Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 26X by RICK C

Year built	1997
Location of boat	LAKE ONTARIO
The boat is sailed on	The Great Lakes
How the boat is used	Day sailing
Normal wind strength	16-22 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	No
Owner bought the boat in	06
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	YES AFTER ONE FULL SEASON I LOVE IT. NOT THE BEST AT ANYTHING BUT PRETTY DARN GOOD AT LOTS! STEP UP FROM MY OLD NORDICA...I KNOW "NOW THAT'S A TRUE SAILBOAT", BUT WHAT THE HECK IT FILLS MY NEEDS RIGHT NOW. MY WIFE AND I CAN GO OUT FOR A SAIL ANY DIRECTION WE WANT AND KNOW WE HAVE THE POWER TO RETURN WITHOUT A MILLION TACS IF THATS THE POINT WE'RE AFTER.
Gear that's been added	NOTHINNG YET. CAME WITH 50 HP 4 STROKE, GEN, SPINAKER AND GOOD MAIN. HAS DEPTH, SPEED GAUGES AND SHORT WAVE RADIO. NO GALLEY STOVE BUT NOT REALLY NEEDED. COULD/WILL PUT BBQ ON BACK RAIL WHEN NEED ARISES
Structural or complex improvements	NO
The boat's best features	COMFORTABLE SAILLING OR POWERING AS LONG AS SAILS SUIT CONDITIONS. SUPRISED BY HOW WELL IT DOES IN ROUGHER WATER AS THIS WAS A CONCERN REGARDING THE POWER BOAT HULL AND POUNDING COMPARED TO MY OLD NORDICA 16 WHICH CUT WAVES. NOT AS SMOOTH BUT ACCEPTABLE. NOT BEEN IN A STORM YET BUT SEEN 5 FOOT SWELLS AND ROUGHER CHOP. MAST RAISING SYSTEM IS GREAT!!! GOT HELP THE FIRST TIME AND HAVE DONE IT TWICE SINCE SOLO. HAVE SAILED SOLO SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD LITTLE TROUBLE.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	NOTHING BROKEN YET...KNOCK ON F/GLASS, ER BUT NOT TOO HARD, IT'S THIN....ACTS LIKE A KITE WHEN DOCKING SOMETIMES IN CROSSWINDS BECAUSE OF FREEBOARD BUT GIVES TONS OF ROOM BELLOW SO A REASONABLE TRADEOFF. HAVE TO WALK ACCROSS THE CABIN ROOF TO ACCESS MAIN SAIL. I TEND TO FEEL VERY EXPOSED UP THAT HIGH. NICE THAT FORWARD HATCH IS BIG ENOUGH FOR AN ADULT TO GET THROUGH WITH OUT TWISTING INSIDE OUT FOR FORE DECK WORK.
Sailing characterisitcs	SAILS ON ALL BUT LIGHTEST WINDS AND HAS SEEN 25 KNOTS, SHOULD HAVE REEFED FROM START AND STILL DIDN'T DO MAIN WHEN OVERPOWERED RE IT'S DARN HI ON THAT CABIN IN ROUGH STUFF. BUT DID FURL GEN TO HALF. STEEP CHOP NEAR SHORE AND 5 FOOT SWELLS...NEAT RIDE!SAIL BALANCE IS CRITICAL...JUST LIKE A REAL SAILBOAT
Motoring characterisitcs	HEAVY WHEEL WHEN POWERING NEAR HULL SPEED AFTER SAILING, RE FULL BALAST, KEEL AND RUDDERS DOWN STILL. SLOW DOWN AND IT'S GREAT! HAVE NEVER RUN THE BOAT MUCH FASTER THAN ASSUMED HULL SPEED. OK WENT TO 9 KNOTS WITH NO PROBLEM BUT KEEL WAS DOWN JUST A HAIR. I ALWAYS HAVE WATER BALAST IN.
Liveability	GOOD FOR WHAT WE HAVE USED IT FOR SO FAR.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	NO PRIVATE SAIL AND TRAILERED 450 KM HOME WITH NO TROUBLE. I LOVED HOW IT SAT BEHING THE P/UP, IT DIDN'T MOVE AND DIDN'T FEEL ALL THAT HEAVY.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	N/A
Other comments	CLUB I BELONG TO HAS ANOTHER MAC26X WITH OWNER THAT HAS LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE X AND LIKE MOST MAC OWNERS IS MORE THAT WILLING TO TALK MAC. AMOUNT OF OWNER SUPPORT WAS A SELLING FEATURE WITH THE MAC. THE NUMBER OF BOAT OWNER RUN WEB FORUMS IS GREAT. THIS BOAT WOULD LIKELY NOT SUIT AN EXPERIENCE SAILER BUT IF YOUR NEW TO SAILING OR BEEN AWAY FOR A LOT OF YEARS THIS JUST MAY BE THE BEST OPTION OUT THERE. IT WONT WIN RACES BUT ITS FUN AND SAFE, THIS WATER BALLAST REALLY DOES WORK.

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