Is this the right boat for the Chesapeake??

[Nabbs Creek Pilot]

I just found this site and I have already learned a lot. I hoping to buy a new 26M in the spring, but I have some questions first.

I live on Nabbs Creek, just off the Baltimore Harbor. I currently have a 21' Mac, but rarely leave the Baltimore Harbor. I'm looking to expand my horizons north and south along the Chesapeake. Is the 26M the right boat to do this?

Background - my wife loves camping in our 24 foot travel trailer and would probably enjoy overnight trips on a boat. My 4 yr old loves the sailboat and is becoming a very helpful first mate already.

The real questions for me are ride, safety and AC.

First, is the boat heavy enough and stable enough to safely and comfortably ride typical Bay chop?

Second, the owners manual seems to dedicate the first page or so to all the ways the boat can be capsized, from don't use unballasted, to limitations on the number of people deckside without ballast. Is the boat really that unstable without ballast, or is that all just required by the lawyers?

Finally, the wife would require AC for any overnight trips in the humid mid-atlantic summers. Is that a realistic option? I've seen the entry way mod, but was wondering about more transparent options.

Thanks for any input/advice.

Dealers???

[NiceAft]

Nabbs (please excuse the informality) said

First, is the boat heavy enough and stable enough to safely and comfortably ride typical Bay chop?

I've been on a 28' powerboat on the bay, never on a sailboat, but I have taken my Mac 5 miles out on the ocean off the coast of ACNJ. I see no reason that you would not enjoy the Chesapeake. You have to be concerned about the weather and the conditions on the water no matter where you sail.

Is the boat really that unstable without ballast,

YES

Under power, without sails, with no water ballast (the M does have minimal ballast when empty) the boat is safe if you're not taking sharp turns, or overloading. Remember! There is a mast which tops off 35' above the water, and it's exerting forces on turns. The only advantage of emptying the ballast under power is SPEED. A Mac floats in a foot of water. Somthing more than prayer has to stop you from flipping. It's called common sense We don't have keel's, so the ballast is there for a reason.

In three years I've only done two over nights on the boat. I'm with you about air conditioning, but someone more informed than I will have to address your concerns.

Get the boat, and then go out there and enjoy life on the water in a great sailboat

I'm sure you will hear more from others.

Ray
P.S. I keep my ballast tank full 99 percent of the time.

[kziadie]

I use my M in the Chesapeake, based out of the Rhode River (a little south of Annapolis) and I find the boat perfect for the bay. It is certainly stout enough to take all the conditions I have put her in. I think I am in the minority here, but I keep my ballast tank full all the time regardless of whether I am sailing or motoring as I dont really care about top speed... I still get 12 knots WOT with ballast anyway. Some people have put A/C in, but it is too complicated and space hogging for my taste and you really need shorepower or a generator (more complexity and space) to have a viable solution. As I anchor out most times instead of renting a slip, it really isnt feasible for me. Quite a few people has posted photos of their A/C mods so you may want to do a search on that to see what your options are. I got mine from Jim Perrie of A1 Sailboats in Edgewater and I was quite happy with his service. I am not sure if there is another dealer closer to you.

Kelly

[James V]

I don't see why not. Make sure you have a way to lower the sails quickly and it is practiced and a good anchor. I found the 13 pound fluke that fits in the locker not strong enough for my liking by I tend to over do things.

The A/C you will need a gen 1k or 2k. The Mods are up to you. Lots can be done.

[tangentair]

If you have just found the site, I strongly recommend you read the exploring articles (see side bar) and take a glance at the featured articles, then before you get caught up in the discussion boards, spend your time learning to search. There are no real tricks to it other than choosing the terms wisely and using the "search for all terms" radio button to limit the results. I would also recommend that you click on the Mac Mods link and select any recent mod for the M and click on it, when that page opens click on the link mid center that says "Model - MacGregor 26M" it will supply you with enough reading for many a long winters night.

And I am a new M owner on Lake Michigan who fills the ballast when the boat comes off the trailer and empties it as the trailer starts back up the ramp. It can be squirrelly enough with ballast and I do not plan to run without it routinely until I have significantly more hands on experience.

[John McDonough]

I seen sunfish sailboats and rowboats out on the water of the CH. Bay. Depends on the weather.

Its just common sense that you keep the ballast tank full when Sailing or motoring in rought conditions.

I have sailed my 26X often without ballast tank full, you just have to have a crew that is physically fit and can move fast enough to counter ballance the heeling effects.

[temall00]

Nabbs, my lives on a trailer about 40 miles south of you.
I just got back from a 5 day trip on the bay. We anchored each night. Twice behind Tilghman island, in a little cove off of the Choptank river. Once off the Miles river across from St. Michaels and once behind the waterfowl preserve near Kent Narrows.

Each night, at low tide we were in about 2 feet of water, I’m sure the other sailboats out in deep water were looking at their charts trying to figure out how I was able to do that…

On this trip, we had fantastic weather so I was not able to get the bottom windows in the water but there have been a few times this summer where it was crazy on the bay. It depends on you and your crew. When I’m out with a buddy, we aim for as much healing as possible. With the family it is 15 degrees MAX. This boat will allow you to handle a good range of the weather on the bay. If they are calling for 4-6 foot seas, I’m staying home. Your tolerance will be different.

I’ve looked at the A/C mods but I’ve got higher priorities to upgrade on the boat before I get to that one. So far it’s been a wind scoop for me and sleep in the v-berth, it’s like sleeping in a wind tunnel. It may be warm air but it’s pouring down on you so it’s fine.

Safety? The boat is as safe as you want it to be. When I sail, I add the water ballast. When I motor and it’s calm, I dump the water. If I want a more steady ride or it’s rough, I add the ballast.

Another cool thing about this boat… I pull my 9 y/o on a tube at 17 MPH across the bay, it’s a bit fast for my 5 y/o but he loves it.

If you have any questions, let me know.
Tim

[parrothead]

Nabbs,
The is a great boat for the Chesapeake! We were on the upper reaches of the Bay for a few seasons, but now have Blue Heaven in a slip at Great Oak Landing -- across the bay from Rhode River and ~ 15 miles north [just about even with the southern end of Pooles' Island].

We are daysailors, our only overnights so far have been at our slip, but we make the most of the Mac's ability to sail until an hour before sunset and still get back before dark. I like to power through the chop with the tank empty, as the higher bow attitude makes for a drier ride.

It's been noted that there are a/c mods posted. I opted for a $30 dual window fan from Target [there are other on-line suppliers also].



The fan unit has pull-out sides that extend far enough that it can lie horizontally across the open companionway. The fans can be set on intake - blowing down for a direct "breeze", or on exhaust - drawing air in through the open forward hatch. On low speed in the exhasut mode, it also creates just the right "white noise" to block out other marina sounds that may interfere with getting to sleep -- and it has a thermostat, so it will shut off when a preset air temperature is reached during the night.
I can't comment on local dealers - we bought our from John at SuperSail.com.