Hello from Upstate NY

Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
Hi all,
My wife and I are new to all of this and seriously looking at a 1990 26D.
I would like to talk with local Mac owners (if there are any) but haven't been able to find a directory where I can sort by location. Can anyone point me to such a directory?
Also, does anyone have a check list of things to look for when assessing for purchase?
I can't imagine it would be cost effective to hire a marine inspector for a $5,000 boat.
Thank you.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
You can private message people on this forum by hovering over their avatar. Do a search for 26D in the search field and then message an owner with a question about what to look for ... known problem areas etc.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
oh yeah.... and Welcome! :biggrin:

This is a great place to ask questions and test your knowledge.

Fair winds,
 
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May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Yes, it would be appropriate to have a Marine surveyor conduct a survey. It is not the $5K you may be willing to gamble but these days it can cost a couple of Thousand Dollars to dispose of a boat which is found not sea worthy. Furthermore when you go to insure the boat the Insurance Company is likely to require a survey; might as well get it up front. Many times items found during a survey can help a buyer get a reduction in price.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Yes, it would be appropriate to have a Marine surveyor conduct a survey. It is not the $5K you may be willing to gamble but these days it can cost a couple of Thousand Dollars to dispose of a boat which is found not sea worthy. Furthermore when you go to insure the boat the Insurance Company is likely to require a survey; might as well get it up front. Many times items found during a survey can help a buyer get a reduction in price.
I think that is generally good advice but I will offer up a counter point view. You are looking at a 30 year old boat that was on the low end when it was new. You are not going to insure it for its value. Just get liability and that should be in the few hundreds of dollars a year range. Mine is insured through State Farm and bundled with my homeowners. So, I'm not recommending you hire a surveyor. You just are not investing that much money. Find an avid sailor near where you live (this forum is a good place to search) and ask if they will go look the boat over with you. Also, you have to get mentally strong and not look at the cosmetic items...(but that can be hard to do) a 30 year old boat that has sat on its trailer can be ugly but otherwise sound. Just remember a pressure wash, buff and wax can do marvelous things to a boat.

I have bought, fixed up and flipped seven old sailboats over the years.

... here are the things on my list when I look over a boat.

1) What does the trailer look like? A new trailer and trailer repairs will cost you real money. ($2K) Look hard at the trailer.
2) What condition is the outboard? A new O.B. and O.B. repairs will cost you real money.($2K) Does it start by the third pull? Was it already warm when you got there? If so, the owner may know it is weak and he primed it before you got there.
3) What condition are the sails? (You may need a sailor to go with you on this one) New sails will cost real money ($2K) and old blown out sails will make you hate the boat. You are no looking to see if the sails are clean. You are looking at the shape and if the fabric has stretched.
4) What condition is the standing rigging (the cables, a.k.a. stays). The the chainplates (attachement points) solid? Rusty? Do any of the stays have broken wires? Rub a piece of cotton on the stays and if they snag cotton then they are shot. If they are shot you can expect to pay up to $1K if you do the work yourself or more if you hire a rigger.
5) Is the mast straight and solid? If not walk away from this one.

Next start looking for any signs the boat hit the bottom hard. Are there chips missing from the dagger board? Are there any cracks around the board's trunk? The macs do not have a cored hull so no worries about soft spots... and cosmetic fiberglass damage above the water line are relatively easy fixes that people here on this forum can walk you through so don't let those become an automatic "no". Also gel coat spider cracks are common and only cosmetic.

If 1 through 5 are all good, the boat is worth $5K. If the boat is cosmetically clean, updates to equipment have been made, the O.B. and sails are less than three years old, the trailer is freshly painted and has newer tires.. you may start getting close to $10K. If anything in 1 - 5 is questionable, you should think real hard about how bad you want this boat. Are you handy with carpentry and paint? Can you weld (trailer)? Are you mechanically inclined (O.B.)? etc. Also, do you have a shop to work on the boat? How much do you enjoy tinkering or would you rather be sailing right away?

Expect to have to replace all of the running rigging (ropes). Expect any wood will need a sanding and a fresh coat of varnish. Expect the hull to need buffing and waxing. Expect to replace the carpet inside (carpet tiles are the way to go here). Expect the cushions to be musty and need cleaning and maybe a new covering. Plan on replaceing all of the light bulbs with LED bulbs. These things can be done a little at a time while you enjoy the boat.
 
Apr 30, 2012
27
MacGregor 26m Jefferson, NY
I'm in Jefferson NY about an hour and half from you 26M. Mostly sail on Champlain. I'm thinking look for blisters in the hull and have the engine majorly checked.
 

srimes

.
Jun 9, 2020
211
Macgregor 26D Brookings
Call up local inspectors and see what they charge. Should be a lot less for a trailer boat than a 40' yacht. If you find one close you may be looking at 3-500. Money well spent if you aren't comfortable doing an inspection yourself.

That said, there isn't that much too these boats and most everything is repairable. I did my own inspection when I bought mine.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Your more likely to have engine and trailer problems than "clorox bottle" problems. Yep. that's what Macs are called ;)
I had a '92 26S for many years.
What steered you to the Macs? This bunch can also offer up other great alternatives depending on how you plan to sail.
 
Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
I’ve been doing a lot of research online and came to the conclusion, that for us a trailer sailor made the most sense. Being novices, with not a lot of money to invest, keel boats seemed next level investments. And while a 27-30 foot keel boat would be a lot more comfortable and perhaps more seaworthy, the cost of everything is more.
The MacGregor 26d seems to be the perfect boat for us. Easy to learn on, easy to repair, won’t break the bank, very shallow draft with dagger board up (beachable) and is reported to sail the best of all 26’ Macs.
My wife and I plan to putts (motor) up and down the Hudson River (which is at our front door), perhaps putts the Champlain and Erie Canal systems, sail the lower Hudson, Adirondack lakes such as Lake George, The Great Sacandaga Lake, as well as other area lakes. Who knows, we might find our way to Florida, the Keys and the Bahamas. My understanding is that this boat will do all of that. It remains to be seen if the Admiral and Captain are up to it.
All comments appreciated.
I’ve looked at all the trailer sailors I could find and the Mac 26d was the biggest in its class and affordable.
The 1990 boat we are hoping to purchase is in very good condition, sits on a 2011 aluminum trailer with duel axle, E/H brakes and torsion springs. Has a brand new Tohatsu 9.8 w/ electric start, alternator, duel deep cycle marine batteries, solar panel, Bimini, etc, etc.
We are very excited!
 
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Aug 7, 2018
179
Catalina 350 Great Sodus Bay, Lake Ontario
It sounds like you will be very disappointed if this gets sold out from under you. Write the check and go get it! Great to see you so emotionally invested and excited. I have never regretted buying any of the 25+ boats I have owned.
 
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Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
I don’t believe the current owner would sell it out from under me. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy, with a lot of sailing experience and knowledge to share.
 
Aug 5, 2019
92
Macgregor 26 S NJ
Don't forget about quiet inland "electric-only" lakes. I too like motoring with the gas motor and the chop that the motorboats kick up on the larger gas motor lakes & the Hudson River, but oh what peace you'll find when you sail on an electric-only lake, especially if camping out anchored overnight. That 26D will let you go anywhere you want to go including run of the mill boat ramps. Every time I put my 26S on my local smaller electric-only lake she & I become stars, I get people coming up to me both on the water and at the ramp asking how big she is and how did I get her in. I bought a used $50 Minnkota Spider 48LB thrust that moves the boat sufficiently. Start looking for an electric trolling motor now if the boat doesn't come with one.
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Did you get it? If you missed out, open your search to the "S" model as well. They are identical except the CB swings back and up. Nice if you unexpectedly get in the shallows. There's a sticky in the Mac forum that discusses all models.
 
Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
Did you get it? If you missed out, open your search to the "S" model as well. They are identical except the CB swings back and up. Nice if you unexpectedly get in the shallows. There's a sticky in the Mac forum that discusses all models.
Don't forget about quiet inland "electric-only" lakes. I too like motoring with the gas motor and the chop that the motorboats kick up on the larger gas motor lakes & the Hudson River, but oh what peace you'll find when you sail on an electric-only lake, especially if camping out anchored overnight. That 26D will let you go anywhere you want to go including run of the mill boat ramps. Every time I put my 26S on my local smaller electric-only lake she & I become stars, I get people coming up to me both on the water and at the ramp asking how big she is and how did I get her in. I bought a used $50 Minnkota Spider 48LB thrust that moves the boat sufficiently. Start looking for an electric trolling motor now if the boat doesn't come with one.
Thanks for the advice. I knew I should have kept the 45# thrust Minn Kota motor I had on my old job boat.
I have often wondered what size lake would be minimum for comfortable sailing of the 26c. Any ideas?
 
Sep 16, 2020
37
Macgregor 26D Mechanicville, NY
Did you get it? If you missed out, open your search to the "S" model as well. They are identical except the CB swings back and up. Nice if you unexpectedly get in the shallows. There's a sticky in the Mac forum that discusses all models.
Not yet. Hopefully this week.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Thanks for the advice. I knew I should have kept the 45# thrust Minn Kota motor I had on my old job boat.
I have often wondered what size lake would be minimum for comfortable sailing of the 26c. Any ideas?
The size of the lake doesn't matter but larger lakes can produce larger waves. Don't end up like the Edmund Fitzgerald. There are sailors who take them to the islands from Florida
 
Aug 5, 2019
92
Macgregor 26 S NJ
Thanks for the advice. I knew I should have kept the 45# thrust Minn Kota motor I had on my old job boat.
I have often wondered what size lake would be minimum for comfortable sailing of the 26c. Any ideas?
A lot depends on you and what you want and expect out of a boating experience. I'm happy just being out on the water, some may not settle for anything other than the ocean. As for minimal comfort in sailing, I would say that if you see Sunfish sailing dingies out there your Mac can get out there too. My local lake is 520 acres, about three miles long and one mile wide at its largest edges.

As Justin_NSA said, the swing keep version of the classic 26 is a very forgiving boat, not *if* you hit something ( a shoal, rock or stump) but when you do.