What is an Entry-Level Cruising Boat?

[tehtairing]

MacGregor owners keep their boats in a nearby slip or bouy, or at home on a trailer.
They do their own maintenance work on their boats either at home or on the water,
modify their boats to suit their missions, and take their boats to lakes and oceans
Hunter, Beneteau and Catalina owners only dream about.
They use all the extra cash they're not spending on their boats to retire early, travel more,
and enjoy their boats more.

Can we get an amen

Ray

Agree! Very true! And when the weather goes ugly, Macgregor sits happily on its trailer, and other boats got hammered by the storm.

[Catigale]

Mac owners strain their gear oil through toilet paper so as not to waste a coffee filter stolen from work.

[Freedom77]

As I have said many times to slip locked "yacht" owners. When was the last time you hauled your boat to Ensenada Mexico, or British Columbia, Canada or launched in San Pedro, Cal. and sailed to Catalina? Well, we have. So there!!! Fair Winds and Full Sails...

[Sea Wind]

That boat,, is the one that all the big willy handsome suave James Bond types have

[BOAT]

The Hunter is actually getting more popular lately as a smaller trailer sailor. Many people in the San Diego boat club that have sold their MACs have bought a Hunter. I never sail with the club so I am at a loss for their reasons but it's probably because they rarely leave the Bay and there is a HUGE contingent of "*boaties" in San Diego Bay that HATE (and I mean HATE) the MacGregor X and M boats. Almost ALL of the people I know except mastreb who have a boat slipped in San Diego say bad things about the Mac. I remember once years ago telling a customer of mine who had a power boat in SD Bay that I was considering a MAC and he literally came unglued on me! He yelled at me: "I have seen those stupid things racing around in the bay with the big motors! They are stupid and junk!" And when I told some of my Aquarius friends they had similar reactions. One said: "Don't buy one of those! The decks are so thin they bend when you walk on them and the hull is thin and crappy! - get a REAL boat - not a MAC!"
90% of my old Aquarius friends also sailed out of San Diego Bay.

They no-likey the MAC in San Diego.
That's the only place where one has tipped over so the whole community there hates the MAC.
The Hunter, on the other hand, is considered a good boat in San Diego, but if you go to San Fran or Oxnard or come here to Oceanside the Hunter is considered a lousy boat. (For good reason in MY opinion)

Personally, I think the Hunter is a piece of junk. It's a crap boat pretending to be a real cruiser but for the money I would rather buy a real cruiser like the Cat or the Benny. I personally do not think the Hunter should even be considered in the same league. (That's just me) My brother had the Hunter, and I have many friends with Catalina's. I recommend you go for the Benny if you can afford it and if not go for the Catalina.


(In Australia they call them 'boaties' ?? I did not know that!!)

[dlandersson]

Me - I'm sitting on the sidelines waiting for California to drop off into the Pacific.

[sailboatmike]

I must say I dont in any way understand the pathological hatred of Macs that some people have.

I think it may be because people dont understand the whole concept or just dont want to accept the hybrid idea,

Most opposition seems to come from the "Traditional" boating set, that believes boats should be full of teak in the cabin, but these people have shown themselves to be dinosaurs, many are just sort of getting used to the idea of a plastic (fiberglass) hull.

For me its the opposite, I love the idea of not having to get in the cabin and sand all the wood back and re varnish every couple of years just a wipe down and your done.

Less time spent maintaining the more spent enjoying your boat on the water, rather than sitting in dock, sand paper and paint brush in hand dreaming that you had the sails hoisted.

Also most that take the time to try and belittle the Mac have never actually sailed one or even set foot on one, but rather like parrots, just repeat what other have said on the net. I have read many boating magazine articles on the Macs and while some have not been overly complimentary about their sailing prowess none have really canned the Mac, they have said it could be a better sailor but then again so could many boats, I have friends with 35 foot blue water cruisers that wont sail into the wind because they wont point and friends with LARGE cats that only sail down wind and motor into it for the same reason.

Roger took a lot of the ELITISM out of sailing and yachts and made a everyman boat, the chardonay sippers will never forgive him for that

PS In Australia Boaties and Yachties are sort of interchangeable, normally boaties are good old fashioned working class people that own a sailboat, yachties are the ones that think they are better than others because they owen a boat and are most often seen tied up on the dock or in a yacht club sipping a glass of wine rather than actually sailing.

And just for the record Im the Commodore of a yacht club and detest Yachties they are the scurge of the earth and give a great hobby / sport like sailing a bad name

[beene]

This Mac video makes all keel boat owners green.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJuRomDvKMc



G

[dlandersson]

Note the white hull...

This Mac video makes all keel boat owners green.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJuRomDvKMc



G

[jbpatents]

So all you have to do to get such tuches on your boat is remove the mast? Oh boy, where is this thread going?...

[Highlander]

Well I think this is a pretty good start
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 0_2494.mp4

Oh wait a min is that a , Darn its sure is

J

[dlandersson]

Note the white hull. Just sayn'

Well I think this is a pretty good start
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 0_2494.mp4

Oh wait a min is that a , Darn its sure is

J

[K9Kampers]

Looks like he has mastered the art of controlled extreme heeling without spilling ones cocktail!

[Highlander]

Looks like he has mastered the art of controlled extreme heeling without spilling ones cocktail!

Mmm r u wanting to learn that skill !!
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 0_2495.mp4

J

[vizwhiz]

Y'know, every time I hear about some purist who doesn't like Macs, or that Mr. Snobby Swabby had some poor opinion about our boats, this is what always comes to mind. Never fails to make me chuckle.
http://youtu.be/bMErG-idop4