Your opinions for potential owner.

[Hardcrab]

If you are independently wealthy, then the Mac most likely not for you.
It is not a Rolls, Mercedes, or BMW. Not by a long shot.
Think more of an old Volkswagen van. Fully adequate in a very minimalist way.

Having good handyman skills and tools along with a desire to use them, will be a huge plus if you own a Mac.
It has problems that can be overcome with experience,help, and not a great deal of money.

What it does well, it does extremely well, all for a small price.
(trailerable, no slip required, shallow draft, higher speed motoring, sleeping room, head, galley, little maintenance, are a few)

What it does poorly, it still can meet basic needs.
(light construction, lower quality stock sails, the Mac bump, racing or bluewater sailing, tender acting, are a few)

As suggested earlier, give deep thought as to what you expect to do with your boat.

[Terry]

I've seen and read some of the negative comments on the Mac on other sites and as stated previously, for the most part they are unsubstantiated. Most of those uninformed opinions are from purist sailors who own much larger boats, many being passage makers. When they pass comments on a Mac they are comparing it to their big heavy passage maker which is comparing apples to oranges. Those bigger boats are built to withstand bluewater conditions and long term sailing beyond the sight of land, they are tanks. Some have a full keel from bow to stern and can sail close hauled without slipping to leeward but are slow, while others have a fin keel and sail faster on a close reach.All boats are a compromise of some sort. The Mac is built and advertised as an inland lake or protected coastal waters boat not offshore capable. It is also affordable and does not require slip moorage, to make this possible the manufacturer has built it light and skinny with few extras. It is a very bare bones boat when you start out but in the end you can really outfit this boat to suit your own style of cruising. There are few boats out there that can match the interior size of a Mac in the same length and price range. Most sailboats in the same length range have only a storage locker and quarter coffin berth aft of the companionway, not even close to what the Mac has. And as for cruising, well I have been doing a bit of that the last few years and can attest to the fact that all sailboats cruise under engine power when cruising and towing a dinghy around, they don't even remove the mainsail cover for pete's sake. Usually the wind is not in your favour or barring that you are fighting a tide or in a narrow channel or time is against you, in any event cruising is almost 100% engine driven. This where the Mac truly shines with that big outboard as your cruising speed can double that of any other sailboat. As for performance, it sails well enough to enjoy and if you get some extra cash you can outfit it with better sails than the oem's for even better performance, ditto for other components.
What I like most is that if I ever have to sell (hope never) I am not saddled with annual moorage fees eating into my profits and forcing me to reduce my price to escape the moorage fees, I can sell it from my driveway.
What I dislike most is that skinny beam of 7'10", they should have made it 8'6" the legal width in most locales.
I also did not appreciate how bare bones it arrives as I had to spend considerable $$ to bring it up to my standards, but at least they are mine and not some one elses.
I am on my sixth season with this boat and have discovered that it fits our style amazingly well, (I originally had my doubts), and look forward to many more seasons of enjoyment. If you live within seasonal constraints it does not make sense to have an excessive investment in a boat that has limited seasonal use, the mac does not cost as much and can be parked in yourdriveway during off season.
The Mac was built to serve a specific market and it does so very well.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

You'll see 10 year (plus) old Macs comparibly in as good shape as any price ranged fiberglassed boat in storage lots, marinas, mast up sites. I think the quality, comfort, safety, along with much more, are in this boat. I like mine just fine, and actually prefer the water ballast, and basics of the Mac over and above comparible sized fixed KEEL boats.

[Gerry the fish]

I agree with all above
- I was expecting some negative comments at the Marina when I bought the Mac - I have had nothing but positive.

My top 10 reasons for loving the Mac. (bought it last April) in no particular order
- Great Vacation Boat. Its 20 miles from where we launched at Anacortes out to the dock we rented on Orcas Island, WA. When we launched it was cool (65F), no wind and we were approaching the end of a favourable tide, we zipped out to the dock in less than 2 hours, some of it against 3 knots of current. A true sailboat would have taken 4 - 6 hours.

- We planned day sails every day. As long as its dry and warm - no need to worry about the wind or have a plan B or C destination. We could plan a different destination each day and predict what time we would get there if needed.

- The dock is shallow (about 4 feet at low low tide) - no problem for the Mac, sail in and pull everything up. We were the only sailboat at the dock.

- Sails great in moderate wind (10 to 20mph) below 10 the true sailboats pass us by, but above 10 we are even (with boats similar length).

- I learnt to sail on the Columbia river in about 5 mile stretch. Boy am I tired of that stretch of river. Nothing beats putting the boat on the trailor and changing the scenery.

Our favourite place to dock.

- Saoirse settles in for a night at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island.

[Québec 1]

Yesterday we had my private retirement party at the marina . My 3 best working buddies(the 3 honest , helpful, trustworthy guys). We went out for a sail on the Saint Lawrence but the wind came up and the waves got really big. We started to motor with the bow of the Mac bouncing all over the place and spray coming over the top of the dodger. Finally we decided to turn around and everybody got a try at the wheel. It was hilarious. We sang Beatle tunes cause we all saw the free Paul Macartny concert a few weeks ago and laughed like crazy as the boat was being steered everywhere except the right way and we commented on the individual styles at the wheel. We went for supper at the marina and then put the full enclosure up cause the north wind got really cold and proceeded to play poker, drink brandy and beer till 2 am.

Thats what you can do with a 26M. It is like having a cottage on the water. Waterbago is a very good term to describe my 26M...and it's such a gas to motor home at WOT after sailing all day...just got back.
Q1

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Our favourite place to dock.

- Saoirse settles in for a night at West Beach Resort on Orcas Island.

Very nice.
Now thats what I like showing to folk that ask me -- why do you own and like messing about on a sail boat ? Thats what's meant about a picture being worth a "thousand words"...

[jaguar496]

Hello MATRIXRA: Alice and I are new to owning a sailboat, and to sailing. We bought our '08 , "THE RESTLESS TWO", for the following reasons: 1. affordable 2. customize as necessary and at our liesure 3. can be handled by newbies, and in our case, ancient mariners (mid-60's) without needing electrics or hydralics to help with the sails 4. beautiful blue/esthetically pleasing 5. the most room below for the length and beam 6. she handles as the book tells 7. the world's greatest support team, on the Mac Sailors Page 8. the knowing that an oncoming storm can indeed be outrun if need be, which is comforting to the Admiral 9. all the other reasons on this thread 10. having other sailors and looky loo's remark of her beautiful lines 11. having the owner of a Grady-White, sporting two 150 hp motors, ask if he can FOLLOW us to the Bahamas 12. not trying to wear you down, but we can afford a bluewater boat of substantial size, but not knowing if sailing/cruising will turn out to be our cup of tea, "THE RESTLESS TWO" will give us all the experience necessary to determine IF larger and bluewater is to become part of our cruising lives 13. alot of skinny water where we live, and when one is on it, the giddiness you receive when a stinkpot tries to get to the same place, but finding that it can't 14. we are too new to know that there are negatives; IGNORANCE is truly BLUE BLISS Alice and Stew "THE RESTLESS TWO"

[Gerry the fish]

Very nice.
Now thats what I like showing to folk that ask me -- why do you own and like messing about on a sail boat ? Thats what's meant about a picture being worth a "thousand words"...

Thanks for that. Politically, you and I are so far apart I cant see your mast above the horizon. But I appreciate the complement. Sailing brings out all kinds. Have a good day.

Gerry

[Gerry the fish]

Yesterday we had my private retirement party at the marina . Q1

Heya - happy effing retirement - cant wait until Im there. Good luck and good winds.

[Frank C]

Having enjoyed my 26X for about ten years now, I'd suggest that the naysayers simply haven't ever really assessed the compromises they endure on behalf of their chosen vessel. Macgregor's powersailers, both 26X and 26M, permit you to enjoy sailing when conditions are ideal, and to still enjoy boating when they aren't. Hybrid propulsion permits you to take advantage of a half-day, when another vessel would keep you at the dock.

Few vessels can perform their breadth of service. In either case, sailing or motoring, you can overnight (or weekend) aboard while enjoying more space and amenities than offered in any other boat of same size or cost ... again, very hard to duplicate in any other style of boat.

The key word to describe the powersailers is VERSATILE. Try it, bet you'll like it~!
Mine's named after the chameleon, for good reason . . .

[Québec 1]

Yesterday we had my private retirement party at the marina . Q1

Heya - happy effing retirement - cant wait until Im there. Good luck and good winds.

Thank you, and may your retirement be taken years before they are planned.

p.s. Yesterday, I went sailing at 10 am ( with a slight hang over)came back at 3 closed up the boat and drove home in friday rush hour. My day was done and I returned home just like everybody else...

Retirement is better than working.

[Love MACs]

Retirement is better than working.

Amen. And welcome to the ranks of leisure lovers. Everyday is a surprise!

Allan

[daydreamerbob]

I don't know how to sail very well - and i do not know how to power very well. Boating is still kind of a challenge for me. But I do know how to have fun and when I looked up boating fun in the dictionary their was a Mac with a blue hull. Here is what I know to be true:

The Mac can be sailed better than I can sail it. I am told there are sailboats that can turn on a dime in high winds and high seas - I do not care - I couldn't turn it no matter how good it is - and have no interest at this point in that type of challenge. These high end sail boats cannot tow tubers.

There are boats that go 70-80 mph on the lake - not sure why - skiiing and tubing etc are 17-22mph sports - my boat does just fine and it is not as loud and annoying as those others. these big motor boats cannot quietly cross the lake to the resturaunt bar on a crisp autumn afternoon - in fact most of them are laid up when the weather cools.

There are house boats that serve as a get away on the lake year round - they cannot motor or sail or even get to the lake resturaunt let alone be towed to a new venue.

I want to hang out at the lake when i want to hang out, find serenity when my life requires it and entertain the kids without electronics - for me there is no other choice.

I can camp on my boat - I can go to an isolated island on my boat and have a lake house to myself for the weekend - and i can do it on any body of water i choose.

"

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Very nice.
Now thats what I like showing to folk that ask me -- why do you own and like messing about on a sail boat ? Thats what's meant about a picture being worth a "thousand words"...

Thanks for that. Politically, you and I are so far apart I cant see your mast above the horizon. But I appreciate the complement. Sailing brings out all kinds. Have a good day.

Gerry

Youre most welcome, and indeed, the inspiration captured in your photo goes far beyond politics.
That pic. is frameable and inspiring.

[Captain Kimo]

Ahoy Louis,

Here is my favorite picture for framing of two ("Wind Barry" and "Fast Sunday") in the annual Fall Flotilla fleet making for Sandy Point on Gregg Basin, Lake Mead NV.



Always get my heart a pumping to get back on the water.