Where did all the love go?

[AdventureTime]

After 7 years flirting with the trailerable market (out of situational necessity), fired off an offer this week for a 98' Macgregor 26x that I couldn't refuse if accepted. To my surprise, it's now my problem.

Main looked as if it had been stored in the owner's garden, and the port transom took a high shot at some point that looks like Godzilla was involved.

Aside from that, the bones are fine, and lots of goodies that used to work are repairable more easily than expected, including a strong Honda 50 that seems to have somehow inherited a prop from an oil tanker, now replaced.

Now granted, the maiden voyage had all the trappings:
- Bothered looking children
- A main that Francis Scott Key would have written a poem about
- Running ashore on a sand beach (on purpose) where lots of nice boats worried about anchors 500' away
- Being a potential obstacle of overtaking vessels with four times the sail (though only by a knot or two at a time).

Here's the thing: I've sailed just about every damn thing under 40' at some point or another over the past quarter century, including single handing on blue, and I am pleased with my find for its purpose so far.

Don't want to get into a Macgregor discussion, but I had a little bit of fun today, and have, in the past, always enjoyed the camarederie of the water, be it a sunfish with a rusted spar or an offshore cat with every amenity.

But today, sans details, there was a real disdain simmering out there.
I'd like to say I don't care , but I guess I care enough to ask.

We all depend on each other out there at some point, so what's with the loathing on sunny day with 10kts?

 

[shemandr]

Are you saying you have been a victim of Macgregorism out there?

 

[Chris Patterson]

What particularly was the disdain?
If it was the McG, that surprises me, we have a few on the bay, and we all play fair. The McG's won't catch us, but we can't catch the San Juan's. It's all fun.
Am I missing the point?

 

[Ross]

I was out Thursday and Friday and sail and power alike were normal friendly. Everybody going about their own agendas and having a good time. Nobody invited me over for a beer but niether did I extend any invitations.

 

[TLW]

This is the 2nd thread I have read lately by an OP expressing a perception of a less-than-civil interchange among boaters. Certainly not enough information to draw any justifiable conclusions, but it is curious that the only common denominator is Annapolis. Hmmmm.

 

[justsomeguy]

Perhaps the OP would care to elaborate on an otherwise well-written post?

Sans details, of course.

 

[Sumner]

I'll add this and I'm sure it applies to no one on this board as I've always felt very welcome here.

On our 400 mile trip down Florida's west coast to the Keys and then north we passed a lot of boats with our 26 foot Mac which is a '90 and is the non-power boat version. Most boaters would give a friendly wave in passing but a number would pass as if we weren't there while we would give a wave in their direction. A number of these passing's were on the ICW where you are quite close to the other boat. This happened with power boats and sailboats. The boat is in pretty good condition with fresh canvas but ...

... needs a buff and polish.

Then we bought the Endeavour 37 while down there and moved her 70 miles along some of the same route from Fr. Myers Beach to the northwest side of Charlotte Harbor. She is a 1981 with a badly oxidized hull and the canvas...

(picture above taken by previous owner)

...was old and tattered. Now with the 'larger boat' as we passed power boaters and sailors almost everyone waved regardless if we did or not.

Just an observation and we are out there because we like it and not seeking approval and as I said I'd doubt this applies to anyone here,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[kenn]

First... the love. We boat in/around a major city; the boating crowd are more friendly than the general public for sure... but it's still a big city. It's still common that larger boats (even sailboats) 'play chicken' and run us (19' ) down, or veer only at the last minute, even when we're sailing and they're motoring, even when we're starboard tack and they're not. There's apparently some law that large-wake-producing motorboats MUST cross in front of us rather than behind. They've brought their urban expressway bad behaviour onto the water with them, basically.

A wave? Maybe 30% of larger boats will return a wave.


Now... Macgregor powersailors. The following are all MY opinions, not facts:

The negatives:
- they don't seem to sail that well. We can generally sail loops around them, point higher etc
- they have the aesthetics of a shipping container, or an RV. No side-decks.
- they have that big honking outboard, instead of a cantankerous little putt-putt like the rest of us sailboats (a religious topic)

The pluses:
- not expensive for a motorsailor
- many out there, good support from suppliers and owner community
- about the most accommodation and amenities you can find in a 26 footer, sail or motor
- you can have a nice quiet sail, or you can power up and cover 3 times the distance of a sailboat in one day. Great when your available time is limited.
- can be beached.
- with gin-pole, mast can be raised/lowered solo. Fantastic for doing canals.

A couple we're friends with has always wanted one, and they finally got one 2 seasons ago. They're still happy, no regrets, they get out often with it. It suits them down to the ground.

As you may have guessed, it's not a boat I'd buy. But I am seriously thinking of asking to borrow it for a couple of weeks to do one of the great canal systems around here.

 

[finding41]

I've noticed that other sailors are kind of curious. At least at my club. I am the "new guy" and am new to sailing too. I don't have any trouble getting anyone to come out and crew for me. (It's like they all want to try it just to see...) The response is always favorable after I take someone out that hasn't been on one before.
That's a 26D though. A guy had a 26X at the club last year. He was respected and I went out with him a few times on it. It is a different thing all together. (Thing) It sails but is like a motor home. But that is what is is supposed to be.
I think people, like mentioned above, don't care about the sailboat and boat like they drive. Badly. It comes down to manners in the end. Today's me first attitude plays a part too.

 

[Sailm8]

I have mellowed over the years and would and have never made fun of anyone's choice of boat. After all I sail a Hunter and many on these boards are convinced I take my life in my hands every time I go out. Everyone looks at boat and decides for themselves if it is the boat for them. If there was a perfect boat we would all be sailing the same boat.

I think owning a boat is a growing experience and when you first purchase your boat you have a learning period where you bond and explore your boats strengths and limitations. Some of us will out grow our boats and maybe choose a boat with fewer limitations. Others never will and will live happily ever after with the boat they choose. Different strokes and all that.

Regarding waving: I must admit I am not much of a waver to really big power boats. I am too busy trying to decide how I am going to take their wake. Those that give me a slow pass, few they are, I always give a wave. Big boats with big wakes are just part of the deal. I do get upset with the boat that comes from miles away to pass my bow. I won't wave at them nor do I curse them. I do admit that I hope they spent $20 in fuel to get their jollies. It's just part of the business of sailing and dealing with the variety of humans on the planet.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

In my opinion this was plain snobbery and sadly there's no denying it exists. Agree or not, the MacGregor products have always been designed and marketed as entry level boats. That is not to say they don't do exactly what they were intended to do but they are lightly constructed and have a very low aspect rig for stability reasons. Your passing boaters who didn't return your gesture were making assumptions about you based on your boat. At that distance there could be no other reason. Well, unless you were flying a pirate flag or drying your trapdoor longjohns in the rig.

You're not alone either. I've experienced similar treatment because of the gas engine in my boat ("you turn the key and BOOM!") from the diesel snobs and from the racing snobs I've learned "if you don't race you're a poor sailor." I've also been told my curved traveler doesn't work and I don't know my boat speed because I don't have a paddlewheel knotmeter (I use GPS for speed). Two of the four examples were right here on this forum and one of those two was from a 'Featured Contributor' with his own forum category. Pretty sad.

I'll say two things about MacGregors from my point of view:

1. When I was in the sailboat industry 40 years ago we didn't think much of the MacGregor product (Venture at the time) but guess what? In less than 10 years we were all closed up and out of business while Roger MacGregor continued building boats for another 30 years. So who's the smart guy?
2. MacGregors were also considered low priced boats. I had a M26 powersailor in the slip adjacent to me and I know for a fact the owner paid at least five times what I paid for my vintage Catalina 30 so who am I to make monetary assumptions?

Those snobs did you a favor. Right away you knew '"the cut of their jib." Write 'em off, they're not worth it. There are plenty of decent folks around, seek them out.

 

[Five0]

It's life, some people get It and some are clueless.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I think TLW hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't expect a lot of love in the snooty sailing capital of the US. Not that it is any different than a lot of other places up and down the northern east coast. As a Midwesterner, living in the northeast for so many years, I've been able to distinguish the unmistakable tone of status consciousness that pervades this region, I think, extending down at least as far as the Nations Capital (and probably many parts of Florida which have been inundated with Yankees from the northeast - but I wouldn't know first hand). I think it has something to do with the congestion and territorial behavior due to over-population. But these generalizations are offered mostly tongue-in-cheek.

However, I don't really understand the thin skin that some seem to have when they feel they have been snubbed. Personally, I don't give a rat's ass if I somebody I don't even know doesn't wave back or offer a friendly wave. People have all kinds of quirks and I don't feel any need to judge. Some people are just shy and don't have much to say. Some people may not think much of your sailboat and feel that if they have nothing nice to say they may as well just keep quite. Some people may just be self-absorbed in their own little world. I think it's kind of silly to wave at somebody with the expectation that a friendly wave has to be returned ... as if it's a demand. It's sort of like that passive-aggressive type thing.

If somebody snubs you, it's probably best to let it slide and just move on to the next person who might be more friendly. You'll probably end up wasting your time less and enjoying the day more.

 

[Sumner]

My point wasn't that I felt snubbed not being waved at, but that people will wave (without you waving at them) at a larger boat much more than a smaller one even though the larger one is in more disarray.

We actually seek out areas where there isn't anyone to wave at ,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[higgs]

There is a perception among many sailors that the M26 is not really a sailboat, but a powerboat with a sail on it. It is indeed lightly built and does not not reflect the traditional thinking of what a sailboat is. Thus, many sailors don't consider it a sailboat and don't respond to the sailboater's wave. To them, it is like an SUV driver expecting a wave back from a 2 seater roadster driver.

 

[Sumner]

... Thus, many sailors don't consider it a sailboat and don't respond to the sailboater's wave. To them, it is like an SUV driver expecting a wave back from a 2 seater roadster driver.

I'm assuming that you aren't talking about most of the people here.

I'm wondering if these people you are talking about that won't return a wave to someone on a MacGregor X or M would also not wave if someone goes by them on anchor or underway in a powerboat, kayak or canoe?

After all this time I'm still having a hard time with why some people have so much disdain for the power Macs. No one is trying to convince them to buy one and I know a number of boaters that did have 30+ sailboats for years that own one now as it fits their needs now. It is also amusing that the points people try and make against the Macs compared to other 'real sailboats' are exactly what made the Mac so popular for so long,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[higgs]

A guy in a Miata ain't gonna wave to a guy in an Escolade.

 

[higgs]

Bad comparison - Let me amend it. A guy in a Miata isn't going to wave to guy is a chevy S 10

 

[justsomeguy]

All conjecture, folks.

 

[higgs]

Congesture? How so?