Are These Boats Good Enough To Last?

[pokerrick1]

I bought my 2006 M at Christmas 2005 in Marina Del Rey and immediately slipped it there for 2 1/2 years, where I sailed it 200+ times a year until I moved to Mexico in June 2008 and took the boat with me. In Mexico it suffered some hull damage (no fault of the boat), which has not yet been fixed - - - the reason being I moved to Las Vegas, but dislike Lake Mead and therefore have no other reasonable place to sail the Mac, so I just haven't bothered to get it repaired as yet. I also dislike trailering (well, not the trailering, the unrigging and rerigging). Therefore, I am now CONSIDERING selling the boat, but it has nothing to do with the boat - - - - it has to do with my current location, which I feel is not sail friendly and Lake Mead has other problems. I expect to be in Las Vegas for the rest of my life - - - and if that's the case - - - I may just give up sailing, except for renting a sailboat when I vacation somewhere else (which kind of appeals to me - - - I would get to try out other larger sailboats).

In answer to Ray's question, I think that if a Mac is well maintained, it CAN last a long time (that's not me - - - I am a user, not a maintainer). I LEARNED to sail on my Mac, and it is great for that purpose. Most people, I think, will do mods etc. on their Macs and tend to keep them a long time - - - it is, generally speaking, a middle class boat, priced well below the next steps upward. I didn't buy mine because of the price - - - I bought mine to get excercise and work on my balance (I had just suffered a stroke 4 months before I bought it and I thought the Mac would either kill me or cure me and it cured me).

Regardless of what I decide to do with my Mac, and I don't believe mine is a NORMAL case, I know I will always look back upon the time with my Mac very fondly. Yes, one does compromise on both sailing and motoring with this boat - - - but there is NOTHING WRONG with this boat!! It does what it is supposed to do!

Rick

Edited for spelling as usual.

[RandyMoon]

4 Years and VERY happy.

I get tired of VIRTUAL DING DONGS trying to grind an axe and start arguments. MAC is a great boat for what it was intended to do. Will it win a trans-atlantic race? No. Does it supoort family fun and versisility? You bet it does. It is a good boat.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I've had my used X since 2001, the boat itself is now 13 years old and in better shape than when I bought it (if you ignore a few operator error scratches).

Before that I had a 1970 Venture 21 (what Roger called his boats back then) from 1994 - 2000. It was a great starter boat. That's the beauty of these boats, they are simple plastic creations that with a little care will last for many decades. I've been a Mac owner for the last 15 years and counting.

[Shank ri la]

I had a Venture 25 when it was almost 30 years old and even though they are lightly built it held up very well with no
problems. The boat still looked very nice and when I sold it after 10 years of ownership I got almost what I had paid for it.
I did trade up. In 2005 I bought a new 26M and I love my boat. I'm self employed and in the summer I try to spend more
hours each week on my boat than I do at work.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

I visited the Houston Boat and Travel show last week, and viewed some antique small wood boats, 40 - 60 years old, restored to "like new" shape. The owners claim theyre used for recreation on the water, and displays at shows.
So, its obviously one's care of a boat that determines the logevity of the vessel.

I think the Mac is a keeper.

[TAW02]

Rick, preparing us for what might be the next 'phase' of your life, is by all means 'my pleasure'. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated and recieved. My hopes are that the Mac has brought you along gracefuly and with great memories to make all those who are within earshot, inspired to continue a legacy of adventure and pride.

It is what it is about. May your heart forever hold the thunder and the stories roll off you tongue.

and yes ... it is, 'what it is about'.

Big T

[hart]

I bought my 01 X last spring from the original owners. So they had it for 7 years before selling. And they only sold because of his arthritis. The boat is in great shape and has many years ahead of her.


Oh, and for you marketing types who think that Macs only appeal to the older generations: I'm 35, my wife is a bit younger, and my boy is 2.

[delevi]

Bought my 05 new in Nov 04. The first year was a love-hate relationship for two reasons: 1. Learning curve 2. Harsh winds of San Francisco Bay with fairly standard setup, which made the boat difficult to handle in such conditions. After upgrading to high quality sails, adding a ballasted daggerboard, and proper sail + reefing controls with all new quality hardware, I'm able to play with the big boys (40 footers & such,) going out of the Golden Gate into the Pacific without giving it a second thought. What's nice about the boat's versatility is I can motor out to where the wind is, enjoy a day of sailing, and motor back to the marina, coming home in time for dinner; where to pack all this in one day on a conventional sailboat would be impossible. There’s also the ability to trailer to other locales on long weekends, etc. I considered on a few occasions selling it to upgrade to a conventional sailing yacht (40' range,) however; every time I thought about it, I realized that to own such a boat and truly take full advantage of it, one would need to have the freedom to take off for a month or longer at a time to go cruising. I work for a living, and don't have the ability to do that. So all things considered, the Mac is still the perfect boat for me. Probably not selling any time soon. As for durability, I do push the boat hard, probably harder than most. I do take care of it, though. Once you get past all the cheap stock hardware and replace it, everything holds up just fine.

Leon

[NiceAft]

Leon,


You have never been more erudite. The best post of yours I have ever read.


Ray

[pokerrick1]

What Ray said!

Rick

[delevi]

Erudite Had to look that one up in the dictionary Thanks, I think

[School House Steve]

I have been a Mac owner for 20 years now. The first boat was a 1983 Mac 25 which I owned for 17 years. When I sold it, it still had the original sails and every thing still worked although some equipment had been replaced. My selling price was just $1000 less than what I paid which works out to $58.82 per year "capital expenditure" (not counting food, fuel, repairs, license, etc.) In 2006 I bought a brand new 26 M and picked it up at the factory and trailered it 1200 miles home. (Say pilgrimage.) I bought the new boat for the extra head room, more berths, faster under sail and power, twin rudders, power lift for motor, electric start, and plus it looks good. When ever I take it out people are always telling me how good it looks. Part of me still always wants to get a bigger boat but right now this trailer-able boat fits my budget and lifestyle.

Steve

[Terry]

Well I got one of the first 100 new 26M's, hull #73 a 2003 26M built in May and I aquired it in June. We will be starting our 7th season this spring with no signs of giving up. I do know of about a half dozen previous members of our Macgregor club who have moved up to larger boats, mostly 33'+ Hunters, I am also aware of several previous owners who had to bail due to other unforseen circumstances like divorce etc. MacGregors are no more imune to being divested of than any other toy, when circumstances dictate it. What the Mac does have going for it is the ability to continue to satisfy the needs of the owner for a more lengthy time span thereby extending ownership for longer periods. I just read in a thread on another forum about a guy asking for help on his 1993 MacGregor 26C classic of which he is the original owner, imagine that, 15+ years with the same boat! In all likelyhood I will own mine until my health dictates otherwise so I am anticipating at least another 15 years or more. Will I ever get a bigger boat? Well that all depends on finances, if I suddenly come into a pile of $money$ it is a forgone conclusion, a Morris 42 is in my dreams. But given reality, the little Macgregor 26M with the pretty blue hull is what I will sail to my grave. It is all I can manage and then some. My geographic location PNW is also a very influencing factor as I am limited by seasons so a trailerable is well suited here. I fully expect to see the Hunter Edge at the Vancouver Boat Show and it is likely the same Edge will be displayed in Seattle.

As an aside I recently read an article about the Nordic Tug 26 that debuted in the early 1980's, they brought it to the Seattle boat show hoping to sell 3-4 of them through the show but after the show ended they walked away with oders for over 50 of them. Many of the buyers were taken by it and it reminded them of the chidhood story about the little hero Tug that rescued a big tanker. Those little trawlers are still popular today almost 30 years later. They satisfied a niche market as does the MacGregor.

[jahemk]

These Nordi Tug 26's are still in demand and going for between $80,000 & $170,000.

http://www.goboatingamerica.com/boattes ... .asp?id=72

http://www.boats.com/boats/search/boats ... m=126&No=0

[Snow Goose]

8 years and counting