Bought an ugly boat (26X) today!

[Divecoz]

Eric,
Sounds like you made the right choice in boat for your present needs.

You might consider taking it a notch or three on the forum. It's like you've moved to a new community and introduced yourself by writing a letter to the editor explaining how ugly and cheap you find the town.

Give the good members a chance here and you will find that they are generous with advice, insights, and in some cases physical assistance like my buddy Aya16 who installed a stereo in my boat this summer.

-Scott

I believe you pretty well summed it up Scott.

[albion]

What are you guys talking about , Ugly. Since I bought my 26M I have had lots ofnice compliments, some from owners of $50,000 and up power boat owners.

[kmclemore]

Opinions are like........... well.......... let's just say everyone has one.

I'm with you, Everyman, Divcoz, Beene, et al... I like my Mac just the way she is, thanks.

She's not some svelte and racy model who's great when running around with the jet set, but couldn't cook a decent meal if she tried. No, like a good woman, the she's intriguingly pretty with just enough size to make her very comfortable, and lots of lovely hidden talents.

[Frank C]

The Mac 26 is a hybrid recreational boat that permits basic sailing, but also offers vast additional functions that a same-sized sailboat simply cannot deliver. That may diminish its sailing identity, but not its value. The error is in the observer who pigeon-holes it as "just a sailboat," when it's really much, much more.

Does one deprecate a masted trawler because its sail is just a stabilizer? ... hardly, it's a very clever adaptation. The error belongs to the observer who wrongly classifies it.

[pokerrick1]

Gee - - - 4 pages of replies to this thread - - - what a surprise

Rick

[albion]

The statement about an ugly boat is like a guy picking a wife then telling all that she is ugly . I cant make any sense in a statement like that. Why buy the boat or marry the woman in the first place.

[baldbaby2000]

I choose to own a 26M and most of the stigma gone. Not sure why, but I think maturity and life experience has a lot to do with it.

It reminds me of when I was a teenager and was embarssed when my Dad would come around wearing plaid shorts, striped shirt and black socks in front of my friends. I used to wonder, "doesn't he know how bad he looks?" Now I realize that he knew: he just didn't care!

Actually I think the M is cool looking. I had someone call us from his cell phone while we were trailering (my wife had her business phone number on the Suburban) telling us how cool our boat looked.

BB

[Moe]

Why buy the boat or marry the woman in the first place.

I thought Eric explained why pretty well when the queston was asked the first time...

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would waste his money on a sailboat that he thinks....

I"ve posted a long explanation on sailnet that I'll copy here. Not that I see a need to justify my actions to anyone, but the tought process I went through to buy this boat might be of help to others. It sure would have helped me when I was considering the huge jump to this weird boat.

I am a pure sailor with years of experience. My sailing resume would fill in a few pages so quick overview: Started by winning my first race at 8. My parents have a film of me sailing our tender at age 3. Been round the world, Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope. Antarctica.
I was a boat tester for a major boat maker, winning races so they could take ads in the maritime papers to brag about their latest baby. I'd make pocket money conveying boats, captained ultra luxury yacht/charter ship.
Later became the youngest full licensed Captain (unlimited) and Chief Engineer (also unlimited) of my class and sailed commercially for 10 years.
To date I am still involved in maritime safety, and have advised at IMO.
But better than that: When it's windy I'm on the water every day!

A few days ago I bought a 26X.

I haven't sailed it yet, but I pretty much know what I'm getting into and don't expect miracles on that front.

Why did I buy it?

1) Shallow draft:
a)Just looking at Charts of the places I want to go it's clear that any boat with more than 2 feet will be severely restricted.
So I want 1 foot draft all up.
There are many bays like that where if you take a red pen and exclude all the areas below 2 feet, you take out 1/3 to 1/2 of the potential sailing area and basically all the nice anchoring spots. I would hate having to anchor with all the other boats.
b)My whole bay in front of my house is about 2 feet deep. I know from experience a boat in front of your house is a boat you use a lot more than one at a marina. I previously had an AMF2100 for its shallow draft also and I would sail every night with my wife. Beats watching TV!

2) Price:
Second hand it's a really cheap boat that I can just pay cash for it and be done. I realize the compromises done to achieve the price. I am upgrading a number of things on the rigging. Even with another couple grand on various bits and pieces it's still a cheap boat. For the bay sailing I want to do it should be more than OK.
I don't know of any other boat that gives me what I want for even close to the price.

3) Cabin:
I dont' need one but I won't mind having one and I know my wife will enjoy having something better than a tent on a trampoline or cramped accommodations on other shallow drafted boats within the price range. If having an enclosed toilet is what it takes to make my wife even more enthusiastic about going on the boat, so be it. Due to it's ugly shape the boat has a large cabin. It'll be nice to be able to put my pants on without doing some morning contortions. I'm getting a little old for that @#$%
Full enclosed cockpit and good confort at anchor. No more mosquitoes!

4)Motor:
My bay is enclosed, and access to the main bay is about 2 miles upwind the predominant wind. Only expensive multihulls can get a decent VMG to get me out into the main bay and satisfy the shallow 1 foot draft requirement. No monohull under sail would make it fast -or at all- with board up.
Mine has a light 2 stroke 50hp. I would have preferred a smaller and lighter motor sufficient to get me out of the bay but heck it's on so I'm sure I'll enjoy put-putting at 10 knots when the wind dies or I just don't feel like it. Like take my wife out to a waterfront restaurant after work or something like that. Then sail back home. Big deal if it costs me a few bucks on gas, I don't pay marina fees.

5) Been there. Done that.
I love the posts from the "It's no good in 30 knots wind". I have a marina right next to me at the end of the bay and can assure you that over the last year I have NEVER seen one sailboat with sails up in high winds coming down the channel. I know because I work from home and I am out there sailing my windsurf every day it's possible.
I fully intend to rig my boat and get the sails needed to be safe in the upper ranges of cruising condition winds. I am talking about bay sailing here so a competent sailor and a decently prepared boat will be fine.
If I want to go offshore again, I'll get an offshore boat.

If I want to zoom at crazy speeds, I'll get on my Hobie Cat or my windsurfs.

For the bays and estuaries the 26X is a good compromise.

I bought a boat for what I want to do with it and where I will do it.
It's ugly and I know it. Big deal. ;D

So he feels the same way about the appearance BB's dad felt about his attire.

Some like the MacGregor look (I imagine especially Carver power boat owners) and some don't.

--
Moe

[Highlander]

The 26m topside fore cabin deck lay out is a copy of the I've been on Lakes Simcoe, Ontario, Huron , Georgain Bay & all I get is rave reveiws about my when ever I launch or retreive my mac I always get lots of onlookers who say they've heard of the mac's powersailor but never seen one up close and remark on how big & roomy she is then I tell them yep this is just the 19 you should see the 26x or 26m , When I enter a marina or port to get a dock for the night by the time I've seen the harbour master to register for the night & got my mac to a dock I've usualy got a 5-7 people waiting at that dock asking me when did macgregor start making the powersailor a cutter rig I reply he did'nt . Wish some of these good looking gals I see would come over & ask me about my I'd offer them a tour so to speak but then she'd have to be a heavy weather sailor not to many of them around Anyway when I'm out in 8-12 ft swells flying my cutter rig & burying my 4ft bowsprit into the next swell I get these 35-45footers come sail right up beside me taking pic's of my wee & calling over to me to say how good & well balanced she looks the mac19 has hard chines so she does tend to roll as much as the 26x 26m now that I've added the 26m pedestal with a 20" ss wheel I'll be getting even more onlookers the boats a movie star my is everything I want her to be such a verstile boat would'nt ever sell her maybe trade her for a 26m (maybe)
PS Eric
when I try flying my three head sails & main next year & people ask me what the big "m" on my spin & main stand for I'll tell them the "MIGHTY MACGREGOR" I do so much enjoy sailing my
John

[Highlander]

Oops,

The has hard chines so she doe's "not" tend to roll like the 26x or 26m

Anyway Eric I think you'll be pleased with your new mac & will figure out what rigging changes you'll have to make "mast rake" etc I'm debating if bigger rudder's will improve my sailing performance never sailed an 26x or 26m but I can make my do things others can't & I'm just a novice so I think alot of it has not to do with ability but it helps if your just a little bit crazy "gutsy" & with the right mods she'll do alot more & better than you'd expect . You did buy the right boat for the right reasons & thats why you & your's will enjoy it even more. But beware that Ugly Duck will grow on you & when you,your's are out on that nice bay on a full moon lit night with a nice bottle wine you'll look down at your boats refection on the water and you'll see your boat has become a majestic swan anchor close the drapes a night to remember enjoy your

and welcome aboard

John

[eric3a]

,,

[Terry]

Gee - - - 4 pages of replies to this thread - - - what a surprise

Rick

You think that's something?!, there's three times that many on the Mac at Sailnet.
Yes, I get a lot of compliments on my M from passers by too, a powerboater said it looks sleek, I think it is good looking too, but it starts looking better when you dress it up with - as Aya16 put it "earings & necklace" The pacific blue canvas accessories really dress it up too.

[Moe]

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

At first glance, I thought that was a Mac-M with out the hardware.

edit add on: Wait a minute...I think that is a Mac-M with a few minor mods. If Im mistaken...I now know where Roger found ideas for the Mac-M

[trumpetguy]

Went boating this past weekend with my wife, son, and three grandsons ages 8, 6, and 3. Very light wind so we just motored around, then beached at a sand dune so the kids could have some fun. Mimi fed the kids PBJ sandwiches below while we put the Genny up in some very light wind. As we were pulling into the slip the marina owner (who has a 42' cat, and his wife came over to chat. Guess what their first sentance was. We sure love your MacGregor. See, they were not out in the big cat because it's just no fun to motor around in deep water at 5 kts. whereas we had just enjoyed a teriffic two hours with our family. Oh, and the following day our son took the Mac out again with his three boys and spent an hour just drifting as a pod of Dolphin played around the Mac.

That's why I think the Mac is a beautiful boat. It's fun even when other "sailboats" cannot go.