Also looking to buy a 26M

[barryst1300]

Hi folks,
Like Jibsbuchanen in another recent thread, I am also considering a M26M as my next boat.

I have read plenty and feel the Macgregor 26M will suit the majority of my needs. What I'd really appreciate though is an opportunity to go out for a day of sailing with a current owner who can show me how a MacGregor 26M is rigged at the ramp, and how they sail out on the water?

I live at Alexandra Hills in Brisbane and would be happy to travel up or down the coast. So if any current MacGregor owners in Brisbane, Gold Coast or Sunshine are looking to go out for a day of sailing any day soon and wouldn't mind me tagging along for company and hand to rig up. I'd very much appreciate the opportunity to experience a MacGregor on the water.

If your able to help me out I can be contacted on either (phone number removed by moderator), or email me at xxxxxxxxx@live.com.au (email address removed by moderator)

Cheers

Barry

!	kmclemore:
	Hi, Barry and welcome. You're new here so you didn't know, but we don't allow personal email addresses or phone numbers on this forum. This prevents spammers and jokers from using this forum as a source of targets. Everyone: For those who wish to get back to Barry please use the "PM" or email (the little envelope on the right beneath his name) to contact him. Thanks! Kevin

[barryst1300]

Thanks for letting me know about that Kevin. I'll keep that in mind with future posts

[sunshinecoasting]

I am still making plans for Aus day weekend at this stage but may end up launching at Mooloolaba for the weekend, however it is an . If you are interested reply and if i do end up going out I can organise meeting you at the ramp.
Cheers Dennis.

[barryst1300]

I am still making plans for Aus day weekend at this stage but may end up launching at Mooloolaba for the weekend, however it is an . If you are interested reply and if i do end up going out I can organise meeting you at the ramp.
Cheers Dennis.

Hi Dennis,
I greatly appreciate your kind offer and would have loved to have taken you up on it. Unfortunately, the Aussie day weekend is booked fairly solidly for me already.

Having done a little more research and looking at lots of different photo's of the and the models, I'm not sure which is better now?

The layout of the X "appears" to be a little more open and spacious with the head tucked further back, and it appears there is a small wash basin/vanity unit included in the head that I don't think the M has? The only other difference I noted was the seat cushions appear to be covered in fabric on the X, where the M looks to be upholstered in either vinyl or leather, which I'd imagine is probably a bit sweaty to sit on in our hot climate up here?

I can see a few other differences in the keel configurations but can someone fill me in on the benefits of going for an M over an X, and vice versa?

Cheers

Barry

[barryst1300]

I just found two sites that address the question I had asked about the comparison between the X and M models. It would appear the upgrades were significant in terms of performance and ride comfort under power.

http://www.macgregor26.com/comparison_w ... nd_26m.htm

https://sites.google.com/site/wordboats ... 26m-models

Cheers

Barry

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Barry,
You best do a lot of homework before making the decision, look at both boats, sail in them if you can, they are quite different in many areas, I toiled over this question for a long time but definitely made the right choice for me. Dont let sailing/motoring performance be a deciding factor, both boats sail very similar and neither are boats for any kind of race, they are cruisers not racers, the is a little faster under power, mine maxes out at 19 knotts, for what its worth here are my reasons for choosing a

Bigger cockpit
Cabin is technically smaller but is open plan and feels bigger.
Swing keel, in our shallower waters this was a must for me, has dagger board.
I dont like the rotating mast on the , the is a fixed mast.
has lower freeboard although still high it catches less wind when slow maneuvering.
Toilet is MUCH better on as I spend days on my boat at a time.
Toilet has separate sink.
Longer front birth as you can remove forward seat back for taller sleepers.
I didnt like the main track in front of companionway on , the main sheet connects to console or in long downwind runs i connect mine to either lifeline railing on cabin top which eliminates accidental gybe.
Fixed galley on which is easier to customise.
Larger transom access for swimming.

The only thing i wish i had was more headroom in the rear birth that the has, however the is still good compared to most other trailerable yachts.

Cheers Dennis.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Our only possible outing anytime soon, is Aus day weekend (if I can get the Monday public holiday off ). We have otherwise only used the boat once since our September Hervey bay trip. That was last weekend and as is the case 95 % of the time, we got no sailing in. Wind on the nose NE to Peel Island on the Friday, motored over too Dunwich Saturday morning and caught the bus to Point lookout for fish and chips and a sticky beak, back to Peel for the Saturday night, and the wind veered to a Southerly, on the nose again for the trip home. I'm very happy I own a Mac because I just don't have much luck with the wind on my planned trips

My boat is sitting out there at anchor now as I wait for a break in the weather to do the annual rust work on the trailer axel and drawbar... Thankfully its an aluminium trailer so not too much work. If you are buying an X, take a good look at the old trailer if its still on the original black painted one. Preferably find one on a duel axel Oz trailer!

As to which boat, Both have Pro's and Cons, II like both and would be happy with either, would have preferred the swing keel of the X, But the simple dagger board of the M has its good points too.

It was my wife who said it had to be an M because they apparently look so much better, and are apparently nicer inside Personally I don't think either is too pretty for a sailboat, but either is definitely more functional for my family's needs than all the other trailer sailers available in Oz.

[barryst1300]

Thanks Dennis and Paul I appreciate your input.

As for the Australia day weekend I've made a few changes to my plans and can get out for a sail on either the Saturday or Monday at this stage. I have a jetski so I can even make plans to meet you out on the water somewhere if need be, though I'd really like to meet one of you at the ramp so I can see how the boat is rigged.

I guess the appearance of the different models is a personal thing. I personally find the lines of the more pleasing to the eye than the lines of the That double row of windows on the looks a little odd to me and doesn't look as clean as the lines of the , but that's just me and it won't be a deciding factor in which boat I purchase. I owned a 26 foot half cabin motor boat a few years ago and know all about the challenges of windage when trying to handle a big boat at the ramp when its blowing hard.

I'm curious about why you have a preference for the fixed mast on the over the rotating mast on the Dennis? I have owned and raced a lot of different catamarans and all had rotating masts. The design does allow smoother airflow over the leading edge of the main which produces (at least in the cat's) much better lift. I know on some boats you could over rotate the mast down wind and that could damage the sail on the shrouds on some boats. I'm curious to know your thoughts on the benefits of having the fixed mast on the MacGregor?

Cheers

Barry

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Barry,
I will let you know my plans here when they are confirmed, happy to have you there at the ramp to go through setup if you want.

I didnt want the rotating mast for two simple reasons, 1. Less to go wrong, 2. Jybing with rotated mast puts your sale at risk, as mentioned earlier these are not fast boats so trying to gain half a knott or so from a rotating mast is a bit superfluous, which leads me to a concern with your comments, you mention you have owned and raced various cats, you absolutely can not compare a or with a cat, especially one rigged for racing, my boat needs some rig tuning no doubt about it and I may gain a knott or so from doing this but here's the truth about our boats speed, I am happy to get a continuous 4 knotts, delighted to get 5 knotts, excited when im doing 6 knotts and need to surf and sail to exceed 7 knotts which i have done occasionally, if you hope to achieve consistent speed above 5 knotts then you would be a skilled sailor and an expert in rigging with one of these boats. So, knowing this I decided that any advantage from a rotating mast was probably misguided on a Mac, 5 vs 5.5 knotts is neither here nor there for me, i am just happy plotting a course and reaching my destination, if another boat over takes me i just put the kettle on and have another coffee, smile and let him go while he is focussed on sail shape and trim, board depth, rudder and whatever else, im taking in the scenery.

Some call these boats a caravan on water, im not sure i totally agree but i understand their thinking, they do sail better than the nay sayers say they do and I am surprised to get more from my boat than i expected but if someone said hey lets race i would just chuckle and say no thanks. By the way, these boats can out run some keel yachts in light wind but once the wind increases the joy is short lived. The smile comes back on my face though when i run mine up on to a beach and step off while the other guy drops anchor and gets his tender ready to do the same...........oh ok, there is a little smile on my face when i am doing 19 knotts while keel boats are motoring at 6.

Edit. Just remembered to add, i enjoy sailing from Caloundra to Bribie up the passage, water can be as shallow as 30 cm's but i have never been stuck yet, you dont see many other 26 foot yachts in the passage........well actually none and what a beautiful trip that is.

[barryst1300]

Hi Dennis,
Mate yes please keep me informed about your plans. I'd love to have a chance to be there when you rig up so I know what the plan is.

Don't worry, my expectations of the performance of these boats is well and truly in check. While I have some past racing experience that's not what I'm looking at buying a MacGregor for.

To be honest I can see me likely using it as a power boat more so than a sail boat. From where I live at Alexandra Hills it's a short 15 minute tow to the local ramp, and then maybe a 30 - 40 minute cruise under power to my favourite local destination, Peel Island. Whether I'd bother to put the sails up for that I don't know? But if I was doing an overnighter down towards South Straddie and I had all day to get there, I probably would sail where the wind was at the right angle to sail and motor the rest instead of spending all day tacking across the bay.

This will be a purchase all about relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. I will likely keep my current Nacra 4.5 for days when I'm looking for a little excitement. I was actually supposed to be sailing out of Pt Cartwright today with a lady who used to crew for me years ago. The forecast for 15 to 20 knots with 25 knots gusts turned us off that idea though

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Barry,

Pending any unforeseen circumstances I have decided I will spend the weekend on the boat arriving at the ramp at on Saturday morning at around 8am, I will spend about 45 minutes setting up and then launch, you are welcome to meet me there and watch/help followed by a morning of sailing, weather permitting, typically I will sail from Mooloolah river to Coolum and back, about 20nm round trip, most days here the wind increases after 12 pm so I may just circle to Old Woman Island and back, a round trip of 8 nm. After which I usually drop anchor in the shelter of the break water in the Mooloolaba bay for a coffee and a swim. You are welcome to come sailing with me, my wife may join me, she hasn't made up her mind yet, it depends on the weather, she really only likes it calm. If its bad weather i will still go but may not sail much, im happy to just relax anchored in the harbour area and watch the world go by too, i also enjoy anchoring just inside the river mouth and having a swim there too. I will be at the southern ramp (upstream) next to the coast guard in the river on Parkyn parade around 8am. Byo lunch and any drinks, i have a fridge on board to keep it cold, bring togs and towel if you want, i have plenty of sun cream, your partner is welcome. I have sent you a pm with my mobile number in case you need it. Cheers, Den.

[Mac26Mpaul]

I'm being out voted and it may be a couple nights camping on the long weekend now (provided I can get the Monday off..)

Well I'm not really a very experienced sailor, just haven't done enough of it to say otherwise. I can only really compare the Mac to my last boat which was a Careel 18 trailer sailer. I believe they would be similar on a reach, the Mac would easily beat the Careel downhill and the Careel would be a bit faster uphill. Coming back from the Gold Coast is usually on a run and we have passed keelers and other trailer sailers many times. Unfortunately we missed filming the best bits so its not really in the following vid, but there was a bunch of blokes on a keeler on this day who seemed to be laughing at us - we sailed past them and they decided to throw more sail up and show us what for I rolled out a bit of jib, and we easily still left them behind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyyxZbQ_zN0

However, except for on a run, everything pretty much passes you in the Mac


We almost never sail in winds above 15 knots and we generally see between 5 - 6 knots (almost always towing a dinghy). Downhill I'v seen 7 knots, but others on this forum have seen better. At the very end of this vid you see us leaving Peel Island on a run towing the dinghy with just the main up. Once we got out from the lee of the Island we were hitting 6.8 knots for a while (until I chickened out and decided it was time to reef!).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpfUCsXsmtI

I'm told that un-ballasted downhill can get you some real speed, but that just aint for me...

Anyway, its definitely a cruising and lounging around kind of sailboat. And if you want to go fast under iron genny, you will need a big one. With the 50, 16 knots at Wot in perfect conditions, but with a bit of headwind and tide, about 8-10 knots is common at WOT in my experience.

[barryst1300]

Hi Dennis,
I have replied to your pm with my mobile number, but the message seems to sitting in my "outbox" and not in my sent messages folder? So I'm not sure it has been sent? Can you please let me know if the message has made it to your inbox?

I very much appreciate the chance to sail with you and I will call you towards the end of next week went the BOM weather forecast for that weekend is updated just to ensure your still going out. If all goes to plan I'll make sure I'm at the ramp before 8am.

Is this the ramp you are talking about? http://goo.gl/maps/rneB6

Cheers

Barry

[barryst1300]

Hi Paul,
A weekend of camping on the boat with the family will be fun. The video's were good. I wouldn't like to impose on your family time though over the Aussie day weekend, but I'd still like a chance to sail with you on the M one day if you don't mind?

Cheers

Barry

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Barry,
Yes I got your pm thanks, yes that is the ramp i will be at, i generally use the ramp on the left in that view as it has more room, i will be parked in the setup area parallel to the water edge between the ramp and the jetty. Plenty of room to park your bike but nothing under cover around there unfortunately. Plenty of room on the boat for your riding gear.
See you then, Dennis.

P.s. im pretty sure Paul meant camping in a tent, not the boat.