College, Seeking Advice; Considering Macgregor 26S

[Manson_Brigg]

Hey all, I had planned on buying a bayliner buccaneer off a guy but he's gonna be on the road for another month and I don't feel like waiting so long to pay so much ($1500) for a boat i haven't read incredible reviews on.

I found another guy who's selling a 26S Mcgregor for $995. It looks like the interior needs some work and he said he has it set up for an outboard w a steering wheel, but I didn't see a rudder attached to it in the pictures.

My question is, is this a good beginner boat for a college guy with not a ton of money or experience to learn on and enjoy taking day and weekend camping trips on? If it doesn't come with a rudder, and just an outboard setup, how difficult/would it be worth it to get a tiller and stick it on there easily so i can actually SAIL it? Cosmetically I don't care, I'm a cabinetmaker/carpenter by trade and I can fix interior design issues and buff out dirty lookn junk. I just want to be able to SAIL and LEARN and HAVE FUN on my pathetic minimum wage PAYCHECKS due to being in school!!!!
hahahaha

Heres the whole ammount of info i have on the boat to date, for those of you needing more background:

Description: "For sale is my 26ft sailboat i have the sails and mast and the keel. the sailboat has a bathroom and a small kitchen. i have an outboard steering and controls set up already. i do not have the title for the boat i will provide a bill of sale. the trailer is worth what im selling this boat for . call or text for more info 123-456-7890. $995.00"


Additional Info gathered from texting:
Trailer IS included dispite bad grammar's confusion.

Here's the pics I have of it. Please advise a budding wannabe-seaman!

[amytom]

No title...

Walk away.

[Cheechako]

If it has sails (?) and if he had a title that would be a good starter. It appears to have no cushions etc and the Phrasing "i have an outboard steering and controls set up already" may indicate it was a derelict and he's cobbled something together for the steering? hard to say. But the title is an issue, you need to have a state registration sticker when you are on the water, and you need a title to get it. If he can prove to you he owns the boat, or you can go to the titling agency with the hull/VIN number and find out if he owns the boat, but lost the title, then you can meet him there and get the title in your name when you pay him. Otherwise.. someone else owns the boat!

[Captain Bligh]

That is not the boat for you. He has the outboard set up where the rudder should go. If he doesnt have the factory rudder, that presents another challenge. Then what about the rigging? Sails? And the interior...
Do you want to sail or repair boats?

[Jim Cate]

This looks and sound like a disaster. Considering the great number of equivalent vessels on the market it is foolish to take on this challenge.

The combination of questionable title, no steering and the lack of interior cushions, etc overwhelms the low price.

BTW, it appears that what he means about outboard steering is that he has mounted a central outboad mount in place of the normal rudder, and hooked up some means of steering the outboard motor. This would work for motoring around, but NOT for sailing at all.

I'd surely give it a miss.

Cheers,

Jim

[nimblemotors]

That would be cool project to turn into a solar powered electric boat if you have the time, skills, and funds. Otherwise, i'd go with a much smaller boat ready to go sailing.
Quick check, $800 for 23ft ready to go!

Sailboat. Ericson 23

Or for trailered, this 21ft macgregor, ready to sail for $1200

[Manson_Brigg]

Thanks so much all! Agreed, not having a title was my biggest concern. The only thing that really matters to me is transport. Since Im still moving around a lot i want a boat I can take on a trailer places.

[SkiprJohn]

Look at other boats. Get a feel for how they fit you when you step aboard. The cheap boats will remain cheap no matter how much you redo cabinetry or add fittings and when its time to sell you won't get nearly what you would for a little bit more quality.
Make certain all the parts are there and working. Daggerboards or centerboards need to work smoothly. A tiller and rudder need to work well and the masts and booms must be the proper length and straight. Sails are expensive when purchased new. If they are in good condition that's a big plus. Signs of being submerged or rain water collected in the interior is not a good thing but not insurmountable with your talents. Chainplate condition is important so check them out with attention to how they are attached and the wood they are attached to if it is a bulkhead attachment.
Good luck in your search.

[mr-canada]

OP,

you as a self described novice and budding seaman if I were you I would avoid that thing like the plague.

MacGregors can be quite nice boats but they are known to sail like pigs and move under power like pigs and not be the best of either world,

Most MacGregors have daggerboard style rudders that drop down for when you are sailing. They are probably removed from the boat as it's out of the water. Possibly lost.

The interior is in DISMAL shape. If you know little about boating and are looking to have some fun this is NOT your boat. This boat is a four letter word. WORK. A lot of it. With a gutted interior like that there's high chance someone figured the boat was a writeoff hulk at one point or another, else why would they take the time to rip out practically everything nice on board? MacGregors come with quite nice interiors stock from the factory.

Next if you're on a budget your going to be shelling out for a big outboard engine. That means lots of gas. If you want to sail you will likely be buying a whole compliment of sails, which equals EXPENSIVE. Seeing as you are inexperienced masting and demasting your boat and potentially mounting and unmounting a keel equals HUGE RISK OF CATASTROPHIC ERROR which could result in damage to your boat or loss of life.

My advice? You are looking for boats that are too cheap. Its not the most fun advice to hear but you will need to spend a little bit more if you want to have some fun. Bump your budget to $2500-$5000 and shop around at moorage payment time (December and May). There are lots of people who dont use their boats who look at their moorage bill and put the boat up for sale to avoid paying for another round of insurance and moorage. With the right timing and the right budget you can actually get a pretty good boat that is ready to go for that amount of money that will do what you want to do with it.

If you're just wanting to get out on the water for quick daytrips etc. you might want to stick with a small fiberform powerboat. If you're expecting to do a lot of overnighters and are willing to learn how to sail get a sailboat because they almost all have cabins.

Sorry to be so blunt, but that MacGregor in your pictures looks like a POS. The guy is probably selling it so he doesn't have to pay for the land to store it on. If you are right keen on a MacGregor for the ability to power and sail, any Mac other than that one for your own sanity.

That boat = MONEY PIT