We've decided to step up from our 18' day sailer. We want to cruise rather than so much teeth clinching excitement. We're looking for any comments or suggestions about buying a Macgregor 26x or similar boats. The Buccaneer is easy to launch and very fast, but my wife and I want a boat to spend weekends on with enough room for a couple of guests. I've heard a lot of good things about the Mac 26x, sounds like it's big enough, but I don't know what models Catalina, O`day, or others have that are comparable.
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Tony Zambella
Big rig to drag around
26' is a lot of boat to be trailering on a regular basis. If there is any wind or current, getting that thing back on the trailer might be difficult. Then there is that mast raising thing. On a 26' boat, I would guess that it is a special event. Good luck.
26' is a lot of boat to be trailering on a regular basis. If there is any wind or current, getting that thing back on the trailer might be difficult. Then there is that mast raising thing. On a 26' boat, I would guess that it is a special event. Good luck.
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larry w.
trailering
Joe; IMHO, nothing beats a Catalina 25 for a trailer-sailer. If you have the vehicle to pull it and the means to get the rig up, the boat itself is great. Big enough for four; the poptop with the enclosure gives it standing headroom while anchored and the boat can stand up to some real wind. Plus, there's enough of them around to make them available, and they're desirable enough to make resale easy.
Joe; IMHO, nothing beats a Catalina 25 for a trailer-sailer. If you have the vehicle to pull it and the means to get the rig up, the boat itself is great. Big enough for four; the poptop with the enclosure gives it standing headroom while anchored and the boat can stand up to some real wind. Plus, there's enough of them around to make them available, and they're desirable enough to make resale easy.
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Joe Baker
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craig shaw
Joe I happen to have a 23 oday for sale and Iam not to far from you its is listed on the oday web site. We just bought a 28.5 hunter the 23 is a great weekend boat tows and sets up easy check it out. Craig
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Ray Bowles
Joe, We bought a 95 H26 after spending 6 months
looking very hard at all trailerable boats. The H26 ended up being the best sailing boat, the best layout and has a mast raising system that I do by myself is 1 hour. That includes all rigging and mounting the sails. She cost more that all the others other than the M26 with the big motor. But I wanted to sail not buy gas. The only requirement you face is to enjoy whatever you buy. We loved sailing our H26 so much the last 2 years that we just sold our home 2 weeks ago and will sell out H26 in the next 2 months as the house finally closes. By fall we will have bought our next boat of 37 to 42 feet and are leaving on a 10 year trip to wherever we want. The only sure thing is that we will spend the first 4 months wherever we buy that boat and then we're gone. So get moving so you too can get this wonderful ailment. Ray & Maria S/V Speedy
looking very hard at all trailerable boats. The H26 ended up being the best sailing boat, the best layout and has a mast raising system that I do by myself is 1 hour. That includes all rigging and mounting the sails. She cost more that all the others other than the M26 with the big motor. But I wanted to sail not buy gas. The only requirement you face is to enjoy whatever you buy. We loved sailing our H26 so much the last 2 years that we just sold our home 2 weeks ago and will sell out H26 in the next 2 months as the house finally closes. By fall we will have bought our next boat of 37 to 42 feet and are leaving on a 10 year trip to wherever we want. The only sure thing is that we will spend the first 4 months wherever we buy that boat and then we're gone. So get moving so you too can get this wonderful ailment. Ray & Maria S/V Speedy
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Ken Cobb
Smaller is better
My two cents' worth on this subject is as follows: If you go as big as a Mac 26, Cat 25, or Hunter 26, you are into a boat that is a real handful to launch, recover and trailer, although it can be done, and it will require a serious tow vehicle. Those are the biggest trailerable boats, and they are right at the top of the range. If you can stand a smaller boat, you can get just as much sailing fun out of the next size down, in models like the O'Day 222 or 23, Catalina 22, Hunter 23-24, Precision 23, etc. All of those boats can be trailered by a mid-sized SUV, and can readily be towed long distance to vacation at a new sailing venue. However, with the smaller boat you have a potty behind a curtain instead of an enclosed head, and have a more rudementary galley. The creature comforts are less.
My two cents' worth on this subject is as follows: If you go as big as a Mac 26, Cat 25, or Hunter 26, you are into a boat that is a real handful to launch, recover and trailer, although it can be done, and it will require a serious tow vehicle. Those are the biggest trailerable boats, and they are right at the top of the range. If you can stand a smaller boat, you can get just as much sailing fun out of the next size down, in models like the O'Day 222 or 23, Catalina 22, Hunter 23-24, Precision 23, etc. All of those boats can be trailered by a mid-sized SUV, and can readily be towed long distance to vacation at a new sailing venue. However, with the smaller boat you have a potty behind a curtain instead of an enclosed head, and have a more rudementary galley. The creature comforts are less.
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Ken Cobb
Mac 26x
The MacGregor 26x is not as good a pure sailboat as the other sailboats in its class, but it is the only boat capable of going 20 mph under power. If you sail on a river with a strong current, or if you routinely need to clear a long narrow channel to get to your sailing grounds, then the 26x will allow you to do more actual sailing than conventional boats.
The MacGregor 26x is not as good a pure sailboat as the other sailboats in its class, but it is the only boat capable of going 20 mph under power. If you sail on a river with a strong current, or if you routinely need to clear a long narrow channel to get to your sailing grounds, then the 26x will allow you to do more actual sailing than conventional boats.
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Mike G.
C27 works well
We tried a Mac 26 (M not X)for 3 yrs and found it easy to tow and setup but lacking in good sailing and handling qualities on the larger lakes. We replaced the Mac 26 with a Catalina 27 (standard keel)on a trailer built for us by a local welding outfit. It takes less than an hour to launch or recover. We use a Chev 3500 with diesel engine to move it in both the prairies or mountains. This boat has worked so well that we are considering upgrading to a Cat 30.
We tried a Mac 26 (M not X)for 3 yrs and found it easy to tow and setup but lacking in good sailing and handling qualities on the larger lakes. We replaced the Mac 26 with a Catalina 27 (standard keel)on a trailer built for us by a local welding outfit. It takes less than an hour to launch or recover. We use a Chev 3500 with diesel engine to move it in both the prairies or mountains. This boat has worked so well that we are considering upgrading to a Cat 30.
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Frank
Great Cruiser Poor Sailor
I think you'll be dissapointed with how the Mac 26x sails. The old Mac25 is the best sailing boat of the Macs I have seen. The comforts and the motoring capabilities of the Mac 26x make it a great family cruising boat. However, this boat is more popular with folks who buy it as their first sailboat. I'd also look at the Catalina 22, Hunter 23, Hunter 23.5, Hunter 240, Precision 23, Compac 23, and Aquarius 23.
I think you'll be dissapointed with how the Mac 26x sails. The old Mac25 is the best sailing boat of the Macs I have seen. The comforts and the motoring capabilities of the Mac 26x make it a great family cruising boat. However, this boat is more popular with folks who buy it as their first sailboat. I'd also look at the Catalina 22, Hunter 23, Hunter 23.5, Hunter 240, Precision 23, Compac 23, and Aquarius 23.
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