Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

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Idiotfool
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Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Idiotfool »

Good evening, all.

I've been looking to get a motor-sailer for awhile now and couldn't decide between the layout. I've seen a handful of Macgregor 26X boats, but they weren't in the best shape and I hate making a decision in a vacuum. Last Sunday, a Macgregor 26M finally came up locally and I'm not stuck working 10 hours a day, so I was actually able to see it! Woohoo!

I saw it today. It has a 50 hp Evinrude that they're repairing (oil-line is leaking, I'm told) and cushions for the cockpit. I couldn't detect any damage, though the anti-fouling paint is almost entirely gone and the sliding feature of the galley is stiff and appears to have never been used. There is shore power and various 110 outlets, but I don't believe there is an inverter so they're non-functional without being plugged into shore power. The boat has a full cover that appears to be made for the Mac and isn't just a Tarp. There is a battery powered bilge pump, a small solar panel and a charge controller. The head has a porta-poddy. Finally, there is a roller furler.

The starboard gas tank is swollen and the seat cover won't close properly, the vinyl lining around the windows has shrunk due to the South Florida heat, the windows show crazing and the adhesive used in the fabric lining in the cabin appears to be leaking out at the edges, especially the left edge in the head photo. Aside from the gas tank, the issues I saw that I'd be responsible for are cosmetic.
Window Issues.jpg
Head.jpg
The asking price is $22,000. This seems a bit steep, to me, but I thought I'd check on here to get some opinions. 26X boats are going for about $10-14k and I missed out on a 2006 26M at $13,500 around Thanksgiving, but that was an anomaly, I think. Brokerage sold 26M's have gone for about $22k, but they're handled through PopYachts, rather than a private seller, like this.

Once the motor is repaired, I'm going to check out the boat again, on the water. My feeling is that the boat is worth $18,500 to $19,000, since it has almost no additional luxury items and really needs some additional work to restore it to "like new" condition. Am I in the ballpark, too high or too low, in your opinion?

What about the repair items? How can I get the galley to slide easier? What would you do to repair the vinyl around the window "wood" trim? What can be done about unslightly adhesive goop?

Thanks!
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Jimmyt
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Jimmyt »

I'm not a boat appraiser, but I can give you a reference point.

I bought a 2013 26m with a lot of factory options and an Etec 60 with low hours. I paid $24k in 2015. The boat was very clean and in great condition. Ditto the aluminum trailer.
Jimmyt
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Inquisitor
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Inquisitor »

As far as price is concern, I can't make a judgment call. Most of that is subjective and between what the market will bear and what you will bear.

There is no current production boat that can do what a Mac M can at any price. It is unlikely, that there will ever be again. Roger's ability to get the price so low can be attributed to the ability to mass-produce it and having enough demand to get the numbers up so economies of scale are at play. I doubt even a Hunter/Beneteau type company would have enough deep pockets to ride out the investment period to enter such a market and build the clientele. And certainly wouldn't as it would cannibalize their "real" boats. Point being, it doesn't surprise me a bit that the value of these boats is rising.

And the interior issues you found are because of the Chevy/Ford mass production nature. If you want perfect fit and finish, you're looking at the wrong boat. Need to go upscale and look at BMW/Mercedes level of construction (at 3X the price). The oozing you mention... is not oozing. It is simply overflow from the production line. Mine was like that new. It is a thermosetting glue... meaning it won't re-melt and ooze. The window treatment issue is also common. Untreated plywood edges swell and the vinyl slips out. Search on this site and you will find fixes of a DIY nature.

If you can't find any real problems: cracks, obvious signs of chronic water damage, delamination, hodge-podge, Mods projects, corrosion of metal bits, blown-out sails, then you have a cream-puff. I had actual delamination's between core and skins at time of purchase of my brand new 2007 boat. Was I going to send it back across country... NO. Was I going to reject it... hull NO. I didn't even let Bill (my dealer) know about it.
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Starscream
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Starscream »

The boat market has gone a bit crazy. Asking prices are up across the board.

My recommendation is that if you like the boat, and can afford it, buy it. Don't wait for that deal-of-the-century. You always hear about the one-off anomolies...an amazing boat for a ridiculously low price, and it makes us hesitate so that we don't "overpay". Evaluate what the boat is worth to YOU and then forget about what other people think/pay/deal. Make an offer if you think the price is too high.

With boats, what you pay to buy them is just the price of admission. In the 12 years or so that I owned my 26X I've definitely pumped more money, a lot more, into owning the boat than buying it. Probably 2 or 3 times more, if you include marina fees, insurance, etc. So who cares if I overpaid or underpaid by 2k, 3k or 5k? I have a boat that I like.

With a Mac, you will always be fixing and improving. And that's part of the fun, for most of us.

Buy it. Join the club. Drink the Mac-koolaid. Come on in, the water is fine.
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Russ
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Russ »

From what you describe, it sounds like a fairly clean boat with few mods. As for the shore power, in my view and inverter has limited usefulness.

As with any used boat, you can expect to do some work on it. Bottom paint isn't an issue unless you plan on leaving it in the water a while.

You didn't talk about the trailer. I think that was the last year of the steel trailers. The condition of the trailer should be considered. Age of tires, any rust, especially in the inside of the tongue has been a problem with these.

As for price, as mentioned, that's difficult to say. MUCH depends on the market and supply. They aren't making any more of these boats. I noticed when the last stimulus money was sent in 2020, the car lots around here sold cars like mad.

I find NADA guides to be a bit low. But here's a starting point. Maybe use it for negotiation.
https://www.nadaguides.com/Boats/2007/M ... 522/values

Your profile doesn't list your location. Perhaps there are other Mac owners nearby who could help.
--Russ
Idiotfool
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Idiotfool »

Thanks, all, for the responses.

I didn’t see the trailer in person, since the boat is on a hydraulic lift in the canal behind the owner’s home, but in photos it’s not the black painted trailer, but what appears to be an anodized aluminum. When I go back for a test sail, I’ll look at absolutely everything to make sure there are no surprises, including the trailer.

I’m only looking for an inverter to see what investment was made. I would think there at least needs to be a fuse/breaker in the line so that the wiring is protected, but I didn’t see anything on my quick perusal.

For those with the 26M with a solid top instead of a bifold hinge, could you tell me how the table leg is supposed to attach? This had a small bolt with a nylock nut, but that seems odd if this is supposed to collapse to be an additional birth...
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Jimmyt
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Jimmyt »

Stock 2013 table leg...

Image

Macgregor used a lot of nyloc nuts and bolts where a stainless quick pin could be substituted for easier use.
Jimmyt
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Inquisitor »

Starscream wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 5:57 am The boat market has gone a bit crazy. Asking prices are up across the board.
I keep getting news feeds just about every day saying how Covid is driving people to find pastimes that are more isolated. Housing prices in my rural area have nearly doubled. There is a foreclosed house near me that's been on the bank's books for nine years and shouldn't be worth $50k. The bank (that normally would try to dump this sort of thing) is asking $180k! The mass exodus of big cities of people with means is staggering. RV's and Boat inventory are drying up, shows are selling out, etc. What the books says that boat is worth does sounds more normal, but there is a new normal in town!

I see you (OP) have been looking for the perfect boat (your words) for almost five years. I'll go with NiceAft...
NiceAft wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:06 am I understand Idiotfool’s pain, but I could not agree more with K9Kampers reply. It’s time to take action. Get on the water.
I'm almost 60 and I wonder how many years I'll be able to hop around my Mac. Will I still be able at 70, 75, 80...? I had over $30k by the time I got my 2007 in the water. I worried a lot back then (as you are now) but I never regretted one moment over the years. If the biggest problems, you've found are listed above, yours is better than new... it has a motor. But I would make sure the motor and the sails don't need replacement. Those are big ticket items... the rest is just noise.

I wouldn't take $22k for mine...

For that matter... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b2bUZ3eeRE :D
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NiceAft
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by NiceAft »

I wonder if the owner is someone who posted on this site? If so, those posts may reveal information on the boats history. You can ask.

What is the name of the boat? We don't need, nor want to know, but you can do some searches on this site if you know a user name.
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Idiotfool
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Idiotfool »

Inquisitor wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 10:24 am
Starscream wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 5:57 am The boat market has gone a bit crazy. Asking prices are up across the board.
I keep getting news feeds just about every day saying how Covid is driving people to find pastimes that are more isolated. Housing prices in my rural area have nearly doubled. There is a foreclosed house near me that's been on the bank's books for nine years and shouldn't be worth $50k. The bank (that normally would try to dump this sort of thing) is asking $180k! The mass exodus of big cities of people with means is staggering. RV's and Boat inventory are drying up, shows are selling out, etc. What the books says that boat is worth does sounds more normal, but there is a new normal in town!

I see you (OP) have been looking for the perfect boat (your words) for almost five years. I'll go with NiceAft...
NiceAft wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2020 6:06 am I understand Idiotfool’s pain, but I could not agree more with K9Kampers reply. It’s time to take action. Get on the water.
I'm almost 60 and I wonder how many years I'll be able to hop around my Mac. Will I still be able at 70, 75, 80...? I had over $30k by the time I got my 2007 in the water. I worried a lot back then (as you are now) but I never regretted one moment over the years. If the biggest problems, you've found are listed above, yours is better than new... it has a motor. But I would make sure the motor and the sails don't need replacement. Those are big ticket items... the rest is just noise.

I wouldn't take $22k for mine...

For that matter... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b2bUZ3eeRE :D
I know there was a boat run in March where lots of people were buying boats because of COVID and the need to escape. This baby is in pretty good condition and the asking price isn't astronomical, it just seems a bit high. Still, every other 26M that's gone up even remotely close has been snatched up in short order. I've missed out on a few 26X's, since I wanted to be in the 26M to compare. No regrets, now that I've been in and see that the 26M is better for my needs, but it's been a long year.

As you say, this is the new normal, so the price is pretty reasonable in today's climate. I don't think I'd lose my shirt if I paid asking price, but I'll still try and negotiate a lower rate.

The only thing I neglected mentioning (because I only just remembered it) is that there is some damage in the port-side of the cockpit, at the companionway. A thumb-sized chip out of the outer-fiberglass.

Image

I feel like that is going to be annoying to fix, given its location.
Aside from waiting on the owners to fix the motor, the only thing left to do, for me, is double check I can actually park this thing in my side yard. Can anyone tell me the minimum width clearance needed to park this beast? My double gate fence posts are 9 feet apart, but my yard tapers in as you heat toward the curb, making the gate opening more narrow at the edges of the doors. I'm right at 8 feet with no modifications - I might be able to make some changes to give me another few inches, but because of how my house is situated, I'm limited in how much I can push it.
Jimmyt wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:52 am Stock 2013 table leg...

Image

Macgregor used a lot of nyloc nuts and bolts where a stainless quick pin could be substituted for easier use.
Thanks, Jimmy. That's basically exactly what I saw and I was very puzzled as to why it wasn't a push button or quick pull pin.
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Inquisitor »

Idiotfool wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:57 pm Aside from waiting on the owners to fix the motor, the only thing left to do, for me, is double check I can actually park this thing in my side yard. Can anyone tell me the minimum width clearance needed to park this beast? My double gate fence posts are 9 feet apart, but my yard tapers in as you heat toward the curb, making the gate opening more narrow at the edges of the doors. I'm right at 8 feet with no modifications - I might be able to make some changes to give me another few inches, but because of how my house is situated, I'm limited in how much I can push it.
I measure 98" to outside of fender marker lights.

8' not possible. I certainly wouldn't want to thread 9'. +/- 4" isn't that much when looking through re-view mirrors.

Practice threading a needle taped to the end of a yardstick, with the thread taped to another yard stick. When you accomplish that... you're good to go! :D
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Jimmyt
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Jimmyt »

Inquisitor and I have the same out to out at the marker lights. The tops of my goal posts may be a fuzz wider than that, but not more than an inch or two. I don't know your trailer skills, but I don't think I could back it in through a 9 foot gap easily with my tow beast.

I have a floor mounted winch, and steerable pneumatic tired jack dolly to pull mine into my garage. The turns are too tight to easily back it in. I think I could bring mine in through a 9 foot opening pretty easily with my setup. Does your lot have slope to it? Could you establish an anchor point and winch it into place? If you have some slope to work with, and an anchor point, winching might be a viable option. Not to be confused with wenching - which tends to get one in trouble... :D

If you have a big wad of cash you don't know what to do with, they make powered trailer dollies that will move your trailer and boat around pretty easily and accurately. I wouldn't try it if there was a lot of slope involved, though.

A front mounted hitch migh allow you to do it with the tow beast, but not sure about visibility. Maybe with enough remote cameras...

Once you get it to the parking spot, do you have space around it to put on a cover, check tire pressure, install the microwave, and do all of the other stuff you want to do while the boat is stored?
Last edited by Jimmyt on Sun Jan 31, 2021 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jimmyt
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Jimmyt
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Jimmyt »

Idiotfool wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:57 pm
Thanks, Jimmy. That's basically exactly what I saw and I was very puzzled as to why it wasn't a push button or quick pull pin.
Check the price of a stainless quick pin vs the price of a stainless bolt and nyloc nut... If the pin isn't more expensive, then I'm puzzled too.
Jimmyt
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Starscream
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Starscream »

Here, maybe this will make you feel better about the asking price: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2005/m ... r-3731265/

Nothing you have mentioned is any cause for worry at all. The boat isn't new, it's gonna have dings and little issues. Owning a Mac is a continuous process of improvement: they were bare bones from the factory and all systems are easy to work on, and dirt-cheap to replace, fix or upgrade, in comparison with other boats.

With a good trailer? And a motor in good shape? And no hull issues? Go for it.
Idiotfool
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Re: Looking to Buy: 2007 26M Value?

Post by Idiotfool »

Jimmyt wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 5:51 pm
Idiotfool wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:57 pm
Thanks, Jimmy. That's basically exactly what I saw and I was very puzzled as to why it wasn't a push button or quick pull pin.
Check the price of a stainless quick pin vs the price of a stainless bolt and nyloc nut... If the pin isn't more expensive, then I'm puzzled too.
https://www.scaffoldexpress.com/Scaffol ... 8mEALw_wcB

Bolt and nut is the same price. I'm still puzzled.
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