MacGregorSailors.com

Hi,
Never used this forum, or indeed any forum at all before, so sorry if I get the etiquette wrong.
After a LOT of dithering, and to-ing and fro-ing, I have decided to get a Mac (almost definitely ). Got three young kids (9, 5 and 3), and sail in North Norfolk (England), which is v. tidal, so boat would have to dry out on a mooring. Tides can be challenging, with narrow navigable bits to get in and out to the sea. I've dithered over whether to get a Mac, or something heavier like a Cornish Crabber, but in the end, a Mac seems good value, low maintenance, and useful for messing about and fishing etc (with the motor) as well as sailing.
Would I be mad to think of 50-100 mile coastal passages? Are they strong and stable enough?
Has anyone done such things?

All help gratefully received.

Perfect for coastal passages in this range. The shallow draft means you can transit large tidal ranges without worrying about grounding. The accomodations are excellent for a 26 - we routinely take 5-7 days cruises with 3-4 people up in our

I think you will find our little tubs most pleasant...

lots of range and plenty of conveniences.

but sailing.....50-100 miles point to point (no motor except in the marina) in a mac takes very beneficial winds. My best for a single day was 74 miles pt to pt, 93 miles total track. We just dont often have the advantagous winds, perfect tides, and perfect waters to pull it off very often in the spring and fall.

Caveat...

I had planned to go sailing this weekend, bu the honey do list has come to bite my A&& and as I woke this morning, winds 15-20, SSW, seass 1-3 ft. no rain,... and the wind has been incredibly steady.....

And now I leave to go pick up the rototiller.....

and sigh wistfully at the water..... wishing I had a little hobie on the beach, and a nutcase like myself to go out for a couple of hours...

IT would have been an easy 60 mile day today.......

Hi Normal Norfolk

im in Peterborough,where do you sail out of?

IMHO the mac 26x is a great choice for sailing the North Norfolk coast,the centerboard gives you a bit of room for error with all those sand banks.

I was up at Wells harbour last Sunday and i was having a look around and spoke with the harbour master,i thought that he would have never heard of a mac26 but he replied"we have 6 of them moored here",i took a walk on the moorings and had a close look at 5,there were 4 26x,s and 1 26m,

my 26x is a little bare on modifications but im looking at riggin her for singlehanded,being able to anchor over night on the coast and yes i fancy having a run up to whitby all 95nm

Hey Geoff - isnt Peterborough right near you???

Catigale wrote:Hey Geoff - isnt Peterborough right near you???

you can see the influence that this part of the UK had on early America,the town from were it all started is only 40 mins away(Boston),anyone from New England would feel right at home with all the place names around here,i drove from Toronto down to new York state,we stayed at Saranack lake before moving on to Lincoln in new england we took a day trip to just north of Boston to go whale watching,we found all of the familliar names of towns and citys amusing

when i get the boat on the water off of Norfolk (UK) ill try to photograph the Stone marker from where the original families gathered before heading to Plymouth and then the states

Hey Geoff - isnt Peterborough right near you???

You must be thinking of someone else.... I live in Ontario, California, USA....



G

Open sea?

Four pages on the Mac.

Nobody in who owns a MacGregor will tell you that it is a blue water boat. Is is a light displacement coastal cruiser. When pushing it beyond the limits you can get into real danger

Hi Bastonjock,
I'm based at Morston (just west of Wells). I've seen all the Macs at Wells. One of them was at Morston last year, but was sold after one season. No idea why, although it was noticeable that it swung and rolled a lot on its mooring. Wonder if he left the ballast empty?

Thanks to everyone else for the helpful hints.

W'n'W, I'm not so bothered about not having ENOUGH wind (cos I can always stick the motor on). More concerned about having too much

Swinging at anchor - please see discussions on a yoke on the anchor rode.

On the heavy seas, It is hard to say what that means. Long tall seas or short steep seas. Please do not go out in them until you have had some (a lot) of time under sail and worked out lowering and reeffing the sails quickly. Make sure that you inspect the rigging every time that you go out.

Some spairs would be nice to have - spreaders and gooseneck.

The Mac doesnt have a lot of weight so it tends to be stopped in heavy seas faster than traditional keel boats. If the goal is to have a boat you can take out in all kinds of weather than this might be a problem

For a boat that can is strong enough for a good breeze (up to 30 kts for an experienced skipper) the value and package of accomodations cant be beaten imho. From your last post it sounds like you want a boat which motors and sails and can accept a compromise in each to get both - which is the Mac product definition exactly.

Welcome aboard and keep us up to date with your choice!!

Open sea?

Ten pages on the Mac.

You owe it to yourself to keep looking. Think of MacGregor 26 vs. Bayliner. Take off the token rig and turn it into a proper powerboat. The Macgregor has enough windage from the hull to sail sideways without the rig anyway. I often see one on Lake Washington, and last Saturday this boat sped across the lake with a steerer in the back and children and adults on the bow to keep it down...must have been a 50 hp model. Early in the season, we saw it trying to sail but lately I only see it under power..., which I surmise is what it does best. Did notice three reef points in the mainsail...absurd. One of my dock mates has one of these boats and I have sailed with him, this boat sails very poorly! This is truly an awful sailboat but not a bad powerboat. This boat gives new meaning to the word cheesy; it is such a piece of crap. If this is what you want I''d seriously look at a Sea Ray of the same size.

Sorry you’ve drawn that conclusion….

Catagale wrote:
If thats a sailnet clip above, TT, I would skip it - its full of purists and bashers that post things like "Ive only heard of one boat capsizing and that was a Mac" and the like. Anyone contemplating a Mac who reads these sailnet forums feel free to post for a perspective over here...you will get the straight scoop as to what a Mac IS and ISN'T without the hyperbole.

A bit shallow on reading…had you taken the time to read? …Many of this board posted on the thread…. some old some new…
….Terry (Capt. Kermie) etc. A pinch of Salt in with all the Sugar Coating…. still worthy opinions.
You’re sounding somewhat like a salesman?

If thats a sailnet clip above, TT, I would skip it - its full of purists and bashers that post things like "Ive only heard of one boat capsizing and that was a Mac" and the like.

Anyone contemplating a Mac who reads these sailnet forums feel free to post for a perspective over here...you will get the straight scoop as to what a Mac IS and ISN'T without the hyperbole.

When I was first investigating getting a mac, I ran into the sailnet forum. It's like anything on the internet, you've got to take it for what it's worth. I found both the pro and con there. I'm just thankful that a few mac owners chimed in to paint these boats as they really are, to dispell the untruths. So I think it's important for us to get on those forums and give people, who really want to know if a Mac is right for them, some correct information. We shouldn't make them out to be more than they are either.

I'm in my 3rd year with an M now and think the boat is perfect for my needs. I'd buy another one. Yes, it's inexpensive and doesn't have a very fine finish- but it's a family boat and is very versatile. I like to sail with my friends, my kids like to motor and kneeboard and wakeboard with their friends. Works for all of us. It's easy to clean and maintain. I don't get into a tizzy if it gets a scratch - I just fix it up and it's good as new.

Certainly the mac is NO blue water boat. It's too tender with the water ballast - but that's what keeps it light (when empty) so we can tow it wherever we want - we're not limited to the same ol' stretch of river or lake. It's also what allows us to raise dagger board in a pinch of shallow water, go into shore, get off a sand bar, etc..

What some call limitations (and they are in some cases) are really features - you just have to know what you're needs are and see if this boat fits them.

I was lucky in that I was put onto the Mac on a newsgroup, back before the Internet was Gore-ified, by a keelboat sailor who, having carefully explained hull speed to me, said

For the upper Hudson get a Mac - while all the other guys are whining about what a bad boat it is, you will be out sailing...



He was 100% right.