasting system that actually works pretty well when it works right. However, the occurences I saw, were when it didn't work right, the valves that were supposed to close didn't and the boats filled with water. In both cases this happened when the boat was powering.

As was said these boats are a compromise between a power boat and a sailboat. Yes it sails, but not as well as a comparable sailboat the same size. It powers well but not as well as a power boat the same size with a modified v-hull. So, If you want a sail boat you can trailer (with a large v-8 pickup) that will get you home fairly fast go for it. But I would never take one offshore in any kind of weather.

[Wellydeckhand]

It will be a wonder option for the Trimaran center hull.......... so it have its uses after all