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River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/15/2004 : 01:47:34

At the marina where I moore my boat, I am surrounded by McGreggor's (26 ft). (Please forgive me my brethren for speaking the name.)
I have never talked with anyone who owns one. Does anyone know how they compare to the Catalina (WB)? To my way of thinking, they're certainly not the prettiest girl at the dance. Does anyone know how they sail - sans the outboard?

River Harley

Edited by - on

reuben
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2004 : 10:37:43

I crewed for one week on a Macgregor 26 in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. It was my first experience on a cruising sailboat, the weather was gorgeous, the islands were poetry with their bluffs and beaches and old lighthouses - we had a spectacular time. What I noticed, though, was that when the wind picked up to around 18 mph the sides of the hull would visibly pop in and out under the stress. But nothing broke, all was well, and in all honesty if not for that beautiful week it's very possible I wouldn't be haunting this forum today. This by the way was one of the lower-profile Macgregors, not the 26X which sits up high and is designed to carry a 50HP outboard.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2004 : 13:30:37

I had the opportunity to go aboard the Hunter 260 water ballast this past weekend. As you may know, this boat has the triangle rig with no backstay. Also instead of lowers, has stainless steel solid bars. The mast is in a tabernacle and comes with a gin pole, the owner reported easy one man mast raising.

The boat has a vertical clearance of 44 feet - it's an incredibly tall mast. It's a fractional rig with a much smaller genny. This huge mast means that this boat can't make it under our bridges and can't sail in the back bays of Mission Bay. This boat also looks very large for a 26 footer.

The cockpit is huge, with wheel steering. The freeboard is immense. However, with all that freeboard, you would expect a large interior. The inside does not have standing headroom. There is no pop-top. The hatch swivels forward - inside the hatch area was the only place I could stand. I'm used to no headroom but I was disapointed by this. This lack of headroom is probably because of the water ballast tank.

The interior is very open - like the C250. The place you can sleep is in a double bed under the cockpit.

The worst feature was the lack of side decks. The only way to go forward is to climb up over the cabin. There is no easy way to get off the boat onto a dock. Due to the ultra high freeboard it seems like a 5 foot leap to the deck. Due to this feature alone I would never buy the boat. That's why I was there - they requested my help docking the boat.

The owners were novices from Arizona. However they were nice folks and showed me their boat (I showed them my C25 in return). They took the boat sailing every day they were in town (I respect that). Next time I'll try to find them on the water and see how the boat performs next to a C25.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2004 : 13:57:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 
The worst feature was the lack of side decks. The only way to go forward is to climb up over the cabin. There is no easy way to get off the boat onto a dock. Due to the ultra high freeboard it seems like a 5 foot leap to the deck. Due to this feature alone I would never buy the boat. That's why I was there - they requested my help docking the boat.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The trick is to step from the swim platform onto the dock. It is a kind of swinging manuver.

Edited by - on

azexploder
1st Mate

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USA
78 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2004 : 16:59:26

I had a 1995 Swing keel for a year, until the AC went out on the house. Toys are the first to go… I had a blast on the boat. It was easier to launch and retrieve, trailered nicely back and forth to SoCal from Phx, and was faster in the shifty breezes out here with a 150% genoa. She did heal quickly and I had to flog the main in gusts that my 1995 C250 WB with a 110% jib will take in stride. I had 9 kids and 2 adults sleep over on a three boat campout. Mine was the only sailboat and only enclosed (out of the wind) boat.

Edited by - on

jguyot
1st Mate

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USA
97 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2004 : 22:45:56

Hi River
I use to own a '98 Mac26X w/18hp bought new. I owned it for 3 years. It had plenty of room on the inside and was comfortable. The biggest thing that I did not like was the way it sailed..... lousy!! Had friends that had a 23 Hunter and another that has a 22 Capri. We could not keep up with either one. I like to race a little and we were consistently DFL. The Admiral said either no more racing or we look for another boat

!! Sooooooo, we went to the Boat Show and the Dealer had a 26 Hunter & a Cat 250wk side by side. A good way to compare!! The 250 just looked so much better built and had much more "Robust" rigging than the Hunter and was less money!!. I really liked it alot, so to make a long story short, we bought it!! That was back in 2001. We have not regretted it at all. The boat sails so much better than the Mac. We now walk all over the 23 Hunter and can give the Capri a run for it's money under certain conditions. As far as racing goes, under most conditions, we are usually near the front of the pack...... Did I say I like this boat

So if you are looking for a "camper" and sailing performance is not an issue and if it is all you can afford at the time, then go for it...... Much better to be out on the water than on the shore!! BUT..... if you can WAIT...... Go for the 250!!! Just my opinion.....
If you have any other questions on the Mac, let me know.....

Edited by - on

Rubin Hawkins
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 14:00:38

River,

I looked at the McGreggor and the Hunter before buying a C250 WB. I looked at new ones and used ones. I ruled out the Hunter because the beam is 8'10" which is 5 inches more than most states will allow on the road without a permit. If trailering is important then the list gets small if you want a boat this size. The McGreggor is a great idea. But it not a great sailing boat. It is not a great motor boat. I have sailed and motored on the 26X and 26M. Friends don't let friends buy bad sailboats.

As a side note...I did have the opportunity to spend a day on a McGreggor 65. It was the fastest monohull I have ever been on and it was comfortable. Guess thats why they don't make them anymore.

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 18:01:11

...If trailering is important then the list gets small if you want a boat this size. The McGreggor is a great idea. But it not a great sailing boat. It is not a great motor boat. I have sailed and motored on the 26X and 26M. Friends don't let friends buy bad sailboats. - Rubin 

I don't know how they handle, either sailing or motoring ... I just know that this really looks bizarre to me:

Do they have to empty the ballast tank(s) to do this?

Edited by - on

reuben
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 18:40:10

There is something horrifying in that photo, like the dog with the human face in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 20:53:56

Nah.....that's got to be one of them there compewter enhanced graphics. No one in their right mind would do that to a sailboat.

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - on

bill bosworth
Navigator

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USA
172 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 21:26:49

We have quite a few MacGreggor 26's on our lake (Kerr Lake NC). I can only recall seeing one under sail on one occassion. All other times that I've seen them out they were under power, lots of power, bow up in the air, plowing water, making lots of wake and noise. They just don't look like very good power boats. We have one on a neighboring dock, It seems to only leave the dock when it is getting launched or hauled.
We're half way through winter!!
Bill
C250wb #134 Serendipity
Bi

Edited by - on

Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 23:59:28

I don't think I've ever seen a McGregor 26X or M heel that far while sailing.

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 13:31:22

I think the operator of that mac was gaining speed so when he hits the seawall ahead he would total the boat for sure

Edited by - on

Raskal
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 15:27:06

I always wondered how fast a boat would have to go before the Bimini becomes an aerodynamic wing. If the folks at McGregor can figure out a way to market it as a sailboat/powerboat/hanglider, watch out...

Rich K.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 17:25:55

At least it looks like he had the decency to keep the pop top up, for better esthetics you know...

On a serious note, I wonder if the rudder is built to withstand all these forces.....

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 18:18:55

Twin rudders.... and on the 26X...the answer was no. They have been redesigned and beefed on the 26M.

Edited by - on

DougA
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 19:43:09

Looks to me as if the port rudder is up in the picture and at that angel the starboard one should be out of the water, if it is down. Think someone has been playing with Photoshop.

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2004 : 22:40:40

Do they use the rudders while powering...or steer with the motor?

Edited by - on

bren737
Captain

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291 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 11:13:51

Arlyn,

Once again, you are the master of logic! From MacGregor's own site:

Indeed, they do raise both rudders when motoring. Still, it's a pretty scary looking machine, especially when handled as in Buzz's picture.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 11:47:04

Kinda like mixing uppers and valium......I still get the giggles when I see these pictures...

In all seriousness, I have spoken with someone who owns one, at length. (He was sitting right next to me in a cockpit for three days....) and he loves it.

If I had to characterize him as a boat owner, I'd say he's a powerboater, who has sails on his powerboat, and in the right conditions will shut down the motor and raise the sails. We, on the other hand, have sailboats with auxiliaries, who sail unless it becomes unbearable (like no air on a hot day), or stuff breaks, and then fire up the motor to bail us out.

Sailing is only a small part of it for the 26 owner. Pulling the kids around on the boogie board, or getting from A to B in a hurry is right up there on the list. No, they are not people who are out there to just be there, and float along at four knots for hours...days...getting into the Zen of it.

Racing of course does not even enter into this conversation.

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - Oscar on 01/21/2004 12:07:10

High H2O
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 11:49:02

I really don't get it. Having been on both sides of sail / powerboat fence... I started boating as a kid with the family in a mahogany (am I really that old!) outboard ski boat. Then sailed small boats as a teen. Back to power boats in the late nineties and now my 250wb. Why would someone want a boat that performs marginally under sail and poorly under power. Too much of a compromise... if you ask me.

Ric

Edited by - on

s3tbuell
1st Mate

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47 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2004 : 10:27:54

I have a close friend who has had a 26M for the last 7 years or so. I have sailed many times on his boat.
As for sailing my 250WB could do circles around him. Then I helped him turn his rigging, now his boat is a little faster then my 250WB. I believe mostly because of the head sail. He does nothing but complain about the lack quality. When you first board the 26M it heals quite a bit. The 250WB is rock solid in comparison. The water tank does not have a vent like the 250WB , so you can hear the water slash around all the time. I truely dont believe you can compare the two boats. How could you compare a Yugo to a Volkswagon??

Edited by - on

Robert
1st Mate

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USA
75 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2004 : 20:24:27

It is curious that you mention mention the sides flexing on the M26. I know of a Big Mac (M65) that twists so much that on a rough passage up the Califonia coast the bow was twisting one way and the stern was twisting the other. Crew members said that it was pretty spooky down below.
Robert

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