Who would build their own if the plans were available ?

[yukonbob]

If I had plans, I'd definitely get someone else to build it for me but it'd be closer to 40 ft, fero-cement, full teak interior, dual heads, three state rooms, a work shop and cost considerably more than anything of similar quality already built that I could buy for a third of the cost to build. That being said I am planning to build an 18 ft river boat with centre consol, but thats a completely different ball game altogether.

[mastreb]

It would be very interesting if one could purchase just the hull, deck, and liners, and then finish a boat any way you wanted. It's the hull that is the most difficult, most critical, and most costly portion of boat-building. Specifically in the case of the MacGregor, it would also allow you to build the boat to your own specifications in terms of hardware.

The 26M hull is uniquely suited to such purposes, since it could be finished as a fixed-keel pure sailboat, cabin cruiser, center-console fisher, trawler, open cockpit day sailor, cuddy-cabin powerboat, etc.

I wonder if Tattoo would sell you just the plastics?

In any case, it's something that could be done with an insurance write-off whose hull was still sound.

[Wayne nicol]

hey bob , dont joke- i know of a nice swiss built ferro 44 footer- professionally built- all teak, iroko and mahogany- beautiful boat- and right now it is in your neck of the woods- the swiss couple want to retire- looks like it was built yeterday- can eat of the engine etc etc-and they wanted 69 k canadian- you couldnt buy the materials for 300k- oh and it has a small workshop!!

i got pics

[Ixneigh]

I might be more interested in that hull and deck only option if I could specify hull layup.
The M with foamcore hull above the water line would be awesome.
Also, the M with a cuddy with a nice functional head and larger day cockpit would be a nice option.
Msybe there's a business buying stock stripped boats from tattoo and professionally altering them to different configs.
Ix

[RobertB]

The reason my wife agreed so quickly to buy the was that I was about to start building the Dudley Dix design DiDi26: http://www.dixdesign.com/26didi.htm . This is a plywood epoxy high performance planing hull sailboat - and 26 feet long. I had already discussed on the phone with the inventor of the Saildrive on how to modify to add the Saildrive. Was even considering raising the cabin height - essentially making a Mac type boat.
My wife saw the future for the next few years and gladly agreed to pay for a pre-made boat.

[yukonbob]

hey bob , dont joke- i know of a nice swiss built ferro 44 footer- professionally built- all teak, iroko and mahogany- beautiful boat- and right now it is in your neck of the woods- the swiss couple want to retire- looks like it was built yeterday- can eat of the engine etc etc-and they wanted 69 k canadian- you couldnt buy the materials for 300k- oh and it has a small workshop!!

i got pics

That's exactly the one I was referring to Beautiful boat. I love that workshop with the two quarter berths great layout.

[Three Gypsies]

When the Admiral and I conceived the idea of living aboard , we settled on a Mac X , because as someone else said Its a blank canvas .

The boat is a bare bones boat that is ready to be modified and customized . The hull being a hull that sails , trawls , and planes , can fit into any plan .

AS I have written before , We found we didn't care that much for sailing , so this we took this year off , moved into our travel trailer , and modified our X from a sailer to a trawler . Our Honda 50 has always been a very efficient , dependable , motor , just what you want in a trawler .

Ne need to build an X from the ground up , just find you a sound hull and go to work , build it into what you want !

[Divecoz]

Whenever I read about a rather involved and possibly costly DIY Project, one that tries to produce something that really already exist, I think about , how I would Love To Have just $1 for every Kit Car that was never finished..Sure Looked Easy.. Sure shouldn't be toooooo costly..... I am sure , I have the ( name your own poison here) Money, Knowledge, Mechanical Ability, Room, Time, Tools, Tenacity.......

This is very intriguing. Would this be like a kit car? How much work and mess would be involved to build it?

[mastreb]

Then there's the other end of the spectrum....

New Boat is complete. There's nothing to mod. Literally nothing. I'm adding a Spinnaker but the halyards and hounds are already there, along with the cleats and clutches, just waiting for me to hoist a sail.

Trons? Done. Tanks? Done. Galley? done. Interior fit out? Done. Windlass? Done. I even replaced the anchor and have to go back because the new fortress isn't heavy enough to fall.

I'm roaming the isles of the West Marine wistfully trying to thing of anything I could possibly add to satisfy my itch to mod.

[mastreb]

I might be more interested in that hull and deck only option if I could specify hull layup.
The M with foamcore hull above the water line would be awesome.
Also, the M with a cuddy with a nice functional head and larger day cockpit would be a nice option.
Msybe there's a business buying stock stripped boats from tattoo and professionally altering them to different configs.
Ix

I do like the idea of a MacGregor hull below and a balsa or foam core deck and deck liner with a cuddy. Deeper, lower cockpit with just tanks under. Companionway to port of the daggerboard trunk, and head/shower to the right from the inside with nothing else but a LONGER V-berth. No Salon. Gas tanks below but glassed separately from the cabin, so you can do a high-speed run to and from Catalina or Bahamas without tanking up at island prices. With freshwater, gas, and ballast low and on the centerline, it would be a better sailboat.

You can go forward right to the mast without leaving the cockpit, so all lines are automatically led aft.

If you want a salon, do a full enclosure. Perfect day sailor and perfect husband/wife weekender. The only potential issue is that a larger cockpit invites overloading, although with it being lower in the water, human ballast should assist stability.

I think that's a boat!

[Ixneigh]

The day cockpit M would also be very sleek and attractive. it would seat six comfortably. have nice places to lay in the sun or be in the shade. room for a nice cockpit table. outside built in cooler, for onboard evening bbq. no bridge deck to make cabin entry easier. deeper cockpit definetely. lower cabin trunk since stand up headroom in a day sailor is not as important. i would have the head located where the dinette is now and have the after cabin bulkhead right where the back edge of the table is. that adds better then two feet to the cockpit, leaves space for the head in an area of better headroom, and fixes it so the vee berth could extend into the area where the head is located now. the dinnete to me is pretty useless. i think i might rather have the cockpit space and roomy bathroom. there would be a wide single berth running from side to side right under the companionway, also. astern of that would be the sealed tank area, plus an opening cockpit locker somewhere for fenders and docklines. Also, the boat wou'd have a built in, permanent mast support arch made of molded fiberglass. most people seem to leave that thing in place, or even mount equipmemt on it. why not make it look nice?
there would be no gally or sink.there would be a few shelves against the hull for small items like sunscreen and bug spray.
i think this boat would be a popular addition OR after market mod. so far as over loading, the boats rated for six isnt it? this would just make that a realistic number instead of pure fantasy like the current M cockpit is for that number. even two is too much. its perfect for me and my dogs.
Ix

[mastreb]

I think I might be thinking of more cockpit and less cabin than you Ix, but we're only 2..3 feet apart. I'm thinking companionway right at the aft portion of the daggerboard trunk, with essentially no salon at all, no galley, and sleeps 2 very comfortably with a head/shower to starboard and a little standing room + tiny pilothouse at the port-side companionway. It's pure cockpit abaft the daggerboard trunk, but the cockpit is lowered to the sole height and with a removable/stowable table. Add canvas to create room.

Aft gunnel winches only and your arch idea totally solves the traveler problem--not only that it makes an excellent attachment point for that cockpit canvas. I would say two arches--one where the traveler needs to be and one fully aft. Then your full enclosure is just snaps and sunbrella, and the aft arch can carry cruiser mods like solar, radar etc.

I like it!

[Whipsyjac]

I'm roaming the isles of the West Marine ....

Matt I think you meant "cruising" the Isles of West Marine...check your charts(shopping list) or you'll hit Impulse Buy Reef although it is a marked hazard with big shiny signs and lower prices...also check your sailing directions(bank balance) because the current(cy) in Visa Passage will be running much higher than anticipated after your interest ebbs...carry some extra absorbent bilge sponges in case there's "a spill on Isle Three"...It's a good thing you're shopping in person since an online cruise might leave you marooned in Backorder Bay....Be sure to pick up at the Store while you're there because pleasure boaters have to give way to Large Commercial Retailers in the Shipping Lanes...And most importantly when you leave the Isles look both ways before you cross the Strait

Your Benny is only safe from Mods until you drill the first hole....

Willy

[Divecoz]

Sounds to me , like some of you are describing the Hobie 33

[Whipsyjac]

Divecoz,

I looked up the Hobie 33, its an interesting boat. I'm pretty sure it's not like what the guys are saying, actually has a fairly small cockpit and cabin 2/3 of the way from the mast to the transom. The idea being tossed around is more of a J boat cuddy cabin with 1/2 the LOA an open cockpit. Definitely not a cruiser anymore.

Back to the Hobie, apparently it has interesting sailing characteristics and is only average when pointing but goes like a bat outta hull when reaching. It probably wouldn't appeal to many here because they allow 0 modifications to anything on the boat or you cant participate in one design races. Also 48" interior height is pretty cramped compared to any Mac(don't think there's a pop top).