Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 21 by Roland Ludlam

Year built	1974
Location of boat	Fairfax, Vermont
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
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	1986
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Definitely. I sail the boat on Lake Champlain not far from where I live. But I most enjoy taking it over to Maine for extended trips. My wife and I sailed for a week this summer and my son and I sailed for 5 nights of cruising over Labor Day weekend. The boat handled 20-25 kts of wind with no problem. We did reef the main and flew a small jib for those occasions. The boat is very small -- max two people. But it has allowed us to explore the Maine coast around Mt. Desert, Jericho Bay and Penobscot Bay. We've also sailed many miles on Lake Champlain and neighboring Lake George.
Gear that's been added	I've made small changes to the boat: cam cleats for the jib, a new full sized jib, compass and GPS, small improvements below (I have made a small platform of plywood to extend the port berth so that I don't have to sleep way under the cockpit.
Structural or complex improvements
The boat's best features	Highly "portable" and easy to launch just about anywhere. It only takes two of us to rig or de-rig the boat. I suppose I could do it myself with some extra blocks and line. We can get the boat in or out of the water and ready for the road in about 45 minutes. Also, it handles big winds and waves remarkably well. I have never experienced a knockdown in this boat. It heels over until you can see water in the cabin window and water spills over the lee rail into the cockpit, but that's it. I feel very safe in this boat.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	I would like a fancier boom on the boat. Reefing is pretty rudimentary: rolling the sail around the boom. That sort of cuts out the possibilities of using a vang. Everything else is still working fine after 26 years.
Sailing characterisitcs	The boat will do 5.5 to 6 knots into the wind as measured with the GPS. I've hit 8 knots on a fast reach. Downwind I've managed 5 plus knots. Properly reefed the boat handles 25 knots and more with no problem.I have been in seas that were too extreme for this boat. The bow buried into steep waves and water came aft over the deck and into the cabin through openings around the hatch. But I have been out in 3-5 foot lake waves and even bigger swells on the ocean with no trouble at all
Motoring characterisitcs	I have an old 6 hp Chrysler motor on a mount that raises and lowers. The boat will do around 5 knots with the motor. It handles well in forward. Reverse is not very effective.
Liveability	Camping. Very cramped once you get all your stuff in the cabin. we always end up putting the portapotty out in the cockpit for the night along with anything else that can get some dew on it.5 nites is our record for being on the boat.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments	Great boat for a family if you want to day sail or visit other places for sailing. We have camped ashore and sailed every day. We have camped on an island in Maine and sailed each day. We've even spent the nite as a family on board (once!). But I have taken one of my kids at a time on overnites or extended trips and had a wonderful time.

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