Safety macgregor 26m to be used to only be with the engine

[Nakir]

Hello to all the community, i need your advice
I would like to buy macgregor 26m to be used to only be with the engine (suzuki 70hp) and without the mast, sail, etc. .. .. on the Mediterranean coast (no more than 12 miles from the coast)
MacGregor 26m boat is safe for use only with the engine?
the ballast can be left full for 6 / 7 months of continuous operation without damaging it?


sorry for my bad english

[Catigale]

Nakir...peace be upon you



The boat is designed for such use close to shore, and the ballast can be left in without damage.

[Ixneigh]

The Mac as a better then average looking, but wetter then average power yacht...

I've run my boat with out the mast up and felt fine. Even with no ballast, if the conditions are mild.
I've added 250 pounds of lead as low as I could to add to that "feels fine" effect while the mast is up.
With that extra weight and no mast, you might not even want any water ballast. There is plenty of space to add some extra flotation to make up for the lead.

I would use a larger engine then I have now if I did not have to worry about sailing trim. I have the etec 60. I hardly EVER use it wide open, and even then it barely planes the boat with typical load.

Ixneigh

[Nakir]

I've added 250 pounds of lead as low as I could to add to that "feels fine" effect while the mast is up.
With that extra weight and no mast, you might not even want any water ballast.

Ixneigh

Thanks for the answers, can you explain how you have added 250 pounds of lead?

[kitcat]

I would add that if the boat is to be used as a motor boat, you should seriously think about a back-up motor in case of your main engine failing..............Just a thought!

Paul

[Tomfoolery]

Thanks for the answers, can you explain how you have added 250 pounds of lead?

Just out of curiosity, with 1150 lb of water ballast and no mast to add tipping moment, why would you bother with lead ballast? The boat is already stable beyond 90 degrees, with the mast up. Removing the mast only increases the stability, though without sails it might be a bit twitchy in busy seas.

[Tomfoolery]

In fact, removing a 50 lb (guess) mast that's 28 ft long is roughly equivalent to adding 500 lb of fixed ballast, more or less, and depending on where you put it. Taking that mast and rigging off is a pretty good start.

[Ixneigh]

As to the why...lead low down has more powerful righting then water. Yes the water ballast is good. Empty with no mast is (imho) fine to a degree until you gets more people on deck. Its just a bit of extra righting but without full and heavy ballast tank.
I will be more likely to operate my boat with the mast in place but no water if the lead i placed in my boat does as i hope. Just a bit more stability for when i grt hit by a big wake in a channel.

As to how and where. I placed the lead bricks on each side of the daggerboard trunk against the hull. Not ideal as its not on the centerline. If i am pleased with the effect i will place it under the cabin floor and glass it in. ( big job)
I spray foamed the bricks in place and jammed foam blocks ontop. They are secure even in a rollover yet removed easily if i dont like them. I do lose some storage but the boat has plenty

Ixneigh

[sailwalsh]

If I had a 26m and wanted to increase ballast ,stability or stiffness under sail I would consider replacing the daggerboard with a solid steal plate board
thickened at the bottom 20". sandblasted clean and 4-5 layers of epoxy paint followed by antifowling paint. That would be possible to change back to
stock board if desired.

[restless]

you would not be the first to use a mac as a spacious motor cruiser!

[Mac26Mpaul]

This is half the reason we bought the Mac. We pretty much use it as a power cruiser with the mast left at home for day trips and the odd overnighter, but if we plan on going out for a few days, we take the mast. The boat is super easy and quick to get off the trailer when there is no rigging involved and back on too, provided there isnt much wind blowing, or current running.

Its obviously not the best power cruiser on the market, but is perfectly acceptable and very comfortable by trailer boat standards. I honestly believe Roger could make a couple more bucket loads of cash if he did some slight redesigning, particularly to the cockpit area, and maybe the hull to sell a purely power cruiser version of this boat.

The water in teh ballast tank seems perfectly acceptable to me, in fact, most of the time, we dont even put that in when motor cruising

[Catigale]

I think the mast is more like 100 pounds or more

[jschrade]

If you only wish to power, I wouldn't even look at the 26M.

Jim

[uanhanlouee]

I understand what he is aiming at, I think..

He is trying to use the 26 as a fast trawler. A single engine will power it at same speed and with a towing membership he does not need an auxiliary engine. You cannot get a Fast Trawler for anywhere near the price of a Max 26x even a used Ftrawler is unobtainable for the bucks.

Without mast sticking up it should be a convenient trailerable, light (lby trawler standard) boat. A 70 hp outboard is a lot cheaper than a diesel and uses cheaper fuel. His only problem would be the passenger limit. Is it 5 persons or what?

I've thought the same thing..

[Ixneigh]

Concur with wouldn't even look at a mac. It's a pretty boat and I get lots of compliments but beauty alone does not a good powerboat make. It is probably the lightest most roomy boat power or sail, for it's size.

Ixneigh