Just discovered MacGregor Sailboats

[JCullins]

Good morning everyone and greetings from central Oklahoma. Wow, I just recently discovered MacGregor and just found this site. From what I have seen and read so far the MacGregor is a very versatile boat. I trailer about 120 miles to Lake Eufaula currently with our ski boat. Now that we have three grandkids ages, 3,7 and 8 and another one on the way I believe the MacGregor would be a super family boat. I admit I know very little about sailing but it looks like it would be a great way to spend time on the lake. Any advice and opinions would be appreciated and its ok if you want to poke fun at this land locked Okie. ha ha.

[Oskar 26M]

Welcome from Downunder JCullins

You have come to an excellent forum. Lots of friendly helpful people even towards those of us on the other side of the globe.

And Macs are GREAT boats

[James V]

Welcome,

Don't worry about the sailing part. Easy enough with a few lessons. Mostly
I use the boat as a camper anyway. I do recommend taking some boating safety classes up to bareboat. After you get your boat I do recomend finding somebody who has one and spend at least 1/2 day trainingg you and your crew. You are not to far away from the Texas coast to spend a few months in the spring.

Can you take the Red River all the way down to the Gulf?

[tangentair]

Hi
Definately take a few rides or lessons on any sail boat before you make the switch to sail. Yes the Mac will tow a bunch of kids around on a tube but it is not a speedboat, you will not really ski unless you put 70+ horses on it and even then it will not handle and give you twists and turns of a ski boat - some people like the big 50hp to move around when needed to hurry others use a smaller engine so that you have a sort of power boat if you want - but it really is a sail boat, better than a daysailer, not quite a live aboard but really great for those long weekends. But again you need to determine if you like to sail, Bill Buckley (the columinst) wrote a great book about his becoming a sailor and learning that the journey is more important than the destination FOR HIM. For others it is about getting there in the quickest direct line now. You really need to determine what it is for you. When you are ghosting along at 2 knots and some speed boat zips by and the kids say come on lets go faster, will you regret you choice. When you putter past the gas dock and see that cabin cruiser taking on 250 dollars worth of gas for the weekend and you're still going on that 6 gallons you bought a month ago, will you sit back and smile. Anyway, I am writing a book to say be sure you want to sail before you take the plunge. And if you do it is a great choice. Does nothing well but all things good.

[argonaut]

Excellent suggestions from James, and on completion of a boater´s course many insurance companies offer a discount on boat insurance.

The Macs (26X, M, S and D) are many things to many people.
To me these boats´ essence is a simple to use and maintain trailerable vessel. With a Mac there´s no monthly slip fee & maintenance is done at your house instead of the marina.
If you want to slip a boat better sailing boats cost less. But they won´t ever go far fomr the slip. Your Mac´s a compromise between portability, performance, comfort, and cost.
I love mine for the portable weekend sailboat it is.
Mind you if you sail itĺl be another hour on average to rig and another to derig.
Family wise Duane Dunn has made incredible family voyages out in the Pacific northwest, but he is way more organized than would be possible for me. Sails 6, cocktails for 4, sleeps 2 comfortably is something I read somewhere that has truth, but if theyŕe not too big I could see that working.
If you can, try before you buy. You´ll learn much more doing than reading!

[xsailor]

I've been reading this board for a few weeks, trying to learn about MacGregor's and bought a 2001 on Saturday and brought it home; then joined this community yesterday. There is nothing to replace with knowledge of the people in this group. I've sailed some before, but I absolutely learn something every time that I visit here.

As soon as I finish cleaning the hull, I hope to launch it in a couple of days. Since I live on a lake (on the Ala-Ga line), I will probably keep it in the water most of the time. So far, I've been really impressed with this line of boats. Roomier than I ever imagined and trailered pretty well, or as well as you can with a single axle trailer.

Hope you get to enjoy a MacGregor; I'm really looking forward to it.

L

[Oskar 26M]

Welcome xsailor and happy sailing



May I suggest that you add (in the free-form 'Location' field in your Profile) your geographic location, type of boat, type of motor etc. ?

[hart]

Welcome xsailor. I just bought a 2001 too, but I'm a bit southwest of you on the Alabama-Florida line.

[bastonjock]

welcome guys,i bought a 2001 x almost a year ago,i spent the first couple of time out just motoring up and down a river complex,then this year i put her in the sea,ive sailed her at weekends,and ive done overnighters,my longest saling journey is 60nm round trip.

I did some training courses first,i did the basic dinghy courses then i went on skipppers course.

i dont trailer my boat a lot,i keep her on a mooring and around here,her shallow draught is an asset,running her up on to some isolated beach and having a barbie is just awesome.

[James V]

and having a barbie is just awesome.

Pardon me but my "British" is not what it used to be - What is a "barbie"?

[bastonjock]

a barbeque

if you find some "brit" expressions a mystery,you ought to try it from my perspective

first i had to get to grips with sailing terminology,then on top of that "Amercian English" made a man a tad confused at times

[NiceAft]

JCullens,

Do find a way to get on a Mac before you decide to purchase. I've spoken to many a power boater who loves to zip around on the water at 60MPH, but shudders at the thought of being on a good size boat that is leaning at 30 degrees. They offer me rides to go fast, but always turn down my offer to take them out at a 45 degree lean.

Find a Mac owner who will take you out on a windy day. If you can take that, your a sailor Then take some lesson so you will learn to control it when the little one are aboard

Ray

[corkscrew]

We are new MAC owners and LOVE IT! actually first-time boat owners in general. They are very easy to handle, trailer, rig, and even work on. They have lots of room...we've have 3 kids and 4 adults on our MAC and there is always more then enough room. The way the boat was designed was for ease of use, everything is layed out great and very logical. In addition the systems are very easy, so you can add all sorts of fun things from fridges, DVD players, BBQ's etc. Also, you can sail or just motor around....it really has everything.

If you was a great boat that is easy and for the most part worry free....the mac is great.

[JCullins]

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I appreciate the advice and knowledge. We are definitely going to ride on a Mac before we get serious about buying, my only sailing experience was on a small Chrysler sailboat about twenty years ago it was alot of fun though.

[NiceAft]

Good luck in your hunt! If you have any further questions, you know where to go. You will find lots of opinions here

Ray