MacG cease product'n in CA. 2 new boats to be made in FL

[kmclemore]

[mod="kmclemore']Thanks for the nice update, Laura! We very much welcome your input on our forum and appreciate you (and your dad) taking the time to give us the 'straight scoop'. I know I speak for all of us here on the forum when I wish you and Paul the very best in your endeavour, and we'll certainly be rooting for you. And if you need any customer advice or input, you're sure to find it here.

As to the Edinburgh Tattoo, as someone of Scottish heritage myself, I know it very well - I've been back in 1983 and once again in 2011 with my family. A show NOT to be missed! Best to go at the same time the Edinburgh "Festival Fringe" is going on as it magnifies the fun and excitement in the town.

Cheers,
Kevin[/mod]

[Tomfoolery]

Well now, that's what I was hoping to see. It doesn't get any more first-hand than that.

Thanks for popping in, and I wish you full sails and following seas in your new venture (nyuck nyuck).

p.s. Military Tattoo did occur to me, and I've been to a few up here, but I didn't make the ethnic connection. I didn't even know where the word came from, until now.

[133bhp]

As a Brit, and as I alluded to, "tattoo" I'm afrAid is more likley to conjur up images here of lager louts, burgers, and typcally nowadays, girls covered head to foot in them, fighting it out on a friday night! - seriouslyy, I'd investigate whether the target audience (sailors as opposed to power boaters) wants to be asscociated with tattoos, I doubt it?


But Congrats on the new venture. and a nod to your family. I doubt whether I would be on the water, save for the X in my case.

[BOAT]

Thank You Laura,

Please thank your dad for me - his constant pursuit of the perfect boat has resulted in my personal benefit. No expensive slips, no pricy haul outs, and no lake, bay, or harbor is off limits as long as a road is available. I don't need to take two weeks off to have a nice night under the stars on the sea.

Just like your dad, I can single hand over to Cherry Cove, toss out an anchor, and sit back with a cheese sandwich and enjoy the view.

My dad also had a trailer sailboat made by Whitney Peden and Peter Barret (whom your father knew) and my picture (as a youngster) can be seen in the original brochure for Peter's boat. I share your childhood experience. It was the Venture that started it all in my opinion.



Your dad; Roger, gave us something that was only available to the wealthy 40 years prior. Please tell your dad that he has indeed changed the lives of HUNDREDS of thousands of people that go far beyond just the owners of his boats, because their kids now carry on the lifestyle that Roger made available to us.

Thanks

[PEN24]

Puzzled by this.
I can understand Roger wanting to retire but why not simply take over the reigns and keep/improve the existing product? Why start all over again? The M26 has a pedigree and is a proven design with a good following and it works. Stopping production, chucking out the moulds and beginning again under a different name doesn't make business sense to me.

[kmclemore]

Pen24, speaking in my own opinion, I'd say lawyers, accountants and the tax man may have a lot more to do with such decisions that it would seem. Sometimes it's easier and more cost effective to make a clean break and start a new business than to roll over an old one. Yes, I agree that the "MacGregor" name has a huge amount of goodwill and history, and that's certainly got value, but then there's also huge tax and financial implications when taking over a business, so it may be that in the balance it was simply wiser to start afresh.

[kmclemore]

BTW, for those of you playing at home, if you ever do want to go to see the Edinburgh Tattoo - and like Laura I *highly* recommend it - be sure to order your tickets a year in advance... they really *do* sell our that quickly, as do the hotel reservations. And don't be afraid of getting a 'bad' seat - there aren't any since they changed the grandstands layout - they're all great seats now!

[kevinnem]

there should be a macgregor "send off" party or something .. you know- some sort of memirl sail boat race, with a ton of macs, even the 36's and 70's or something.

I wonder how many people hav been on board a mac, . owners, plus guests .... humm, would be an intersting estimate to make .

Kev.

[dlandersson]

A legal clean slate.

Puzzled by this.
I can understand Roger wanting to retire but why not simply take over the reigns and keep/improve the existing product? Why start all over again? The M26 has a pedigree and is a proven design with a good following and it works. Stopping production, chucking out the moulds and beginning again under a different name doesn't make business sense to me.

[C Striker]

If I'm not mistaken, Laura's post points to a 22 foot boat that is already tooled for. And on Facebook the boat is called the tattoo 26. More choices should make for more happier boat owners. Sounds pretty smart to me.

[EZ]

Laura,

Thank you for posting on this forum. It's nice to hear about what's going on straight from the source. I just thought I would give you some customer feedback.

1) While I fully respect where you are coming from with name Tattoo, I think it will conjure up different images among much of your customer base. You may want to consider changing it.
2) Black window stripes. Those things are a pain to maintain (I've given up) and seem to make the cabin hotter. Please provide an option without them. If you do, I might be inclined to "upgrade" to your new boat.

I originally purchased my '04 boat from Dan Arena and occasionally keep in contact with him. For a while Dan has been hinting that your father was wanting to retire and I can't believe it is actually happening.

All of this hype reminds me of how things were when the 26m first came out. I love the boat and it has generated a lot of fond memories for both me and my wife. We have a 3 year old daughter and a boy due in a couple of weeks. I can't wait until they are old enough to go boating.

I wish you the best on the new business and I can't wait to see the new boats!

-Vince

[K9Kampers]

there should be a macgregor "send off" party or something .. you know- some sort of memirl sail boat race, with a ton of macs, even the 36's and 70's or something.

I wonder how many people hav been on board a mac, . owners, plus guests .... humm, would be an intersting estimate to make .

Kev.

Great idea Kev!
I've been thinking about putting together a Mac based gathering up my way, like what Tony is doing with the MUCK-about sail. So how about a grassroots series of Mac gatherings around the country this summer? Fun-sails catering to local / regional waters to commemorate the retirement of the Mac brand and Roger. I'll put mine out as the MacGregor Memorial Maine Muster - (working title). Further details in the Destinations venue...

[Sumner]

.....1) While I fully respect where you are coming from with name Tattoo, I think it will conjure up different images among much of your customer base. You may want to consider changing it....-Vince

I agree.

I'm kind of an "ex-maybe still am-hippy" and have had long hair and a beard since the early 70's. I started a computer store in conservative Wyoming selling to businesses. I would of had more sales if I wouldn't of been the "hippy" computer store owner, but principal was more important to me. I still managed to gross a little over a million in sales the last year before selling the business, but it could of been more. I have no regrets and maybe you won't either, but a number of people will never look past the name.

The best of luck and it sounds like you have a well rounded team and business plan and should be successful. Hopefully the plant will be open for some type of tour. Ruth and I enjoyed Mike giving us 'the tour' of the current MacGregor plant,

Sumner and Ruth

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Mac26Mpaul]

Thanks for clearing it all up Laura. cant wait to see the new boats!

Have watched the Tattoo on the box several times and its great, but still think people who have reason to put down our style of boats, will attempt to make fun of the name - anyway I'm sure the new company was named a long time ago and like everyone else here, I hope/know you will have great success.

Now, if your throwing out the M moulds, I'll happily take em

And if you are building two more powersailers, cant you let us on the secret to why you wanted that older 26 last year??

[Boblee]

Thanks for the update Laura and thanks for your help in assisting when we bought our boat (although Phillip helped) I have absolutely nothing but good memories of your company Sharp Marine and Synergy yachts even though it didn't start out that way.
Our boat Trust Me except for a couple of near divorces when learning has been fantastic and can say without doubt and with complete honesty that no other boat could go near it for versatility and that I would never have been able to get into sailing with any other boat and nor would we have been able to accomplish any of the amazing adventures made possible by it.
Sorry to see the Macgregor 26 brand finished and wish you all the very best in your new venture, but hope the concept doesn't die.
Not overly keen on the name tattoo even with my Scottish origins but I guess it will grow on us, any chance of a 28 like the Mackman copy of the X but of the ??
THANK YOU
Bob Lee