More info on MacGregor Sizes

Sumner · Dec 14, 2013

NOTE: Walt offered a very good explanation of how water ballast works while I was typing this, but since I typed it all I'll leave it

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katana750 said:
Im sure someone will explain it better but you are pretty much right on with your idea. The reason the water ballast boats are tender because the water ballast is pretty much neutral when it is in the water. It does really provide mass until you start taking it out of the water..

That is a common misconception but not true. What is true is what you said about the lower the weight the more effect it has. One reason the water ballast boats need more weight is because it is higher and less effective.

Here is a link that explains it way better than I can.....

http://h260.com/water_ballast/water_ballast_index.html

A number of water ballast boat owners have tried to knock he boat down on purpose and a few have succeeded for a couple seconds but as far as I know they have all popped right back up without even taking water into the cockpit. MacGregor does recommend not sailing with the pop-top up but there again I seen a number of people doing that with the boat in an extreme heeling attitude and everything is fine. We always have ours down sailing being the chickens we are

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Sum

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katana750 · Dec 14, 2013

See that didn't take long at all. Post a general idea and it will be correctly quickly. Great for beginners. I am well within this category.

Sumner · Dec 14, 2013

katana750 said:
See that didn't take long at all. Post a general idea and it will be correctly quickly. Great for beginners. I am well within this category.

I didn't understand it either until I went to Rob's site and read through all of that and thought about it some. It is a very misunderstood method of ballast even with long time sailors.

One thing nice about this sailing deal is that you won't run out of new things to learn

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Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

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Knuttle · Dec 16, 2013

Venture/Mac 21

Many years ago I wanted a sailboat BAD. I had started to build a small one when I was in college, but it came down to boat or tuition and book. Tuition and books won.

In college I meet a girl and and that turned my mind from boats. After we were married the thoughts of boats came back. Financially we decided we could afford the boat and a baby, and picked the boat up in California on a visit to my wife's, parents to show them their new granddaughter. We pulled the boat back to Michigan where we lived, and had boat, baby, and wife on the water the following spring. We all learned to sail on the boat. Until then I had read a lot of books on sailing.

Our first boat was a Venture 21' essentially because I that is what we could afford. That was in 1970. Over the years I thought of getting a bigger boat, but the V-21 fit in the garages of our houses, so storage was never a problem.

The boat is easy to sail, had the cabin where the little girls could safely play, and could sleep in the bunks if they got tired. We had a Porta Potty in the cabin at the foot of the mast for those problem.

As for the boat it wlll sail on a breath of air and can stand winds gust that will put it on it side. In all of the years I have had the boat I have never thought that she was going over. I have sailed her in winds where the wake went back from the stern for about 4' before tumbling in when she was on a plane. We have spent many afternoons sailing on light airs up small coves to watch the fish and wildlife. With the swing keel she will float in 13 inches of water, so sandbars and shoals are usually not a problem.

I have sailed the boat mainly on inland lakes, and the inter coastal water way. We have just moved and hopefully will have the boat on Lake Jordan and Kerr lake near Raleigh this summer. Both of these lakes are 10+K acres and since I have never had a motor on the boat, give me plenty of room for sailing.

Don't get caught up in modifying the boat, go sailing and enjoy the closest you can get to heaven.

Sock Puppet · Dec 16, 2013

Great advice, Knuttle!

Piotr · Dec 17, 2013

I had a Catalina 18 fixed keel, and although it was an excellent boat, it was way too small for my wife and I. We have a 1985 Macgregor 25 now and it's OK for us and our 13-year old, but the V berth is tight and the boat is good just for 2 adults and 1 or two kids. It would be fine for 2 adults, and it handles as easy as the Catalina did. If I had my choice, I would try Catalina 25 (250 is awesome, but may be too pricey) or Mac 26S (way bigger berth under the cockpit, which Mac 25 does not have). Which Mac did you sail? What matters is the year of production as well.

Sumner · Dec 17, 2013

Hopefully we didn't loose her to some of the "hate MacGregors" threads on the internet. I know when I first started looking at boats and didn't know one from the next I ran into those and it took a lot of reading before I realized that 90% of the people in those threads had no idea what they were talking about. If you don't take the time to get past that then it would be easy to pass up what great boats they really are,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

centerline · Dec 17, 2013

Sumner said:
Hopefully we didn't loose her to some of the "hate MacGregors" threads on the internet. I know when I first started looking at boats and didn't know one from the next I ran into those and it took a lot of reading before I realized that 90% of the people in those threads had no idea what they were talking about. If you don't take the time to get past that then it would be easy to pass up what great boats they really are,

Sum

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.... and have so much to say about the whole "rumor monger" thing, (no matter what it is about) and the sheep that follow and believe the one-sided articles and stories, so they pass them along thinking whole heartedly they are true.... but I wont. for now

trainmanjess · Dec 17, 2013

centerline said:
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.... and have so much to say about the whole "rumor monger" thing, (no matter what it is about) and the sheep that follow and believe the one-sided articles and stories, so they pass them along thinking whole heartedly they are true.... but I wont. for now

hello

I too agree... the MacGregor boats are good sailboats... I had a 1986 Mac25.... I loved my boat.. roomy, but sparce, easy to sail, easy to set up... I trailer sailed it and kept it in my driveway most of the time.... I have 4 lakes here for sailing on... I enjoyed sailing on all 4 lakes....

the only reason I do not have my Mac25 now is, I got demasted.... a shroud wire fastener broke, dropped the mast on the deck, cracked the deck, poptop, and slider top.... the mast bent in half, and while we were pulling it back onto the deck, it flexed and broke into 2 parts... when it broke into 2 parts, it shredded my mainsail while we were pulling it back onto the deck... it did about $4,000 in damages... I could not afford that repair.... but luck would have it, I found another boat to buy I could afford.... but I would recommend a MacGregor to anyone... and I would buy another one if the price was right and I needed another boat..

I love the MacGregor sailboats...

sincerely
Jess