Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 22 by Lewis A. Watt

Year built	1981
Location of boat	Ridgeland, MS
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	2004
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	In hindsight, it was the right boat for me at the time. I had been off of the water for several years and needed a boat that was easy to handle, since I would be sailing with my wife and young sons (3 and 5). I have become very comfortable with this boat and will probably move up to a 25 - 27 foot in the next few years.
Gear that's been added	I recently added a CDI reefing/furling system for the jib and am very pleased that I did. It makes sailing single handed much easier. I also internalized the main halyard and ran the lines to the cockpit. The previous owner had converted the Main sheet to a traveler at the entrance to the cabin, which works well.
Structural or complex improvements	The bow loop became loose and required tightening and there were spots on the deck and bulkheads that required cosmetic touches to the fiberglass.
The boat's best features	Ease of sailing. This boat is easily modified, so you can make it fit your style. Also, the weight and size of the boat allows for easy towing.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The raising and lowering of the mast is more difficult than I would like. It has become easier the more times that I do it, but a mast raising system would be helpful.
Sailing characterisitcs	My boat performs best in a 10 - 15 knot wind. Over 15 knots, it gets somewhat tricky and difficult to control. The boat is stable and a good boat if children are on board.
Motoring characterisitcs	I have a Suzuki 6 horse power motor. This size motor performs well. I can reach around 4-6 mph at full throttle, which easily pushs the boat out the passes into the Gulf. The boat steers well under power and is reasonably easy to back under power.
Liveability	The cabin is a little cramped. My wife and I have slept on the boat one time and it was not very comfortable. The V-Berth is too shallow for a person over 5' tall and the "double berth" (that is the table) is only big enough for one adult.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	I have had no direct contact with MacGregor.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	N/A
Other comments	A MacGregor sailboat is exactly the boat that I would refer my friends to. It is well made and not overly expensive, like other manufacturers.

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