26 classic tow vehicle

Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
Does anyone use a Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl to tow their 26 classic? It’s rated at 3500 lbs towing capacity.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
If your Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl is rated for 3500 lbs towing capacity and you have a 2" class 3 with a StowAway Hitch Tightener, Anti-Rattle Stabilizer you are at the limit for towing your Macgregor 26D and trailer reportedly weighing 1675 lb and 525 lb, respectively according to the link below plus motor and supplies so say 3500 lbs. That does not give you any safety margin. Whatever tow vehicle you use check your tow vehicle and trailer are level. If not, consider a suspension load modification like Timbren, Torklift Stable Load, etc. Happy towing!!

Weight of Factory original trailer for Mac 26D | Sailboat Owners Forums
MacGregor 26 - Wikipedia
 
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Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
If your Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl is rated for 3500 lbs towing capacity and you have a 2" class 3 with a StowAway Hitch Tightener, Anti-Rattle Stabilizer you are at the limit for towing your Macgregor 26D and trailer reportedly weighing 1675 lb and 525 lb, respectively according to the link below plus motor and supplies so say 3500 lbs. That does not give you any safety margin. Whatever tow vehicle you use check your tow vehicle and trailer are level. If not, consider a suspension load modification like Timbren, Torklift Stable Load, etc. Happy towing!!

Weight of Factory original trailer for Mac 26D | Sailboat Owners Forums
MacGregor 26 - Wikipedia
Good info. Thx!
 
Apr 11, 2020
708
MacGregor 26s Scott's Landing, Grapevine TX
Specs show the dry boat weight at 1650 lbs, centerboard 50 lbs. I was able to find a trailer weight for the 26M of 530 lbs. I think it is reasonable to assume that the 26S trailer is about the same. That gives a total weight of 2230 lbs. bare bones.

Not sure how sail sfbay makes the leap from +-2230 lbs to 3500 lbs. That's 1200 lbs of outboard motor and "supplies". Maybe he brings along more beer than I do?

I tow my 26S with a 2016 Dodge Caravan 3.6 liter V6. Manual shows a towing capacity of 3600 lbs. I have towed it from St. Louis to Dallas, and from Dallas to Austin and back. At no point have I gotten the impression that I was over-taxing my vehicle. I had no issues with sway or oscillation, even with a 15 MPH headwind.

Mileage downwind was about 17 MPG, upwind about 14.

I'm a little surprised that a vehicle with a 4 cylinder motor has a 3500-lb towing capacity, but hey, what do I know?

Hope this helps.
 
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Aug 5, 2019
92
Macgregor 26 S NJ
The car company's bean counters make them bake a lot of cushion into the towing limits on cars. My old 2006 Liberty Turbo Diesel had a tow limit of 5000 here in the USA, but in the EU it was 7400... "...speaking of factory limits, here is something I think you folks will find interesting. Click on over to the European Cherokee 2.8L CRD auto webpage and click on "Technical" on the left side, then "Weights & Capacities." This is the exact same vehicle that is sold here, except in Europe it's called a Cherokee instead of a Liberty. The tow rating is 3360kg which translates to 7400lbs. "
 
Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
The car company's bean counters make them bake a lot of cushion into the towing limits on cars. My old 2006 Liberty Turbo Diesel had a tow limit of 5000 here in the USA, but in the EU it was 7400... "...speaking of factory limits, here is something I think you folks will find interesting. Click on over to the European Cherokee 2.8L CRD auto webpage and click on "Technical" on the left side, then "Weights & Capacities." This is the exact same vehicle that is sold here, except in Europe it's called a Cherokee instead of a Liberty. The tow rating is 3360kg which translates to 7400lbs. "
Thanks for the input, but the link isn’t working.
 
Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
Specs show the dry boat weight at 1650 lbs, centerboard 50 lbs. I was able to find a trailer weight for the 26M of 530 lbs. I think it is reasonable to assume that the 26S trailer is about the same. That gives a total weight of 2230 lbs. bare bones.

Not sure how sail sfbay makes the leap from +-2230 lbs to 3500 lbs. That's 1200 lbs of outboard motor and "supplies". Maybe he brings along more beer than I do?

I tow my 26S with a 2016 Dodge Caravan 3.6 liter V6. Manual shows a towing capacity of 3600 lbs. I have towed it from St. Louis to Dallas, and from Dallas to Austin and back. At no point have I gotten the impression that I was over-taxing my vehicle. I had no issues with sway or oscillation, even with a 15 MPH headwind.

Mileage downwind was about 17 MPG, upwind about 14.

I'm a little surprised that a vehicle with a 4 cylinder motor has a 3500-lb towing capacity, but hey, what do I know?

Hope this helps.
Are you using a brake controller? If so, which one?
 
Apr 11, 2020
708
MacGregor 26s Scott's Landing, Grapevine TX
Are you using a brake controller? If so, which one?
No brake controller. Everything stock.

An important thing to note is that all my trailering experience with this boat has been in southern Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. There's some hilly terrain in Missouri and Oklahoma, but not mountainous. Trailering through truly mountainous areas might call for more than standard equipment.