Is A MacGregor the right boat for me?

[Seth08321]

[Seth08321]

Ok next question for all of you, based on what I have told you is a 26 s the better boat for me, the one I see for sale is a 94 w a tiller I think, since I am in no rush , I want to see plenty of boats if possible but should I zero in on a S vs a D or a X or M ( I think I covered all of them) My budget is fairly small def under 10K , unless I wait another four year for the last to be out of college that is and maybe it will take me that long to find one that calls to me. I saw a 22 for sale pretty cheap under 4 k but I would rather buy my next boat as my first one, that what I have done with my Kayaks and I feel it s a good way to go, plus where I am there will be 100 power boats vs a sail boat so I do not plan on upgrading , based on my limited knowledge and needs I think a daysailer with some weekend duty will fit all my needs, I have no dreams of crossing the ocean., Maybe the Chesapeake but even that I do not see happening. This will stay within 100 miles of my home and more likely 50 miles. Thanks for all the help folks and any owners in NJ, feel free to chime in. I do not see a ton for sale near me, plenty of Hunters and Catalinas but few Mac's which I could of like, hull I drive Saab so I really do not care about being with the in crowd anyway. I really think a Mac might be the best boat for my needs in my part of the bay.

[dlandersson]

Very nice.

[dlandersson]

Ok, you shold be loking for an S - with possibly an eye out for an X with a motivated seller. I say that bc your kids will likely like the powerboat aspects of an X. Just sayn'

My budget is fairly small def under 10K

[Russ]

Ahhhh Yes!

This is what I remember visiting Cape May. The West Coast sunsets.

You would be best to find someone with a sailboat to take you out. I've known many powerboaters who simply don't like the "work" involved in sailing. For me, I've owned both powerboats and sailboats and powerboating gets boring quickly.

Understand there is a major difference between the 26 S/D and the 26 X/M. One is a pure sailboat and the other a hybrid power/sailor.

[dlandersson]

Lake Michigan sunset

[Mannyc]

I have been searching for Macgregor 26 for the past year before picking up mine. In terms of budget @ under 10K it will be extremely rare to find a 26M anywhere near that price point unless its a real fixer upper, but I have noticed they seem to retain their value better than other variants.

For the 26X would be hard to find less than 10K in the Delaware area, not impossible but hard. If you don't mind going for a mini roundtrip the southern states ( NC,GA,FL) tend to have them at 7-9k.

I wasn't looking at the S but when placing Macgregor 26 under Facebook Marketplace they tend to pop up and most start at 9K and below. Can not provide much data on the D as I rarely clicked on them.

If your on a tight budget and don't mind missing this season, the bulk of the deals for your area tend to jump during Sept-October when most seem to sell since they do not want to deal with storing them ( usually I got told the same explanation that the boat is sitting in the front/back lawn taking up space and not getting used as often).

[Jimmyt]

You would be best to find someone with a sailboat to take you out. I've known many powerboaters who simply don't like the "work" involved in sailing.

Understand there is a major difference between the 26 S/D and the 26 X/M. One is a pure sailboat and the other a hybrid power/sailor.

Excellent points. Watched an old guy at the club come in last night after a solo sail on a 22 foot keel boat. Happy as a pig in slop. Took him 30 minutes to get the sails stowed, tie-up, and get her put to bed. He lost something overboard (looked like a bungee maybe, but went straight to the bottom). He was smiling and talking the whole time. He loves sailing.

I took a prospective buyer out awhile back that enjoyed the boating experience, but was not interested in trailering due to the setup/takedown processes. News flash; it’s not a power boat. Even in a slip, there is stuff to do besides tie it up and take the key when you leave.

You say you aren’t interested in a project, and your budget is $10k. And, your home waters get thin…. I agree with the 26S suggestion, or a similar swing keel boat. At $10k, an X or M will likely be a project. Big outboards are expensive to buy and expensive to own if you aren’t a DIY mechanic. So, while I agree that an X or M might suit the kids better, the other constraints are saying sailboat with a small affordable kicker.

Which brings us to sails. Look at our favorite online store, BWYachts.com and check the price of sails. In fact, check the price of lines, blocks, and anything that has “marine” in front of the name. There is a reason folks joke about BOAT being an acronym for being “bring on another thousand”.

Don’t get me wrong, boating is my happy place. And sailing is my favorite form of boating. But, it ain’t all free rose petals and champagne.

Find someone that will take you out in your sailing grounds. Make sure this is something you really want to do. Then, come to grip with the fact that you’re going to have to learn how to do boat projects, or your supply of extra cash is going to be tapped. All boats are continually falling apart, particularly those left in the water in a slip.

If you really love it, all of the hot days when the wind dies, broken rudders, torn sails, seasick guests, etc. will be just minor annoyances while you are enjoying sailing.

[leefrankpierce]

I do not know these guys but:
https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/boa/d ... 69061.html

The S is more of a "sailboat" and can handle camping duties.
The X is more of a powerboat with sails and is a water camper. We have had weekends where we never leave the slip.
The M tried to be just a bit more sailboat and a bit more water camper, but truthfully I have never been on one.
Would never expect an X or M to keep up with an S for pure sailing, but I would not expect an S to have a large motor either.

I have the X with a 120hp that can take my fully ballasted setup to 20mph and get us home if weather comes in.
Much faster if I drop the ballast.

So the question might be, do you also want a powerboat?

[NiceAft]

The “S” is a better sailer than an “X” or an “M”, but if you ever want more, i.e. spending some time aboard to cruise for a few days, or longer, then the “X” or “M" will be far more comfortable. Someday you may wish to cross the bay to travel the C&D Canal to cruise the Chesapeake.

[Seth08321]

I do not know these guys but:
https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/boa/d ... 69061.html

The S is more of a "sailboat" and can handle camping duties.
The X is more of a powerboat with sails and is a water camper. We have had weekends where we never leave the slip.
The M tried to be just a bit more sailboat and a bit more water camper, but truthfully I have never been on one.
Would never expect an X or M to keep up with an S for pure sailing, but I would not expect an S to have a large motor either.

I have the X with a 120hp that can take my fully ballasted setup to 20mph and get us home if weather comes in.
Much faster if I drop the ballast.

So the question might be, do you also want a powerboat?

I know I do not want a power boat , they are plenty of them around but for what ever reason they do nothing for me, I am drawn to a sailboat and the fact I could back a Macgregor and us eat in very shallow water are major pluses for me. I like the idea of a small motor as a way to get me out, the few S I have seen on line have less than a 10HP motor on the back.

[Seth08321]

You would be best to find someone with a sailboat to take you out. I've known many powerboaters who simply don't like the "work" involved in sailing.

Understand there is a major difference between the 26 S/D and the 26 X/M. One is a pure sailboat and the other a hybrid power/sailor.

Excellent points. Watched an old guy at the club come in last night after a solo sail on a 22 foot keel boat. Happy as a pig in slop. Took him 30 minutes to get the sails stowed, tie-up, and get her put to bed. He lost something overboard (looked like a bungee maybe, but went straight to the bottom). He was smiling and talking the whole time. He loves sailing.

I took a prospective buyer out awhile back that enjoyed the boating experience, but was not interested in trailering due to the setup/takedown processes. News flash; it’s not a power boat. Even in a slip, there is stuff to do besides tie it up and take the key when you leave.

You say you aren’t interested in a project, and your budget is $10k. And, your home waters get thin…. I agree with the 26S suggestion, or a similar swing keel boat. At $10k, an X or M will likely be a project. Big outboards are expensive to buy and expensive to own if you aren’t a DIY mechanic. So, while I agree that an X or M might suit the kids better, the other constraints are saying sailboat with a small affordable kicker.

Which brings us to sails. Look at our favorite online store, BWYachts.com and check the price of sails. In fact, check the price of lines, blocks, and anything that has “marine” in front of the name. There is a reason folks joke about BOAT being an acronym for being “bring on another thousand”.

Don’t get me wrong, boating is my happy place. And sailing is my favorite form of boating. But, it ain’t all free rose petals and champagne.

Find someone that will take you out in your sailing grounds. Make sure this is something you really want to do. Then, come to grip with the fact that you’re going to have to learn how to do boat projects, or your supply of extra cash is going to be tapped. All boats are continually falling apart, particularly those left in the water in a slip.

If you really love it, all of the hot days when the wind dies, broken rudders, torn sails, seasick guests, etc. will be just minor annoyances while you are enjoying sailing.

I know I do not want a project from the start, I would get a smaller older boat vs a newer project. I also do not need a big outboard ( in my very limited knowledge) I defiantly will get out on some b4 I buy one, there is a local sailing club on a lake near here or I could go to Cape May where I am Sure there are more sail boats. I am ok with the investments in new gear and upkeep but would want to limit the initial investment, which I will never get back if I decide to bail in a year. I do not se this as a starter boat and then move up, but I am sure you have read that many times from newbies like me. Thanks for all the comments.

[Seth08321]

The “S” is a better sailer than an “X” or an “M”, but if you ever want more, i.e. spending some time aboard to cruise for a few days, or longer, then the “X” or “M" will be far more comfortable. Someday you may wish to cross the bay to travel the C&D Canal to cruise the Chesapeake.

I am looking for the better sailer, so I think the X or M may not be teh best choice for what I am looking for.

[Seth08321]

I have been searching for Macgregor 26 for the past year before picking up mine. In terms of budget @ under 10K it will be extremely rare to find a 26M anywhere near that price point unless its a real fixer upper, but I have noticed they seem to retain their value better than other variants.

For the 26X would be hard to find less than 10K in the Delaware area, not impossible but hard. If you don't mind going for a mini roundtrip the southern states ( NC,GA,FL) tend to have them at 7-9k.

I wasn't looking at the S but when placing Macgregor 26 under Facebook Marketplace they tend to pop up and most start at 9K and below. Can not provide much data on the D as I rarely clicked on them.

If your on a tight budget and don't mind missing this season, the bulk of the deals for your area tend to jump during Sept-October when most seem to sell since they do not want to deal with storing them ( usually I got told the same explanation that the boat is sitting in the front/back lawn taking up space and not getting used as often).

Thanks for the info I am totally fine missing teh season, it will take me a while to figure out what I really need, I plan on spending next season learning how to sail maybe at a club, small investment to make sure I like it b4 grabbing a Sail Boat. I do not see a road trip in my future but I know a guy who could ship me any boat I may find, but would much prefer finding something somewhat local say with in 150 miles ( say NY metro to eastern Shore MD)

[Seth08321]

Ok, you shold be loking for an S - with possibly an eye out for an X with a motivated seller. I say that bc your kids will likely like the powerboat aspects of an X. Just sayn'

Since they are not paying they get what they get and like it

My budget is fairly small def under 10K