Why Macgregor

[Gerry]

I am considering buying my first sail boat. I am not familiar with the Macgregor water ballast system. Why should I buy a Macgregor over a conventional keel sail boal? How easy is the 26X to handle for a relative novice sailor?

 

[Roger]

Ease of sailing the 26X

I recently test sailed a 26X on Lake Union in Seattle in moderate winds. Being very much a novice sailor I didn't utilize the experience completely, but I found it very easy to sail a straight line towards a landmark. I wish I had experimented with how close into the wind she would sail. The sloop rigging with roller furling on the 150% Genoa was easy to handle. You could fly any amount of the Genoa that conditions required. The 50 hp motor had us going at least 20mph with empty ballast and it only took about 10 minutes to fill to be ready for sailing. It mostly drained on the motoring back to dock, which is the advantage of water ballast, not having to haul the weight around on the trailer. Hope this helps a little and that folks with more experience will add more pros and cons.Good Sailing!

 

[Mike]

Me Too

Me too, I have a Mac and it's my first boat every owned. It's a 99, and my wife and i sail as often as we can. Is it easy to sail? I have nothing to compare it to, but i can't imagine any other boat being easier. I kept the engine at idle while sailing for the first few times. Fifty hp can overtake the sails, but be careful---don't run at highspeed with the sail up. The relative wind created by ur speed will give u a knock-down if u decide to turn right or left.  U should know---about half of all Macs leak when it rains. The Mac. corp. told me this. My boat was one of them. Recork all deck fitings.Check for bubbles and blisters in the gelcoat. I found dozen or more. More common in the newer Macs. good luck

 

[Jim Bailey]

Gerry, Mike and Roger brought up some good points they experienced with the 26X. There is also the ease of towing the boat on the trailer. It tracks very well. Its very easy to launch, once the mast is raised. You also don"t need an extension for the trailer tongue, and you don't have to submerge the back of your towing vehicle to get the boat launched. Getting it back on the trailer, is easy too. (It takes a little practice, but what doesn't?)The boat in the water, with the keel up,only draws nine inches of water. The boat is built to be as low maintenance as possible, so you can have more time on the water having fun and enjoying yourself. For the novice sailor, it is relatively easy to sail. You learn a lot, and you learn more each time you go out. For a new boat that is basically equipped, you will pay a lot more. I won't mention other brands, but for the base price of a Mac 26X, you won't get as much with others. Lots of them don't come with trailers either. I did a lot of research before I bought mine in 1998. I suggest you take a look see for yourself. By the way, a conventional keel boat is heavier, but the water ballast on the Mac 26X doesn't make it unstable. You might check it out, you'll find that there are some Americas Cup Racing boats that also have water ballast.As far as leaks, I haven't found any, since I took delivery. That was taken care of on the spot. Yes, you will find flaws, but If you check, you can bring the boat in to a MacGregor dealer and they can correct those flaws, such as bubbles. My warranty was for one year. Hope this helps you out.Good Sailing.