Bad Mouthing the MacGregor

[dr_soarus]

I've had my for 4 years or so now and have yet to hear a bad comment.

We used to own a T@b travel trailer and we would have to post tour times for all the lookie-loos and it is similar for the Mac. Everywhere we go though, there is at least one person asking to take a look and learn more about it. In one of the more memorable times, we were motoring at about 16 Kts back into San Diego Bay after a good sail when a Coastie patrol boat turns on lights and sirens and pulls along side to do a "safety inspection". As one of the crewmen is inspecting Friendship, I strike up a conversation with the Coastie helmsman by asking him why they chose us to board with the 100 other boats around us. He just smiled and stated "we've never seen a sailboat move so fast and had to take a closer look."

[vizwhiz]

Funny...we were VERY interested in the T@b trailer as an "upgrade" to our tent camping...before we got the sailboat that is...how did you like it?

[yukonbob]

him why they chose us to board with the 100 other boats around us. He just smiled and stated "we've never seen a sailboat move so fast and had to take a closer look."

Had the exact same thing happen last year. Said they weren't going to inspect us, "but you guys were hauling ass."

[Capt Duffy]

Perhaps I'm old fashioned, but to me if you love the boat you sail then its the right boat for you. I've raced catamarans, J22s, J24s, 420s, and sailed and skippered a 12-meter (drives like a truck by the way). I own a mac and enjoy it for what it is.

[dlandersson]

Works for marriages too.

Perhaps I'm old fashioned, but to me if you love the boat you sail then its the right boat for you. I've raced catamarans, J22s, J24s, 420s, and sailed and skippered a 12-meter (drives like a truck by the way). I own a mac and enjoy it for what it is.

[bscott]

Very few negative comments about my X.
Here are a few loading dock conversations with the keel boat guys waiting to step their mast: "How did you rig that thing so fast, could we see how you did it?" "Done already? You just got here and we've been waiting over 2 hours to use the yacht club gin pole to step our mast." "What kind of gas mileage do you get hauling that thing?"
Kids remarks: "Wow, 60hp, how fast does it go?"
Ladies: "Can we look down below?--hey Mable, I can stand up in the head, and look, it's got a dinette and lots of storage and windows" "I wish our boat had a wheel that I could sit behind"

At the marina: "Sure wish we could slip our boat close in like you--how much does she draw?" "Sure wish my grandkids would go sailing with us but they get bored too easily, too slow for them" "I see the fishing was good, how long did it take you to get to the Arapahoe Bay and back?" "Can you really ski behind that thing?"

I think there is a curiosity attached to the Mac and it does attract allot of positive attention, especially from family oriented sailors as witnessed by the comments above. So, BS on the BM

Bob

[bugman]

I just returned from a couple of days sailing with a friend on a "real boat". A very beautiful 37 foot "Herreshoff design" wood boat. He has been bugging me to go with him ever since I bought my Mac. The "plastic tub" he calls it. His boat my win some beauty contests, but I love my Mac even more now. First it take two to get her out of the slip (someone needs to fend off!), I love that I just put in at the local ramp and I'm off. It takes two to sail the boat, those big old sail can be real pigs to pull up. I pull my from the cock pit with out a winch, by myself! and then in light air she was very slow to respond. I could have sail circles around his boat in those conditions. And when the wind died we motored at the amazing speed of 4 knots with a push from the tide. Don't even get me started on under powered sailboats. And then there was the bill for our guest moorage for two nights, that extra 11 feet sure adds a lot to the bill, even in the off season. But the real kicker was when he starts talking about the cost of yearly moorage and maintenance. I could buy a new trailer, or maybe put on a new cockpit enclosure for what he pays to keep his boat beautiful, each year I think I'll keep my "plastic tub" thank you very much. The Mac 26x is affordable, easy to sail, easy to maintain, and a lot of fun. After a great day of sailing you'll never see him pulling his kids around on some water toy at 20 mph. No wonder the kids like my boat more, even if it is smaller