Looking for a boat

[Gare Bear]

As a new sailor, you need to decide whether you want a "real" sailboat or a hybrid. In this day and age, that means do you want a displacement boat or a water ballast boat that is capable of planing with a higher-power motor. For MacGregor boats, the question would translate "would you want a MacGregor 25 swing keel, or a version of the Mac 26 with water ballast?

Water ballast boats such as the Mac 26s are a compromise -- they are partially planing and partially displacement. As such, they aren't really either one. 26s heel a lot and cannot sail as close to the wind as a good displacement boat. They are fast on a reach, but I can beat them upwind in my Mac 25 displacement boat. Nothing wrong with Mac 26s. They are roomier and more comfortable below decks than a Mac 25.

A very real consideration is if you will be trailering between zebra/quagga-infested waters, in which case a water ballasted boat is a real pain in the *#@$. My displacement boat is very easy to inspect and there is really nothing to disinfect, except perhaps the water cooling system of the 4-stroke motor.

 

[Sumner]

As a new sailor, you need to decide whether you want a "real" sailboat or a hybrid. In this day and age, that means do you want a displacement boat or a water ballast boat that is capable of planing with a higher-power motor. For MacGregor boats, the question would translate "would you want a MacGregor 25 swing keel, or a version of the Mac 26 with water ballast?

Water ballast boats such as the Mac 26s are a compromise -- they are partially planing and partially displacement. As such, they aren't really either one. 26s heel a lot and cannot sail as close to the wind as a good displacement boat. They are fast on a reach, but I can beat them upwind in my Mac 25 displacement boat. Nothing wrong with Mac 26s. They are roomier and more comfortable below decks than a Mac 25.

A very real consideration is if you will be trailering between zebra/quagga-infested waters, in which case a water ballasted boat is a real pain in the *#@$. My displacement boat is very easy to inspect and there is really nothing to disinfect, except perhaps the water cooling system of the 4-stroke motor.

You keep referring to a 26S. The 26S and the D before it will not plane under power and are displacement hulls. I think you are referring mostly to the 26X (next boat after the the 26S) and then the 26M (MacGregor's last 26) which will plane with the right size outboard.

The 26S and 26D are faster boats than a 25 under sail,

Sum

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[Doc_holiday]

I would also disagree in that the 26s will sail as close to the wind as a "real" sailboat.

 

[alabamaranger]

My 26D is not a planning boat design. Does keel quicker since maybe because I run the dagger board only 18" down. From moving from a Catalina 22 Swing keel to the Mac 26D, It sames like a much better handling boat. I actually having a great time with the boat. I throw in some Chlorine tablets into the ballast to keep the water clean. I'm thinking since you don't have that swing keel in the water - it will be less resistance so you get a faster boat?

 

[doehunter]

As a new sailor, you need to decide whether you want a "real" sailboat or a hybrid. In this day and age, that means do you want a displacement boat or a water ballast boat that is capable of planing with a higher-power motor. For MacGregor boats, the question would translate "would you want a MacGregor 25 swing keel, or a version of the Mac 26 with water ballast?

Water ballast boats such as the Mac 26s are a compromise -- they are partially planing and partially displacement. As such, they aren't really either one. 26s heel a lot and cannot sail as close to the wind as a good displacement boat. They are fast on a reach, but I can beat them upwind in my Mac 25 displacement boat. Nothing wrong with Mac 26s. They are roomier and more comfortable below decks than a Mac 25.

A very real consideration is if you will be trailering between zebra/quagga-infested waters, in which case a water ballasted boat is a real pain in the *#@$. My displacement boat is very easy to inspect and there is really nothing to disinfect, except perhaps the water cooling system of the 4-stroke motor.

The type of ballast has nothing to do with whether a hull is a planing hull or a displacement hull.
A tug boat for instance, is a displacement hull and has NO ballast.
Full size cargo ships are displacement hulls and have many "water ballast" tanks.
A 26X, and the 26M are both water ballast and the hulls are planing hulls. It's only those two that are the "hybrids".
They historically don't sail as well as the 26D or the 26S which are traditional sailboats that just use a water ballast instead of lead. 1200 lbs of it.
You don't need winch to get the keel up, and they are actually lighter on a trailer than the 25. (listed as 1650 lbs.)
I haven't looked but have you compared the PHRF numbers of the 25 to the 26 classics? I believe the D is rated to be the fastest of those 3 models.

 

[Piotr]

The type of ballast has nothing to do with whether a hull is a planing hull or a displacement hull.
A tug boat for instance, is a displacement hull and has NO ballast.
Full size cargo ships are displacement hulls and have many "water ballast" tanks.
A 26X, and the 26M are both water ballast and the hulls are planing hulls. It's only those two that are the "hybrids".
They historically don't sail as well as the 26D or the 26S which are traditional sailboats that just use a water ballast instead of lead. 1200 lbs of it.
You don't need winch to get the keel up, and they are actually lighter on a trailer than the 25. (listed as 1650 lbs.)
I haven't looked but have you compared the PHRF numbers of the 25 to the 26 classics? I believe the D is rated to be the fastest of those 3 models.

D-PN numbers:
MacGregor 25 MCG25 96.0
MacGregor 25 (MH Rig) MCG25M 95.4
MacGregor 26 DB (MCG26) MCG26D 92.6
MacGregor 26 SK (MCG26W) MCG26S 94.3
MacGregor 26M DB MCG26M [96.0]
MacGregor 26X SK MCG26X 100.0

So the fastest one (by a very small margin) is 26D. 26X is the slowest. The 25s and 26S and M are identical.

 

[Sumner]

Here are the PHRF from one source (low number is faster):

March 1995 to March 2007

Boat..........................Lowest...................Highest................Average

MACGREGOR 25 ............225.................... 246....................... 231
MACGREGOR 25 MH....... 218.................... 237....................... 228
MACGREGOR 26S........... 210.................... 258....................... 222
MACGREGOR 26 DB........ 210.................... 219 .......................213
MACGREGOR 26 X ..........216.................... 273....................... 228
MACGREGOR 65............ -45 ......................15........................ -24

and 2005 through 2011

MACGREGOR 25............ 222.................... 246 .........................231
MACGREGOR 26S ..........198..................... 258 ........................222
MACGREGOR 26 DB....... 210..................... 216........................ 210
MACGREGOR 26 X......... 220..................... 273........................ 234

May the best captain with the newest sails win and they are all faster than a lot of boats that people call 'real sailboats",

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

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[CzechMate]

Hello Tackigator
I have just decided to sell my boat. However, I am in NE Ohio, and that is a long way from Texas. But I will tell you about my boat anyway. I have a 1988 Mac26D. (Daggerboard).
She is in good shape and was stored indoors for the winters, and sails well. All three sails (Main, Jib, & Genoa) are in excellent condition. Cockpit cushions, and cabin cushions are very good, it has a porta potty, galley with Origio alcohol stove, pop-top, halyard and jib sheet cockpit organizer, 9.9 hp Yamaha motor, recently refurbished trailer w/ excellant tires, life jackets, accessories, and lots of spare parts. Asking $6900.00. She is dry, and never has had water in the bilge. We are a long way from each other, but she is a good buy.
Tom

 

[claryscove]

Mac for sale in Richardson

Just recently there was an older Mac for sale at La Vida Statships sailboat dealership in Richardson, TX. Don't know if they still have it or not.