26x to 19

[Steve c]

Has anybody on the forum went to the after having the . I want a smaller boat. I was wondering if the 19 is a good alternative ?? Thanx for the help.

[vizwhiz]

I remember Highlander mentioning he was about to sell his...I may be wrong, but he's had both size boats and could probably tell you a lot about them both.

[Highlander]

I have owned both first for about 4 1/2 yrs then bought an about 3yrs ago
the is a great little boat lots of room for an 19ftr if your thinking of buying one make sure you get a masthead rig "later model" more sail area & with spreaders their great for daysailing for up too 4 people or wk-ending for one or two people .
I just sold my a few wks ago hated to let her go but she had been sitting in my shop for over three yrs collecting dust & I'm in the process of down sizing within the next yr so she had to go

J

[Rick Westlake]

Went "bigger" myself - but at least I've had both. Sold the to a fellow in St. Louis, and he's sailing it with great pleasure.

The 19 is a nice little boat for a day-sailer. but at 17 feet LWL she is not gonna be fast. I described Beija Flor to non-Mac-savvy sailors as "an obese Flying Scot with indoor plumbing." That said, I spent quite a few nights sleeping aboard, at the dock of my marina - five minutes from my office.

Roger didn't make a lot of 19s; I think it was a "proof of concept" for the motorsailer. He made thousands of the 26X model, of course, and thousands more of the 26M, which continues to this day.

Another option might be a West Wight Potter, which is more traditional-looking and "salty" in my eyes. It has a heavy steel-plate daggerboard for ballast, which requires a hefty winch to raise and lower it; it uses a small kicker outboard on the transom, and it doesn't have Roger's technically-elegant gin pole mast-raising system. (Dammit!!) But the West Wight Potter 19 is what I was looking for, actually, when I found my MacGregor 19.

Good luck!

[Seapup]

Another option might be a West Wight Potter, which is more traditional-looking and "salty" in my eyes. It has a heavy steel-plate daggerboard for ballast, which requires a hefty winch to raise and lower it; it uses a small kicker outboard on the transom, and it doesn't have Roger's technically-elegant gin pole mast-raising system. (Dammit!!) But the West Wight Potter 19 is what I was looking for, actually, when I found my MacGregor 19.

I would have to second the opinion of considering a potter 19, we had one before the 26x and we loved it. I know a few people here have went from one up to the X. Its feels tiny and a bit like a toy compared to the X, but adequate for a weekend for 2. There is no comparison in trailering and setting it up. The mast weighs nothing and is a piece of cake to raise by hand. We were literally from the ramp to the water in 10 minutes no stress. We never thought twice about trailering it after work to sail for just an hour in the evening. I had an 8hp and it would push the boat at 8mph using barely any gas. The keel is a pain to crank up and down, bangs around a bit in rough water at night and makes the cabin feel tight, but gives the boat a very firm feel under sail. We only trailered it and never considered a slip with it, the X we ended up slipping. If I were to strictly trailer sail every weekend and no week long trips (why we go the X) I would strongly consider moving back down.

[Deeseas]

I love my I think it's a great boat and I tell everyone. The only question is how hard is it to find a used . As Rick said Roger didn't make alot of around 1000 I believe, production ending in '95. Of course you can't waterski behind the Potter but that's just me.

Forever
Doug

[kleinhhl]

Here's one for $7,200: http://sailingtexas.com/201101/smacgregor19109.html

It's not my boat, btw. I'm not trying to plug my ad!