At The Risk of Starting WWlll

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

No I have never sailed one of these boats but I do know that they are sailed in there hometown so to speak. They are a lake boat but you can do some limited coastal cruising with them. Not designed for offshore waters. Winds are usually on the light side in SC in the summer.

Oh so their not designed for offshore waters. That's too bad. I kinda like them, but I need a sailboat that can go go offshore.

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Macgregor is kinda the bottom of the food chain.

If they were offshore worthy I guess I'd be a bottom feeder. I do like the looks of them.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Razoo

I do like the looks of them.

There's no hope for you...

For an enthusiastic and unbiased view of Mac-26's, have a look on that subject in Sailing Anarchy. The design is often discussed there!

Seriously, those boats are completely at odds with any definition of "blue water".

Jim

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

There's no hope for you...

For an enthusiastic and unbiased view of Mac-26's, have a look on that subject in Sailing Anarchy. The design is often discussed there!

Seriously, those boats are completely at odds with any definition of "blue water".

Jim

lol...I know, I have a lot to learn. I'll get there just not over night.

[unbusted67]

At the risk of starting World War Zzzzzzzzzz

[Terra Nova]

ZZZzzzzzz! Yup, WWII.

This whole thing makes me wonder how good we really are at communicating and handing down information.

It's not like someone wakes up one morning and says "Hmmmm, I think I'll go buy a yacht today. Shall I buy a monohull or catamaran?" It presumes that one learned to sail from experienced sailors, a little of whose knowledge just had to rub off, and a viewpoint established. A sense of what is good and holy. Or SOME feel for it! But I am baffled to understand what kind of sailing background leads a new buyer to a Macgregor?

Look, you really must do your own due diligence on something so important as the boat you'll be married to. Sail on a bunch of different boats so you'll at least have opinions on some of the criteria. Study the designs of famous yacht designers. And read the books of men who have been to sea. Then if you still want a Macgregor, I'll help you find one.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

You know I've never been on a catamaran and I think in the last 6 years I've seen maybe 4 in the whole Boston area.

So why doesn't come prove how great they to me and take me out on theirs?

Because they all have you on ignore.

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

the tabbing holding the bulkheads is light, the rigging is light, the hull is thinner fiberglass and generally it is not built for what you want to do with it.
JohnL

Knowledge is power. Thanks Skiprjohn. I appreciate this post you made that I found on a different thread.

[Capt Rottnest]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

...
.. But I am baffled to understand what kind of sailing background leads a new buyer to a Macgregor?

None

Met a bloke sailing one at the fuel dock awhile back, he was the sales rep for them. He told me Mac26's are for power boaters who want a sailboat but don't know how to sail and are afraid to take the plunge. So a mac eases them into it.. somehow..
I've seen one at an anchorage where the owner had obviously made his choice, the mast and rigging were gone, he used it as purely a powerboat.

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

But I am baffled to understand what kind of sailing background leads a new buyer to a Macgregor?

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

None

None is exactly right. I didn't grow up around them like most here have. My first sailing lesson is at the end of this month so I've been reading and asking questions because I don't have anyone in my family or friends that know about sailboats as to which are the best and which are not so good. So I come here to ask those that do know. What drew me to consider a Macgregor was it's looks, but I've found that looks aren't everything. It's not built strong enough to go where I want to go so no point in me buying one.

[belizesailor]

The Macs are built to be relatively inexpensive, lightweight, trailerable boats for day sailing & weekending use in protected waters. They fit that niche fine, but certainly not built with crossing oceans in mind.

[Razoo]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

The Macs are built to be relatively inexpensive, lightweight, trailerable boats for day sailing & weekending use in protected waters. They fit that niche fine, but certainly not built with crossing oceans in mind.

Thanks for that info. Much appreciated. I definitely need something for crossing oceans.

[Aslan]

I grew up sailing and racing Hobies and Prindles. Also had Lasers and Force 5's. I love all types of sailing. I've sailed not thousands of miles but probably a million by this point. I've lived on boats for 15 years and literally have spent more of my life afloat than lubbing land. Yes I am that stupendous.

Cats are great. I flew a hull for 12 miles once. It was a rush. They're especially nice if your woman isn't much of a sailor and you're trying to appease her. Cats are great if you're the type who gets seasick easily. If I'm making a little Bahamas run or skirting the coast then a cat is great. Kids can run laps. I can practice free throws. And when I dock a cat I can line her up, leave the helm, and let the dock apes grab her as she crashes into everything and no one will bat an eyelash because it's exactly what they expect.

Where I prefer a mono hull is when I actually want to sail and experience true natural sailing. The feel of it and the romance. Catamarans feel plastic and boring to me. Kind of like having a big McMansion in a stuffy burb where the next thirty houses are exactly identical. There's no tradition in them. The narrow hulls feel like coffins. The salon on my mono is more spacious and comfortable than the kitchen combo area of my friends' cats. And really the big ones aren't that much faster. Their motion is uncomfortable in any kind of sea.

As far as crossing an ocean, I wouldn't be caught dead in a cat. That's just my prerogative. Not all lows can be dodged or outrun. For those who know cats and have been through a genuine ocean storm, not just a little 50 knot blow, have a schism at the thought of weathering a true storm in a catamaran. 99% of people arguing the storm capabilities of a cat haven't actually been in a real storm. Otherwise they wouldn't be talking.

Then there are the cats that blow over at anchor...

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Aslan

99% of people arguing the storm capabilities of a cat haven't actually been in a real storm. Otherwise they wouldn't be talking.

That sentence would make the same sense and truth if you substituted "mono" for "cat".

Mark

[Aslan]

Originally Posted by colemj

That sentence would make the same sense and truth if you substituted "mono" for "cat".

Mark

Agreed.