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Im about to launch for the first outing, also having doubts about how much my X will hold weightwise. does anyone know the cargo capacity of a 26 x?
The only numbers i can find & figure are 8 average ppls weight, supplies for those ppl, balast weight, gas weight & i guessed @ the boat weight. my figures say 2.5ton +- 400lbs. any info or ways to get info would be helpful....

Water displacement or sitting on its trailer? I will assume your talking displacement as you mention 8 people.. I dont think it will be an enjoyable trip with 8 people on your boat..

Dawgfish wrote:Im about to launch for the first outing, also having doubts about how much my X will hold weightwise. does anyone know the cargo capacity of a 26 x?
The only numbers i can find & figure are 8 average ppls weight, supplies for those ppl, balast weight, gas weight & i guessed @ the boat weight. my figures say 2.5ton +- 400lbs. any info or ways to get info would be helpful....

I think Cat regularly goes out with about that many people, but most of those are teenagers (I believe).
Welcome aboard!
is there a sticker in your boat that shows max people/weight?

We always take just the minimum we need as weight just slows us down. The heavy "cargo" is fluids - water and beer!

Dawgfish wrote:Im about to launch for the first outing, also having doubts about how much my X will hold weightwise. does anyone know the cargo capacity of a 26 x?
The only numbers i can find & figure are 8 average ppls weight, supplies for those ppl, balast weight, gas weight & i guessed @ the boat weight. my figures say 2.5ton +- 400lbs. any info or ways to get info would be helpful....

Well, quite frankly you could not load it beyond a safe limit weight wise--it'll just sit lower in the water. I suppose you could eventually flood the cockpit, but that would take a few tons. The more it weighs, the worse it performs. And I'd say the safe limit of people is 8, maybe ten with stern rail seats if half are kids.

The MacGregor Factory website says, ( 26M):

http://www.macgregor26.com/safety/safet ... r_2006.pdf

"Maximum crew capacity is 6 persons, not to exceed 960 pounds."

I believe the capacity for a 26X would be the same.

The has the same manufacturer language in the manual

This is not the same as a Coast Guard placard rating...in the US a boat the size of the or does not require a Coast Guard capacity rating like a smaller boat or dinghy.

I have cruised with 8 following the 960 pound guideline as noted.

If we credit Cat at 180 that leaves 7 at under 111 lbs.. each.. For us ? On a nice day of calm seas .. 5 seemed to be a maximum comfortable limit..
The has a smaller cockpit than the but who enjoys sailing packed like sardines?
The One loss of life incident I am aware of concerning these boats was.... Too Many People On Board and No Ballast..
When do I.......personally enjoy sailing this boat the most? Its with 2 or 3 and a maximum of 5 on board.. It seems to me that after 5 is exceeded and sometimes even 3 ... people are heading downstairs ooppss Up Chuck!! or forward On The Deck.. On Beautiful day of sailing either or both of the oldest boys are allowed to "Ride The Bow" the moment anything turns ugly? Its Heave Too and both are required to come back to the cockpit..

Crewed with my wife for some friends, from Quebec city to the Gaspe coast. When we met on the first night there was six of us sleeping aboard in fairly chilly weather so things were buttoned up a bit. Next morning inside the boat resembled a south american rainforest from the condensation all over the inside of the cabin. It took us a couple of days to get everything dry again!

Two's a crew - three's a crowd - four's a hangover!

I've had five adults and six kids on the boat sailing, so we were at about 1300# of mobile ballast. We never go out without flood ballast, and we've got about 1000# of kit ballast in the boat at all times, so I had no concerns about it capsize. Everyone wears a PFD like it or not. Had the boat heeled over about 45 degrees at some points before reefing in 10..12 knot winds. The stern rail seats help quite a bit to manage the crowd, and we have a rule that there's no going forward topside--it's through the cabin and hatch if you want to go to the bow. That's to prevent someone from grabbing a stay while heeling and pulling the boat down. Also the kids tend to hang out in the cabin with adults in the cockpit. It's definitely packed.

I would not do any planing nor any jib-only sailing with a large number of people aboard. Jib only with 9 adults and two kids with adults on the bow is what resulted in the capsize in San Diego of a 26D when a gust hit. Essentially the boat rolled on its bow because that's where the weight and force were and where there's no surface resistance. Weight needs to be astern and forces distributed to be safe.

Im with you Crikey on the cabin Condensati9n.. I forgot all about that one ....

Crikey wrote:Crewed with my wife for some friends, from Quebec city to the Gaspe coast. When we met on the first night there was six of us sleeping aboard in fairly chilly weather so things were buttoned up a bit. Next morning inside the boat resembled a south american rainforest from the condensation all over the inside of the cabin. It took us a couple of days to get everything dry again!

Two's a crew - three's a crowd - four's a hangover!

gr8 feedback. ive been out a few times since i started that post , started with 2000-2500 total cargo as the process of elimination comenced , my needs per weight became obvious ima pack rat still but the river rat side o me is finally speakin up! i found over 300 lbs in plastic containers and totes alone. they b gone. amongst other things was excess tooling. thats a tough winnowing, but necessary. excess drinkin water, out. and i wasnt plannin on lots o ppl, was just usin the weight ref for cargo. as far as im concerned me & my dog is gonna b it for a while .
i can finally see my home made beaching/wave cutter
im guesstimating current cargo to be approx 800=1200 lbs.
never though i'd hafta put my on a diet!!!