Advice for Beginner

jssailem · Nov 23, 2019

A jeep has the space of a decent sized cockpit. I have seen 6 pile onto a jeep and have fun dune bugging.

But this and sailing for several hours in a 19ft boat are different. They would need to be pretty friendly to still have smiles after a 4 hour sail.

You need to go to the docks and ask to sit on a few boats to build your perspective of space and crowds. So much of having fun on a boat is feeling comfortable in the space you have.

Welcome to the forum. It is great that you are getting into the world of sailing. Join a local club and take an introductory class. Explore the experience of sailing in a few small boats. Ride a Hobby Catamaran, and a sunfish. Both fun boats but offering a different experience. Ask a boater to crew for them on a big boat. This will expand your experiences. All will be instructive and help you in being able to decide the type of boat you will enjoy.

BigEasy · Nov 23, 2019

wk3636 said:
Hi all. I'm new to the sailing world and looking to purchase my first boat. I plan on getting lessons and more hands-on experience in the near future but I'd like your advice in the meantime.

Welcome to the forum; you're going to get a lot of advice here and learn from other's experiences.
Here's my advice; "don't put the cart before the horse. " Get some lessons and spend a bit of time on the water before rushing into purchasing your first boat. After experiencing different boats first hand, you may have a different idea of what type of boat that you want to own or reaffirm your desire for a Mac. I would recommend contacting Lanier Sailing in Pensacola for lessons. They have been teaching for some 20+ years and will show you the ropes, before you pickup any bad habits. I chartered from them for years and they run a great sailing school. They also run a sailing club for a reasonable membership fee and provide unlimited access to Catalina 22's and 25's. Unfortunately, they discontinued their big boat charter operation, in which I frequented. And, don't hesitate to reach out, I am your "neck of the woods" as are a few others.
Good luck.

Scott T-Bird · Nov 23, 2019

You didn't mention anything about where you intend to keep your boat. That should influence your thinking. Are you going to keep it on a trailer and tow it? Or, are you going to keep it at a slip? Keep in mind that one of the primary reasons sailors choose a water-ballasted MacGregor is because it is offers significant living space at very light weight for towing. With the light weight, you are going to compromise some things. You will figure that out if you sail one before purchasing, which you should do.

If you intend to keep the boat on a slip and make frequent ventures to gulf islands that you mention, there is no need to make those compromises and you might want to look for a boat with the features that are best suited for the use. I won't deny that the ability to pull up the keel to land on sandy shores is a big attraction! I think that the big engine on a Mac 26x gives a beginning sailor a false sense of security if that is the reason that it attracts you, but that is my opinion. Most want the larger engine for the alternative attractions that a power boat offers.

Daveinet · Nov 23, 2019

Spend 1000 bucks on a 16 ft open bow boat and learn to sail for a year or 2. This will lay a foundation to learn what you want in a boat and help you to understand more clearly what people describe in a boat that sails well compared to one that doesn't. Buying a relatively inexpesive boat will prevent you from blowing a lot of money and then realizing you made a mistake. A small boat will teach you a lot, without taking a chance on loosing a lot of money. You can always sell it for nearly what you paid for it. Look at something like a Thistle, or even a Holder 20, but I would not go any bigger than that. Both are good boats and hold their resale value.
Take baby steps and limit your exposure until you really know how to make a good judgement. Big dreams are great, but take the time to climb the ladder, don't assume you can just jump and grab the top rung.

capta · Nov 23, 2019

My suggestion is to buy a 15 foot or smaller very cheap dinghy that's pretty beat up, but serviceable. This is not going to be a boat to take your friends out on, but instead you will be crashing into docks, running aground and even tipping her over on occasion. This is the boat to make all your mistakes on, before you buy a nicer, more expensive boat. And believe me, if you start with the more expensive boat, you are still going to make all the same mistakes, classes or not, but the repair bills will be much more expensive, and if you load the boat up with friends, there is the possibility of someone getting hurt.
This is how almost every professional sailor of note learned to sail, not through some expensive cookie cutter course.
Along with your little beater, I would highly recommend a great little book called Royce's Sailing Illustrated, a fun yet very comprehensive book filled with important information for the novice sailor or experienced professional. No massive preachy tome this, just a well put together book with everything from rigging, docking and even splicing. I've been using it to teach sailing for over 45 years.
Good luck and remember, sailing is supposed to be fun, so keep that in mind when you are having a hard day.

DrJudyB · Nov 23, 2019

A thistle has to be one of the most uncomfortable boats ever built. And not very forgiving of newbie mistakes. I wouldn’t recommend it to a newbie who wants to ddaysail and cruise. It takes a lot of athletic ability and strength. It’s a good choice if you want to race at a very competitive level and don’t mind discomfort.

A holder 20 is a reasonable suggestion. It’s a lot more comfy than a dinghy with a nice cockpit and a small cabin for stowing things and a small cabin for the occasion overnight, more like camping. It’s a very nice little boat but certainly not the only fish in the sea.

Judy

cb32863 · Nov 23, 2019

What everyone else said. Get some on the water time. Just say no to the 26X, seriously. You want to sail not, whatever that thing does.

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Nov 23, 2019

The 26X would do what you want quite nicely- good space inside, enclosed head, etc. It IS NOT an offshore boat however. But in the sound, if you watch your weather, should suit you fine. I've sailed a good bit in Mississippi Sound and been to the barriers often . Have a friend who lives in Passcagoula who sails a 12 foot cat boat out there. Just watch the weather.

Make sure it has the updated rudder mounts. When I was assisting a dealer, before I became a Mac dealer, we bent the mountings and Roger upgraded them. I stopped being a Mac dealer after the 26M was introduced. Better sailing boat, but lousy interior.

It won't be the boat you want to eventually keep, more than likely though.

dlochner · Nov 23, 2019

DrJudyB said:
A thistle has to be one of the most uncomfortable boats ever built. And not very forgiving of newbie mistakes. I wouldn’t recommend it to a newbie who wants to ddaysail and cruise. It takes a lot of athletic ability and strength. It’s a good choice if you want to race at a very competitive level and don’t mind discomfort.

A holder 20 is a reasonable suggestion. It’s a lot more comfy than a dinghy with a nice cockpit and a small cabin for stowing things and a small cabin for the occasion overnight, more like camping. It’s a very nice little boat but certainly not the only fish in the sea.

Judy

Absolutely a Thistle is not a boat for a beginner. It's not comfortable at all and it is a bit tender. A friend with limited sailing experience took his pregnant wife out for a sail on their new Thistle. She was not appreciative of the swim they took.

A better beginner sailboat is the Flying Scot, designed by Sandy Douglas who also designed the Thistle. They are very simple to sail with an active class association. And if you want to drive to Syracuse NY, I'll give you one.

Tally Ho · Nov 23, 2019

I started sailing about 10: years ago, with ZERO experience,

I also was very intrigued by the Mac 26X or 26M. The ability to motor fast with a 50 HP motor seemed like a great feature. Being able to trailer the boat easier (water ballast and swing keel or dagger board), and an enclosed cabin (no pop top).

I asked around, and found someone to take me for a sail on his 26X. We sail on a Lake Michigan. We met at a boat ramp, and I helped him rig and launch the boat (almost an hour).

We motored out of the channel, in choppy water, and the boat bounced a lot (no ballast in yet). We motored as fast as the boat would go (I don’t think he had a 50HP). The boat seemed to wallow in the water, and would not get up on a plane. I wasn’t impressed with the motoring characteristics.

We put water ballast in and raised the sails. She was ok, but not fast under sail and pretty tender. I wasn’t real impressed with her sailing characteristic.

When we got back to the ramp, I helped him get the boat on the trailer and tear it back down for trailering home. This took over an hour.

In the end, for me, I made several decisions:
1) I was going to keep my boat at a marina...too much time lost setting up and tearing down every time I wanted to sail.
2) Mac 26 X/M with water ballast (or a Hunter Edge for that matter) was not for me. I wanted a more traditional, heavier boat.

I took a 3-day charter boat class (I could charter a sailboat from them when I passed the class), and charted a few times that summer.

Over the winter, I bought my first boat, a 1998 Hunter 280. I consider that boat a step up from a Mac 26x or M. Inboard diesel, marine head/holding tank, somewhat functional galley, nice rear berth. 5-foot fixed keel. She was a great starter boat. Cost around $25k. I sailed her for 4 years or so, and learned a lot about sailing and boat maintenance. She did not require much, but it was good to learn about the various systems.

I later purchased the boat I have now...a 1988 O’Day 322. Around the same price, but a much more useful cabin (fully functional galley, V and rear berth). And she is heavier and faster than the Hunter 280. The O’Day draws about 4 feet, with a wing keel. She doesn’t point as well as the Hunter did, but not too bad.

I am in my 50’s and probably bought my first boat around 50 (Hmmmm never noticed that it could have been a mid-life crisis ;-). Not sure your circumstances, but if you can afford to buy, slip, and maintain a sailboat, I say go for it. Maybe you want to get on a few boats before you decide (certainly go for a sail on a Mac 26x or M before you buy), and see what is out there. An older Mac may be a better bet than the 26X.

Good luck, should be an exciting time!

Greg

Whatfiero1 · Nov 23, 2019

Mobile Yacht club racers are always looking for crew check there Facebook page get on a boat and figure out what u want

capta · Nov 23, 2019

Whatfiero1 said:
Mobile Yacht club racers are always looking for crew check there Facebook page get on a boat and figure out what u want

Before you consider that, or sailing with anybody as crew, it would behoove you to learn a few of the basic sailing terms. You'd have a pretty tough time being helpful if you don't know a sheet from a halyard, a winch from a wench, or port from starboard. It's a whole new language, but you only need to learn the basics up front.

Dave c30 · Nov 23, 2019

I would go to the nearest marina, walk the pier's and visit with the friendlies, ask them all your questions, tour there boats then decide.

jeepbluetj · Nov 23, 2019

What they all said. Get some rides on OPB's. (Other people's boats) Find out what you like. Racers need crew, but you need to find a crew you like (I won't crew with yellers) Heck, I've taken the boat out with random folks I met walking around the marina.

The 26X.... Hmm... It sails better than most motorboats - which don't sail at all. It does not sail better a sailboat. Can motor faster than other sailboats of same size. There's a few in my marina that get quite a bit of use. Decent concept for a trailer boat. Buuut - not a very good boat overall.

My go-to recommendation for newbies is a outboard powered Catalina 27. The reasons:
1. They're cheap and widely available. (real cheap, can be found in usable shape for less than $5K)
2. The outboard is easy to fix/get fixed, easy to replace, more reliable than the inboards they came with. Working on a C-27's inboard is horrible - very poor access. The outboard is in a well and isn't too tough to deal with.
3. If rigged decently and has anything but horrible sails will sail quite well. You won't go super fast (PHRF of 210... not a speedster)
4. Plenty of room and a decent layout. Feels like a much bigger boat. Plenty of space for comfortable weekending for 2.
5. Better built,more sturdy, not nearly as tender compared to the 26X.
6. A common gateway drug to larger cruising boats.

Downside is a C-27 is not a ramp-launch trailerable boat.

rgranger · Nov 23, 2019

Most of these threads tend to go down a rabbit hole and which hole it goes down is heavily influenced by the first persons to respond. So this thread went down the "get some experience first, then buy a boat" hole. I've seen others that go a different direction.

So let me show you the other "hole". I like what @Scott T-Bird said.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW YOU USE YOUR BOAT.

So if you are going to keep it on a trailer, then consider the Mac 26x 26m 26s or 26d. I'd also look at the Hunter 26 and 260 or the Catalina 250. The Mac 25 is also a great sailing boat for what you pay and a good boat to learn on and it still has an enclosed head and a retractable keel. The thing about trailer sailboats is it is nice to take them to new places but a PITA for a quick sail after work or on a weekend.

I have a Hunter 26 but I keep it at a slip. So I have sort of split the difference. YMMV

Apex · Nov 24, 2019

rgranger has good point, in think about actual usage. But just go ahead and get something, build your experience and preferences from there. Find a boat in good condition at a fair price that you can sell later as you begin to learn more.

You can also gain more experience visiting the local yacht club on Wednesday race nights. Introduce yourself and get on a boat.

ENJOY the experience and have fun both shopping and sailing.

jssailem · Nov 24, 2019

wk3636 said:
you know how it is, you get excited and want to skip those early "steps"

It is called "Run before you can walk" or "Cruise before you can Sail". If you did not think that way you could be Strange..

It is good to jump in a little. The advice to get a little boat that is inexpensive and can give you a taste is great. It gets you on the water and off the beach...

Joining a sailing club will get you sailing without the boat expense and they will require you to take lessons, to help you stay safe, before they give you the boat to use...

Make it fun and let us know how it is going.

DrJudyB · Nov 24, 2019

One very important consideration is budget. Boats are not inexpensive to operate and maintain. “Bargain” boats are usually very expensive because they have deferred maintenance, compared to ones that have been meticulously maintained and sell at higher prices.

What is your budget for acquisition and fixing deferred maintenance ? Annual upkeep like bottom paint or Slip fees.