Macgregor 26X Advice

[Meriachee]

There's the thing. Every boat is a compromise, and the ability to launch the boat in a storm reservoir is a huge advantage, as most of the facilities on the prairies are lousy. People who own water ballast, skegs, and retractable keels in a trailerable configuration have the ability to go places. We gave up a huge amount of mobility with the 270, and a lot of time was spent making it as adaptable as possible, but there are definitely places that the 26c could easily go that the 270 will never go. Then again, the 26c didn't require a 350 class diesel to get around either, but you can stand up to get dressed in the 270. You can do that in an X/M class boat.

 

[Jim26m]

He who says a Mac26X sails good has never sailed a San Juan 21; the same feeling of driving a vintage Porsche in a twisty road.

Never sailed a San Juan 21, so I wouldn't be qualified to make a comparison to the 26x (nor was I making any such comparison). The Macgregor power sailers are not the worst sailing boats I've been on by a long shot. I consider any day spent on the water a good day. And a day spent on the water in a sailboat is a great day. I could probably have a good time sailing a washtub holding a trash bag (if there was cold beer in the wash tub). I celebrate any person getting to sail in anything that they enjoy, and I'm ready to go enjoy it with them if invited.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience in a 26x. The Macgregor power sailers are not the best sailing boats, nor the worst. I think they are good sailing boats and I stand by my statement. If a San Juan 21 sails better, that's great.

Would that Porsche have a PHRF of 258 on that twisty road?

 

[Hondo76251]

Some prefer swing keels for shallow water but I've found I like the dagger boards much more. With as little as 6" of board down I can still make good headway upwind, especially in light air. On my 25D with about 6" of dagger board I'm only drafting about 20-24" not many places I cant sail in and out of.

 

[kenny13669]

I own a 26X, with 50 HP Nissan 2 stroke which weighs about 160 lbs. Use it on Ghost Lake. Originally bought it years ago to be able to pull small kids in tube etc, but also sail. NOT a racing class boat for sure, but I always enjoy it on the water now and no longer tow kids.
I do like the 50 HP at Ghost as it gives me the ability to get off the water quickly, such as thunderstorms/lightning events. As to towing distances, it is fine behind my old Avalanche. Have towed multiple time to Shuswap, Okanagan Lk, and north directions in Alberta. A friend pull his every year to use on the west coast in Desolation Sound etc. There the 50 HP is great for making crossings in non wind days. Summary, it really comes down to how you intend to use the boat,. For Glenore, any option is likely fine, as I assume you'll be trailering in and out?

 

[CaptVR]

Hello,

I've been sailing a San Juan 21 for a few years, and now looking to upgrade to something bigger for my wife and I. My obsessive research has gravitated me towards two boats....a Mac 26X and Catalina MKII 22. The 26X is the winner right now, and I there are couple of reasonably priced units in my area (with smaller motors). Why? We really like the look, the simplicity of trailering and rigging, and the spacious cabin area. So here's the dilemma; my primary sailing area is a reservoir that doesn't allow motors....this is where the boat will be moored/parked, and I sail 2-3 times per week there as I live very close. However, we'd like to take it to bigger lakes occasionally. This sounds like a goofy question...but would the 26X be overkill for simply sailing around without a motor attached most of the time? Or would I be better off looking for a nice Catalina 22? Decisions, decisions. As a Mac owner, feel free to throw in your $.02. And fo

Hi, CaptVR here. To carry the outboard question a little further. I know a lot of small fresh water lakes in Florida, that has 0 acceptance of gas outboards but do allow electric trolling motors, classed as pedal, paddle and sail boats. Worth checking and possibly be worth bringing up at the local council meetings, one of the larger trolling motors would move a 26X quite well. It could easily be mounted beside the regular outboard that still could be used in other waters.
Capt. Vince Rakstis

 

[CaptVR]

Some prefer swing keels for shallow water but I've found I like the dagger boards much more. With as little as 6" of board down I can still make good headway upwind, especially in light air. On my 25D with about 6" of dagger board I'm only drafting about 20-24" not many places I cant sail in and out of.

Hi Jim, CaptVR here,
I personally like the X. Like your M, just putting the board down 6-10" stops most leeway in light airs. The main reason I like the centerboard over the dagger board, is that by raising or lowering the board, moves the center of pressure forward and aft, which will totally balance the helm and take excess pressure off the rudders and bottom line can raise your speed by .5 to 1.5 knots with out the induced drag, depending on heading to apparent wind. Not to say, your not suppose to run aground, but if you do, the CB gives a very gentle bump, a dagger board can be quite jarring to say the least. I will say one thing, If it's a Mac 26S, 26X, 26M, regardless of what the nitwhits say about the Macs, you no the ones that po po them and never been on one, We all love our Mac's. I live in St.Pete, Fl. I love that you put it on a trailer, in two days your sailing NewEngland, back on the trailer and in a day and a half your on Lake Lanier in Ga. A day later, in New Orleans for Mardi-Gras, no $200. a night needed for a room. You tell me the downside to any Macgregor.

 

[Meriachee]

You tell me the downside to any Macgregor

There are actually a couple downsides, one of the largest is that the gel coat is paper thin. The chain plates leak, sometimes horrendously, and while the “pin and hole” tension adjustments are easily repeatable, they’re a major pain to adjust under any kind of load.

 

[Joe]

There are actually a couple downsides, one of the largest is that the gel coat is paper thin. The chain plates leak, sometimes horrendously, and while the “pin and hole” tension adjustments are easily repeatable, they’re a major pain to adjust under any kind of load.

Don't forget undersized rigging, super high freeboard, tiny rudders, inadequate deck fixture attachment, unsafe access forward.....however the biggest downside to owning the X or M is having to continually defend the boat to non Mac X and M owners.

 

[Hondo76251]

There are actually a couple downsides...

Yes, but at least you're not paying for features you dont get... would "real" sailors mock them less if the boats were twice the quality? Would anyone purchase a "motor sailor" if it cost twice as much? It's a niche market and you have to give it to the man, macgregor nailed it.

Don't forget undersized rigging...

Now that's just being mean... like picking on the downs kid sacking groceries... of course hes not as good at it, but at least hes doing his best! ;p

 

[CaptVR]

Don't forget undersized rigging, super high freeboard, tiny rudders, inadequate deck fixture attachment, unsafe access forward.....however the biggest downside to owning the X or M is having to continually defend the boat to non Mac X and M owners.

Your absolutely rite. We do a lot of defending. But these items you listed, I bet you never checked any personally, that's the problem, you just don't know, but insist on spreading false info. I was a marine surveyor for 30 years. Freeboard is slightly higher, but whats your point. (2) smaller rudders, did you actually measure them, combined there area is about that of the Hunters and Catalina's, they are balance perfectly, again, you make comments you know nothing about. My 26X, has extremely thick gelcoat, check why there are virtually no blisters on Mac's, that's because of the thick gelcoat. I'll be willing to bet your Catalina will get blister, I've surveyed dozens of them with the pox....Not quite sure what you mean by inadequate deck hardware. All the years surveying, never seen any deck hardware pulled off a Mac. Further, with putting the mast up and down, stay adjusters are better and won't bend like a turnbuckle. Check your hardware charts, pin size for pin size, stay adjusters are stronger than turnbuckles. As far as adjusting, I use a tapered pin punch, insert it in a half off hole, lift slightly and insert pin where you want it, very simple to adjust. But again you are ignorant of the facts and continue to spread untruthes, anyone ever tell you you should no all the facts before relating info, this is why us Mac owners have to defend our boats. I can give you a list of Catalina short coming, but to no avail, all boats are trade offs. I personally like my trailerable Mac 26X. I Live in St.Pete, Fl. I can take mine and in two days I'm sailing in New England, couple days later I'm on Lake Lanier in Georgia, for wooden boat show, couple days later I'm in New Orleans for Mardi-Gras, and staying on the boat, I'm saving $200 a night hotel bill. Whats the down side of that sport, you can't do that with your Catalina. Only thing I ask of you, please
research what you say, false info is not good to who your telling it to, and it's flat assed hurtful to those your slandering. I would not have as much defending to do either.

 

[Joe]

Your absolutely rite. We do a lot of defending. But these items you listed, I bet you never checked any personally, that's the problem, you just don't know, but insist on spreading false info.

Sorry friend, but you asked the question "You tell me the downside to any Macgregor".... my comment was specific to the X and M models.... not "any" Macgregor. I like the D and S models... they were good trailerable sailboats.
A common response is the assumption that critics like me have never sailed the X or M and are thus not qualified to have an opinion. Which implies that our opinions would have been different if we did have first hand experience. I have sailed both the real sailboat "S" model, which I consider the perfect lake boat..... and also white knuckled the X on a blustery day...not fun.

Remember, you asked the question..... if the answers offend you... I'm sorry.

 

[CaptVR]

I have had my 26X down to Turks and Caicos, Haiti, and all over the Bahamas, top to Bottom. You find these Mac 26X and 26M in Hawaii, Scandanavian countries, France, West Africa, Middle East, all over Australia, treat yourself, open YouTube, you can see first hand that these Macs are world wide, and the owners love them. Look at the factory promo tapes, see how there made. The hull / deck joint is bolted every 6"'s with Stainless Steel bolts, most other manufacturer's either screw or pop-rivet this joint. But ya, go into youtube type "macgregor 26X or Macgregor 26M, you will be amazed where these boats are being cruised, educate yourself. I had a 60' schooner "Altair" I ran between Trinidad and Florida, a number of trips. Took 7' of water to float her. I loved that boat, best bluewater boat I ever was on. But now, being 73 and staying in the states, you cannot beat the versatility of these Macs, and after 7' of draft, the 12" the Mac takes is just super cool.. Take care all, remember, all boats are trade off's, make nice, say nice things. If you don't they can say bad things about your boat. Believe me after inspecting 1000's of boats all over this hemisphere, Don't make no difference if it's a million dollar Oyster, I can give you a list of compromising items. Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret.

 

[Meriachee]

Once again the Mac conversation gets dragged into the gutter. I guess, if you don’t want to hear people’s opinions, don’t ask for them.

 

[Canuck2112]

If you like to sail, the trade off for the 26x interior versus the Cat 22's will soon become a negative experience. A 26x with no motor is simply a floating cubicle.... a Cat22 is an actual sailboat.

Hi Joe, thanks for this input. Could you elaborate on the "floating cubicle". Are you saying it simply would not be ideal as a sailboat?

 

[CaptVR]

Sorry friend, but you asked the question "You tell me the downside to any Macgregor".... my comment was specific to the X and M models.... not "any" Macgregor. I like the D and S models... they were good trailerable sailboats.
A common response is the assumption that critics like me have never sailed the X or M and are thus not qualified to have an opinion. Which implies that our opinions would have been different if we did have first hand experience. I have sailed both the real sailboat "S" model, which I consider the perfect lake boat..... and also white knuckled the X on a blustery day...not fun.

Remember, you asked the question..... if the answers offend you... I'm sorry.

No, I did not ask the question on Mac short coming. I simply stated actual fact instead of stupid, short cited, comments that are not true, or correct but perpetuated by derogatory comments from people that do not know the boat.
If I said the smaller Catalina's have really bad decks they get soft spots do to deck leaks, they don't go to weather, for there size they have no headroom, rudders are made very flimsy and their bottoms blister badly. How would you defend those comments. Being a retired marine surveyor a couple statements there are true, others are a bad opinion. If your going to make a statement, make sure it's true. Give an opinion, let people know it's your opinion and not one of actual fact.
Capt.Vince Rakstis, Ret 500ton all vessels, towing and Celestial endorsements. Built 6 boats and 2 planes, planes flew. The Mac 26X and 26M are great little boats, all boats are a trade off's. Good points and bad points, for someone to say that Mac's are not a real sail boat, are so full of crap. The way I got mine set up. Not many out there in my class go to weather the way I can. In moderate winds, Mac's are sort of middle of the pack on speed. Speed is not why I got it, it's versatility others just don't have.....Other than maybe an Oden 28......

 

[Canuck2112]

Sorry guys, I didn't intend for this thread to become a controversial discussion. I guess the overall question I have is....would the 26X suffice as a leisurely sailboat on a reservoir (with the motor removed)? I'm not concerned about speed or getting to shore quickly in the event of a storm. If I took it to other lakes, a small motor would surely suffice for getting in/out of marina's, etc. Or....would I simply be wasting my time and money? I know it's all personal taste, but from those who have sailed these, can they be trusted as an actual "sailboat"?

 

[Jim26m]

Sorry guys, I didn't intend for this thread to become a controversial discussion. I guess the overall question I have is....would the 26X suffice as a leisurely sailboat on a reservoir (with the motor removed)? I'm not concerned about speed or getting to shore quickly in the event of a storm. If I took it to other lakes, a small motor would surely suffice for getting in/out of marina's, etc. Or....would I simply be wasting my time and money? I know it's all personal taste, but from those who have sailed these, can they be trusted as an actual "sailboat"?

You didn't do anything to apologize for. This is information you need to have when shopping in this genre of boats. It is a valid point that part of owning these boats includes listening to what a floating pile of crap they are. If you buy one, you get used to it.

I have seen a smaller outboard mounted on an M and it looked like it managed ok. It just won't do the high speed stuff. No loss if you're not interested in high speed motoring.

Not going to discuss rigging or gelcoat, but will tell you that windage is part of the large cabin trade off. You get big cabin volume, but you get unintended sail area as a result. Your first several dockings in a big cross wind are interesting in these boats, probably more so on the M. It launches and retrieves like a bass boat, so you'll be driving on the trailer in calm conditions. This lulls you into a false sense of confidence. The first big cross wind retrieve I made was like an america's funniest video entry. Went sideways by the trailer into a wet slip area with tight clearances. Didn't hit anything, but had some really close calls; as I was figuring out tight maneuvering is best done in reverse. All of that to say, higher sides give you more windage. Adjusting for it is part of the compromise.

They call them floating Clorox bottles because of the high sides relative to the length. It doesn't have the classic sleek lines of a thoroughbred race boat. People either love them or hate them. I fall into the former category. Perfect boat for what I do. Not the perfect boat for everyone. It has an acceptable level of compromise for my tastes and use. If I was looking for a blue water cruising boat, or a race boat, it would not be my choice. You can do these things, but if these are your primary uses, the level of compromise gets significant in my opinion.

 

[Meriachee]

@Canuck2112 , part of what you see here is a scenario that surfaces on occasion. To own a Mac is to take the "defensive" course.

That said, back to the conversation; An X/M is possibly not a good choice for what you stated you intend to do with it. You will have a heck of a time getting a ballasted boat on the trailer in Glenmore without a motor. I wonder how some of these boats get loaded. Attention would have to be paid to the strap/winch assembly, ballasted, the boat is heavier than most winches. Is there an anchor locker sufficient to house enough tackle for the waters in the BC Interior? Don't forget that there can be an almost vertical drop from the shore in a lot of places there, requiring a lot of line. Without side decks, it's one thing to be going forward, it's quite another to be dragging 1000' of line and chain in a bag.

 

[Jim26m]

Video shows low speed maneuvering in tight quarters of the M. X would likely be similar. It's no Porsche on a twisty road, but seems to maintain steerage in light conditions... note that there is NO motor on that boat.

 

[Canuck2112]

@Canuck2112 , part of what you see here is a scenario that surfaces on occasion. To own a Mac is to take the "defensive" course.

That said, back to the conversation; An X/M is possibly not a good choice for what you stated you intend to do with it. You will have a heck of a time getting a ballasted boat on the trailer in Glenmore without a motor. I wonder how some of these boats get loaded.

Now THAT is something I didn’t consider!! I assume the boat needs to be above the water line in order to drain? Plus, it might be a whole new set of challenges getting it onto the trailer without a motor....I can’t imagine trying to “armstrong” it at the dock with all that weight. This in itself sounds like a dealbreaker. Mind you, the Catalina is very heavy (and there’s a couple that get launched and retrieved weekly without a motor), but they are not as bulky.