Buying my first boat

[BobJones]

I just joined this forum in hopes of learning some things about the MacGregor boats.

I am 70 YO, live in Seattle, have aspirations of taking week-long trips in the protected waters of the Pacific NW (San Juan Islands, Canadian Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound). I have a lot of sailing dinghy experience and several week-long cruises under my belt. I want a boat to accommodate my wife and me, and sometimes another couple. I would probably keep the boat in a marina at a dock in the spring, summer,fall.

I'm considering buying a MacGregor sailboat and would like as much advice as I can get from this group. I would love to find someone to take me out on a MacGregor to see how they sail, so any advice of how to find that would be really appreciated.

Bob

[kmclemore]

Welcome! We have quite a few members out your way, and you are fortunate that the leading parts supplier for Macs is headquartered near Seattle as well (Blue Water Yachts).

Macs work well for one or two couples, and a great many of us owners take our boats out for a week or more quite happily. I'm 69, and we keep ours in a slip most of the summer on Lake Champlain in NY, taking it out many times during the summer.

MacGregor made a great many different boats. Which one is best for you is a function of your needs and tastes.

We await your questions!

Cheers,
Kevin

[Russ]

You came to the right place. This is a friendly forum and I came here for the same reason and learned so much from the members.

The top of this page is a link to the "User Map" which you can locate members close to you and if you want reach out to them for local advice.

There are several flavors of Macgregor. All will fit your needs as described. There are tons of Macgregors in the Seattle area. The Macgregor Yacht Club of B.C. (banner above) might also be a resource to reach out to.

There are essentially 2 types of Macgregors. Traditionally, the 26 S/D flavors and the Power-Sailors, the 26X/M flavors. If you want a pure sailboat, the traditional is a great sailboat. The 26X/M are hybrids with big motors to get someplace fast if needed and have larger cabins.

One of the biggest things in your area would be currents.

Ask more questions.

[NiceAft]

Welcome:

I won’t rehash what Kevin and Russ have already addressed; they gave a synopsis quite well.

You said:

I have a lot of sailing dinghy experience

Before buying my , I sailed this for twenty-five years.

Dinghy sailing is exciting. It gives an education of quick reflexes.

Going from a fourteen foot dinghy to twenty-six foot sailboat with an actual cabin to spend time in was a thrilling experience; I have no regrets.
Both my wife and I love our Mac.


By the way, you won’t be the only septuagenarian here, I’m 76.

[OverEasy]

Welcome BobJones!

We think you’ll enjoy whichever MacGregor tickles your fancy!
Each model group has its own desirable characteristics.

We have a Mac26X which we use in ‘cruiser mode’ to enjoy and explore a variety of locations such as Lake Champlain (VT) and the ICW around Beaufort SC. (Note: There is PLENTY of places here and there to throughly enjoy BOTH sailing and cruising! )
That’s what we enjoy about our Mac26X, it gives us flexibility and stability in a great well thought out relatively easy to use/enjoy package without the drama.

The Seattle area has some stunningly beautiful waters to enjoy!
With a Mac you’ll be able to get to the areas your interested in relatively quickly by towing avoiding the transit limitations of fixed keel sailboats. This opens up so many options for you!

If you choose to go with a Mac26X or Mac26M the larger outboard engine can allow you the flexibility to get out to where you want to sail sooner, have a great time sailing and then motor back without having to spend all the time just tacking back/forth just to get there and back (but depending on your preferences that can be a whole lot of fun too! ) The Mac26X and Mac26M both have nice cabin areas for their size so one can overnight in them comfortably if desired so farther trips afield are eminently feasible (which could be a plus for your area!) The engine comes in handy if/when the weather kicks up a bit in that it speeds up the process of getting to a destination or sheltered area as you probably already know!

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[tuxonpup]

No idea who's selling this in Utah, but it's a nice price for an X with all the upgrades I'm currently doing to ours:

https://stgeorge.craigslist.org/boa/d/h ... 17315.html

Seller is relocating to Seattle so thought it may be pertinent to the OP.

[dlandersson]

Ok some practical facts:

M25 - voted sailboat of the year. Sailing only.
M26S - swing keel (will bump up if you hit something), sailing only.
M26D - daggerboard (fixed, will not bump up if you hit something), probably the fastest sailing Mac-.

Mac 26X - swing keel, smaller cabin than an M, bigger head, bigger cockpit (where most people spend their time). Will take a 50+HP outboard, allowing speeds over 15 mph, very handy when you decide you want to get somewhere (or out of somewhere) in a hurry, like bad weather or TGIF at the Yacht club.
Mac 26M - daggerboard, larger cabin than an X, smaller head, smaller cockpit. Will take a 50+HP outboard, allowing speeds over 15 mph, very handy when you decide you want to get somewhere (or out of somewhere) in a hurry, like bad weather or TGIF at the Yacht club.

Because they are newer, Mac 26M's tend to be more expensive than MacX's, or S's, or D's.

Mac's are mostly fiberglass, thin, but long stand hand-laid - much stronger than chopped short strand. They are stuffed with foam, so that it's practically impossible to sink them.

Review:

I just joined this forum in hopes of learning some things about the MacGregor boats.

I am 70 YO, live in Seattle, have aspirations of taking week-long trips in the protected waters of the Pacific NW (San Juan Islands, Canadian Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound). I have a lot of sailing dinghy experience and several week-long cruises under my belt. I want a boat to accommodate my wife and me, and sometimes another couple. I would probably keep the boat in a marina at a dock in the spring, summer,fall.

I'm considering buying a MacGregor sailboat and would like as much advice as I can get from this group. I would love to find someone to take me out on a MacGregor to see how they sail, so any advice of how to find that would be really appreciated.

Bob

[JotaErre]

The only problem I see for two couples is the lack of intimacy, as the Mac has a single space inside (except for the head). Apart from that, I think that a 26X or a 26M suits you.

[Russ]

The only problem I see for two couples is the lack of intimacy, as the Mac has a single space inside (except for the head). Apart from that, I think that a 26X or a 26M suits you.

A 26' boat isn't going to afford much privacy. We have a couple of temporary "curtains" to block off half the cabin. One across the v-berth and another across the main cabin when people are in the cockpit.

The X/M are some of the largest cabin spaces in a boat this size.

[louiseravot]

You’re pretty much describing exactly the kind of cruising a MacGregor is used for, especially in protected waters like the San Juans. Comfort and flexibility matter more than performance in those areas. For getting a test sail, I’d check marinas nearby or local owner groups. You'll find owner who are often open to showing their setup and happy to take interested buyers out.