Dear Listmembers! This is my first post to this list, so I apologize if it does not the usual standards. I am planning to buy a new 26 M soon, and would highly appreciate any comments from you more experienced 26 owners. Thanks a lot in advance!! I plan on sailing mostly on Lake Michigan, with my family, also sometimes singl-hand the boat. I would like a 50hp engine. Boat would be on the trailer most of the time if not sailing (not on mooring). 1. What factory options do you recommend to buy? 2. What factory do you not recommend? 3. For what factory options you recommend after-market/ third party parts? 4. Is it typical to buy at list price, or do dealers offer discounts, especially if a boat has a lot of options? 5. What do you guys think about installation of a marine-head with holding-tank and also pumpout? 6. What do you think about buying from a dealer out of state, if they seem to have particularly good reputation? Any feedback is highly appreciated!! Thanks in advance Regards, Kai
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Stuff you need
Make sure to order the stuff hard to add later. I would wait a bit on filling up the interior. A lot of stuff you'll never use often accumulates below decks. I'd suggest acquire it slowly. LIST: Roller furling Jib. I got a genoa, and now am buying a jib instead. Disc brakes if your not storing on the water is a must, much safer. Sail slugs is a dealer item you'll want. Add to that a downhaul, topping lift, and all lines pulled aft if your single handed sailing. Mainsail cover if your storing mast up. Mast raising winch is a must have. Remember, most of your time is spent in the cockpit, not below. We don't need biminis here, but you might want the protection. Ask the locals. I bought cushions, but wish I'd made them myself. The vinyl leather is sticky,and sunbrella canvas would be far more comfortable. Depthfinder, or fishfinder combo is nice if you have the money. Don't really need the vang with the traveller too. You can always add another battery, solar panel, dvd, cooler, and so on later. Everybody's ideas are slightly different, but I hope this helps. Never used the head. always went ashore, but these are little lakes?
Make sure to order the stuff hard to add later. I would wait a bit on filling up the interior. A lot of stuff you'll never use often accumulates below decks. I'd suggest acquire it slowly. LIST: Roller furling Jib. I got a genoa, and now am buying a jib instead. Disc brakes if your not storing on the water is a must, much safer. Sail slugs is a dealer item you'll want. Add to that a downhaul, topping lift, and all lines pulled aft if your single handed sailing. Mainsail cover if your storing mast up. Mast raising winch is a must have. Remember, most of your time is spent in the cockpit, not below. We don't need biminis here, but you might want the protection. Ask the locals. I bought cushions, but wish I'd made them myself. The vinyl leather is sticky,and sunbrella canvas would be far more comfortable. Depthfinder, or fishfinder combo is nice if you have the money. Don't really need the vang with the traveller too. You can always add another battery, solar panel, dvd, cooler, and so on later. Everybody's ideas are slightly different, but I hope this helps. Never used the head. always went ashore, but these are little lakes?
Stuff we like
We spend most of our time in the cockpit. As it turns out, the options we use the most are, the cockpit cushions and the bimini top. Shade is one my personal favorites and wifey likes the cushions. I looked into some better cushions but they are triple the cost of factory ones, at the low end. You can probably do better after market on the bimini. The Origo stove inside is a must, and it doubles as a cabin heater. I'd forget about the marine head with holding tank and pumpout on an "M" or "X". I can't even imagine where a holding tank would be installed. We bought ours with very few dealer options. Added electronics later. The one option I wish I would have got was the mast raising system. The lack of that is the only thing that keeps me from launching by myself. In my opinion the roller furler is more trouble than it's worth, as the jib is the easy sail to deal with. Lines lead aft clutters up the deck too much, since I end up on deck manhandleing the mainsail up and down most of the time anyway. Sail slugs are nice after a few years when the bolt rope shrinks up and becomes difficult. We haven't had that problem yet on this boat. Slugs can be added after market for about $100. Just some thoughts for you. Everyone uses their boats differantly. What works for us, might not work for you. You are asking all the right questions though. I'm sure more folks will chime in with answears for you
Norm.
We spend most of our time in the cockpit. As it turns out, the options we use the most are, the cockpit cushions and the bimini top. Shade is one my personal favorites and wifey likes the cushions. I looked into some better cushions but they are triple the cost of factory ones, at the low end. You can probably do better after market on the bimini. The Origo stove inside is a must, and it doubles as a cabin heater. I'd forget about the marine head with holding tank and pumpout on an "M" or "X". I can't even imagine where a holding tank would be installed. We bought ours with very few dealer options. Added electronics later. The one option I wish I would have got was the mast raising system. The lack of that is the only thing that keeps me from launching by myself. In my opinion the roller furler is more trouble than it's worth, as the jib is the easy sail to deal with. Lines lead aft clutters up the deck too much, since I end up on deck manhandleing the mainsail up and down most of the time anyway. Sail slugs are nice after a few years when the bolt rope shrinks up and becomes difficult. We haven't had that problem yet on this boat. Slugs can be added after market for about $100. Just some thoughts for you. Everyone uses their boats differantly. What works for us, might not work for you. You are asking all the right questions though. I'm sure more folks will chime in with answears for you
Norm.get it all local
When I got my 26X I ordered it with every dealer option except radio, autopilot and wind instruments. I have now corrected that mistake and only regret not buying them initially. Sailing without wind instruments is like driving without rear view mirrors or a speedometer--its possible but why bother. I have also found every option useful and valuable. If buying lots of option a dealer discount of 10% would not be unreasonable. But also remember that boats have more problems than cars and a local dealer would make repairs more easily. I bought my boat in California, saved a couple of hundred over buying locally, and spent almost that much correcting rigging problems after I got it home.
When I got my 26X I ordered it with every dealer option except radio, autopilot and wind instruments. I have now corrected that mistake and only regret not buying them initially. Sailing without wind instruments is like driving without rear view mirrors or a speedometer--its possible but why bother. I have also found every option useful and valuable. If buying lots of option a dealer discount of 10% would not be unreasonable. But also remember that boats have more problems than cars and a local dealer would make repairs more easily. I bought my boat in California, saved a couple of hundred over buying locally, and spent almost that much correcting rigging problems after I got it home.
Anchors, get two-their small
Talk to someone with local knowledge of the bottoms you'll visit.-)lake bottoms ) I had to overnight in a cove during a "wind event" and was very happy I had an extra anchor and chain/rode. It was a wild night. Always have one ready on the bow to drop, before you leave the dock.
Talk to someone with local knowledge of the bottoms you'll visit.
-)lake bottoms ) I had to overnight in a cove during a "wind event" and was very happy I had an extra anchor and chain/rode. It was a wild night. Always have one ready on the bow to drop, before you leave the dock.Wind and autopilot instruments
I've ordered an M due near the end of February and included most of the goodies. I'll be keeping it in the garage and trailering and want easy setup and the ability to single-hand. I'm curious about lml's comments regarding wind instruments and autopilot - I figured these are for later - what brands/types did you get lml and do you recommend them? Can these tie into the GPS/fishfinders? (I have a Garmin 76cs and a Raymarine ds400x) thanks -
I've ordered an M due near the end of February and included most of the goodies. I'll be keeping it in the garage and trailering and want easy setup and the ability to single-hand. I'm curious about lml's comments regarding wind instruments and autopilot - I figured these are for later - what brands/types did you get lml and do you recommend them? Can these tie into the GPS/fishfinders? (I have a Garmin 76cs and a Raymarine ds400x) thanks -
navigation equipment
The Great Lakes! of course, you need the navigation equipment. GPS, charts, Compass. This would be a safety factor for your location I would think?
The Great Lakes! of course, you need the navigation equipment. GPS, charts, Compass. This would be a safety factor for your location I would think?
Dealer Options
As with everything else, IT DEPENDS! It depends on how handy you are, and how rich you are. If you're pretty handy and not too rich, you may wanna go for the least options, and add later as you can afford. If you're not handy and loaded, get the dealler to install everything you may ever want. If you're somewhere in between, get the dealer to install only those things that would be hard to do later. I'd definiitely get the cockpit canvass through the dealer. Doubles the living space on a rainy day. About a $5K touch though, OUCH!!! Anything you can do yourself and shop for will end up being about 1/2 the price as what you'll pay the dealer. Hope this helps.
As with everything else, IT DEPENDS! It depends on how handy you are, and how rich you are. If you're pretty handy and not too rich, you may wanna go for the least options, and add later as you can afford. If you're not handy and loaded, get the dealler to install everything you may ever want. If you're somewhere in between, get the dealer to install only those things that would be hard to do later. I'd definiitely get the cockpit canvass through the dealer. Doubles the living space on a rainy day. About a $5K touch though, OUCH!!! Anything you can do yourself and shop for will end up being about 1/2 the price as what you'll pay the dealer. Hope this helps.
Moving stuff
I got the raymarine autopilot because that is what the dealer had experience with and I didn't want him learning on my time. I'm fairly sure it can talk to a GPS but I don't really like my instruments talking to each other behind my back. The main reason I got the autopilot was to aid in raising and lowering the sails. I singlehand and this way I point into the wind, push a button and don't have to stop raising the sail while I correct the steering. I went with the tack-tic wireless wind instrument which was incredibly easy to install. Just screw it on top of the mast, push some buttons and it was done. This would be an easy add on but the sooner the better. The problem I found with adding equipment is that you have to move everything in the area that is to be worked on that has accumulated on the boat. After a few months this could take an hour to get the stuff out and another hour to put it all back. I've already done this four times and I only have another thirty or so years of sailing left and have better things to do with my time.
I got the raymarine autopilot because that is what the dealer had experience with and I didn't want him learning on my time. I'm fairly sure it can talk to a GPS but I don't really like my instruments talking to each other behind my back. The main reason I got the autopilot was to aid in raising and lowering the sails. I singlehand and this way I point into the wind, push a button and don't have to stop raising the sail while I correct the steering. I went with the tack-tic wireless wind instrument which was incredibly easy to install. Just screw it on top of the mast, push some buttons and it was done. This would be an easy add on but the sooner the better. The problem I found with adding equipment is that you have to move everything in the area that is to be worked on that has accumulated on the boat. After a few months this could take an hour to get the stuff out and another hour to put it all back. I've already done this four times and I only have another thirty or so years of sailing left and have better things to do with my time.
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