MacGregorSailors.com

Just a correction, if I might. The Murrelet is owned by Frank Mighetto, a member of this board from the Puget Sound area. His website is located here: Cruising Log of the Murrelet

MaddMike(Mike Dunn), also a member here, owns the boat Zeno's Arrow.

Rich---Hamin' X---N7ZH

Thanks for the correction.

..

Let me clarify Erics intent for him....everywhere you see the a phrase like

"the MAC is a....." on the above referenced website, you can change to a

"the MAC ISNT a ....."


but back to the original thread - are you looking for a blue water boat or a liveaboard - these can be two very different things....

east coast liveaboard with occasional atlantic crossings, more emphasis on the liveaboard.

Live-aboard, east coast? Yes, if single, and in a marina with a bathhouse and electrical power, enough for a space heater that can keep up with cold air ventilation and uninsulated hull, as well as a dehumidifier to constantly battle mildew from your breath and cooking moisture condensing on the cold hull and windows. Showering aboard is out of the question when it's cold. There was a MacGregor owner on this forum a few years back who did live aboard his X for awhile, and these were his experiences--lots of paper towels and Lysol needed.

Atlantic crossings? Only in the mind of Mighetto.

argo wrote:occasional atlantic crossings.

That removed the MacGregor from your list, ask any dealer prior to making your purhase and they will all tell you the same thing, do not buy this boat and use it to Cross the Atlantic.
They won't want all the bad press that would be generated by having a MacGregor lost at sea.

To parrot the rest of the posts

- A great economical liveaboard for a marina with facilities.

- Unsuitable for Atlantic crossing

Liveaboard and cruising East US and Bahams will probably not be beat with any 30footer down. Due to design, draft and no need for a lot of supplies

Blue Water - Make your self right with the world and kiss your loved ones good by. Your boat will not make it and probably you as well.

Catigale wrote:To parrot the rest of the posts

- A great economical liveaboard for a marina with facilities.

- Unsuitable for Atlantic crossing

We all who own . . ..know its not a Blue Water Boat unless that Blue Water is very close to shore. Period!
Look at all the post about how careful some pretty decent sailors are on this board when just crossing to the Bahamas or Venturing out Into the Great Lakes. Please note no matter how bad either of those might ever get and bad they can get, your never the 2000 or more miles from the nearest shore that you could find yourself in a crossing of the Atlantic.
Ahh wintering in New England I will offer to let yo freeze your butt off sitting in my M here outside Chicago. I will even let you use a small electric heater.

thanks for the advice guys! i think i might get the 26 just for east coast sailing and liveaboard, and then in 3 years when i plan on crossing get a bluewater boat, a high 30's to mid 40 footer.

i'm wondering what are some good marinas in your opinion facility-wise in the nyc tri-state area?

Quote:
yes I was talking about the MURRELET and am wondering what you guys think about that boat, as he had evidence to prove its seaworthiness.

Hmmm.
I would strongly advise against relying on that "evidence".

I agree.

As far as crossing the Atlanta I'm sure it's quite doable. I probably wouldn't want to; maybe when I was younger and poorer. Check out the father and son who single handed 2 Tide 28s which are trailerable sailboats.

tide 28 atlantic crossing

These are trailer sailors and were modified for the voyage. They made it but there were problems. The father's boat had the pintel bolts shear off making his rudder useless. The son ended up saling the last 150 miles or so with only the mainsail due to jib halyard problems.

Also, some people are just lucky. Tania Aebi who had very little experience on a sailboat solo sailed a 26 ft sloop around the world. Reading the account in the book "Maiden Voyage" shows that she really had no business attempting it.

baldbaby2000 wrote:

Quote:
yes I was talking about the MURRELET and am wondering what you guys think about that boat, as he had evidence to prove its seaworthiness.

Hmmm.
I would strongly advise against relying on that "evidence".

I agree.

As far as crossing the Atlanta I'm sure it's quite doable. I probably wouldn't want to; maybe when I was younger and poorer. Check out the father and son who single handed 2 Tide 28s which are trailerable sailboats.

tide 28 atlantic crossing

These are trailer sailors and were modified for the voyage. They made it but there were problems. The father's boat had the pintel bolts shear off making his rudder useless. The son ended up saling the last 150 miles or so with only the mainsail due to jib halyard problems.

Also, some people are just lucky. Tania Aebi who had very little experience on a sailboat solo sailed a 26 ft sloop around the world. Reading the account in the book "Maiden Voyage" shows that she really had no business attempting it.

Luck do we want to depend on that?? Another lady with not much ( luck) or experience got only as far as Belize this winter...
Luck I think I will leave, how lucky I am, to paying cards or the Lotto but nothing to do with my life in any sustaining way.

I agree, The more experience sailors with the greatest education survive the best. Take a look at the ones who have to be rescued or missing at sea. Far better boats than a modified MacGregor.

Just do this, Take one of the sailing games and plug in the sea conditions of a gale. Put yourself in the cockpit and see how long you last. dry and safe in your warm home.

If you are going to take and make a Mac looke like something else, Why not start with that. There is several good Flicka's out there that can be made long term Blue Water for less. Or Cape Dory 25's or Persons 26's. All of these have made it around the world. Hero's.

Take a good look at the Jester site.

http://www.jesterinfo.org/index.html

You make the decision on the conditions that they went through. email some of them.

thanks for the link.
havent looked into dories, i have been looking at the nor'seas. while a bit above my price range they look to be a good consideration too, would you guys say so?