Macgregor 26X Advice

Jim26m · Oct 15, 2019

One other item that needs to be considered. Both the x and m are water ballasted. This has a couple of characteristics that come along. First, the boat will heel further before it hardens up. Not a problem if you and your crew are used to sailboats that heel. Can be an issue for uneasy crew initially. Boats with retractable weighted keels are heavier to trailer, but often give a lower heel angle.

Earlier water ballasted boats may require the ballast tank filled before it's safe to walk the side decks. Don't think that is an issue with the x; not an issue with the M.

Second, the boat has 1200-1400 lbs (give or take) of water ballast in it, unless you've motored above 5 knots and drained it. So, you need to float it on the trailer, open the ballast valve and move slowly up the ramp as it drains. You really need a ramp that allows you to submerge the trailer and float on. Ballast valve is 4", so it drains fairly quickly. If you sail in waters with invasive species, special precautions must be taken before going other places - usually consisting of purging and disinfecting the ballast tank. This issue is typical for water ballasted boats in general though - not just macs.

I can't stress enough how important a test sail with a competent skipper is when considering any boat you are not familiar with.

rgranger · Oct 15, 2019

Canuck2112 said:
....I can’t imagine trying to “armstrong” it at the dock with all that weight. This in itself sounds like a dealbreaker.

Many people with water ballast boats use a small electric air pump (like the type you use to blow up an air mattress) to push the water out of the ballast tank before loading on the trailer. It is also a neat trick to get off of a sand bar. Set your kedge before you start the blow out.

I think the no-motor part is going to make it hard for you to find any boat that is roomy enough to sleep on while being small enough to sail and man-handle onto a trailer. Maybe you need to go shopping for a new lake

Jim26m · Oct 15, 2019

Thanks @rgranger. I forgot that you could use something besides a 60 ETEC for ballast removal.

Meriachee · Oct 15, 2019

It depends on the engineering of the trailer. I can get the 270 on the trailer without the motor, but it's a major pita. You are correct about the ballast, you cannot drain it on the water, so you have to get the boat on the trailer, or mostly on the trailer and start it up the ramp, so the water will drain out.

Jim26m · Oct 15, 2019

Both of the ramps I use allow easy float on. My trailer is pretty low. It literally is as easy to launch and retrieve as a bass boat (in calm conditions). Putting the rig up and down is the only thing that takes any real effort.

CaptVR · Oct 15, 2019

To the boater looking to up size. Your SanJuan probably has about the room of a Cat.22, not much of an improvement. Matter of fact your SanJuan will out sail the Catalina 22, I know I owned a 21 and a 24 about 20 years ago, SanJuans are great sailing little boats. Now instead of listening to any of these unbiased boaters, or even myself, do yourself a favor. I said it in an earlier blog, go to youtube, enter Macgregor 26x and 26m, Catalina 22. You will find countless tubes of these boats all over the world, not the Catalina 22. Even the factory promo tubes on both the X and M's. They show the construction and operation of these boats.. Personally, I'm 6'2", I need the 6' headroom of my 26X, if your 4'4" you will have headroom in the Catalina 22. But again, look up all these boats on youtube and then make decision on fact that you established for yourself. Like I said before, all boats are trade offs. It's just that being a marine surveyor for 30 years, and literally inspecting and operating 1000's of boats, owning 7 boats as of todays date. I find the Mac 26X a hoot to sail and overnight in. Many more pluses than minuses. But again, look at the tubes, I mean all the boats your considering. By the way, if you put the board down 5 or 6"s, it works like a skeg on a power boat and handles great with a beam wind for docking or in close quarters. .
Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret. St.Petersburg, Fl.

Meriachee · Oct 15, 2019

Vince,
At the risk of being offside, two things, first, yes you own a Mac and you love it, we get that. Second, instead of trying to incite an argument over the love of Macs, maybe take the time to consider the basis and limitations of the discussion.
The Glenmore reservoir in Calgary, Alberta (that’s north of Florida) is a “no motor” drinking water source for the city of Calgary. Now, as much as there may be an ongoing, and somewhat never ending rivalry between our two cities, it isn’t rocket science understanding limitations.
Having actually seen the ramp there, it’s painfully obvious that you can’t load a fully ballasted Mac there. But in defence of the OP, he wouldn’t know that.
The rest of the derogatory commentary does nothing to bolster your position. You have no knowledge of the history here, who owned what, or when, and it is a fair statement that you’re not the only person who owned a Mac. I’ll go so far as to wager, significantly, that there are some here who have owned a Mac for far longer, and covered more miles than you sir.
So, please do us a favour and lose the 4’ commentary. It’s simply not respectful.

walt · Oct 15, 2019

Ive pretty much gone to FB for any Mac discussions.. friendlier place (the private classic group spawned by a couple not so friendly people on this forum now has 185 members). However, I saw the post above and I know Merachee used to own a 26S. So was wondering..

What is so unusual about the ramp? Is it the one in this link?

Glenmore Reservoir

www.calgary.ca

https://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/PublishingImages/Facilities/General/glenmore-reservoir2-305.jpg

Unless its mud.. looks like a piece of cake ballast or no ballast at least with a 26S. Something to do with no motor or just an electric motor which would create about the issue regardless of which sailboat. I pretty much always retrieve full ballast.. so am wondering what Im missing.. Did I find the wrong place..

CaptVR · Oct 15, 2019

Meriachee said:
Vince,
At the risk of being offside, two things, first, yes you own a Mac and you love it, we get that. Second, instead of trying to incite an argument over the love of Macs, maybe take the time to consider the basis and limitations of the discussion.
The Glenmore reservoir in Calgary, Alberta (that’s north of Florida) is a “no motor” drinking water source for the city of Calgary. Now, as much as there may be an ongoing, and somewhat never ending rivalry between our two cities, it isn’t rocket science understanding limitations.
Having actually seen the ramp there, it’s painfully obvious that you can’t load a fully ballasted Mac there. But in defence of the OP, he wouldn’t know that.
The rest of the derogatory commentary does nothing to bolster your position. You have no knowledge of the history here, who owned what, or when, and it is a fair statement that you’re not the only person who owned a Mac. I’ll go so far as to wager, significantly, that there are some here who have owned a Mac for far longer, and covered more miles than you sir.
So, please do us a favour and lose the 4’ commentary. It’s simply not respectful.

I'm not the one talking down. The four foot comment is just a fact for headroom of a Catalina 22. Fact....
The difference between 26X ballast tank empty 9" draft, to 12" draft with ballast tank full. It really don't make a lot of difference in loading the boat on the trailer. Loading the boat with the weight of the water ballast is not a whole lot different than loading a boat with lead in the keel. As far as time on the water, I'll go toe to toe with anyone you want to put before me, I had over 2000 documented days when I got my first Capt. license 40 years ago. I worked for all the major insurance marine underwriters in this hemisphere, they all respected my opinion, that's what they paid me for.. You may not like it, but when someone makes misstatement that are not factual, I will make a comment on fact, not supposition, to correct it. Mainly so the mistake is not perpetuated. Why do you have a problem with that, I don't know. Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret.
PS: For what it's worth, I sailed out of Port Townsend, to Victoria, San Juan Islands for three months in a Bristle Channel Cutter back in 1969, maybe 1970 So ya, I know where Calgary is, beautiful up there, sailing season is just to short for me....Take care, I sincerely hope your sailing days are sunny with the wind on the beam....

rgranger · Oct 15, 2019

Corners please

Jim26m · Oct 15, 2019

Don't know your ramps, but I need about 42" at the wheels to get on and off the trailer - with ballast water in. I actually have the other issue. My ramp angle is really steep, so the boat butts the v-block winched tight. Then, I pull out of the water and she's settled 3-1/2" back. But, that's another topic. The boat is very easy to launch and retrieve, but you need at least 42" at the wheels to make it happen. Back tires of tow vehicle need to be touching the water also.

I'm not trying to sell you a Mac. Just trying to keep the discussion honest. In fact, I would encourage you not to buy one without spending time on one - based on what you've discussed here. I'm like @CaptVR, in that I love my Mac. But, it ain't everyone's cup of tea.

Meriachee · Oct 15, 2019

The Mac is possibly the single best choice for the prairies. We have a standing joke up here, which applies to the general topology of inland, western lakes, "don't worry if you flip the boat - just hop off and walk to shore." .

Hondo76251 · Oct 15, 2019

I'll agree ^^^^
I love my mac too.. (but mine is a "classic"... )

26D more specifically...

I've sailed mine without motor for about 8 years now on lakes and rivers from lousiana to Montana. It's no luxury blue water cruiser for sure, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better trailer/lake sailor for the money...

Just my $0.02

Jim26m · Oct 15, 2019

Meriachee said:
The Mac is possibly the single best choice for the prairies. We have a standing joke up here, which applies to the general topology of inland, western lakes, "don't worry if you flip the boat - just hop off and walk to shore." .

Mobile bay is pretty close - unless you flip it in the ship channel. There's a lot of water in the 6 ft or less category. I have a knack for finding the "or less" part using daggerboard depth sounding, or the emergency brake as I've come to call it.

Hondo76251 · Oct 15, 2019

Jim26m said:
daggerboard depth sounding

Lol... Yup

My favorite is getting hung up on some mystery object way out in the river channel with a ton of current keeping you pressed hard aground while you grind on the winch wondering what will give first... the 20 year old dagger board rope... the creaking deck under the winch... or the board itself... ahhh... *lessons learned*