And thanks again for everyone's opinions. So far the realistic candidates are:
Hunters 26, 260, 280, and the M26X or M. The cats look like great boats too, but the models in our budget are just too small. TBH, just from the features list the M26's seems to tick the most boxes, and if we decide we're more the power boat crowd (can't see it, but one never knows) then we can still motor around the lake. And all the chop busting that goes along with it :-D
Of course I'm sure this all goes out the window once we start seeing these things in person!
I've sailed in a friends 26s and there was a time I was looking at them myself. They are a lot of boat for the money. You can usually find one well kept under $6K. Just so you know the 26s and 26d are almost the same boat. If I remember it right the 26d (dagger board) came first and then the 26s (swing keel) was designed to get the dagger board trunk out of the galley and make more room in the cabin. Other than that they are the same boat and often you will see them lumped together as the 26c (c= classic = pre power sailer). I've read (but cant confirm) that the 26d is a little faster because the open slot of the swing keel produces drag. They are a good sized boat for a trailerable sailboat and I'd say a great starter boat. You can do mods without lowering the resell value appreciably and over time you will really figure out how you like to sail and what features/gear is important to you. A guy on here (
@Sumner ) modified the heck out of one and turned it into a real ghunk holler. Look up his profile and you will see several write ups about the mods he did. I borrowed heavily from his ideas on some of my boats. I used to have the baby sister (Mac 22-2) that had a similar hull design. On more than one occasion I ran down a Catalina 27 in my little mac. She was a basic (but comfortable) boat that I was no afraid to cut holes into and add stuff. I also sailed it all up and down the North Carolina coast. She was a decent camping boat. The 26c has the double berth under the cockpit, an enclosed head, a workable galley and a convertible dinette that can sleep four more.
The Mac 25 is similar boat but has an 800 pound steel swing keel. Better (stiffer) sailing boat but harder to tow without a hefty tow vehicle.
1993 MacGregor 26' sailboat for sale, sleeps 6. Includes trailer (with NEW TIRES!) manuel, life...
marshall.craigslist.org
25' MacGregor Sailboat Sails in excellent condition, stored on board All Riggings included 9.8 hp...
siouxfalls.craigslist.org
If you go with one of the cheaper boats like the Mac 26c or Mac 25 try not to look at how clean and pretty it is but instead look at the quality of the sails, trailer and outboard motor. My attitude is that a 30 year old mac is free and I'm buying the sails, trailer and O.B. The cleaning thing takes an afternoon with a pressure washer and the pretty thing is a weekend with some quality paint. But if you have to start replacing the trailer ($4,000) and sails ($2,500) and a new O.B. ($4,000) then you might as well have purchased the pretty boat and saved yourself the PITA. Which is also a valid plan.