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Hi,

Wanted to throw this out and get some input from everyone.

There are a couple of us that are looking to get into Mac's in the not to distant future. The main reason is shallow water sailing. We predominantly sailing in the Currituck Sound 36.42933, -75.96162. We are looking at sailing up and down the ICW short distances at first and then heading to various places as Manteo, Elizabeth City etc. We have quite a bit of sailing experience and know the area well.
Water depth runs 3 ft and up with more in the channel obviously. We currently have a Hunter 216 with a swing keel that does well but the can type rudder system has taken quite a beating.

Now the question. Would we be better off with an X, being a swing keel or will the M suffice with the daggerboard. Can the M be sailed with the daggerboard partially lowered so as not to hit the bottom? If it can how much does it effect sailing on the different points of sail? Or would we be better off with a swing keel on a Mac?

We have been out on a Mac one time a couple years ago and the experience was not good to say the least. I believe the boat was older and the gentleman really didn't know what was going on. We were new to sailing at the time as well. We are going to find a Mac to get out and sail on prior to deciding as I believe that they have improved and I think we would have a more enjoyable experience.

Appreciate any and all input.

Thanks.

I sail a M out in Mauritius and it works well in very shallow water( also down to 3ft at times). Sails fine on just about all points with very little centerboard down.However if you do hit something it will cause damage and can be quite disturbing. Have a friend with a X and the kick up board is a better bet. The M is a nicer looking boat and the interior is much improved. However if you are not going to spend much time inside,( The cockpit of the X is also much bigger) perhaps the X will be the way to go.

dinvab wrote:Would we be better off with an X, being a swing keel or will the M suffice with the daggerboard. Can the M be sailed with the daggerboard partially lowered so as not to hit the bottom? If it can how much does it effect sailing on the different points of sail? Or would we be better off with a swing keel on a Mac?

Having plowed the shoals with the keel of my ... more than once ... I'd suggest the 26X.
Will Rudd (Wrudd3), at the Chesapeake Gam two weeks ago, told us of grounding his with the daggerboard down, and breaking the board. The daggerboard trunk of the M, as the centerboard pocket of the X, is the strongest part of the lay-up; by comparison, the boards themselves are pretty lightly built. Sacrificial, you could say.

I also saw a marina-neighbor back on the Potomac bring in his brand-new M without the centerboard - he lost it on his first sail of the new boat, when it came unfastened from the pendant and "slipped away" into the muddy depths.

I had the pendant break on the swing centerboard of my 26X a few weeks ago, at anchor - woke me at 4 AM with so much clatter that I feared the boat next to me had dragged into me! Ruined my night's sleep, but I sailed home the next day and re-trailered the boat without trouble. It has a big bronze pivot pin, hung from a "wishbone" that slips up into the trunk and is secured with a 3/8" bolt up through the top of the trunk, so I could replace the pendant with the boat on the trailer. It was a couple of hours of work, but nothing I couldn't do by myself.

(And yeah ... get that swing board in the shallows, and as long as you're moving forward it will just plow a furrow.)

dinvab wrote:We have been out on a Mac one time a couple years ago and the experience was not good to say the least. I believe the boat was older and the gentleman really didn't know what was going on. We were new to sailing at the time as well. We are going to find a Mac to get out and sail on prior to deciding as I believe that they have improved and I think we would have a more enjoyable experience.

Definitely go out on a test-sail of both and ... try each one on motor and on all points of sail (close-hauled, reaching, running before the wind); reef and un-reef the main, even if it's light winds, to get the feel of it; go below, lie down in all the bunks, sit at the table, sit in the head (don't actually use it!) and see if you'd be comfortable hauling up your trousers afterwards; try out every piece of gear on the boat.

When you think you're ready to buy one particular boat, go through all of its equipment again, ask the owner or dealer for every manual and piece of paperwork that goes with the boat, and make sure everything works before you trade your money for the title. (Anything that doesn't work ... adjust the purchase price accordingly.)

And just remember, the Mac is not a J-Boat!

PS to Islander - I prefer the 26X interior.
("De gustibus non est disputandum.")

An X or an M or

A major factor might be the cost of a new , comapred to a used

John McDonough wrote:An X or an M or

A major factor might be the cost of a new , comapred to a used

Definitely my sticking point as of now, money aside (as if that was possible ) I like the interior of the better, but that is one mans opinion


Allan

As No One has replied to your other post "looking for a ride" So Allow me to assume that going out and comparing the two boats on all points of sail and ....motoring .........is out of the question.... That's Pretty unlikely in the best of situations IMHO.
Its obvious from a search of previous post that the M sails well with just 3 feet of board down. You already knew, the X has a swing keel and IMHO, you shouldn't be banging any board, dagger or swing, a bunch of times / regularly into the bottom, and surly not at an speed.
So how fast would you expect to be going in 3 feet of so of water? Oh and add ... in a 26 foot sailboat or any boat that will sleep 4 real good and 6 in a pinch and has a galley of sorts tons of storage area fresh water and a head . I will add Not all M's are the same and that bit of info is even more relative to the X ... You might if your serious want to do a lot....... of searching and reading of all the flame wars between X's and M's and notice how it changes as the years go on....
BOTTOM LINE!!!!!
Plain and simple . No way around this fact......
How much money /cash is in your hand for this venture?
I ask this because your not buying an M for much under $20,000.00 even used. So there's The First Bullet Point!
You've got say $17,000.00 then Your decision has been made for you ....its an X if its under say $12K or so.... its an older X and THEN I really suggest you read a lot of stuff available here that discusses the difference between the X's These Boats are popular for a number of reasons and Cheap doesnt top the list . For what they ARE and what they DO they are the best deal around ...hands down ! That's just a fact or they wouldnt be out selling all the rest ( maybe all the rest combined ???)

Thanks all. Lots of good info. You will know when we figure it out, but the swing keel sounds like the best route. Now out to find one. Thanks again.

Hi dinvab at CURRITUCK: Our home port is ORIENTAL, but we live in MESIC, and keep our at a neighbor's pier on BEAR CREEK, which is one mile west of the south end of the Hobucken ICW TRENCH in Pamlico county. We like the sliding galley, which gives us ample room to the aft bed. We like the head forward, which also gives more room to the aft bed. I mentioned the neighbor's pier, which at no wind, provides 30" of water, and depending on the wind, from 20" to 40", just like the sound side at your location. Never had a problem entering or leaving. We also like the M because of the daggerboard arrangement, which gives, we believe, more room below. As to the cockpit, it IS smaller by a bit, but the seats are 6' long, plenty for the Admiral's sunning time, and for the most part, we and the dog are the only ones aboard. I have a sounder and always keep the display on a split screen, so IF we enter some skinny water that is not on a chart, I can raise the daggerboard quickly. Normally, I keep the daggerboard down around 6", then use it for all points of sailing as it should be, when we cross the 10' curve. We belong to the Sailing Club of Oriental, and the Oriental Dinghy Club, both of which have cruises up the outer banks into the Chesapeake, and we do not worry as much as the PURE sailors do when approaching skinny water. As to or , all the suggestions above, but it is much like a CAMERO or a T-BIRD. one or the other will suit your taste, but to the owner, they are very satisfying. stew of Alice and Stew,"THE RESTLESS TWO"

Hi DINVAB: We bought our from Will and Sandy Scott of Scotts' Yachts in Wilmington, the local nc dealer. This is just another outlet for you to explore. They have several & on their list, and they both race Macs. 910-7993399 stew

Don't forget to check the Classifieds at the top of the page. A lot of good boats there, some in your area.

~Rich