Regarding the MacGregor 26

What is the Mac26 like to sail (ie how does it sail)? Anyone like it?

 

Ok. Great. Thanks for looking.

 

Read the TP 52 and Secrets of Yacht Design threads. You will run away in horror from every Mac26 you ever see afterwards.

 

1. It planes upwind at over 17 MILES per hour
2. It can actually fly given the correct conditions
3. Do you know anything about time travel? Macgregor Yachts does!
4. Chicks dig it
5. Ferdinand Magellan sailed a vessel very similar to the Mac26x on his first (and unpublicized due to the influence of a Jim Teeters) circumnavigation of the globe.

 

Now that is classic. Sums up an entire life's ranting in five bullet points.

 

It is a trailer-sailer/power boat that is well suited if you will be trailering to a combination of rivers and small lakes.

I know of only one person that recommends the McGregor as a full fledged sailboat and his sence of reality is somewhere beyond California cool (too much time in the sun maybe) and never-never land (pixie dust and all).

If you will be sailing mostly on decent size lakes or coastal get a "fulltime" sailboat or a "fulltime" powerboat. Buy used so you can afford to get a different one if you choose the wrong features.

Keep in mind that you can find supporters of any viewpoint in a forum like this. If you are asking for support in buying a McGregor go back to the first sentense - if that describes you, go ahead and have some fun (still buy used).

Asathor

 

Also, anyone have any rants/raves about the Mac from design standpoints? Safety standpoints? ESPECIALLY STABILITY!!

 

A squarish hull with internal ballast gives you a high center of gravity. The sails are relatively small. This should provide good initial stability but poor stability when heeled severely. Since the topsides are very high it will probably come back up reasonably well.
The square hull will tend to follow the waves and be uncomfortable in the big stuff.

 

mk, why don't you figure it out for yourself? How much righting moment does water ballast inside the hull have? And how much does a bulb keel of the same weight have?

 

Let me clarify:

Friends and family will want to get off before 15MpH wind.

 

Mighetto is not someone you want to take advice from. His posts clearly show that. If you are serious about wanting to learn more about the stability and design of sailboats, then there are many here who may help you. However, you've been warned about Mighetto.

I'll post this for you one more time: hopefully you get it.

My advice:

1. Study basic physics
2. Read the TP 52 and Secrets of Yacht Design threads
3. Repeat until you see the error of your ways

 

why not just go try one out.Then you can make up your own mind if its what you want
k4s

 

Is it possible for someone to ask a real question about a Mac26 without someone mentioning Maghetto? You guys drive me crazy. You plaster his name all over this board then do nothing but complain about him. I'll give you a hint. If you don't mention him he'll fade away.

 

Yea, it really is annoying, isn't it wb? The short answer is No, it's not possible.

btw, I had no idea about Magellan. I totally bought into that whole wood keelboat thing. Teeters must be good.

 

26X or 26M?

I was aboard a 26M under power... moves well with 50 HP.
I didn't like the high deck for docking. I'm an experienced
sailor, and found docking very awkward for crew (me).

There is a section of deck about 2" wide outboard of the cabin,
with no non-skid. Either it should have been eliminated to
make a flush deck, or widened to make it useful.

I would hate to think of my wife, who is inexperienced,
having to be my only help when docking such a boat in
windy conditions (actually, even calm conditions).

When you combine a new skipper with his wife as
crew... docking will be a nightmare.

Even on our San Juan 24, when an inexperienced crew
person is the only help for docking, you can see that
getting to the right place on deck, and stepping
over lifelines and onto a dock is awkward. The SJ-24
is not an awkward boat for docking... and I can
usually bring it into the dock in a way that would make
it a piece of cake for experienced crew. When I picture
my wife trying to help an inexperienced skipper dock
a Mac26 I cringe.

In her defense, she has progressed well, and considering
how infrequently we have sailed our boat, she has gotten
much better at the process. If we can spend a summer
sailing regularly she'll be a pro at it. It's little things like
remembering not to pull the bow into the dock (thus
swinging my end away while I'm tending to the motor
for a delay of a couple of seconds before I step off).

And my technique has improved & changed to
facilitate things. I try to coast in with perfect speed
so that I can be standing ready to step to the dock
at the same time she does.

But with good crew that knows how to keep the
boat parallel to the dock the helmsman can stay
on board and shut off the engine... we'll get there,
it just takes practice.