Jenni; 2 Completely Different Boating Experiences
Jenni, Sorry I didn't answer your post sooner but just returned from West Palm where I was visiting my mother. My mother insisted we hit the opera and the symphony and we also saw the Rockettes Christmas show at the Theater of fine Arts in Fort Lauderdale. So I was a little tied up and wasn't able to get down to the water while there. However it was hard to refuse Mother on that last request. The Rockettes were sensational and they have a nice surprise at the end of their Christmas show including a live nativity scene and scripture reading. Quite a contrast I'd say but it was a spectacular event overall. And if anyone hasn't seen the show at the Radio City Music Hall or while they are on tour I highly recommend it. Now to the point in question. Welcome to the discussion! I agree with you BTW. For your boat your motor is spot on and I would have the same or similar motor if I had your boat. My interest in the M boat (or the X for that matter) is because it is a dual purpose boat, which is why I bought my "M". I have an M but for the purpose of this discussion (outboard size) it's the same boat as an X. If I only wanted a sailboat I wouldn't have bought the "M". For sailing only I prefer the Hunters and used to own one. If I only wanted a motor boat I would have bought the 24' Glastron, but wanted a dual purpose boat one that sailed or motored. When I want to sail I go sailing. When I don't have time to sail, want to fish or whatever or there's no wind and want to motorboat, then I go motoring. The M and the X boat don't motor as well as a motor boat and they don't sail as good as a sailboat but they do both. So why motor with an undersized 50hp on a 26' dual purpose boat when you can motor with a 90hp safely with this boat? Especially when the 90 doesn't weigh appreciably more than most 4-stroke 50's, but "greatly" improves speed and performance. You can actually get the Macgregor sales pitch speed with the 90hp and then some. Mine will cruise 19mph at 3800-4000RPM (and won't use any more fuel than a 50 HP will use to go the same speed) and mine will go WOT at 25mph 5400RPM. I wouldn't go any higher than the 90 (or heavier at 315#) on the "M" but wouldn't go any lower either. So I do whatever floats my boat (pun intended) and what floats mine is a 90hp Tohatsu. It provides no problems on the sailing performance side whatsoever and provides pure boating pleasure on the motoring side. So ask yourself, if a person wants a dual purpose boat then why should they undersize the motor at 50 hp? There are a lot of people that post on this board and other boards with the X and M boats that are not happy and think they are under powered with their 50HP motors. But no one that I know of that has gone with a higher hp motor on the M or X is dissatisfied with the results on motoring or on sailing performance. And those other entire mumbo-jumbo postings are just exactly that - mumbo-jumbo. And the quantity of the mumbo in those contrary posts far out weighs the jumbo. Jenni, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Unfortunately you'll probably be washed overboard by the volume of consenting opinion that will come forth from my man "YY". He'll included at least another 25 (meaningless) points and about dozen (meaningless) links to support his goal of browbeating every potential Mac X and M customer into conforming to his likes and dislikes. Or excuse me, he only has one like and that's the 50hp outboard. I think perhaps he made the mistake of getting that size motor (50hp) and it may be that now he is embarrassed to admit he made a mistake so he doesn't want anyone having any more fun then he has with his under-powered sewing machine of an engine. But then I'm only speculating, I mean why else would someone be so possessed about this subject? Kind Regards, JonBill
