Can't make up my mind!!!!!!

[Andy26M]

As KHE points out, the 2003-2004 26M have a very different interior layout than the 2005+ have. While I would not be able to dine 6 people in my 2004 M's cockpit, I HAVE had six adults playing cards in my M saloon for several hours while waiting out a rain storm - the table was a little small for 6, but the two long side settees have plenty of room for 6 to lounge in comfort.

Folks above have not yet pointed out that in shortening the cockpit on the M, MacGregor lengthened the interior of the saloon (cabin).

I think the access issue is significant for a lot of folks. The 26X transom area is more open and convenient for getting in and out of the water, with the M you have a tight squeeze to get past the motor. Conversely, on the 26X the steering is out there to be tripped on (but I suspect easier to work on) while in the M the steering is all below decks. Saloon access is also very different. On the M you have to step/climb over the forward seat and traveler, while on the X the hatch goes all the way to the sole. I'd imagine the X is much, much easier for small children or elderly folks to safely get in and out of the cabin.

I'm not sure I think the sink in the head is really that much of an advantage, a lot of folks have posted that they never actually use it. To me, space used for the head is space wasted, but I'm a bachelor who sails single-handed most of the time.

Another difference that has often been bandied around is the length of the V-Berth. I have never measured it, but I think the V-Berth in the X boat will hold a person about 6 inches taller than in the M. On my M, I can fit the V-berth fine at 5'8" tall, but I think at 5'10" I'd feel too cramped, especially on the stbd side where the head bulkhead is.

- Andy

[jaguar496]

Hello GUNKHOLER: What QUEBEC1 SEZ: try them both, then try them again. Alice and Stew, "THE RESTLESS TWO"

[Québec 1]

AOn my M, I can fit the V-berth fine at 5'8" tall, but I think at 5'10" I'd feel too cramped, especially on the stbd side where the head bulkhead is.

- Andy

I have a 2003 26M and when I solo I always sleep in the v Berth and I mesure 5'10''
Q1

[Kelly Hanson East]

If I were strictly sailing on a lake, I would think about a small kicker motor like a 9.9 rather than the 'full rated motor' of 50 HP

You can put about 4-5k in savings in your pocket, and you can beat the resale depreciation by selling the kicker separately and letting new owner put on engine of choice.

The big engines depreciate wickedly, the small ones dont.

If you will river or coastal cruise - go with the big motor and have fun though.

[baldbaby2000]

BTW, does anyone know if the healm has the option of getting rid of the big "boxy" glassed cover on either boat?

I'm not sure when or why this happened on the M. I have a 2005 and it has the SS post which gives more legroom.

[MARK PASSMORE]

[Gunkholer]

I'm not sure when or why this happened on the M. I have a 2005 and it has the SS post which gives more legroom.

Yes I'm still wondering about that. Thinking it may be a good idea......



Kelly you've got me thinking about the smaller motor. Would I be able to get more distance per gallon of gas than on the larger motor? That could be very helpful for tooling back into long coves or trying to get soemwhere when there's no wind.

[tangentair]

I have an M with 2 adults and an almost 6 ft, 160 lb 14 year old, he usually hangs out up front and the cockpit is fine for us, when he is in the cockpit I find it crowded because one of them is always in the way of where I want to go to tighten this or loosen that. We do not do meals at the pier like we used to do on our Morgan but it was 4 foot wider and had a lower cabin top that gave it a great "back porch" feel for dockside hanging out. If you buy used, try to get a deal that has a well equiped boat with a used up engine so that you can up grade to 70+ hp, with kids you will want to tow them on inner tubes or boards and the 50s are just barely adiquate. From what I have seen and read, the mast raiser on the later model Ms is really superior to the earlier methods. The forward head on the M gets used a lot by the ladies if we are out for over 3 hours, fortunately they are all short so it is OK, I prefer an empty gadoraide bottle myself. Haven't broken my daggerboard yet still I think the swing keel of the X is superior but the all fiberglass daggerboard case/mast support is better than the metal compression post of the X which KHE found can leak. But the nice thing about either is what you don't like you can modify.

[Kelly Hanson East]

Would I be able to get more distance per gallon of gas than on the larger motor?

As a blanket statement, yes. If you choose a modern fuel injected 4 stroke as your larger motor the savings in mpg might be small.

A small 4 stroke over a larger 2 stroke at low rpm the difference will be larger.

Reviews on my (in transit) 4 HP kicker motor report that it burns fuel at one liter per hour, full throttle. If that can move the boat at 4 smph, that would be 16 mpg - something Ive never seen in any larger motor (best anyone has reported is 12 smpg I recall)

[Kelly Hanson East]

Report from James in another Forum
with a 50 HP Mercury BF, fuel injected motor at low rpms

James has the Smartcraft system installed which gives the most accurate number you can get in terms of fuel consumption


At 4.8 mph (1800 rpm) I get .45 gals per hour. there is a lot of variables on this. Wind direction and seas and current. try backing off a little bit and see what happens. Not much differance in arrival time.

[James V]

The mpg is ture, 14 x 10 SS prop, 960 hrs. Bottom paint. pulling a dinghy and pushing 7000 pounds.

you have not said how long you will be keeping the boat. The M stern bunk has more head room and a little longer as you can put your feet under the stearing linkage.

The Head, Curtian aft of the daggerboard or get everybody out of the cabin otherwise none to private for a tall person. Put the potty on the floor not the ledge and take out the door (not enough room for us tall people)

I am 6'4". washing dishes and meal preps are done bent a little but cooking is done with the galley pushed back. Not much more than 40 min's a day and not done all at one time. Singlehanding for 9 months on an M.

If somebody complains about the cockpit, let them stear and go below for a nap or ??????
Sitting in the compainway is a good option (need a backrest) and I do use it singlehanding under autopilot.

[mallardjusted]

Yes, you need to actually get on both an M and a X to help in your (well, uh, your wife's!) decision!

We went through the same process when we bought our boat a couple years back. But for us, the decision was much easier than I thought it would be. After riding on both models, FOR US, we liked the following on the X:

- The much easier access (for bad knees) from the cockpit to the cabin
- The larger cockpit area
- The size/height of the head (M's was too cramped/short for us)
- The ability to install a kicker mount on the stern (we did that, for a 5 hp kicker)
- And even though the rear berth does not have as much headroom, the folding ladder
allows for fairly easy access.

After the decision, a side benefit was saving approx $10,000.

But, again, get on board both of them. Everyone has different criteria for liking different options. Nothing wrong with that!