And ramps can be slimy so the 4WD is needed to get tracking on the clean concrete higher up the ramp.
Fell in love with the MacGregor 26M, but...
- Thread starter SailFan1
- Start date
Not sure that was always true... when I restored this Mac V22-2, the original windaw "caulk" resembled plumber's putty....
but it worked (sort of)
Ahhh. the familiar sounds and smells of tires squealing and smoking up wet ramps
Now with winter coming slipping and sliding on the streets of DooDah is near. I have an AWD Subaru Outback so none of that for me!
I was referring to the hull-deck joint.Not sure that was always true... when I restored this Mac V22-2, the original windaw "caulk" resembled plumber's putty....
Haven't run across any lamp cord in my 26M, but it's a 2013 model.Don't forget the lampcord wiring. I'm sure it was cutting edge weight savings
Come on.... I've restored three magregors.. two V21s and a V22... never saw lampcord. Maybe automotive grade 12V wiring but not lampcord. Yes the hulls are thin... but I ran down a Catalina 27 in the Neuse river once and the owner looked very pissed when a crappy mac passed him by.Don't forget the lampcord wiring. I'm sure it was cutting edge weight savings
Here are two of my babies...
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The 26d, I've heard, had a foam gasket bedded in sealant at the hull to deck joint. Not sure about all later models. Mine appears to have a rubber gasket bedded in that joint. Can't really get a look at it, but can feel it and it doesn't feel anything like foam.
Again, the different models are often very different. The 26d is very different from the 26M that the OP was considering. Although, with their towing limit, the 26d may be a better match.
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They must have started cutting corners with the later models. My 26S lighting was that way. Other sailors in the Mac forum say the same thing.
Thank you for your question Justin. I guess where I am at the moment is that I really have no experience sailing yet, although that is about to change very soon when we get the motor on our Venture 21 in the next few days. What I wanted was a fun boat, with lots of cabin room and cockpit room, with an enclosed head (important to my daughter and me) that we can have fun sailing on, and also one day be able to pull my grandson on a tube.
I do really like 'pretty' (I'm a woman ;-), and I want my daughter and son in law (who is big 260 lbs at 6'3") to want to join us in the fun. I mention that only because safety is also very important to me and I would not want the boat to tip extraordinarily if he were to be on the edge and lean over. (Please excuse my lack of any correct terms-I will learn but I am a complete novice at the moment.) Also at the moment, we have an SUV that can go into an all wheel drive mode, and the manual says the towing limit is about 3500 lbs. I know we are stretching maybe a bit with that vehicle. We have towed trailers a couple of times probably loaded to about 4000lbs, between AZ and Denver, and it was just ok. We wouldn't make a big habit of towing all the time, mostly just locally, actually keeping it up the hill next to the lake. But we might want to bring it from AZ to Michigan in the summer sometimes, to use with family there. I also want a comfortable cabin to overnight in-that is also important to me. I have looked at the Hunter 26 online-gorgeous boat!! (I know it's not a power sailer-but might appeal to us one day/ or instead of.) But it's also too heavy for the vehicle we have at the moment, and we love that vehicle. So these are the reasons I am considering the M26. If I didn't answer you completely please let me know. I really am appreciating everyone's input! It's helping a bunch!
Because of yours and everyone's posting here, I am now beginning to look at the 26S, but I am also concerned about headroom. Wow! I know I sound picky! But the 26M seemed to handle a lot of these issues...
Thank you @JIM26. This seems to be a big consensus amongst the 26M owners, from what I've read all over. Sounds like you really do love your boat. If you're not looking for a pure sailboat, but one that can do multiple things, albeit none of it wonderfully, from what I've read, then this actually might fit the bill! It does look like it sails well enough (again, I haven't seen one in person as they are not all over the place, just what I've seen online), but you may not be racing 'thoroughbred' sailboats either, just having fun sailing. As you can see from my other posts, cabin comfort, pretty interior, all around fun for the family (sailing and tubing), and lighter trailerable weight is all important to me. I just also need to feel that it is also a safe boat as well. Thank you so much for all of your insights here, and sharing from your ownership expertise!
6'3" and 260 is going to be tight in the M cockpit. I would also want to have the ballast in when he was moving about on deck. Standing headroom in the cabin at 6'3" is going to be at the open hatch area only. He'll have to bend some everywhere else. Having said that, I believe it is the most headroom of the Mac boats.
The head in the M is near the front of the boat. This is a low headroom area, and toileting needs to be addressed from a seated position (at least that's the rule on my boat). Which brings us to the choice of fixture. Without being indelicate, at 6'3"' 260, there is a lot of accoutrement to direct into a small opening with the typical 2 gallon porta potti. @DrJudyB went through the search for the perfect fixture not too long ago and could probably shed some light on this issue.
The fact that you want to sail and pull a tube does put you in the power-sailer market.
Picky is good.
The head in the M is near the front of the boat. This is a low headroom area, and toileting needs to be addressed from a seated position (at least that's the rule on my boat). Which brings us to the choice of fixture. Without being indelicate, at 6'3"' 260, there is a lot of accoutrement to direct into a small opening with the typical 2 gallon porta potti. @DrJudyB went through the search for the perfect fixture not too long ago and could probably shed some light on this issue.
The fact that you want to sail and pull a tube does put you in the power-sailer market.
Picky is good.
Thank you
Wow! @rgranger This was really informative! I am passing all of this info along to my husband. He grew up on a lake in Michigan and did a bit of sailing growing up. I really wasn't considering the earlier 26's (or 25's), but because of yours and other's posting we may. I absolutely LOVE the H26 too! I just wish it was in the running, but alas...my current towing capacity at 3500. It has an AWD capacity and we have towed a couple of trailers loaded to about 4000 lbs from AZ to Denver. It was ok, but not great.
It is also important to my daughter that we have an enclosed head. Unfortunately the H23.5 has a curtain, and I'm really not sure exactly where to place the porta potty on it. It is a beautiful boat however. I really appreciate your detailed and informative answer. (I'll look at the Rhodes 22 too, to see what it is.)
Used properly (in accordance with manufacturer instructions), and with proper maintenance, the boat is as safe as one can be given you're on a boat in the water. Wear your PFDs, keep track of the kids, don't drink to excess, mind your ballast, don't motor fast with sails up, and for goodness sake pay attention to the weather.
Seems to me the Mac 26 was designed to be used in lakes and not to sail to the Bahamas. It will be fast enough to get to the cove with the other power boats and has a cabin large enough to lounge and party at anchor. You have to decide where and how you are going to use the boat. #1) are you going to store the boat in the water or on the trailer? There is a big difference between work and boating enjoyment. take night sailing for one. #2) Do you enjoy sailing or mostly lounging at anchor? A boat like the Mac 26 has a large cabin and is good for lounging but may not provide the same satisfaction in sailing. 3) Are you OK with a speed of 5 to 7 MPH or do you need to go 18 MPH. A good sailboat in that size will probably top out at 5 to 6 knots and it may take you half a day to reach a destination 20 miles away. The Mac 26 could probably reach that destination in an hour and a half or travel three times as far in the same time. 4) Do you intend to sail with the wife and kids mostly or are you regularly going to invite friends and others? A pure sailboat will shrink in size when crowded while a big cabin may be the best feature of the Mac. 5) What are the odds of running into foul weather in your sailing area? A pure sailboat can probably handle more bad weather than the average captain but the Mac in this regard could be a looser. Less stability, smaller sail plan and high freeboard. 6) Do you intend to trailer the boat frequently to different sailing venues? This relates to a water ballasted vessel where Boat size and tow weight become important considerations. If on the other hand the boat is going to be just stored in the trailer a short distance away from the ramp of your boating area then perhaps you could consider a boat with a ballasted swing keel or a short fixed keel centerboard combo. The point is get the boat that best fits your needs. With the Mac it is nice to think hey I'm getting a sailboat and power boat capabilities all in one. Not quite the boat does not sail nor motor very well. To end, a water ballast vessel has to be used according to the manufacturers instructions. A boat with an empty or just partially filled water ballast tank will not have adequate stability and is prone to rolling and capsizing. The valves in the water tank must be maintained in good operating condition. If you lend the boat instruct the borrower about the use and importance of the water tank. Shifting stability can be just as bad as no stability. With the tank partially filled water will shift with motion and just move the ballast weight around making it difficult to predict behavior or recovery should external forces get in synchrony with the internally shifting ballast forces.
I have spent countless hours pulling kids around on tubes, skis, wakeboards, SUP’s.....you name it and I’ve likely tried it.
other than doing any of it with a sailboat as the power source If this is your primary purpose of going with a motorsailer vs a more traditional sailboat you might not be happy with the tubing experience. By the time you load parents, grandparents, water ballast as @Jim26m recommends, a couple of kids to ride the tube you might have trouble getting to a speed that the kids consider fun.
Depends a lot on the kids “approach to adventure”, their age etc just like any other kid activity. Max tubing speed is about 15mph, sort of close to the M’s max speed lightly loaded and empty ballast. It doesn’t take long in my experience for kids to get used to going slow and want to up the excitement factor.
If you have other reasons like getting back to the launch site under power quicker than most sailboats then just ignore what I’m saying
The Rhodes 22 will not meet your tubing needs but it does have an enclosed head. The Rhodes also comes with this interesting grating on the cockpit floor that can be lifted up and then covers the cockpit well. This converts the cockpit into a second queen sized berth. And there is an enclosure that covers it all up. Also, the top of the cabin pops up to give extra headroom. I don't think it is 6'3" but it is extra.
