Should I?

Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
That boat looks like it is ready for disposal. Don't waste your time and money on it. Look around just a little bit more seriously and you should find something worthwhile, something that is clean and ready to sail.
 
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Likes: jon hansen
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
I would suggest buying something under 20 feet, and around 1000 bucks or less for your first boat. You want to use it as a learning experience, therefore buy something you won't loose a lot of money on. I understand the MAC looks exciting to get a 26 ft boat, but you don't know enough about boats to understand the potential expenses involved. The bigger the boat, the more expensive the repair parts are.
I would suggest doing as I did. My first monohull was a 17 footer with a tiny cabin. I bought it for 1200 bucks, put $300 into it, and 3 years later, sold it for $1350. I knew I really didn't know much about boats, so I bought it with the intention of learning what I needed to know, with minimal impact on my pocket book. I learned how to look for rot. I learned the cost of hardware. I learned how to fabricate new windows. I learned how to fabricate a hatch cover. I learned a small fiberglass repair is ok, but no way I wanted a big project. I learned what makes a sailing rig good or bad and what lines are needed to shape the sail. I learned what baggy sails look like and how they impact how the boat sails, or doesn't. I learned that a small boat with a large stub keel sails a lot like a bowling ball. Basically it cost me 150 bucks and 3 years to learn how to buy the right boat. Make all your mistakes where the cost is minimal.
 
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Likes: Scott T-Bird
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
We are up to 24 posts and the OP @lockep hasn't returned or commented or otherwise acknowledged the advice within this forum hmmmmm.........
 
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Likes: cb32863
Jun 29, 2010
1,287
Beneteau First 235 Lake Minnetonka, MN
We are up to 24 posts and the OP @lockep hasn't returned or commented or otherwise acknowledged the advice within this forum hmmmmm.........
Maybe he wanted us to tell him what he wanted to hear instead of sound advice. Been known to happen.
 

lockep

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Jan 18, 2019
4
Not Yet Not Yet Glen Rose, TX
Or my son made a surprise visit home form college and I was spending time with him and not on the internet.

Thanks for all the advice...I will look for a smaller boat to learn with.
 

lockep

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Jan 18, 2019
4
Not Yet Not Yet Glen Rose, TX
Welcome to the LEGION OF THE DAMNED! Pretty grungy, walk away. The Honda looks like it's in bad shape? Over haul can get pricey. Lot's of elbow grease to bring her up to par. Don't see interior cushions. $$$. As mentioned, find a sailing club or a trailer/sailor group where you will meet, for the most part, some really nice people who will give good advice and tell outrageous stories:yikes:. See if you can crew with some one. (slang, Boat Bum:waycool:) You might find a good deal through some of them. I have over the past 50 years owned three Mac/Ventures. a 21, 222 & 25. They have all been well built and easy to maintain. Freedom turned 40 last year and is still in pretty good shape for her age. Have sailed from Newport, Ca. to Ensenada, MX. 120 miles +/- Trailered from Baja to Canada and points in between. Dropped anchor in Catalina for a week at a time. Keep us posted, Good luck and Hook 'em Horns!! P.S. to Gene Neil, Catalina 22 is still the largest production keeled sailboat ever. Would recommend it as a starter.
No hook em....gig em ags
 

lockep

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Jan 18, 2019
4
Not Yet Not Yet Glen Rose, TX
... and how many different versions of the 26 are you aware of?

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/26c-s-d-whats-the-difference.103649/

Expensive? I think not. About the only one that is still fairly expensive and that might be questionable is the 26M.

Since he is in an area where he can probably sail on others' boats it is probably a good idea. We bought our Mac having never sailed and it worked out fine for us. Not saying it will for everyone. Living in Utah's canyon country not a lot of sailing opportunities available. I was also at an age where taking the longer course to owning a boat that was capable of what our Mac 26S is capable of wasn't a good option. We would of missed out on some good years. Glad we did it just the way we did,

Sumner
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1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
Your website is what made me start looking at the Mac 26
 
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Likes: Scott T-Bird
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
There isn't a better website than Sumner's for seeing what can be done with that boat. Your idea and heart might be in the right place. But I think you can start with a much better boat than the one you were looking at. You probably wouldn't want to get started with an irretrievable wreck. That's no insult to you. It's just the result of a whole lot of experience. Many of us learning the hard way BTW. :biggrin:
 
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Likes: My Mistress
Jun 2, 2004
3,390
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
A&M have a sailing club (other than in Galveston)? I know TU does. That'd be a good way to keep the kid busy and out of places he can't tell his mother about.
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Your website is what made me start looking at the Mac 26
The D is a good boat but I agree with the others that you would end up putting a lot of money in that one. You could probably find a pretty good one ready to sail in the $4K to $5K range.

The S and D are extremely easy to sail and learn on and are plenty fast and have a ton of room below and in the cockpit so I wouldn't discourage you from looking for one to start on after you have gone out some with others possibly and see if this is for you and your family,

Sumner
======================================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Or you might also look at the Mac 25. a lot of boat for the money these days. very similar performance to the 26, ballast is in the swing keel, not water ballast, and it's generally 2-3K less $ for comparable condition boats. I keep thinking we need to "upgrade" from our M25, but have yet to see anything that suits us better in the 4 years or so we've owned ours.
 
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Sep 25, 2018
258
Catalina Capri 22 Capri EXPO 14.2 1282 Stony Point
If it fly's, floats or something else starting with F, RENT IT. Sailing schools usually rent their boats. I've rented in Bermuda, Oyster Bay, Washington DC, SF Bay. Best to take a sailing course first, then rent different boats to see how you sail them. After test driving, your purchase will be based upon some facts. The fact is a sailboat can be very demanding of your time, not often thru sailing them. Took my lessons in 1986, rented til I finally bought a Hunter 23.5. Just selling it for my NTM Capri 22. Took a few years to decide that this boat fit my day sailing pattern.
 
Jan 25, 2017
147
Macgregor V222 Kentucky Lake
The post for the boat in question was removed before I had a chance to have a look. But, I don't even need to see it. I can tell by the descriptions your getting in over your head. That's just friendly advice. Look for my post "and so it begins" where I documented the restoration of our 1970 V222. It took nearly two years and we calculate that we may have spent over 5k on a boat and trailer that, at best is worth three thousand dollars on a good day. But because we will never sell this particular boat it's not a problem (it's all relative, but they are not investments, they are indeed holes in the water you pour money into). I'm not sure what they where asking for the 26 but given you experience level I would take some of the great advice given here get a Sunfish or Snark. You can put a snark on the top of your car and carry it anywhere, rig it in 5 minutes and be sailing in 15 minutes from the time you park. We have seven boats and my wife Molly insists the Snark is her favorite. You need to sail, sail, sail... and then sail some more. The physics and mechanics you learn on a Snark or Sunfish apply to any boat you will get next. If you are committed to a sloop buy one ready to sail. Two or three thousand dollars can get you something pretty solid. But $100 on Craigs list can get you going tomorrow and get you the practical experience you need before you hurt yourself, someone you love or worse one of us! LOL. There are no crash courses or magic wands. Pay your do's and learn. I promise you can have a blast on a Snark! Give us an update if you get a chance.
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Good advice from Todd and Serenity. Start small and work up. There are thousands of boats rotting in marinas and driveways.