We are currently looking at buying a Mac26x but we dont know anyting about them. Are they stable in high winds without a keel? Has anyones mac ever flipped on them? and generaly what else do i need to know that is important. I have read some things about the trailers, what is that all about? Your help is much appriciated. I would just like to know as much about this boat as possible.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
D
dan
Depends on USE!
Hi Cam.... I currently have a 98' 26X. Great boat for visiting different lakes inland. I also had a Cal 20 in Sydney, BC. The Mac 26X is motorsailor hull design(planing). Will give you light weight and low clearance for towing. Deffinately a light winds(20-30mph) inland waters craft. If you are going to leave the boat in the water I would look in to a sailboat hull design (displacement)with fixed keel. Sails better in high wind conditions and much safer for your area. That way you can sail across Georgia Straight when a 40 mph Southeaster comes up when you are half way home. happy gunkholeing......dan
Hi Cam.... I currently have a 98' 26X. Great boat for visiting different lakes inland. I also had a Cal 20 in Sydney, BC. The Mac 26X is motorsailor hull design(planing). Will give you light weight and low clearance for towing. Deffinately a light winds(20-30mph) inland waters craft. If you are going to leave the boat in the water I would look in to a sailboat hull design (displacement)with fixed keel. Sails better in high wind conditions and much safer for your area. That way you can sail across Georgia Straight when a 40 mph Southeaster comes up when you are half way home. happy gunkholeing......dan
J
Joe
Me too!
Hi Cam, My wife & I have been looking at the Mac 26X for the past several months. We've been sailing a Chrysler Buccaneer, an 18' "racing dingy" for years now but we always wanted to cruise not race. Last weekend we sat on a Mac26X in a driveway for several hours. We're convinced it is the boat we want to buy because... It is the largest trailerable sail boat. This gives us the ability to take the boat anywhere we want to sail, the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake, wherever. The combination of being easy to launch, and easy to move fast on the water motoring opens many possibilities other sailboats simply can't provide. The water ballast and ability to float in less than 12" of water also allows the Mac 26X a huge advantage in navigating secluded coves and harbors. We like the idea of finding an island to explore without having to worry about grounding the keel. Our Buccaneer is a sail boat with a planing hull too, we love to sail fast but more so, we just love to sail. Every boat has its compromises, some will say the Mac 26X isn't the best sailing into the wind. It isn't as pure a sailing boat as others, but the advantages to us far out-weigh any thing we've heard or seen so far. Good luck, & fair winds to you.
Hi Cam, My wife & I have been looking at the Mac 26X for the past several months. We've been sailing a Chrysler Buccaneer, an 18' "racing dingy" for years now but we always wanted to cruise not race. Last weekend we sat on a Mac26X in a driveway for several hours. We're convinced it is the boat we want to buy because... It is the largest trailerable sail boat. This gives us the ability to take the boat anywhere we want to sail, the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake, wherever. The combination of being easy to launch, and easy to move fast on the water motoring opens many possibilities other sailboats simply can't provide. The water ballast and ability to float in less than 12" of water also allows the Mac 26X a huge advantage in navigating secluded coves and harbors. We like the idea of finding an island to explore without having to worry about grounding the keel. Our Buccaneer is a sail boat with a planing hull too, we love to sail fast but more so, we just love to sail. Every boat has its compromises, some will say the Mac 26X isn't the best sailing into the wind. It isn't as pure a sailing boat as others, but the advantages to us far out-weigh any thing we've heard or seen so far. Good luck, & fair winds to you.
D
dan
26X in BC
Hi Cam..... On the trailer....... You will need to install side bumber rails to keep the boat on the trailer during landing. The current design has none and you will pilot over the fenders out of control in ANY wind. The 26X has WAY to much sail for gusty(30-40mph) conditions. You will need to reef both genoa and main in SECONDS under these conditions even with the mainsheet laid off. This can be accomplished FAST/SAFE with roller reefing and mainsail controls to the cockpit. Here is a site of a 26X nut in your area with lots of mods on his boat. www.nisa.net/~/harbro/windarra happy looking....dan
Hi Cam..... On the trailer....... You will need to install side bumber rails to keep the boat on the trailer during landing. The current design has none and you will pilot over the fenders out of control in ANY wind. The 26X has WAY to much sail for gusty(30-40mph) conditions. You will need to reef both genoa and main in SECONDS under these conditions even with the mainsheet laid off. This can be accomplished FAST/SAFE with roller reefing and mainsail controls to the cockpit. Here is a site of a 26X nut in your area with lots of mods on his boat. www.nisa.net/~/harbro/windarra happy looking....dan
M
Michael Shomate
Just got mine 6 wks ago
I just took delivery of a new 26x about 6 weeks ago. I am very pleased overall. Ask about matching the prop with the motor and boat. I bought a Suzuki 50 with fuel injection and a 6 year warranty. Great motor, but I only get about 17 knots wide open. I am told the prop should have been a little more agressive. This is a moot point because we find the boat pretty unstable without ballast. We use the ballast 100% of the time (as I advise you to do until you are very familiar with the boat). All boards must be up beyond 6 Kts. for atability. I find that I can get about 13 Kts. with ballast, and that's about as fast as I care to go anyway. Get the mast raising system and the roller furler, they are both worth the money. Don't believe the 15 min. prep time. It took myself and my wife 2 hours the firat time. We have it down to about an hour from drive-up to launch, which is acceptable to us. Get the video about rigging your boat in 10 minuites, not that it can be safely done in that amount of time, but they have a few good tips that save time. Get the large capacity sani-potty if you intend to use the head. AND...get a slip for the first few months. It will increase your pleasure 10 fold! (You can do the rigging thing after you get used to the boat)
I just took delivery of a new 26x about 6 weeks ago. I am very pleased overall. Ask about matching the prop with the motor and boat. I bought a Suzuki 50 with fuel injection and a 6 year warranty. Great motor, but I only get about 17 knots wide open. I am told the prop should have been a little more agressive. This is a moot point because we find the boat pretty unstable without ballast. We use the ballast 100% of the time (as I advise you to do until you are very familiar with the boat). All boards must be up beyond 6 Kts. for atability. I find that I can get about 13 Kts. with ballast, and that's about as fast as I care to go anyway. Get the mast raising system and the roller furler, they are both worth the money. Don't believe the 15 min. prep time. It took myself and my wife 2 hours the firat time. We have it down to about an hour from drive-up to launch, which is acceptable to us. Get the video about rigging your boat in 10 minuites, not that it can be safely done in that amount of time, but they have a few good tips that save time. Get the large capacity sani-potty if you intend to use the head. AND...get a slip for the first few months. It will increase your pleasure 10 fold! (You can do the rigging thing after you get used to the boat)
J
Jim Humphrey
Bumper Rails
Dan, Any detailed info on the bumper rails you mentioned. I know how it feels to be crossways on the trailer while trying to land the whale in a crosswind. Any info will be appreciated. Jim
Dan, Any detailed info on the bumper rails you mentioned. I know how it feels to be crossways on the trailer while trying to land the whale in a crosswind. Any info will be appreciated. Jim
D
dan
Bumper rail Design
Hi Jim..... I have drawn up a design to take to a metal fabricator. Goes like this: 1.(2)1/4" x 3" steel uprights bent at (2)45 deg angles to 12" above trailer fender. Fasten to trailer "C" channel with (4)3/8 bolts. 2.1/4"x 3"x 56" crossbar welded to uprights. 3.1.5"x 3.5"(2x4)x 60" bumper rail with bunk carpet fastened to crossbar with 5/16 carriage bolts. 4.Position on trailer over fenders with rail forward as much as possible. Leave 2" clearance on each side of the boat. 5.Paint with primer and marine paint happy landing......dan
Hi Jim..... I have drawn up a design to take to a metal fabricator. Goes like this: 1.(2)1/4" x 3" steel uprights bent at (2)45 deg angles to 12" above trailer fender. Fasten to trailer "C" channel with (4)3/8 bolts. 2.1/4"x 3"x 56" crossbar welded to uprights. 3.1.5"x 3.5"(2x4)x 60" bumper rail with bunk carpet fastened to crossbar with 5/16 carriage bolts. 4.Position on trailer over fenders with rail forward as much as possible. Leave 2" clearance on each side of the boat. 5.Paint with primer and marine paint happy landing......dan
L
les levitan
buy macgregor 26x
bought new in jan. sail mostly singlehanded and absolutely love it. sails comfortably in 25-30 mph gusts. takes practice to set up quickly but can be done. trailers at 80 mph with only a little swaying (75 is more comfortable). have leaned it over just short of vertical, scary but no tipping. my biggest mistake was not ordering every option available, it costs more and takes away sailing time to have them added later, bite the bullet and order everything. also give the rigger plenty of time to put it all in. everybody elses boat looks better but a mac26x is really one of the all around best (maybe I don't know much).
bought new in jan. sail mostly singlehanded and absolutely love it. sails comfortably in 25-30 mph gusts. takes practice to set up quickly but can be done. trailers at 80 mph with only a little swaying (75 is more comfortable). have leaned it over just short of vertical, scary but no tipping. my biggest mistake was not ordering every option available, it costs more and takes away sailing time to have them added later, bite the bullet and order everything. also give the rigger plenty of time to put it all in. everybody elses boat looks better but a mac26x is really one of the all around best (maybe I don't know much).
F
Fran Dodd
Warning
Beware of overloading and drunken operating and ballast and who knows what other mistakes, or tragedy could result. See Burlington Free Press July 9th article on a July 4th 2002 tragedy. I am not a MacGregor Owner, just a fellow sailor with safety as a concern.
Beware of overloading and drunken operating and ballast and who knows what other mistakes, or tragedy could result. See Burlington Free Press July 9th article on a July 4th 2002 tragedy. I am not a MacGregor Owner, just a fellow sailor with safety as a concern.
T
Tim Peters
Buying a Mac 26X
I recently bought a Mac 26X after about a year of interest, research and price/feature shopping. I selected the 26X for sailing, powerng, fishing and camping(cruising) in SF bay and regional lakes. The Mac sails well enough for my cruising needs. If I ever get into high performance sailing, I'll do most of that a boats in my sailing club. I wanted power simply getting around faster than sailing allows. So when I go fishing a can do 15-18 knots getting there and back. I'll tow kids on tubs and skiis on occasion. Even though I have "The Ashley Rose" in a slip, trailering her to lakes is important to me. A bigger boat is too hard to get around. I couldn't possibly get my wife to sleep on a smaller boat. We have a baby too, so the cabin size is important to us. Since you are looking at the 26X, presumably your reasons line up fairly closely with mine. If not you are probably looking at the wrong boat. After deciding I'd get a Mac, certain criteria became important to me. Given 1999 improvements to boat, I choose that as the oldest year I wanted. I choose only the 50HP. A smaller engine didn't make sense to me. I also avoided 60 and 70HP, thinking that resale value would be effected with engine bigger than recommended. I want to use the boat a Lake Tahoe, so I had to get a 4-stroke (or latest tech 2-stroke) for compliance with EPA 2006 regulations. The boat had to be clean. Beyond these requirements all other items were optional for me, although I did prefer finding a boat with a roller furling at a good price. Let me know how it goes for ya and may the wind always fill your sails!
I recently bought a Mac 26X after about a year of interest, research and price/feature shopping. I selected the 26X for sailing, powerng, fishing and camping(cruising) in SF bay and regional lakes. The Mac sails well enough for my cruising needs. If I ever get into high performance sailing, I'll do most of that a boats in my sailing club. I wanted power simply getting around faster than sailing allows. So when I go fishing a can do 15-18 knots getting there and back. I'll tow kids on tubs and skiis on occasion. Even though I have "The Ashley Rose" in a slip, trailering her to lakes is important to me. A bigger boat is too hard to get around. I couldn't possibly get my wife to sleep on a smaller boat. We have a baby too, so the cabin size is important to us. Since you are looking at the 26X, presumably your reasons line up fairly closely with mine. If not you are probably looking at the wrong boat. After deciding I'd get a Mac, certain criteria became important to me. Given 1999 improvements to boat, I choose that as the oldest year I wanted. I choose only the 50HP. A smaller engine didn't make sense to me. I also avoided 60 and 70HP, thinking that resale value would be effected with engine bigger than recommended. I want to use the boat a Lake Tahoe, so I had to get a 4-stroke (or latest tech 2-stroke) for compliance with EPA 2006 regulations. The boat had to be clean. Beyond these requirements all other items were optional for me, although I did prefer finding a boat with a roller furling at a good price. Let me know how it goes for ya and may the wind always fill your sails!
M
Mike
Water ballast
Think for a moment. Water ballast is the same as flooding your bilge. Many articles have been written about this subject and in general the opinion is that water ballast, while workable is a poor compromise for a properly trimmed and balanced boat. Water ballast, by its' very nature has a center of mass that is ABOVE the bottom of the hull. The center of bouyancy is also above the bottom of the hull. A weighted keel extends well below the bottom of the hull and the weight is well below the center of bouyancy. This gives the weighted keel leverage to right the boat. To provide the same righting moment, water ballast, due to its location so close to the center of bouyancy, must be many many times heavier to provide the same righting force that a keel with several feet of leverage can provide. The additional weight required for stability means that the boat rides lower in the water and thus has a much larger wetted area which means more drag. That extra weight that is required because of the higher center of mass of the water ballast translates into lower speed under sail. Who wants to sail a half sunk boat anyway? Check out the literature (not by the manufacturer) on water ballast before you make your choice. While it sounds like a good idea it does have some very real drawbacks. If the boat is used check the the following also. The boat is made up of systems. Check each one carefully. 1 Standing rigging, check for frayed cables, loose or worn fittings, corrosion around compression fittings, frozen turn buckles etc. 2 Spars, check mast and boom for straightness, freedom from corrosion, are attachment holes worn over large, are all attachments tight, check the mast head to be sure the halyard sheaves are in good condition and that the halyards will run freely. 3 Sails, Check for chaffing wear, is the cloth old and weak, is there wear where the cloth wraps around the head rope. Are the snaps for the jib corroded solid or are they easy to open and close. You might have to take that sail down quickly sometime. 4 Running rigging, are the sheets in good shape, if not this is not too expensive to cure. How about the fairleads, deck eyes, locking cams and cleats, are they all there, working and solidly mounted? 5 Hull, Check both out of and in the water. Is there evidence of major repair, any bulges, bumps or uneven areas? Are there any cracks or other signs of stress or improper trailering? Are all attachments tight and solid? 6 Deck, cockpit and cabin. Are all components solid and fit, are there cracks or signs of delamination. are the portlights sound and leak free, Does the companionway, pop top, fore hatch all seem OK? Are all interior fixtures there, table, cushions and so forth? 7 Electrical. What condition are the running, anchor and masthead lights in? Is the wiring corrosion free? How old is the battery and does it have a charging system? Check the fuses in the distribution panel, are they corroded into the fuse holders? Is there a cabin light and does it work? 8 Keel and Winch. How badly rusted is the keel, it is almost always rusted but how bad? Check the keel winch for proper operation and the cable for frayed areas. With the boat in the water does the pivot bolt leak. 9 Other component parts. Check the rudder, is it heavy, if so it is probably waterlogged. Check to make sure it has all parts (ie. tiller) and that the gudgeons and pintles are straight and mounted solid. Check the outboard motor mount, does it still have a working lift spring and does it raise and lower easily with the motor mounted. Check the porta potty if so equipped. When was the last time that thing was emptied???? Finally, Check the boat rigged and in the water. Does she sit straight or list to one side? If so is it because of improper stowage or a heavy side due to a major repair. Does the the mast stand fair and straight or skew to one side, if so is it rigging adjustments. DOES IT LEAK? Check the bilge for signs of leakage, I would personally avoid a boat that has a high water mark in the bilge. Check to see that all the little things are there, anchor, compass, boathook, dock lines, fenders, bilge pump or bucket, Coast Guard required flares, PFD's as required by law. All these little thing are going to add up to quite an unexpected bill. Yeah, it's a lot to check but when you’re out there, EVERYTHING is safety related. Happy Sails To You, Mike
Think for a moment. Water ballast is the same as flooding your bilge. Many articles have been written about this subject and in general the opinion is that water ballast, while workable is a poor compromise for a properly trimmed and balanced boat. Water ballast, by its' very nature has a center of mass that is ABOVE the bottom of the hull. The center of bouyancy is also above the bottom of the hull. A weighted keel extends well below the bottom of the hull and the weight is well below the center of bouyancy. This gives the weighted keel leverage to right the boat. To provide the same righting moment, water ballast, due to its location so close to the center of bouyancy, must be many many times heavier to provide the same righting force that a keel with several feet of leverage can provide. The additional weight required for stability means that the boat rides lower in the water and thus has a much larger wetted area which means more drag. That extra weight that is required because of the higher center of mass of the water ballast translates into lower speed under sail. Who wants to sail a half sunk boat anyway? Check out the literature (not by the manufacturer) on water ballast before you make your choice. While it sounds like a good idea it does have some very real drawbacks. If the boat is used check the the following also. The boat is made up of systems. Check each one carefully. 1 Standing rigging, check for frayed cables, loose or worn fittings, corrosion around compression fittings, frozen turn buckles etc. 2 Spars, check mast and boom for straightness, freedom from corrosion, are attachment holes worn over large, are all attachments tight, check the mast head to be sure the halyard sheaves are in good condition and that the halyards will run freely. 3 Sails, Check for chaffing wear, is the cloth old and weak, is there wear where the cloth wraps around the head rope. Are the snaps for the jib corroded solid or are they easy to open and close. You might have to take that sail down quickly sometime. 4 Running rigging, are the sheets in good shape, if not this is not too expensive to cure. How about the fairleads, deck eyes, locking cams and cleats, are they all there, working and solidly mounted? 5 Hull, Check both out of and in the water. Is there evidence of major repair, any bulges, bumps or uneven areas? Are there any cracks or other signs of stress or improper trailering? Are all attachments tight and solid? 6 Deck, cockpit and cabin. Are all components solid and fit, are there cracks or signs of delamination. are the portlights sound and leak free, Does the companionway, pop top, fore hatch all seem OK? Are all interior fixtures there, table, cushions and so forth? 7 Electrical. What condition are the running, anchor and masthead lights in? Is the wiring corrosion free? How old is the battery and does it have a charging system? Check the fuses in the distribution panel, are they corroded into the fuse holders? Is there a cabin light and does it work? 8 Keel and Winch. How badly rusted is the keel, it is almost always rusted but how bad? Check the keel winch for proper operation and the cable for frayed areas. With the boat in the water does the pivot bolt leak. 9 Other component parts. Check the rudder, is it heavy, if so it is probably waterlogged. Check to make sure it has all parts (ie. tiller) and that the gudgeons and pintles are straight and mounted solid. Check the outboard motor mount, does it still have a working lift spring and does it raise and lower easily with the motor mounted. Check the porta potty if so equipped. When was the last time that thing was emptied???? Finally, Check the boat rigged and in the water. Does she sit straight or list to one side? If so is it because of improper stowage or a heavy side due to a major repair. Does the the mast stand fair and straight or skew to one side, if so is it rigging adjustments. DOES IT LEAK? Check the bilge for signs of leakage, I would personally avoid a boat that has a high water mark in the bilge. Check to see that all the little things are there, anchor, compass, boathook, dock lines, fenders, bilge pump or bucket, Coast Guard required flares, PFD's as required by law. All these little thing are going to add up to quite an unexpected bill. Yeah, it's a lot to check but when you’re out there, EVERYTHING is safety related. Happy Sails To You, Mike
D
dan
What Ballast?
Hi Mike......... Thank you for your informative letter on Water Ballast. I have questioned the effectiveness of this design to REALLY keep you out of the water in my 26X. My other sailing experience is with a Cal 20 full keel(1500-2000lbs) in Georgia Straight, BC. Heeling was more natural and manageable. When I get a Desert Gust out of NOWHERE of lets say 20-30k, I almost get CATAPULTED in to the lake if I don't watch the sheet as if sailing in an Ocean Gale in the 26X (main and genoa REEFED!). Kind of takes the FUN out of sailing. The water ballast makes the boat feel like a Tugboat more than a balanced sailboat. Will look for more articles on this issue....... Thanks again......dan
Hi Mike......... Thank you for your informative letter on Water Ballast. I have questioned the effectiveness of this design to REALLY keep you out of the water in my 26X. My other sailing experience is with a Cal 20 full keel(1500-2000lbs) in Georgia Straight, BC. Heeling was more natural and manageable. When I get a Desert Gust out of NOWHERE of lets say 20-30k, I almost get CATAPULTED in to the lake if I don't watch the sheet as if sailing in an Ocean Gale in the 26X (main and genoa REEFED!). Kind of takes the FUN out of sailing. The water ballast makes the boat feel like a Tugboat more than a balanced sailboat. Will look for more articles on this issue....... Thanks again......dan
D
Doug
water ballast
Water ballast is not the same as flooding your bilge. Water ballast is held in a tank in the bottom of the hull, running along the centerline. A completely filled tank provides ballast by not allowing the water to move side to side as the boat heels. Water in the bilge would slosh all over as a boat heels giving it no effectiveness as ballast. With that said, the rest of what Mike said is correct about water ballast. However two big pluses are: Shallow draft - My favorite plus. Nice to have in areas like the Chesapeake with all sorts of shallows and hundreds of creeks to overnight in. And if you find a good beach, you can sail (or motor) right up to it. Easy Trailerability - Manufacturers say you can take it anywhere! Maybe so, but the really big plus is you don't have to take it to a marina for slip fees, winter storage, or haul out for service. (I'm going to sneek in a minus here. If the 26X trailers are anything like my 26S trailer, be prepared to replace it after a few years, especially if you sail in salt water. The trailer is absolutely the worst component of my MacGregor purchase.) These are not high performance boats. My 26S sails relatively well, especially single handed. I have beaten inherently faster boats because they are harder to sail single handed. I have never been knocked down or even come close. I've never sailed an X, but Dan mentions that he gets almosts gets CATAPULTED during gusts when the winds are up. Well I don't know about that, but when the winds are up you do have to be more vigilant. (20-30 knots is on the high end for most smaller boats anyway.) Besides, I think that can put the fun into sailing. If you want higher performance, then water ballast is not for you. If you want convienent, easy, lower cost sailing, then consider a water ballasted boat. My .02 -Doug
Water ballast is not the same as flooding your bilge. Water ballast is held in a tank in the bottom of the hull, running along the centerline. A completely filled tank provides ballast by not allowing the water to move side to side as the boat heels. Water in the bilge would slosh all over as a boat heels giving it no effectiveness as ballast. With that said, the rest of what Mike said is correct about water ballast. However two big pluses are: Shallow draft - My favorite plus. Nice to have in areas like the Chesapeake with all sorts of shallows and hundreds of creeks to overnight in. And if you find a good beach, you can sail (or motor) right up to it. Easy Trailerability - Manufacturers say you can take it anywhere! Maybe so, but the really big plus is you don't have to take it to a marina for slip fees, winter storage, or haul out for service. (I'm going to sneek in a minus here. If the 26X trailers are anything like my 26S trailer, be prepared to replace it after a few years, especially if you sail in salt water. The trailer is absolutely the worst component of my MacGregor purchase.) These are not high performance boats. My 26S sails relatively well, especially single handed. I have beaten inherently faster boats because they are harder to sail single handed. I have never been knocked down or even come close. I've never sailed an X, but Dan mentions that he gets almosts gets CATAPULTED during gusts when the winds are up. Well I don't know about that, but when the winds are up you do have to be more vigilant. (20-30 knots is on the high end for most smaller boats anyway.) Besides, I think that can put the fun into sailing. If you want higher performance, then water ballast is not for you. If you want convienent, easy, lower cost sailing, then consider a water ballasted boat. My .02 -Doug
M
Mike
Re: Doug/flooded bilge.
Doug, What I meant by flooding your bilge is that you are taking on 1400 lbs of water that must be supported by the hull, this makes the boat ride lower in the water increasing the wetted area(more drag), and the inertia of that 3/4 tons of water does indeed make the boat less responsive than otherwise. You are right in the respect that loose water in the bilge has no righting effect whatsoever. But in basics we both agree. Mike
Doug, What I meant by flooding your bilge is that you are taking on 1400 lbs of water that must be supported by the hull, this makes the boat ride lower in the water increasing the wetted area(more drag), and the inertia of that 3/4 tons of water does indeed make the boat less responsive than otherwise. You are right in the respect that loose water in the bilge has no righting effect whatsoever. But in basics we both agree. Mike
- Status
- Not open for further replies.