Want To Buy: Trailerable sailboat, 26 to 30?

[BugzyCan]

I have been looking at the MacGregor 26 boats, and they look close to what I want at this time. Something I can get the whole family out on, something we can sleep in for a few nights, to get a feeling for living on the water and sailing.


Planning on a larger boat later perhaps, and maybe renting the house and living full time on it in future (the larger boat, not this one).


So hoping to find a boat, 26 to 30ft, on a trailer, or with a trailer, under 10K, that is in decent shape, in Canadian South West (BC Canada) or not too many miles away from there.


Maybe someone here has a Mac they want to unload to move up? Send me a PM if you do.
Thank you.

[john61ct]

Good Macs, if you mean the fast high-HP motorboats that can also sail, X or M,

tend to be in the 15-25K range.

The others more sailboatish ones take a low HP motor, can be found cheaper it's true.

[rbk]

Good starter boat, had one for years. Several in BC on Kijiji.

[BugzyCan]

Something for sailing, not for motorboating. The extra cabin height would be nice though.

[rbk]

You'll find more X's and M's than anything with varying sized outboards from 9.9 - 90hp. The older S & D models (more sail than motor) wont come close when comparing cabins. X & M models can sail to windward ok up to 20 knts but you can motor sail (more so with the larger OB's) up into the high 30's and heavily reefed, but they are so light they tend to get blown back under sail alone. Bigger OB will give you way more flexibility with the high west coast tidal currents.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

Something for sailing, not for motorboating.

Many "true sailors" turn their noses up at these, so if the fast motoring isn't the big draw, maybe look at more "authentic" options as well.

[Cheechako]

There are a few in that range for trailering at $2k-5k.
San Juan 26
Chrysler 26
etc

[BugzyCan]

The authentic options are not so trailerable, and I kind of like the idea of being able to go where no sailboat can go. Here we have a lot of rocks under the water line, which could make things interesting. Perhaps the larger motor idea isn't so crazy. We do have a lot of strong currents here.

[john61ct]

They're pretty popular, so rarely go for that cheap, especially if in good nick and including the trailer

[BugzyCan]

I suppose that is a good thing, if they retain their value, buying a used one, should be mostly recoverable in a few years when I move up right?

[rbk]

More so now that they’re out of production.

[john61ct]

Don't count on that in your calculations, no one knows the future.

But yes odds are good you'll get some portion back if you keep it in good shape.

[stainless guy]

We currently run a catalina 27 and have a trailer for it. Also setup to self step the mast. Though you will still need a lift to put in and out

We keep it on okanagan lake and haul to the coast every summer for a month ir so

[Adelie]

If you can drive outside your area there’s a C&C Mega 30 in Ontario for about $4,000Can.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Adelie

If you can drive outside your area there’s a C&C Mega 30 in Ontario for about $4,000Can.

Just a 2700 mile Sunday drive...