MacGregor 26M motor choice

awc

.
May 20, 2018
1
Macgregor 26 north liberty
I know this has been covered before but I can't find any more recent conversation than 2005. What motor are people running on their 26M? I have a 2007 that I bought last year with a 2007 50hp Yamaha engine. It is very slow, even at full power. I'd like to pull my kids on their tubes or skis if possible on the lake and am looking at a new engine. In my area, the local dealer sells Mercury products. The Mercury 60hp may be an upgrade to my old 2007. Any thoughts? Thanks!
 
Sep 17, 2018
90
Hunter 23.5 Charleston, SC
I've always admired the Evinrude E-Tecs. They are lighter and torquier than their 4-stroke rivals and require less maintenance and are less picky about fuel. But I grew up riding Ski-Doos so I am a little biased.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
One of the members at our club had a 90HP on their M. Not sure they ever used it to its potential.
Do you remove the water ballast when you want motor fast? The M is a major compromise IMHO. That tall stick can't be helping in the turns. Might be fun to be able to tube behind. Kids just want to go fast!
 

Jim26m

.
Apr 3, 2019
579
Macgregor 26M Mobile AL
I have a 60 Etec. It will push my boat at just under 20mph with no ballast, 12 gallons of gas, and four light adults on board. Haven't tried tubing yet, but it feels like it would be adequate. If you're used to a nautique or master craft, it will let you down. Several guys on the Macgregorsailors forum run 90hp and love them. The boat isn't rated for it if I understand correctly, so you may want to check with your local authorities and insurance before you go big.
Also, I trailer sail, so I don't have the boat loaded down for living aboard.

It seems like you've had the boat awhile, but I'll say it anyway. Be very careful with your weight distribution and sail security when you are at speed with no ballast.
 
Last edited:
Sep 20, 2012
2
macgrMacgregor 19 Ventura,Ca
I have a Mac 19 with a Honda 50 and it tops out at 22 mph, but can do this with a significant load. It cruises around 16-19 mph and can hold a plane down to about 13 mph which is helpful in heavier seas. I typically do multiple day excursions with lots of gear and 30 gallons of fuel. Proper prop selection is critical with these boats. Props for pontoon boats are what you want. Either a four blade or a three blade wide ear design with a low pitch. I went with the Honda because it was the lightest in class. Remember these are sail boats and excess weight on the stern will affect sailing performance. In hindsight I would have bought the Suzuki 60 which weighs 15 pounds more, but I'm glad I didn't go any smaller. For the 26 footer I think anything less than a 70 hp would be to little if you want to pull skiers with any kind of normal load onboard. Most 70 an 90 hp share the same block, so if you're going to suffer the weight, you might as well have the power of the 90. Yamaha makes a 70 that I was eyeing. It is a one liter motor that appears to be the lightest in its class and significantly lighter than most 70 hp motors. Whatever you choose, remember to beef up your transom a bit with some kind of good backplating if going with a bigger motor. Hope this helps and good luck!
 
  • Like
Likes: SkookumZac