Advice on a McGregor 26x Purchace

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Feb 24, 2013
2
MacGregor 26x Adelaide
Hi
I am a learning to sail in my fatherinlaws Bavaria 32, but we are not getting out enough. I have come across a MacGregor 26x and think that this will give me and my young family some experince we need. I am sick of reading negative comments from people that dont own or have never sailed a Macgregor. I am after some pros and cons on the boat from someone that has one as to weather it would suit us or not. My wife and I are both novices with 2 children 7 and 11 years old looking to learn to sale, tow a tube for the kids and maybe throw out a line in to fish. Can i please have some feedback good and bad as long as it is honest.
 
Apr 21, 2012
55
Macgregor 26X Kansas City
Hi JK, I have a Mac26X and we love it. This has been the topic of much discussion on the Mac forums and I think this thread will provide you with all the info you need: http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=149282 You may also be interested in the http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/search.php Forums. These deal almost entirely with the Mac X and M although you will find some active Venture and Mac25 owners also. I bought mine with a very limited sailing background and have no regrets. They are very forgiving of the novice and great fun all around.

Good luck with your "education" on Macs and let us know when you decide to get yours!
 
Sep 5, 2007
689
MacGregor 26X Rochester
My wife and I are both novices with 2 children 7 and 11 years old looking to learn to sale, tow a tube for the kids and maybe throw out a line in to fish.
You and yours are the target market for the X and M motorsailors. The admiral will like that the head is enclosed, with a door, and it's big enough to stand up in (the head and the rest of the main saloon). The kids will like that it can tow a tube or wakeboard (too slow for skis, though) and even beach it, and you'll like that it can get back to port in front of a storm in a hurry, it's plenty stable (beyond the intial tenderness), and with the relatively small sail plan, not too much screaming from the crew from excessive heeling. :D

I've heard all the stuff about MacGregors, including and especially the motorsailors, but I really don't care. I sold a 34 foot dock queen that I really liked for this boat, primarily so I could trailer to other places that would be a major trip (for me, with limited time) to get to by water, or just plain impossible (Finger Lakes, and maybe Florida next winter) to take a large keelboat to. That, and my younger son taught himself to wakeboard behind it. He used to go below decks in the last boat and go to sleep. Now he asks to go out boating, which was a major part of the decision to get this boat, and he won't be around much in the summers in a few years so I wanted to modify my boating to be more inclusive. I can also haul it from its slip and have it in the Erie Canal for a martini cruise with friends in no time. :dance:

As a sailboat, it's slower than most it's size, and as a powerboat, well folks say it's not so good, but I've never owned a powerboat other than an interest in a big trawler, but that's a different animal anyway. But it sails well enough to have fun sailing, so I'm fine with it. If I wanted a racer, I'd have bought a racer. If I wanted a ski boat, that's what I would have bought. I went into this boat with my eyes wide open.

It's light enough to tow behind my AWD Highlander with 5 kip tow rating (factory tow package), as the water ballast is left in the lake. It's a big boat behind that little tow beast, but it's very light for its size, which of course was the whole idea, and it's road legal in all states on all roads.

In a few years I'll try something else. Maybe a cat or trimaran (speaking of fast sailers). Or just keep it. We'll see. Right now I'm in planning more improvements (dual spare tire carrier fabrication, for instance) for longer distance travel this summer, and with luck, to Florida for the winter early next year. Couldn't do that with my last boat. :D
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
IIRC, there were 2 cabin layouts on the X depending on the year.. one had the head further back (aft) IIRC. -just a fyi.
 
Apr 21, 2012
55
Macgregor 26X Kansas City
What do you mean slow, Tkanzler? The X and M are the fastest boats on the water!
Fastest sailboat under power.
Fastest powerboat under sail.
And depending on your tow vehicle, they can be the fastest over land as well!
LOL, just had to throw that in.
 
Jan 6, 2012
5
MacGregor 26X Salem
I purchased an X a little over a year ago. Not new to sailing but my first owned sailboat, I was expecting pretty poor performance. Well, I was surprised, amazed, and very pleased. Since last winter, I've taken my X cruising around the San Juans and Gulf islands three times (over 600 miles total) and to a number of local lakes. I am so thrilled with my purchase, it's so user friendly (if you have a little smarts) that I can teach anyone to sail on it. Mine has a 50 hp 4 stroke on it, making it efficient to motor and can really get some speed when needed. Do yourself a favor and get a roller furling headsail....it makes all the difference in convenience. I find that it's so easy to roll in and out that I sail way more than if I had to go up on deck to hank on and off, raise and lower. I've done countless mods to the boat, mostly to make it more fun, easy, and comfortable. If I had to do it all over again....I'd buy an X in a heartbeat....especially with your family situation....my nephews are around the same ages and they love it too.

JT
 
Sep 5, 2007
689
MacGregor 26X Rochester
What do you mean slow, Tkanzler? The X and M are the fastest boats on the water!
It all depends on your vantage point, doesn't it? :D And from where I'm sitting at the moment, it's the right boat for the job. :)
 
Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
My main reason also - kids love going out in it for tubing, beaching, etc. And they won't always be around. :D

That, and my younger son taught himself to wakeboard behind it. He used to go below decks in the last boat and go to sleep. Now he asks to go out boating, which was a major part of the decision to get this boat, and he won't be around much in the summers in a few years so I wanted to modify my boating to be more inclusive.
 
Sep 4, 2010
115
MacGregor Venture 25 Ocean Grove, Swansea MA
Macs are the Hyundai's and Kia's of the sailing world, and get a fairly bad rap because of it. They are 'inexpensively' built (read: cheap), and many 'sailors' look down their nose on our little crafts. However, they were designed for a specific market: beginners. Individuals that wish to get out on the water with a minimum investment, who aren't sure if they even like sailing.

All boats are a compromise, to some extent. Mac's sacrifice the higher end stuff in favor of an affordable boat that's easy to trailer, easy to set up, cheap to buy and maintain. The next time someone says something disparaging about a Mac, ask them about their mooring / storage fees, or how long it takes them to paint their boat every year or take care of their brightwork, or if they ever get tired of sailing the same area every time they go out, or (if they trailer their boats) how long it takes to launch, or how much their full size tow vehicle costs, or which ramps they can't use because they are too shallow / not steep enough, etc. You get the idea.

As far as the X / M's, yes, they too are a compromise - but what other sailboat can you tube behind? All boats have their pros and cons, and it is up to no one but you as to what you consider valuable enough to outweigh the negatives. I, personally, am not fond of them (X/M), but if it checks the right boxes for you, go for it! Macs are great boats to get started on, and I'm sure you'll be happy with one as long as you go in with your eyes open. My $.02.
 
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