M vs X

[J Dower]

I am considering purchasing a late model X and fixing it up, or really stretching my budget and getting a new M. My question is if anyone has had experience with both the 26X and the 26M in choppy water, and does the new deeper V on the 26M really make a big difference. The concept seems good, but in practice can you really tell a difference; and is the X that bad in 2 - 3 foot choppy seas.

[TampaMac]

The 26x is actually pretty good when you have short chop, as you will get in the shallow waters of Florida. The hull is flat but the waterline is so long that you span a couple of waves at a time and you end up with a nice ride.

But in the 2 to 3 foot short chop you will get banged around and the hull will shudder (well maybe its the liner or something else but it does shudder). The ride is not really too harsh for the most part, once in a while you get a good bang.

I've never been out on an M, Roger claims the bottom is thicker and the pitch on the V is more so it should ride better.

[Mark Prouty]

is the X that bad in 2 - 3 foot choppy seas.

As with all flat bottom boats, IMHO the Mac 26X fairs pooly in 2-3 foot choppy seas even at low speeds if your are powering directly into the chop with the wind ahead of you. I feel it is one of the shortcomings of the boat. I have only owned my boat one season but have used it often. I found myself in this condition once during this time. I chose to motor at angles to the chop to avoid this condition.

[Moe]

Other things being equal, the greater the deadrise angle (i.e. the deeper the V), the smoother the ride in a head sea, the greater the side to side rolling in a beam sea and when anchored, the more horsepower and speed required to plane, and the more horsepower required to maintain any given speed. However many other things aren't equal when comparing the X and M.

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Moe

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I learned this summer that the X is actually better at higher speeds in 2'-3' chop. My normal speed choice has been around 8 - 9 knots in these conditions. This speed in these conditions head on or just of to one side of the bow usually require a lot of back and forth helm input to stay on a course and the ride seems a bit rough.

We happened to be headed on the last leg of our 23 day trip and with plenty of fuel on board were running at 11-12 knots. One tank ran out about the same time we encountered the chop. I switched tanks and throttled back up to the normal 8 knots facing the constant back and forth at the wheel. On a whim, since I didn't care how much gas I used I pushed the throttle forward just to see what happened. At 11 knots the ride was much smoother as we were slicing through the chop rather than riding up over it. The required helm input was greatly reduced. I think I was getting more hull form stability at the higher speed and the boat wasn't constantly being pushed off course. It was so good I just hit the autopilot button and sat back to enjoy the ride.

I think the faster speed helps the boat handle better so it doesn't wallow at all. You only need to slow down once the seas become 3'-4' and you begin to launch of the waves and pound down. The boat always seems to launch off the second wave in a set. At that point it's best to add ballast if you are empty, as we almost always are under power, so you can punch through the waves rather than launch off them.

For me the only point under power that I have not found a comfortable way to handle on the X is a 4'+ following swell sea. This is the one difficult condition as the square flat transom gets lifted and tossed to the side really easy as you slew down the face of one swell and then climb up the next one. You can get better control with the rudders down, but I worry about breaking a bracked in the high side loads that these conditions develop.

[Frank C]

I think we will each evolve a practice of matching boat speed to the wave period, not really the wave height. You'll also find that the boat "plows through" the waves with ballast full, while it rides over them with empty ballast. This makes for a much wetter ride with full ballast. Regardless of the ride conditions, I'd never try to change the ballast state in 2 to 3 foot chop. I'd just leave it full, or empty, until reaching protected water.

[Moe]

IMHO, having the rudders down in a following or quartering sea, on a low-deadrise boat with very soft chines, is a safety issue. It's one of the reasons we opted for a later model 26X with the sturdier stainless rudder brackets. On an older 26X, I'd definitely reinforce the brackets, or upgrade to the stainless ones, rather than not use the rudders, which could prevent the boat from broaching.

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Moe

[J Dower]

thanks for the input. Of couse all boats pound somewhat in these conditions, but it sounds like the 26X is not significantly worse than any powerboat.

[Terry]

Personally I wouldn't base my decision soley on one aspect of handling. I have been out on my M with several Xs and in rough seas we all get tossed around, (it's a corky boat) to what degree makes no nevermind it still makes me uneasy. I will say that it does feel good to buy a new one and add my own personal touches. I don't for a second regret spending the extra money, in fact I look forward to spending more money on it. God I love this boat Best investment I ever made.