Macgregor yachts

[nadler_m]

Hi, Macgragor yachts, any one familiar with this brand?
Thanks
Moshe

[sneuman]

Yes, they are designed to be a compromise between a power boat and a sailboat. some people love 'em, some people hate 'em.

[SV Someday Came]

Originally Posted by nadler_m

Hi, Macgragor yachts, any one familiar with this brand?
Thanks
Moshe

MacGregorSailors.com • View forum - MacGregor Powersailor Discussion

Found that site when I almost bought one.

[pirate_222]

We owned and sailed a McGregor 25 out of Pass Christian, MS for a couple of years in the '90's.

A nice little boat that taught us a lot and perfect for sailing in the skinny water of the MS Sound. Leave out the keel bolt and when the water shallows up you'll feel the keel bump the bottom. She only drew about 18" with the keel up, so we could run right up to the beach.

Swing keel, somewhere around 2400 lbs. in weight, 5 to 5.5 knts. top speed under sail and about the same with the little 4 hp Yamaha.

Upside: We bought her for $1,000.00 with no boom or sails, spent another $500.00 on a used boom and used sails, sailed the boat for two years and sold it for $3,600.00.

Drawbacks; a little tender when the wind came up due to the light weight(it is designed to trailer after all), no standing room in the cabin unless you're about 5' tall, and very little storage space.

We overnighted a lot and went for 3 days a couple of times. That's about all we could stand at a stretch.

Check out www.trailersailor.com and look to the McGregor forum on the left.

Hope this helps,

Dave

[RickD]

I just bought one.

MacGregor Venture 25. 1979. Working on some minor things right now in fact (well, not RIGHT NOW, but earlier).

[Ex-Calif]

Personal experience from last weekend's regatta. It's a good thing they carry a 60 horse motor. On a 3 hour sail they were at least an hour behind us and we sucked...

[nadler_m]

took a look at the forum. any message in particular?

[nadler_m]

any yachts of this brand longer the 26' ? I once heard on a macgregor 65...

[Celestialsailor]

My first boat was a Mac 21. Great little boat to learn on. I noticed the deck was pop-riveted on. If you have a choice, there are much better brands.

The 25 is a different animal. It is a swing keel boat, and, as far as MacGregors go, is not a bad boat. the 26 is a weekender for those who are not sure if they want power or sail. They do neither well, but whey are a nice weekender. The Macgregor 65 is a beast. Very narrow beam, and not as fast as allot of boats with that waterline. The interior is not ideal for a live aboard, but they are not a bad boat over all. The 26 is the only one currently produced as far as I know. Venture 25's can be found for around $1500 in sailable condition. The 26 ranges based on age and condition from $10000-$25000. The 65 usually goes for about $125k-$165k.

[imagine2frolic]

Yes there is a 65 that seemed to draw a lot of negative attention.

1987 MacGregor 65 sailboat for sale in California

[speciald@ocens.]

There is a 65' registered for the Carib1500 this year. I'll let you know if it makes it to Tortola.

[Québec 1]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Personal experience from last weekend's regatta. It's a good thing they carry a 60 horse motor. On a 3 hour sail they were at least an hour behind us and we sucked...

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...1/IMG_0052.jpg
I own a 26M and racing it under sail is like racing a Winnebago, but I sailled the Coast of Maine this spring, the St Lawrence this summer and will be soon sailling in Florida. Now thats why I bought it. I have crossed the Appalachian mountains with it and plan on taking it to the Pacific in a few years.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/IMG_0059.jpg

It's just a hoot to be able to sail any where I want and just park it beside the house when the weather turns or when I want to work on it.

My top speed is 80miles per hour...on the highway...and its just great to beach it on the sand dunes when the tide goes down.

Think I could outrace many slower boats with a set of racing sails once I ditch the fridge, the case of wine, the beer, the AC and other stuff...but I think not. I sold my racer this spring and when I miss it I just pull out the windsurfer and leave all the sailboats behind.
Q1

[bastonjock]

i have the mac 26x,its been described as a jack of all trades and a master of none.The best speed ive had nder sail is 9 knots and 17 knots nder the 50hp out board.Its a good all round boat to learn on,it does not sink and if you broach it,it self rights.The inside is very roomy for a 26ft boat,ive had mine out in force 6-7 and gone through a very turbulent sea(outfalls close to land)it felt like i was in a washing machine ,but the little boat took it.
I sail mine off the East coast of the UK,ive gone over the sand bars whilst keel boats wait and under the bridges were the sticks and fly bridges stop most boats,the lowest bridge ive done had a clearance of 8ft

One macgregor owner has had his 26x out in 155 mph winds,the same guy is a world renowned explorer,recently he was testing out some new sails on his mac,his buddys were with him as part of the design team,a couple of "Yotties" from the posh club started to poke fun at the mac,he ignored the jibes but his friends decided to defend the mac,the yotties told them the they"obviously new nothing about sailing" and sniggered and departed.The design team consisted of a Former Americas cup skipper,two olympic medalists,one world renowned sail designer and a guy who can call the late Sir edmund hillary and steve fossett as amongst his friendsmthe names this guy can drop are endless

anyhow,most people who knock a mac have never been on one and why the need to knock what i believe is a boat that has been produced to meet the needs of people wo want an inexpensive motorsailor,i believe that they made about 4000 26x,s and so far have built 2500 26ms

Its a great boat to learn on and a stepping stone towards another and cheap to run,my mac is costing me $00000.000 to store over winter and as its in my back yard i can go work on it at the weekend without having to spend out $$$ on gas to get there.

[bastonjock]

one thing i almost forgot is that my 26x is faster than quebecs 26m as i have the faster white hull