MacGregorSailors.com

Qu'ebec 1 Nice photo, I had never seen how an M would set on a sand bar. It sets flat so to be able to sleep if needed.

vkmaynard wrote:I was mowing the lawn last night and realized why the site is named "Sailing Anarchy". That's because there is no adult webmaster supervision for the bad little children.

What a contrast with this and other sites!

Victor

Yes. SA is full of obnoxious blow hards. Fact is, most don't even own boats but mooch rides on other's boats. Frankly, I wouldn't want to be in the same room with the majority of them.

It is refreshing to come to a site such as this where mature attitudes prevail and information is exchanged in a respectful manner.

--Russ

Québec 1 wrote:I was unhappy with my Mac cause the motor didn't start when I tried to motor off the sand banks. But i like my Mac now cause I realized after sailing my way off the sand banks that somebody unhooked the kill switch on my Honda 50 cause it was in the way and put it away so it would not bother any one any more!!!!!

I like my Mac cause it's not in the water! Its on the sand banks in the middle of the St Laurence River.

Q1

It's not as much fun at the dock - but an X will sit level, too ... (Last October at Fort Belvoir Marina)


I was very unhappy, with Bossa Nova, that day. (Meaning Bossa Nova was unhappy, too.)

We love our Mac M cause last month we were anchored at my buddies bouy at Lummi island in the San Juan islands and we had a minus tide of 4 ft and woke up to 2 feet of water under us and was able to leave instead of beeing stuck for hours.

Hey ... we've owned our 2000 26X for 2 years now (the "Good News"). The more we get to know her ... the more we love her! There is one thing about the Mac trailerable sailboat that is important to know ... they are NOT a trailerable "day sailor" meaning you probably won't trailer down in the morning ... set it up and sail for the day ... then, break it down to bring it home that night! You may do this a few times, but it will not be the norm! The sweat work for 1 day on the water is probably not worth it. I guess if you have 2 or more people that don't mind the work it could be different ... it's just that my kids are young (11, 9, 7 and 1 years) so I do all the hard work with my wife looking after the odds and ends. Maybe if you had 2 or 3 that worked along side you, you could trailer it to sail for the day, but I think most of us agree that it's just not worth the work time for 1 day...

The Mac is more of a weekend sailor meaning you would put her in the water on a Saturday morning and bring her out Sunday or Monday ... but, when you think about it, the trailerable Mac makes sailing just so affordable as everyone has mentioned!! It sits at our home until we are ready to sail (which is as often as I can get) ... if money is tight, it's no cost for us to keep it on the trailer at our home ... when it's time, then we will trailer her down to a local ramp and go to a slip for a few days or a week or so. Down here in South Florida, a cheap marina will cost us about $135 for a week (or about $2 per foot per night). Not bad because it's the best $$$ I'll ever spend with as much fun as we have! Actually, I've rented a slip in Port Salerno for $175 a month ... with a lift to keep it out of the water ... and this has been awesome fun!!!

So, in the end, if you know what you are buying it for ... it the most awesome boat. Note - I've been power boating all my life and I am no stranger to hard work that boating is ... it's just that the Mac is a LOT more work then a 20ft powerboat for a SINGLE day of fun. The Mac is to be enjoyed for muliple days at at time! Also, there is a lot more to think of when sailing then when power boating ... keel, rudders up, motor up, etc. to come onto a beach. If this is for you, then you will NOT get a better amount of fun on the water then with a Mac!!!!

I know of unhappy people who own any boat ever made. Its that thing there will be always somebody with supposed more than you, you make do with what you have not what others thnk you should.

I'm very unhappy

Our "IMAGINE" sits patiently on it's trailer under the big silver tarp while we work and do all the Family and Friends things every weekend ... sometimes life gets in the way of living!

Glenn

I am unhappy with the faster blue hull. It shows every mark ! I have a new mark everytime I take it out. Drives me crazy trying to keep it in perfect shape.

Blue Magic Marker , Ya shoulda bought a White hull

J

Got it used and a very good deal so I should not complain............

irayone wrote:I am unhappy with the faster blue hull. It shows every mark ! I have a new mark everytime I take it out. Drives me crazy trying to keep it in perfect shape.

Why not give up and just enjoy the boat? You can fix it all up before you (ultimately) pass it on the new owner, if ever.

Happy or unhappy ......the mac is a compromise. Sometimes the performance makes me happy and other times I have to remind myself of the nature of the beast....It's a fair weather boat...While others are at play in 20 kt winds I am at play at the dock...

I like to play in 20 knot winds as long as they are out of the correct direction (west for me). If they are out of the east, nobody is out where I am. I took the boat out in 30 knot winds (22 knots sustained, 32 gusts) a couple of weeks ago...... that was a little too much for me, but it was never "unsafe". I notice that when the winds are 20 knots, very few boats are out there, even the big boys. At 20 knots, I am reefed (factory reef) and I have about 50-60% of the Genoa out. You just have to be really alert of what is going on. It is definitely not relaxing.

tompolak wrote: I notice that when the winds are 20 knots, very few boats are out there, even the big boys.

I found the same thing this spring over memorial weekend. Sunday the winds were 8-12MPH, lots of boats were out. Monday they were 20MPH (17.3knots), one or two boats out. A friend has his boat near the Apostle Islands on Superior, he says everyone wants as big of a boat as they can afford so they don't have to worry about the wind or waves. Funny thing is, when the wind starts to blow most of them come in anyway. He wants to downsize from a 34' because of slip availability and cost.

I would be a happier Mac owner if the lakes near me were more sailboat friendly. Our area was know for sailing years ago, now it is jet skis and wake boarders but most cities still use sailboats for their logos. You can't set up in the parking lots because of the trees or power lines in the way at the landings. I have to drive a ways to get to a lake where sailing is more popular.

Bluecrab wrote:I would be a happier Mac owner if the lakes near me were more sailboat friendly. Our area was know for sailing years ago, now it is jet skis and wake boarders but most cities still use sailboats for their logos.

Sailboats are pretty, "traditional", and oh-so-suitable for a logo. They just breathe "tranquility," a great thing to advertise if you're a resort town by a lake ... and a great show for "tradition" if you're a port city.
Baltimore's logo is a clipper ship - could you imagine them changing it to a container ship?

Jet skis and runabouts with wakeboard towers "breathe" gas-fumes, noise, and selfish loud rambunctious "fun" that doesn't give a rat's patoot about anyone else on the lake. In my jaundiced opinion.

You can't set up in the parking lots because of the trees or power lines in the way at the landings. I have to drive a ways to get to a lake where sailing is more popular.

So, then, it's not your Mac that dissatisfies - it's your local lake. That's a great shame. But there are 9,999 other lakes in your state, if we believe the license plates. Guess you just have to "vote with your feet."

You might have a talk with the ramp owners about "sailboat-friendly" landscaping ... you know, the kind of friendly, positive talk that emphasizes "opportunity" and minimises "expense" ...