Biggest Weekender

[Nevada City Bob]

Unlike Don and OC in the Largest Trailerable thread, I want to dip all over the north state area. I have a Mac 25 and like it except for the cramped sleeping quarters. I want to stay within CA's 8'-6" beam limit (without a permit) both for legality and because of the road up to my house. I have been looking closely at the Seaward 26RK, but am somewhat put off by the reports from owners that it doesn't point well and has a fair amount of leeway due to the very narrow keel. I like the iron swing keel on my Mac and would rather not resort to a water ballasted boat. I want something with more solidity/seaworthyness and a bigger berth that I can still haul home after a weekend on the lake or bay.

 

[Louis Holub]

We stuck with a MacGregor...

We had a Mac 26S previously, and it sailed quite well. But we also wanted more head room. We moved up to a Mac 26-X, and have been delighted. Comfort, trailerability, handling, set up, upgrading, and overnighting have been what we wanted. Considering that you mentioned negatives about a waterballast, we however, have preferred the waterballast for the ease of trailerability and handling at the ramp. Interestingly...we can dump the waterballast if we decide to motor, drop the sails, and hit 18 - 20 MPH with our 50HP. Its a great fun boat ! I havent found an unhappy Mac owner yet...and have met many.Happy Sailing to You and Yours....

 

[Nevada City Bob]

Glad you're happy

with your 26X, but not my cup o' tea. It seems that all the better built cruisers are beamy at 9' or more. I really don't want to get flamed by all the happy Mac owners out there (remember, I am one), but there is a reason they are so much cheaper than comparably sized craft. They are easy to trailer hybrids, and I'm looking for a more solid, classic sailboat, but everything I like is too wide.

 

[Night Sailor]

CM30

I once owned a Crealock designed CM30 built by Coastal Marine in 1977. Beam was 8' so it required no special permit. It has a shoal draft fixed fin keel and a trailer that was not too bad to launch at most sites. I've seen a few of them parked in yards in NM, CO, and UT. Could be one near you. We enjoyed that boat very much. Outboard powered in an enclosed motorwell, transom hung rudder with tiller could turn it around on it's keel. It could do hull speed with a 10 hp Johnson in fairly steep chop. Very easy and forgiving sail boat. Solidly built for the price. Our old one is off sailing the Carribean right now.

 

[Nevada City Bob]

Thanks Night Sailor

There are a couple for sale in the bay area. I had not heard of Clipper Marine, but then I'm still kinda new to this. The pix and specs look like a hit. Loooong extension for the trailer and a mast raising system and I've got 3 more feet in the water.Thanks again, that's why I love the boards. There is always somebody out there with the knowledge I need.

 

[Carey]

Check out the San Juan 23

After living in the desert of West Texas and hauling a '92 McGregor 26 first, then a Com-Pac 19 and a San Juan 23, we enjoyed the SJ the most. Every trip was a weekender at one lake or the other and our SJ gave us the most comfort. Do a Google and research.......you might find one near you.

 

[Nevada City Bob]

V berth

Carey, how was the room in the V berth on your SJ?That is the issue with my Mac 25. The wife and I feel it is too tight (width at bow) to sleep together comfortably and I don't like our current solution.

 

[Bob]

A real good boat

It might not be what you are looking for, but I really like the Ericson 23 centerboarder. It is very solid, well balanced, and responsive and its performance is competitive with most boats up to about 27' (phrf's about 230). However, it is more a trailerable sailboat than a weekend trailer-sailer because it has a large mast and generally needs a tongue extension, and it weighs close to 4k all loaded up, not counting the trailer. I think you will find most V-berths to have the same characteristics as yours - two people end up playing footsie all night at the narrow end, even in many larger boats. Can you modify the interior on your boat so that the other berths can be made wider?

 

[Tom2909]

Don't discount the WB models...

For a larger berth, the MAC 26s WB (sailboat, circa early 1990s) would fill the bill with the queen size aft berth. Still have head and headroom limitiations. The Catalina 25 WB is still trailerable, has beam of 8.5 feet and has a little bigger feel. The ultimate trailer sailor, in my opinion, is the Hunter 260. It too has a queen aft berth, and offers more head room and a real enclosed head compared to the others mentioned. The trailer is legal without permits, I am told, although some people get nervous about the 9' beam on the road. I've trailered and launched both the Mac26s and H260 singlehanded.Fair winds,Tom