MacGregorSailors.com

I just don't understand why you would build a basically good aluminum trailer, then plan and install a winch rated at 1100 lbs, for our 26 M, then install it upside down??? this is a brand new 2010 trailer. This 1100 lb winch uses laminated gears, not a sold machined sold metal gear like every other winch I've seen, but thin laminated gear teeth that bend and break off. A bolt system on the lock lever that is so week it bends under pressure. then more insult comes when you go to replace with a capable winch, the holes don't aline as the same holes from the piece of crap winch that Roger put on. I was lucky I had tools and rope to secure my boat back on the trailer. Cutting cost is one thing, but how do you expect to feel safe with a cheap 1100 lb winch???

Ok, I feel better now, but will feel even more so after I replace the winch.

I would love to see a picture of that 1100 pound "wench".

It would take an 110 lb wench to use laminated gears.



Sully we know you mean winch. Someone slightly more mature is bound to chime in with a serious answer.



or not.

It is not just the Aluminum ones...I replaced my 2007 in early 2009 ...for the cost of a new one you will be glad you did it!
I recomend going a little oversized if it will bolt on properly also replace the black V rubber stop with a polyurethane one you will be glad you did...

Capt. Sully
Prepare for the flood of responses from the Roger MacGregor fan club. You'll hear all about "price points", "building to a market", "alot of boat for the money" and "getting families out on the water." A whole lot of "Roger does this" or "Roger does that" as if these guys know him personally or that he is even interested in knowing anyone who buys one of his boats for that matter. The fact is MacGregor uses the cheapest parts and materials he can find in order to build the biggest profit into the boats. Nothing wrong with any of those things, he's in business to make money not friends out of buyers. Where he is wrong is in his deceptive advertising about his boats and the shoddy construction of them. His lack of attention to quality and detail makes his boats look as if they are missing their "Made in China" label. Yes that includes his trailer as well.

I have a 26M. Number 47, a 2003 model . Trailer still looks solid and the winch still works as advertised. I haul it with my car as advertised. It has motored at 20 miles per hour as advertised with more stuff on it than the advertised one and has sailed at 10.9 knots which is better than advertised . I just got water skis for it and will tell u if you can ski with it as advertised .

I could sell it for more than what I payed for it 3 years ago, but then I bought it slightly used and fully loaded like all my other motorized units.

Q1

p.s. Could be the newer models are not as well made as the earlier models, but then I know people with newer models who seem satisfied.

I think that it has more to do with expectations, than the boat. If someone is not satisfied with a MacGregor, they can always sell it and move up. From what I have seen, Macs hold their value better than most. I am extremely satisfied with my 2001 X. If this makes me a Roger fan, so be it.

~Rich

Ive been really happy with my 2002

At least the trailer winch is relatively easily to switch out. The boat winches are much harder.

On/about 2008, Macgregor changed from Lewmars to the cheaper marelon winches which suck imho.

Catigale, I was thinking about the cabin-top winches too when I clicked to view this thread. I sail solo, and I never use the cabin-top winches; I have cam-cleats on the back of the genoa tracks, plus clam cleats and snap fairleads a foot or so back of them for my spinnaker sheets. I want everything in easy reach from the helm.

I'd like to install Andersen 12ST winches back on the coamings, behind the genoa tracks, but I'm afraid the coamings are too narrow for them. Saw a mod where someone put self-tailing winches back on the transom, but that's too far back for my tastes.

Capt. Sully, I'm of the opinion that the best way to take care of the MacGregor trailer winch is to replace the whole trailer.

Québec 1 wrote: I just got water skis for it and will tell u if you can ski with it as advertised

My son was wakeboarding behind my all last summer. We are going to do it again this summer. With 60 hp I could pull him at about 19 mi/hr WOT with no ballast. He had lots of fun.

Sully,

The winch on my 2005 M trailer broke about two years ago. I replaced it with this. The holes on the trailer did not align with winch, but that was not hard to rectify.

Ray

The fact is MacGregor uses the cheapest parts and materials he can find in order to build the biggest profit into the boats. Nothing wrong with any of those things, he's in business to make money not friends out of buyers. Where he is wrong is in his deceptive advertising about his boats and the shoddy construction of them. His lack of attention to quality and detail makes his boats look as if they are missing their "Made in China" label. Yes that includes his trailer as well

Kind of a harsh review of the boat. I researched before I bought, knew what I was getting into, was not dissapointed and never had problem one with manufacture, parts or materials on my 96X.

It is what it is. And it aint a J boat.

The trailer winch on my 2005 failed shortly after I bought it in 2009. The winch mounting plate sheared off directly at one of the mounting holes, leaving the winch held onto the trailer by one bolt, and the mounting plate bent at a 45 degree angle. Not very comforting, as I was towing the boat at the time I noticed it. I've replaced it with an oversized winch, and the mounting holes lined up fine.

Also, the winch on my mast raising system failed. It would only work in one direction (tighten. It would not loosen properly). I believe the internal spring mechanism failed. I replaced the winch with a heavier duty one, that has a manual lock lever, as opposed to an automatic system.

I was a bit disappointed, but not totally surprised, by both of these failures.

NiceAft wrote:Sully,

The winch on my 2005 M trailer broke about two years ago. I replaced it with this. The holes on the trailer did not align with winch, but that was not hard to rectify.

Ray

Sweet!

Scott,
Maybe the older Macs were just better as it pertains to quality of construction and assembly. I did do my research and knew I was buying a half breed boat that would probably perform both functions "adequately" which is what I've found to be true. What I couldn't do research on were things like interior gel coat chips masked with touch up paint, wiring that drops out from under the ceiling liner, fiberglass dust everywhere, seeing daylight through the hull in spots, a steering mechanism that sounds like a rusty gate, sealant that looks like it was applied with a butter knife, etc. None of these are design characteristics but quality control issues. As for advertising 24mph with a 60hp, well I have a 2010 M with a 2009 Etec 60 and I top out with two aboard and 12 gals. of fuel at 19.5mph. My Etec has been looked at twice by the mechanic and I'm within rpm range with the MacGregor recommended prop. 4.5 mph below advertised seems, to me, to be a little excessive. Also, (I know how whiny this sounds so please indulge me) I wanted the under dinette cooler and the window trim that was in the video the factory sent me when I sent a request for info.
Now, what I like about the Mac is that it does motor decently and sail decently and I personally think it's a pretty boat. It is enjoyable for my whole family which was my first priority and why I ended up with a Mac. I have to be honest though and say, if asked, I don't love my Mac but I like it. I don't like, at all, how MacGregor does business though.
Again, maybe age matters here because I get the impression from posts that the older Macs just don't have alot of these issues.
As for Hamin' X's suggestion that if you aren't happy with the Mac you bought factory new, you should just "sell it and move up", that's as ludicrous as a previous post where he suggested we might get better customer service if we only asked nicer.
My response to the folks at MacGregor would be if you can't make your profit margin and do the job right at approx. $20,000 let the buyer know up front or charge a little bit more. Because what do you think all of those little items would cost to do right? Would another $1000 be enough? hull, I'll give you $1500 and you can use the extra $500 to make a current video.
Anyway, I apologize to the group for coming off like a "stiff -----",... now you kids take your ball and get off my lawn!
Bob