MacGregor 26x - info needed plz

sailortaylor · #1 01-06-2003

I''m interested in buying 1998 26x. This is the motor/sail version. It has a 50 hp outboard, water balast, with center board. Since dealers will not give accurate info and everthing I read about this boat on the internet is mostly from them, I turn to you for more accurate info. This boat will be docked in a Colorado mountain lake for the summer weekend use. I like the headroom and space offered in this boat. My question to anyone - How well does this boat sail. I am aware of the trade off factors in sailboats, obviuosly this boat will not sail like other sailboats. But I am not interested in the motor end of this boat (but it could come in handy). This style boat will definetly sail differently with is flatter bottom. But that could make it sail faster too. If any one could give me any info in the sailing ability of the MacGregor 26x I would greatly appreciate it. Thank You!

Maine Sail · #2 01-06-2003

You can''t have the best of both worlds. They tend to sail like AMC Pacers looked. I would suggest something along the lines of a Catalina 22,25 or 27. If you need more space look at the smaller hunters they will sail circles around a Macgregor. Unless of course you prefer the mystique of sailing but prefer motoring.....

PBzeer · #3 01-06-2003

If you want a trailerable sailboat, with interior room, you won''t find one with more than the Hunter 26 or 260. Not only that, but with the Hunter mast raising system, it makes setting it up, or taking it down very simple. If you would like to read more about the Hunter, you can go here......

http://www.sailboatowners.com/boats/model.tpl?sku=30179116948415&fno=0&bts=T

If price is your main consideration, you would be better off, for sailing, with a 22'' Catalina or such, than the Mac.

Good luck and fair winds
John

Jeff_H · #4 01-06-2003

In a nutshell, these are not very good sailboats and they are not very good powerboats but they are better powerboats than sailboats. They seem to sail reasonably well in a narrow wind range around 8-10 knots but below that they are nearly useless as sailboats and they seem to get overpowered in winds much over that.

They are also very poorly constructed.

Jeff

sailortaylor · #5 01-08-2003

The reason I''m looking at the Macgregor is that I''m in Colorado and I do not have a large selction to look at. In fact there is only one place I know here that sell sailboats - The Anchorage in Lyons Colorado. There are maybe 20 used sailboats that I can look at (most are Macgregors). This would be my first purchase of a sailboat. I plan to buy a 35 to 40 ft Catamaran in a couple of years. I like the the extra space on the Macgregor 26x, to stay on the boat for weekends. I also want to gain hours of sail time for my 6 Pack license. There is a Boat show in Denver this weekend, I will check out the Hunter and Catalina''s. But I don''t want a new one due to thw fact I only will keep this sailboat for 2 to 3 years tops! Thank you for your replies. To Jeff a BIG Thank You! I always enjoy your post''s. You seem to have a great knowledge of sailing and are very willing to share that with others. Taylor

Sailormon6 · #6 01-08-2003

Taylor,

If you are only going to keep your next boat for a couple years, why don''t you look for an older, used production boat, like a Catalina or Hunter, in the range of 25-26 feet? Your capital outlay will be relatively small, maintenance will be nominal, the boat won''t depreciate much in two years, it will be relatively easy to sell, and you''ll have a boat that sails reasonably well.

RichardElliott · #7 01-08-2003

Compare the rig, i.e. mast, boom, shrouds, etc. on the MacGregor 26 with other boats. You will find it comparable to other boats about 18ft. in length. Hence, it will be VERY slow.

doubleplay · #8 01-09-2003

small foot note:
you can not get sea time towards a six pack by sailing in a Colorado lake.....
Good Luck

flicker · #9 01-10-2003

If you want a trailorable boat (and I''m happy with the Mac 26 sailboat, not the powersailor) you have a much wider range of places to buy it from since you can just trail it home from anywhere in the 48 states.
Except for the headroom and the size of the enclosed head, I like my Macgregor.

Chas.

windship2 · #10 01-13-2003

flicker,
how many other boats have you owned?

Dennis