26M performance

[motodoc7263]

I am strongly considering buying a 26M. I have read many claim that the sailing performance is horrible. But, the boat is beautiful, has amazing accommodations, seems white easy to use/rig/ launch, and can be had at a very reasonable price. And it’s versatile. The self righting and foam flotation/unlikelyhood of sinking are great selling points to my wife. It seems to be realistically useable at a very wide wind speed range.
So some questions.
Will it tack? With the Genoa and 5 knots wind? Will backing the jib until past straight up help?
Will it sail a beam reach at hull speed in 10 or 12 knots of wind?
How does it move on a broad reach or running?
How close to the wind can she honestly sail?
I hope to get some answers from some of you who have sailed both the 26M and some more purist “sailboats” like a Catalina 22.

[NiceAft]

Welcome to the site.

The like is not a racing boat. It does not sail like one, so if that is what you are looking for, it sails horribly. If like me, your not a racer, the boat is terriic. So, if you're looking for a non-bluewater sailboat that will get you where you want to go safely, then the works.

She does not sail really close to the wind. As to your other questions, the boat does fine; not stellar, but fine. Your sailing, it's a Zen thing. If you wanted to get somewhere quickly, get a powerboat. With just a 50HP outboard on the stern, you will go faster than any inboard sailboat. Some owners have in excess of 100HP outboards. It's not unusual to learn of owners who have 70HP outboards. Pick your poison. On the subject of power, & owners like to say that "We may not win the race, but we will be first back to the bar."

[Stickinthemud57]

Disclaimer: No actual sailing experience with the M or X

I think that the truest thing you can say about any boat is that it is a matrix of compromises. I like NiceAft's take on it: "We may not win the race, but we will be first back to the bar."

Realize that:

-A racing boat will not be a comfortable boat to cruise on, but if speed is the goal, comfort be damned.
-A water-ballast boat will heel more than a lead-finned keel boat, but if you want to take a weekend jaunt to another lake, the lead-finned keel boat is logistically and financially unfeasible.
-A motor sailer will not point as well or sail as fast as a boat designed for sail power only, but if you need to do better than 6-7 knots when the wind dies and you have to use the kicker to get anywhere, you will be thankful to be sailing an M or X rather than an S or D.

I see the M and X lines as the boat of choice for cruises up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, rivers, or when you are on a schedule. If you want to feel like you are sailing a performance boat, look for another boat.

That said, I would like to see video of an M or X running downwind with a spinnaker in a 25 mph wind. You get that boat up on a plane and I bet it would hook a**.

[kingtoros]

Ray's reply is good, I never thought to setup a Hammock on the foredeck, will have to try that.

I have sailed my in the summer here where sometimes we are lucky to get a gust at 2mph.. I do not have a Genoa, but a 95% Jib. In winds like these, I wish I had a Genoa. I used to have a San Juan 21, very similar to a and with a Genoa, I could move well in any wind. Today, we usually start the motor and get some breeze on our cheeks (face or otherwise at the Captain"s direction)

If you get any reasonably sustained wind above 4mph, the boat performs as a sailboat should. You may get better speed or pointing with a dinghy or other racing boat, but the will sail.

To note, I have the performance sails from BWY with full battens on the main and other such performance tweaks so as to get the best possible performance out of the sails themselves.

In the most extreme I sailed in 15mph sustained with 25-30mph gusts... That was EXCITING. And we were able to reasonably control the boat. I imagine a deeper keel or wider beam boat would be able to do things with less input or adjustment, but.. if I wanted to do that I would just be a passenger

[Be Free]

I am strongly considering buying a 26M. I have read many claim that the sailing performance is horrible. But, the boat is beautiful, has amazing accommodations, seems white easy to use/rig/ launch, and can be had at a very reasonable price. And it’s versatile. The self righting and foam flotation/unlikelyhood of sinking are great selling points to my wife. It seems to be realistically useable at a very wide wind speed range.
So some questions.
Will it tack? With the Genoa and 5 knots wind? Will backing the jib until past straight up help?
Will it sail a beam reach at hull speed in 10 or 12 knots of wind?
How does it move on a broad reach or running?
How close to the wind can she honestly sail?
I hope to get some answers from some of you who have sailed both the 26M and some more purist “sailboats” like a Catalina 22.

Disclaimer: I have an "X" and have never sailed an "M". There are minor differences in the sailing performance of those two models but none that pertain to any of your questions. My previous sailboat was set up for racing and could literally sail circles around my "X" in the same conditions.

Will it tack? Yes, it will tack. As long as you have at least 2 kts or so speed going into the tack it is easy.
With a Genoa and 5 knots wind? Borderline, but just because you are right on the edge of that 2 knt line with only 5 kts of wind. The jib tacks better than the Genoa but both will work.
Will backing the jib help? Backing the jib is pretty much a given to tack in most circumstances and on most boats. Wait until not only the jib but the main has backed and you will have no issues. Tack smoothly into the wind and as soon as the main "pops" to the other side switch your jib to the leeward side. Never fails.
Will it sail a beam reach at hull speed in 10 or 12 knots of wind? Again, borderline but mostly "yes". If you have everything trimmed properly then you can be very close to hull speed in those conditions.
How does it move on a broad reach or running? Reasonably well. Expect around 50% of the wind speed with the wind behind you (up to hull speed). Raising the keel when running will add about 1/2 kt in most winds.
How close to the wind can she honestly sail? Close enough. It's not a race boat and there are a lot of boats that can sail closer to the wind. I get my best upwind speed about 40 degrees either side of the wind. I can get get a little closer but it's more work and slows me down so I don't usually bother.

On to the questions you didn't ask:
I have read many claim that the sailing performance is horrible. This usually comes from someone who has never set foot on a Mac. All boats are a compromise and a powersailer doubly so. If you get a Mac you will have to have a thick skin. My usual response to this is, "A MacGregor is the best sailing powerboat and the fastest sailboat under power you will ever find."

But, the boat is beautiful, has amazing accommodations, seems white easy to use/rig/ launch, and can be had at a very reasonable price. And it’s versatile. The self righting and foam flotation/unlikelyhood of sinking are great selling points to my wife. It seems to be realistically useable at a very wide wind speed range. This is what the decision comes down to. Fast sailboats are not as comfortable. Those that are less uncomfortable are so large they have to be kept in the water. They cost more to purchase and to maintain, particularly if you want them to remain fast. They are very good at one thing: going fast. They are not versatile. They may or may not be self righting but few have significant flotation. When the wind is gone my fast sailboat did nothing (no aux engine). Above 15 knots or so it was almost impossible to use. With a Mac, if the wind dies I either go inside and take a nap or fire up the engine. Around 25 knots I'll still fire up the engine (with the sails down). I've motored in those conditions for 12 hours or more. I can't say it's pleasant, but it's possible.

Don't discount "great selling points to my wife". Having a boat that your wife will enjoy with you (at a reasonable price) is, in my opinion, the strongest selling point of all.

[motodoc7263]

Thanks, great answers and I appreciate you taking the time.

[NiceAft]

Mac owners are the most honest boat owners. We don’t hide our boat’s defects.

[Highlander]

what defects ?
My Mac 26M boat sails just fine

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+hig ... YNMOU,st:0







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[Jimmyt]

Amen, brother.