Why all the fuss about mcgregor 26's

[CapnHand]

How well do they sail upwind? How high can they point?

[EdWarren]

It depends, Which model? Mac C (centerboard), Mac S (Swing Keel), Mac X (Power), Mac M (New Power). How each boat is tuned. Most important, how good is the sailor at the end of the Helm. My 26S performs very well to windward, until the wind starts getting to high then I get some weather helm.
Ed Warren Mac 26S (1992)

[Joesaila]

Love this site. A friend from Belize has a Mac-26 he needs delivered. I think the way to get it there is trailoring and it will be fine in the reef filled area he lives. The barrier reef keeps the area 'relatively' calm, ave. depth is 4 to 40 feet. It will be interesting to see it perform there. Thanks for all the info!

[excel]

My biggest complaint is the flimsy daggerboard. Don't hit anything. It's easy to pull out and fix or replace but it really needs to be strengthened. The boat isn't real fast under sail but it's OK and points fine. As with any water ballasted boat it can get overpowered easy so be ready to reef.

Some good things: lot's of room inside and good headroom. Very easy to trailer; dumping the water ballast really lightens things up. Setup and teardown are pretty easy. We've usually get it in the water in about 70 minutes. Of course being a power sailor you can always get places fast if you want to and have a big enough motor.

[hellosailor]

A flimsy daggerboard can be a good thing. It means that when you hit something--you break the board instead of breaking the well, the attachment points, the hull...all that other stuff that could be way harder to carry a spare one of.

There's actually a fine art of engineering things to break in the least expensive manner when they're going to break.

[Seaworthy]

I am very interested in getting a Mac 26m. I understand that as a sailing/motoring hybrid it can't be specially well constructed for either, but with that price and the reviews I've heard, it sounds mighty good to me!

Do you think a Mac 26m would be too small to safely sail in the Great Lakes? I've heard horror stories, and the Ella Fitzgerald keeps coming to mind...

[MSN2Travelers]

The Mac is what it is ... a hybrid, a power boat that can sail, a sailboat that can get you someplace in a hurry. It just doesn't do either exceptionally well. Performance is offset by sound construction, great interior space, easy launch & recovery and a low price point that let us get into sailing without a huge cash outlay. It's got the Admiral hooked on sailing (but she wants a bigger boat that is less tender )

I have a 26M and have sailed the entire season on Lake Michigan. Know the boat, know your limits and sail within them. From mast-up storage to water is under 20 miutes. Over the road, we can step the mast, rig for sail and launch in about 45 minutes.

[Wannafish]

" I've heard horror stories, and the Ella Fitzgerald keeps coming to mind..."

ROFL
That's the funniest thing I've read in a long time!

[ReverendMike]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy

Do you think a Mac 26m would be too small to safely sail in the Great Lakes? I've heard horror stories, and the Ella Fitzgerald keeps coming to mind...

Dude, if you don't like Jazz, that's one thing, but to compare one of the all-time-greats to a nautical disaster is really mean. Everyone's a critic!

[CharlieCobra]

Seaworthy, ahh, that's the EDMONDS Fitzgerald.