Top Three of worst sailing boats ever made!

Wow, that thread is insanely long and talk about pissing match. I read the first page, and then clicked to the last(page no. 101 for those curious but lazy). They were still talking about the same garbage.

Apparently the debate is whether the size of your...bulb...is an inverse or direct ratio to the length of your fin.....

 

Not really alot of debate there. Just a few hundred people trying to convince one mentally ill person that his theories are wrong.

 

The other day I watched a McGregor 26 beating up newport harbour in about 15 knots. Of all the boats out at that moment it was having the worst time of it. It seemed to make as much leeway as headway and gain just a few yards to weather on each tack! However, if they dropped the sail and fired up the fifty I'm sure they would have had a passable power boat and when they ran back past under sail the crew were all smiles!

 

When I saw the title of this thread I knew it wouldn't be long before someone brought up the Mac26x. Where is our local lunatic anyway? Did he take up a new hobby, or find another forum to take abuse from?

 

LINKS ARE OK by Figgy on Mozilla

 

My votes for the 3 worst production sailboats?
Reinell 26
Bayliner Bucanneer 24
Bayliner Bucanneer 27

All these were designed by powerboat designers that had only the vaguest idea of what makes a sailboat go, or hold together. However, a lot of people who bought them (cheaply I hope) graduated to real boats.

The Macgregor 26 is an honest, cheap boat. I wouldn't own one but I know a few happy owners. I would buy a 30 year old Islander or Ericson for the same money and fix it up.

Grahame Shannon
Naval Architect

 

Disaterous design

1.) The British sailing war ship Captain.
Due to its miserably low range of stability (about 20 deg.), it capsized with great loss of life.

2.) The Swedish man o war Vassa
with its pentogonesque endless design changes, capsized in harbor on a fair day within sight of land, with great loss of life.

3.) The British plank on edge yacht Oona
with its inadequate freeboard (and failure to compensate for such, design wise), sailed through a wave and went straight to the bottom, taking, IIRC, even her designer with her.

These three vessels get my vote because they were all built to design properly , they did not meet even their minimum design requirements (actually work), and they were deadly. And their designers should have known better.

 

Ease up on the big fat biker, I like to sail as much as the next guy...if your knees are in the breeze on a slow bike or a slow sailboat, your knees are "still in the breeze" and you know what they say about one man's trash???? there were folks that thought my 'ol one design was pirated and should have been outlawed. She was ugly and rough but she was a screamer on a reach
Now this is REALLY ugly!!
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9424&stc=1&d=1159913402
bestview1997.JPG

 

Harsh words for the World's best selling cruising boat

Hi; TRASHY seems a bit harsh, surely?

I can see why folk buy these boats; modern lifestyle means they want to get somewhere fast, then enjoy a quiet sailing cruise with no engine noise, then maybe hurry home again. Got to be superior to "just" a power boat with no sails, eh?

A MacGregor 26 came past me one day as I dawdled along under sail at 5 knots, he was doing 18 knots under outboard motor, heading upwind.

I thought to myself, " That looks fun!"

Takes all sorts.

Enjoy the sea , whatever you sail!

 

The Mac26 certainly does have its place, yes. As far as I'm concerned, it's a quick, cheap and easy way for people without much time or experience to enjoy some fun on the water. It's designed for inland lakes and calm inshore day trips, with longer cruises possible if the weather's nice.
People hate this boat not because it's a piece of junk; it's very good at what it's meant to do. The problem is that it is often described by dealers and the occasional loyal owner as a seaworthy, ocean-capable yacht. In this capacity, it would fall apart in a matter of hours. It becomes a magnet for newbies who don't yet know enough about sailing to recognize the limits of its ability. I think it's a very misunderstood boat- yes it's cheaply built, but it's adequate for the calm lakes it's meant for. Put one in a Pacific gale as some of its dealers and fans claim it can take, though, and you'll see why folks call it trashy.

 

I've only seen one "in the flesh" sitting on it's trailer. The thoughts that came to my mind looking at it was that the hull looked more motor boat shape then sail boat shape and that the rigging seemed to be very light for the the size of the vessel. Just an observation, I may be wrong on all counts.

Mychael

 

Having been for a sail, and a motor, in a Mac26 (saving the teasing for later, guys!) I can attest that the beasties do sail,and they do power. The fact that they don't do either one spectacularly well (sorry, Eric) does not in the least detract from that fact. It's like racing Escorts - Formula 1 is definately faster, but you CAN race an Escort, plus you can bring the groceries home in it!
Would I place it as one of the Three Worst Ever? Nope!
Steve

 

none of us are perfect ,,,he probably had an off day ..Im sure he didnt mean to ..( give you a bogus link)now if it were me<<,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,