MacHunter?

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Benny

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Sep 27, 2008
1,149
Hunter 320 Tampa, FL
Mac's and Edge's have their place. If your idea of boating is to camp out on the hook these boats offer good room and convenience at an affordable price. They can also get to that distant anchorage quite early.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Home Run

I think Hunter has hit a home run with this boat because I think there is a very good amount of people interested in this type boat.
There are many types of trailer sailors out there that love their boats,its all about how and what type of boating they do,we all can't be blue water boaters and I am sure the majority boaters are day sailors with an occasional over nighter
 

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
I know this is an old topic in this forum but it was one which did address the issue of Hunter's entry into the power sailing category. I have some experiences in this matter and wanted to share them.

I bought a brand new 26M in spring 2008. The dealer I bought it from was, as I learned later, somewhat unscrupulous (the dealership is now apparently under new management so to be fair to them and honor the lawsuit settlement terms I won't state their name) and the boat arrived with many problems and took months to make seaworthy.

Once it was fully repaired I sailed it for 3 months in 2008 and 2 months in 2009 during which I encountered a few problems. I eventually decided to throw in the towel on it. During the time I was sailing it Hunter made their offering public and I checked it out on several occasions. After lots of consideration about whether to buy a new boat before selling the old one and if it would be an improvement on the 26M we decided to go ahead and buy an Edge.

The dealer who sold it to me (Russell's Marine in Maine) was fantastic and I got my Edge in the water and sailing very quickly. Despite putting it in early in August I got 3 months sailing in during 2009. I had it in on May 1st of this year and have had another 3 months sailing so far.

Based on my own personal experiences my wife and I have found that the Edge has been a much better choice for us. This is not meant to be a blanket analysis of the pros & cons of one boat over the other. This is just a list of what I like about the Edge in general and compared to the 26M.

1) The Edge is heavier and takes more water ballast. I have found that combined with the somewhat lower free board the boat handles much better going into and out of the dock and swings a little less on the mooring as compared to the 26M which I found got pushed about a lot by the wind in these maneuvers

2) I like the cabin better. Two people can stand side by side between the head and galley so moving forward and aft inside the cabin is easier. I also like that it feels more open because the head is located to the side just below the cabin entryway instead of further forward as it is on the 26M which breaks up the space and makes it feel smaller to me. I also like being able to stand up in the head and that it has a window.

3) Better fit & finish. The storage holds on the Edge are all finished. Until I sanded it down some I used to cut myself on the rough fiberglass edges in the 26M storage compartments. I also think there is more storage space and it is laid out better on the Edge.

4) Cockpit layout. The 26M brochure says it will seat 6 but I found this misleading. Because the traveler is on the bench in front of the cabin entryway no one can really sit there. And because the bench wraps around at back no one can sit in the corners next to the captain. The benches on the edge have a gap between them and the captain's seat. The mainstay connects to the top of a grab rail which puts the line higher and more out of the way than on the 26M. As a result of this I've found 6 people plus the captain can sit in the cockpit and still move about and get into and out of the cabin without crawling over each other.

5) I've found that the larger keel surface area and its weight makes the Edge sail a little better than the 26M. However the 26M's hollow keel meant it had no weight below the hull line. The Edge's keel doesn't weigh a lot but it is solid and therefore does lower the center of gravity. Being larger it also has more surface area to resist sideways forces.

6) I've personally found that under most conditions I've been able to get my Edge to sail faster than the 26M. Neither boat is a racer and all the traditional design sail boats where I sail are faster than either one. I've never raced a 26M and don't claim that one boat is inherently faster than the other. Perhaps it's related to how I sail. I like to keep the heel below 30 degrees. Still I never got my 26M over 7mph and have been able to get the Edge up to 7.5mph on a few occasions. This personally is not a big deal to me and knowing one boat or the other might go a tad faster would not have effected my decision one way or the other had the two boats both been on the market when I was looking and I was trying to choose between them.

7) The Edge costs more. Whether it is worth it or not is something that any individual has to make up their own mind about. When all was said and done between buying one boat then buying the other, moving equipment and selling the first boat I think I paid about the same for the Edge (comparably equipped to the 26M) as I would have if I'd bought the Edge outright from the start. That's because I bought it when the economy was tanking and a dealer in NC was desperate to move the boat and gave Russell's a good deal which he passed on to me. In the end that would be about 50% more for what is a fairly loaded boat. Since I'm enjoying the Edge much more than I did the 26M I don't have any qualm with having spent more.

There are lots of happy 26M owners out there. I wasn't one of them. The Edge is new so there are fewer on the market and as a result there are less people to post their experiences. That's why I'm posting mine. I know that MacGregor owners are a passionate lot and it almost seems like some consider anyone being a proponent of another boat over theirs as a personal attack on them. My posting here is not meant as such so please don't attack or discredit my opinions. If you have different experiences by all means feel free to state them but I'd ask that you do so in a way that expresses them as your own opinions without feeling compelled to attack or discount as meaningless those of others such as myself. My opinions are just that, opinions, but they are based on my personal experiences as an owner of the two different boats and as such may provide useful info to those who might be considering buying one or the other.

have fun...
 

druid

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Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
I have several "reservations" about the Mac 26X, and I think the Hunter addresses some of them (like ballast, fit and finish, etc). But both are definitely "compromise" boats, and as long as you understand that, fine.

Probably the biggest objection I have to the Mac is it's misleading and hard-sell advertising (which is probably the main reason for it's popularity: new boat buyers believe the hype). I've seen comments like "Having sails is a safety issue - if the engine breaks down, you can always sail home", or even something about their designers not knowing why a sailboat hull is different from a powerboat hull.

I have no objection to the Mac or the Hunter as long as the buyer is fully aware of what they're getting. And now that the Hunter is in the market, the Mac folks may have to clean up their marketing a bit ;)

druid
 

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
I have several "reservations" about the Mac 26X, and I think the Hunter addresses some of them (like ballast, fit and finish, etc). But both are definitely "compromise" boats, and as long as you understand that, fine.
That's definitely true. I've only owned trailerables myself. The West Wight Potter 19 was a sturdy little boat. Over time we found it too small which was why we looked to the Mac and then the Hunter.

The Edge's hull is somewhat similar to that of the Potter. V shaped at the bow but flattens out to the stern. But the flatter stern means the boat heels a little less. Neither are particularly fast boats. I'm routinely passed by round hull boats with wider, deeper, heavier keels.

Probably the biggest objection I have to the Mac is it's misleading and hard-sell advertising (which is probably the main reason for it's popularity: new boat buyers believe the hype). I've seen comments like "Having sails is a safety issue - if the engine breaks down, you can always sail home", or even something about their designers not knowing why a sailboat hull is different from a powerboat hull.

And now that the Hunter is in the market, the Mac folks may have to clean up their marketing a bit ;)
Having sailed the Potter strictly as a trailerable we discounted the Mac claims that "one person could launch the boat in 10-15 minutes". We figured that it would be more like the 30-45 that the Potter typically took us. We had read and employed all the tricks to configuring the boat to speed set up and take down and were experienced at doing that. So we thought the Mac would be about the same. Instead we found it typically took about 1.25hrs and when we compared this time with others were told that this was a very good time.

There were many other claims about the boat itself that we found plainly false or misleading. In addition, when we saw the Mac it was at a Boston boat show. The dealer attending the show was handing out color brochures stating they had a dealership in MA. It's a long story but they told us other lies to cover that up and it was only after we bought the boat and took delivery that we learned this wasn't true. I understand the dealer subsequently lost their status as an official Mac dealer (though they were still claiming they were for some time after) and have recently heard that although the dealership's name hasn't changed they are under new ownership, though I haven't confirmed that on the business registry of the state they're in.

So I strongly second your advice to folks that they should take the Mac's marketing claims (or even the Hunter's) with more than a grain of salt and understand what they want out of the boat and how they will use it.

Also, it's a really good idea to check out the reputation of the dealer. Do NOT just do this on discussion forums for the boat brand. We found out after the fact that the Mac forum we'd gone to for info was sponsored by, among others, the dealer we bought from and that under the guise of being fair to all parties this forum suppressed (by locking threads or deleting posts) negative comments about the Mac. While that's their prerogative they never stated that the forum was more like Disneyland in that only happy Mac owners went there.

Instead I suggest you go to the website for the state the dealer is located in and see if they have a complaint registry or licensing bureau (in some states dealers must be licensed) and also check out the Better Business Bureau's business listings to see if they have complaints and if so how they resolved them.

Well time to head back out for some more fun on my Edge.
 
Jul 28, 2010
914
Boston Whaler Montauk New Orleans
So I strongly second your advice to folks that they should take the Mac's marketing claims (or even the Hunter's) with more than a grain of salt and understand what they want out of the boat and how they will use it.
Amen! Talk to other owners, look at the boat YOURSELF and with YOU SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S). It's their boat too. (Someone had mentioned the sufficiency of the head for their spouse on another thread.)

Also, it's a really good idea to check out the reputation of the dealer.
Double amen, particularly with respect to after-sale service, which is more important than how they treat you up to the time of the sale.
 

Paul S

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Jun 3, 2004
21
- - Boston
I think it is cool that Hunter validated Mac's concept. Pretty neat.

They are different boats all together.. Depends on what you are going for.

Using Jay's differences.. in Mac's favor..

1) Edge is heavier, requires a larger truck to pull, more water to launch, permit requires in some states. This would put many Mac owners out of the sailing business, as we trailer our boats mostly, at least in the NE-TS club.

2)cabin - personal preference. We prefer the older 03/04 M interior over the later M or edge interior layout. We prefer the head being foreward leaving more valuable real estate to actual use.

3) fit and finish. Edge wins hands down. 11000% better than the Mac. For the price difference it should.

4) Cockpit, after owning the M, comparing it to the edge, we (shockingly) prefer the M. It is nice having a traveler, and a track for the genny/jib. Having the cockpit enclosed more, prevents things from sliding out. Jury is out on the semi standing captain seat on the edge. We have had 8 people on our M in the cockpit at happy hour. There is plenty of room.

5) the M's daggerboard IS hollow, but fills with water and does offer weight. No idea how it compares to the edge, but it has worked well for us for 6 years no.

6) 99.98% of Macs I have been on are ALL rigged poorly. This is a owner/rigger problem. After taking time to rig my M's shrouds a lot tighter, it sails 110% better. Agree both boats are not speed demons.. But properly set up, the M can sail well.

7) with what the edge cost, we would never have got into sailing, with the cost of the edge package and a new truck to pull it, would be cost prohibitive to us.

here was my first impression of the Edge when I first saw it (not going to repost it here)
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10801&start=90#p134551
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
I really have no opinion on this type of a boat, but here is a comparsion that someone has done. It appears that maybe there is not a lot of common ground between the two designs. They appear to be two go/fast motor boats that have sails, I think that may be where the likeness ends.

Maybe you Mac/Hunter Hunter/Mac owners would like to sail at 18-20 kts under wind power some day. Man-o-man it is a rush.

http://www.huntermarine.com/Models/27Edge/HuntertheEDGEComparison.pdf

Enjoy your discussion.
 

Paul S

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Jun 3, 2004
21
- - Boston
I really have no opinion on this type of a boat, but here is a comparsion that someone has done. It appears that maybe there is not a lot of common ground between the two designs. They appear to be two go/fast motor boats that have sails, I think that may be where the likeness ends.

Maybe you Mac/Hunter Hunter/Mac owners would like to sail at 18-20 kts under wind power some day. Man-o-man it is a rush.

http://www.huntermarine.com/Models/27Edge/HuntertheEDGEComparison.pdf

Enjoy your discussion.
They are both great boats, if they are what you want. Both totally different price points, and different target audiences.

If both were available in 04, we would have still purchased the M, for what it does, ergonomics, price, and for select features that were important to us (those features could be of little interest for other owners) that the hunter does not offer.

Anyway you go, you are out on the water having fun. Any boat you buy will be a compromise, and will learn to live withing whatever limits your boat has.

But yes, both are different animals, sharing only the concept of a power/sail combo.
 

dew

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Apr 18, 2010
16
macgregor 26x lake martin
The mac is what I wanted and what I like. I would not say one is better than the other. There are a lot of people out there that scoff at the mac...... I like it. It offers me what I want. I would look at the hunter, and sail it too, but at the end of the day I will go back to my mac....... For now. Who knows what the future may bring. Happy sailing.
 

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
Hi Paul,

I wish I knew in advance that you and the NE-TS guys were going to be at my marina this summer. We could have given you folks a spin on our 27E Edge.

The following comments are based on my personal experiences with the two boats. As the saying goes "your mileage may vary" :)

1) Edge is heavier, requires a larger truck to pull, more water to launch, permit requires in some states. This would put many Mac owners out of the sailing business, as we trailer our boats mostly, at least in the NE-TS club.
I bought a Toyota 4Runner (with Class III capacity) to pull the 26M in the first place. It works fine to pull the Edge so at least for me there was no additional expense.

Given that the 26M weighs 2550 empty it's true you'd only need a Class II vehicle to pull it even with gear vs the Class III capability that the Edge requires. I'm not sure there's much of a cost difference between a vehicle with Class II capacity and Class III. For the SUVs we looked at (Kia, Toyota, Jeep, Nissan, Ford, etc.) they were all in the same price range.

I find that there's very little difference between towing the Edge and towing the 26M. I towed the Edge all the way from near Augusta Maine (Russell's Marine in Stockton Springs) to my home near Concord, MA with no problems. I actually prefer the dual axle trailer since I found the single axle trailers on both my Potter and the 26M seemed to fish-tail a little more than the Edge's dual axle.

In general I find there's more difference between towing my old Potter 19 and either of these boats than there is between the 26M or Edge.

Also I think the thing about the trailer widths is overblown. Have you personally ever known anyone that was stopped and ticketed for towing something a couple of inches too wide? Do you know any State Troopers that carry measuring tapes?
I doubt these rules are ever enforced and my Edge isn't any wider than a typical tractor trailer or box truck...

2)cabin - personal preference. We prefer the older 03/04 M interior over the later M or edge interior layout. We prefer the head being foreward leaving more valuable real estate to actual use.
I hadn't checked out a 26X until we brought our 26M to the marina in Salem and found someone there had an X. From what I understand (from prior communication with you I think) the early 26M layout was more like the 26X. I totally agree with you about the layout being better on the original Ms and the Xs. I think the changes they made to the 26M were not very good.

Unfortunately that's the design that they were selling when I bought mine and which they're now selling. So that's what we bought and ended up not liking. The design on the Edge is more like the X. While I don't think it's necessarily unfair to compare a design no longer in production since folks have the option to buy a used boat, I think it's more accurate to compare the designs of both boats as they are currently produced and sold, and in that regard I prefer the layout in the Edge.

I really disliked the head being forward on the 26M. It broke up the interior compartment which made it feel smaller. Also I'm 5'10" and couldn't stand upright in the head and found it very dark and claustrophobic. In addition it had no ventilation. The head on the Edge is full height so I can stand in it. I find it much roomier and the window provides both ventilation and light which I like.

Also I don't find that the room taken up by the turntable rudder has much impact. I suppose if you were measuring the actual interior volume it would, but I really think the comparison is more about how the space is utilized. I find no real difference between the aft berth on the Edge and that on the 26M.

I actually like the extra space on either side of the turntable rudder because it provides extra storage and has allowed me to mount additional gear there that ended up taking up storage space in the main compartment of the 26M. I also like the fact that given the way they laid the Edge out just an extra 6 inches of width allows 2 people to stand and pass side by side between the galley and head.

I don't find the rudder well to be problematic because the fold down table goes right over it. So it's no problem to get forward and aft when you're not sitting down to dine.

I also find the Edge has a lot better storage space. In addition to the storage under the aft berth, which is roughly comparable to that on the 26M except for the fact that it isn't also doubling as the bilge I think the Edge has more storage. There are 6 good sized compartments under the benches that surround the table. There is a compartment under the forward V berth. There is a good sized cabinet with a shelf under the chart table, and there is a lot more room in the two cabinets under the galley than in the 26Ms sliding galley.

4) Cockpit, after owning the M, comparing it to the edge, we (shockingly) prefer the M. It is nice having a traveler, and a track for the genny/jib. Having the cockpit enclosed more, prevents things from sliding out. Jury is out on the semi standing captain seat on the edge. We have had 8 people on our M in the cockpit at happy hour. There is plenty of room.
I found the traveler on the 2008 26M was constantly getting in the way, and in people's faces so I didn't like it at all. This is definitely a personal preference thing I suppose.

We've had 7 people (one at the helm and 6 passengers) in the cockpit of our Edge while under sail. Having owned the M I don't see how 8 people could sit comfortably in it, even at happy hour, let alone while sailing. Maybe your friends are skinnier than mine :).

We plan to mount some solar panels under the stern rail seats just to the back of the benches in the Edge. If those don't work to eliminate the possibility of things sliding off the benches (as you point out) and out the back, we'll put in some cargo netting. We encourage people to keep things stowed while under way but we never used the cargo netting that came with either of our cars so we have some that's just about the right size lying around looking for a good use :).

I personally didn't like the 26M's captain seat because I had to lean forward from it to hold the wheel, which put a lot of strain on my lower back and I have a bad back to begin with. Again this is a personal preference thing, but I prefer the higher seat in the Edge and often stand a lot when at the helm, which is easier on my back. Given the extra height of the boom and the Bimini on the Edge this is no problem and something I couldn't do on the 26M.

5) the M's daggerboard IS hollow, but fills with water and does offer weight. No idea how it compares to the edge, but it has worked well for us for 6 years no.
Um, how does a hollow daggerboard that fills with water offer any weight? If the daggerboard were hollow and sealed it would displace the water. So the weight of the water that fills the daggerboard is neutral because it doesn't weigh any more than the water that would otherwise be displaced in the same volume. In order to actually add weight the keel has to be denser and heavier than the water it displaces. That's just basic physics...

I'm glad to hear you have had no problems with the Ms daggerboard. Unfortunately I can't say the same. It is held on by 2 ropes. One is the uphaul, the other is a stop line to keep it from dropping through the slot. Typical of Mac fabrication these ropes thread through holes in the daggerboard and are then knotted off. The holes don't even have grommets on them to protect the ropes, and like other things on the 26M, apparently were poorly finished with rough edges.

One time I made the mistake of forgetting to raise the daggerboard when putting the boat away after sailing. We had a few days of heavy waves and high wind right after that. When I went back to the boat I found that the rocking action of the daggerboard in the waves had caused both lines on it to chafe through and the daggerboard had dropped through the slot to the bottom of the harbor never to be seen again. It's amazing how murky even a few feet of water in a shallow harbor can be. The lines were less than 1 year old and were in excellent condition. It cost me a bit of $ to replace that daggerboard so I was peeved....

The Edge's keel is heavier and sturdier. Also, being a swing keel it's mounted on a pin so it won't drop off and it's a little more forgiving than the 26Ms if you hit something because it will swing back. I've heard from one person that owned a 26M that when they hit something at fairly low speed their daggerboard cracked like an eggshell. Not surprising because it's hollow like an egg and has a somewhat similar shape...

I agree that Hunter's Edge does validate that the Power Sailboat concept does have a place on the market, though I think that given the 26X and 26M longevity that wasn't really in doubt. I think that while it's inevitable that people considering this type of boat will compare the two there's probably a place in the market for both.

People who are more cost conscious will certainly tend to favor the Mac. People who are willing to spend more but prefer the Hunter's layout, extra room and better fit and finish of the will lean towards it as I eventually did. Hopefully these discussions will provide useful information to those leaning one way or the other to help them decide which choice is best for them.

ttfn,

Jay
 

Paul S

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Jun 3, 2004
21
- - Boston
Yea the M trailer does suck, but it does work well enough. Again, it is a price point thing. It is easy to upgrade, as many Mac owners have. The Mac is more of a starter kit that you finish, which worked well for us. The edge seems to be better equipped out of the box (of course at a significant price diffence)

And again, each point is different to each owner. Given both, Still would get the Mac, because it fits our lifestyle and pricepoint. They are such different boats, the only thing you can say they share is the trailer sailor concept.

Of course you can argue either way the pros/cons of a DB and CB. DB are simpler (no moving parts) and smaller hole in the hull (less turbulance). Yes the M execution could be better..but again its a pricepoint issue. No issues here so far. CB may swing up if it hits something square on (or not as many X owners have lost CBs as well ). Have had this argument on the macgregorsailors site for years after the M came out..x owners flapping their feathers saying the CB design is better..and M owners saying the same!

Unless you hit something at 6+ knots, the DB should be able to take it. Plus it IS sacrificial. I would rather crack the db than the hull!! I have hit many things including the trailer at a few knots, and other than some scrapes, looks as good as new. You hit something at <6 kts, the boat WILL stop with little or no damage to the db. No doubt there could be manufacturing defects from boat to boat, and DB integrety could vary as well, but the DB is pretty tough. The board should be up over 6kts so hitting something at 10+ should be moot (it won't be down)

Plus you can easily change a DB on the water. move the mast, drop in the db. done. The CB/SK would be a biiiiiiiiiiiit more involved if they break (and they have)

On the head, wife had the same issue early on..hated the location and size. Now she likes it. again personal preference. I dont have any serious GI issues so I don't spend a lot of time in there! Plus in heavy seas, it is better to be in a small area so you are not tossed around! Again either issue may not be important to others.

To us it wasn't the cost, but there are a few deal breakers on the design of the edge that would put me out of the market for one. there are many great things about the edge that are far superior than the Mac (and there should be for the price difference).
 

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
The Mac is more of a starter kit that you finish, which worked well for us. The edge seems to be better equipped out of the box (of course at a significant price diffence)
Yes, your NE-TS avatar indicates as much.
Other than priming and painting the hull I had zero work to do on the Edge to get it into the water last season. That was fortunate since having bought it in late July I wouldn't have been able to sail it much if it had needed a lot of work out of the box.

I have made some upgrades and may make a few more but in the end when apples were compared to apples the price difference isn't as large as it first appears because the Edge had so much more stuff in it's base price than the Mac.

I actually did a spreadsheet comparison of the two. Using the base price I was quoted last year and the standard equipment without the motor (I transferred the 50HP Evinrude off the Mac to the Edge) the price difference before tax, commissioning and shipping (which vary by dealer & location) was $6K. See attachment

They are such different boats, the only thing you can say they share is the trailer sailor concept.
I think that's a fair assessment.

Unless you hit something at 6+ knots, the DB should be able to take it. Plus it IS sacrificial. I would rather crack the db than the hull!!

Plus you can easily change a DB on the water. move the mast, drop in the db. done.

Where on the Mac can you store a spare DB? I don't recall there being anyplace big enough to store something like that.

The story relayed to me about the DB cracking like an egg came from someone who said they weren't going very fast. After looking at one I personally wouldn't think it could take hitting something at 6 knots. But if you want to talk tough let's talk about the West Wight Potter. I did hit a rock with the steel keel in my Potter 19 when sailing in Winnisquam Lake going 6 knots, maybe better. I was flat out in the thing. Smacked it dead on. The boat hit so hard it came to a dead stop. When I got it back on the trailer and looked at the daggerboard and well all I saw was that a teeny, tiny piece of fiberglass had chipped off around the well. Now that's a tough boat....

I dont have any serious GI issues so I don't spend a lot of time in there!
I stopped having GI issues after I got rid of my Mac!
:dance:

To us it wasn't the cost, but there are a few deal breakers on the design of the edge that would put me out of the market for one. there are many great things about the edge that are far superior than the Mac (and there should be for the price difference).
Didn't you already own the Mac when the Edge came out?

We were lucky enough to minimize the loss on selling our year old Mac and moving over to the Edge. There are so many things about the Edge that suit us better than the Mac so we don't regret spending the extra $ at all. That said I wouldn't expect someone that wasn't as unhappy with their Mac as we were to sell it and buy an Edge.
 

Attachments

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
oops, forgot to note something in that spreadsheet. The shipping & commissioning prices quoted were the ones I paid from the cut rate dealer who lied to me and subsequently screwed me. That dealer (fortunately) no longer sells Macs. I like to think I had something to do with that and if so I probably saved many people a lot of $ and hassle.

There are many reputable Mac dealers, including the one that sold me my Hunter Edge (Russell's Marine of Stockton Springs, ME who I have nothing but praise for) but they all charge a bit more for shipping and commissioning than the dealer I had the misfortune of doing business with. So the price differential on that as listed in the spreadsheet is actually larger than you'd typically find and makes the total price difference between the boats as delivered (i.e. with commissioning, shipping & taxes) look larger than it really would be. I just can't say how much larger since it depends on the dealer.

Jay
 

Paul S

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Jun 3, 2004
21
- - Boston
Where on the Mac can you store a spare DB? I don't recall there being anyplace big enough to store something like that.
.........................
We were lucky enough to minimize the loss on selling our year old Mac and moving over to the Edge. There are so many things about the Edge that suit us better than the Mac so we don't regret spending the extra $ at all. That said I wouldn't expect someone that wasn't as unhappy with their Mac as we were to sell it and buy an Edge.
IF you wanted to carry one, under the rear berth cushions would work, its 6'+ long back there. I think the db should fit back there..dont quote me.. Unless cruising, I see no need to carry one on board. The reported cases I have heard of them breaking I can count on one hand...all due to excessive speed. I have hit tons of stuff with our boat, including the trailer many times (I leave it down a bit when going on the trailer..sometimes i keep it too low and it whacks the trailer) and it still looks good. But if you did hit something a lot faster, no doubt there would be more damage...but that is what is there for..But at 6 knts there should be no/or only cosmetic damage to an Ms board as well...unless there was a mfr defect. It is pretty robust.

The edge just came out, we bought our 04 in 03.

Look at some of my early posts on macgregor sailors.. we were pretty upset too. Havencraft did fix 99% of the issues , but none were nearly as serious as your issues though. But since the M fit our needs like a glove, we kept it and never looked back. Even if the edge was out back then, I would be hard pressed to buy it, althought it is a superior boat in every respect.
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Note on Capt Kermie's comments. Tradiitionally, most MacGregors come out of the factory as basic stripped downed models and the owners add extra stuff. Thats how Roger has kept the prices low for over 40 years. Great business model. Like a woman the rigging costs more than the hull. Fair winds, Old Salt...
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Back in the 70's when we had the "OIL SHORTAGE" a lot of power boat companies attempted to build their version of a sailboat. the Reinell comes to mind. If a Sailboat had a miscarriage this would have been it. Hideous!! Looked like a floating whorehouse. Combining the two is a bad idea.
A camel is a horse designed by a committee. Fair winds, Old Salt...
 
Jun 16, 2004
203
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I doubt it sails very well... much like its less expensive cousins, the Macgregors... IMHO, if you want a power boat, buy a powerboat, if you want a sailboat, buy a sailboat... This is neither...
You probably know this s.d., but the older magregors; the s and d models, are very good sailors. I don't know about the x n m models...
 

drbeer

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Apr 27, 2009
36
Hunter 27 Edge Salem
I'm often not sure what folks mean when they say something "sails well". I'm guessing there's some objectivity and some subjectivity in that. WRT the Hunter Edge it's definitely not the fastest boat in my locale. In fact it's one of the slower ones. But neither was the MacGregor 26M or the West Wight Potter 19 I owned before that.

The hull on the Hunter Edge is pretty reminiscent of that on the Potter. V shaped at the front but flat back by the rudder with an almost square profile at the stern. This means that there is more hull in the water per unit weight than on your typical racing or cruising boat under most sailing conditions and that it actually has proportionally less hull in contact with the water when the boat is heeling hard.

This is opposite of most sailboats which, in general, have rounder hulls that minimize the amount of hull in contact with the water normally and, owing to the hull being wider higher off the water line, have an increasing amount of hull in contact with the water as the boat heels.

While the Edge's design doesn't make for a high performance sailboat it has certain benefits which I'm sure are the reason it was chosen. The flat hull performs better when operating under engine power, especially at higher speeds when it performs more like a power boat though admittedly it also won't perform as well under those conditions as your typical power boat. Also, like the Potter, the hull shape increases the righting moment which, in general, makes it harder for the boat to heel. Given that my wife sails with me quite often and is usually uncomfortable when we're heeling hard I actually consider this a good thing :).

However when my Edge does get to heeling over 15 degrees on a beam reach it sails faster the more I let her heel. Typically the fastest speeds I get are when I'm close hauled on a beam reach and heeled about 30 degrees. I rarely get to doing that when the wife's aboard...

I'm always amazed at how many different boat manufacturers and boat designs there are out on the water in Salem harbor alone. Sometimes I think there is so much variation that I wonder how it is anyone is actually able to choose one boat over another. Suffice to say that it's my opinion that given such variety there is certainly no such thing as "the best boat", but rather just different boats that suit different people best according to their preferences. Currently for me that boat is the Hunter Edge.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
be aware the hunter 260 is 8'11" wide and it over the width limits
without special permits.

most LEO's don't target them, but you could be fined and allowed to only trailer during daylight hours...


the motorsailor boats are a compromise sailboat, and are often the entry to sailing for many.

they have their place. but not a blue water boat. but what is today...
 
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