Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 26M by Frank Gibney

Year built	2003
Location of boat	Lake Champlain
The boat is sailed on	The Great Lakes
How the boat is used	Weekends and longer
Normal wind strength	16-22 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	Yes
Owner bought the boat in	2003
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Probably
Gear that's been added	The boat has most of the Mac options with shore power. In the process of adding a Sport Pilot Plus Auto pilot,(from my old 26X), two extra winches aft., extra reefing, a depth finder, VHF, solar power, solar venting, upgraded head, led lights, Biminy, two anchors, Water system, and other amenities.
Structural or complex improvements	Not yet, although I am planning to do something to allow better access from the dock and dingy through the transom. Any ideas would be appreciated.
The boat's best features	Having owned a 26X, and being relatively inexperienced with the 26M, I'm still on a steep learning curve. The M, does cut through waves better, and seems to sail closer to the wind. We're hoping to spend longer periods of time on this boat to include more time off the Maine Coast. The interior has more potential of being comfortable than the X.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	Access to the boat over the side and through the transom is more difficult than the X. I understand that this will be a work in process for some time to come.
Sailing characterisitcs	I've been out three times in good breezes. The M is more tender initially but seems to handle the wind ok. It is a "cleaner" boat through the water. I'm Looking forward to doing a more detailed comparison and learning what I can do to maximize the "M" experience this summer.
Motoring characterisitcs	I'm very happy with the quiet clean performance of the Honda 50. I can't comment on whether it's faster or not. The M does plane more smoothly than the X.
Liveability	As mentioned above, the extent to which the boat will be comfortable is largely up to the owner and his or her own improvements toward that aim. We like the open interior and the comfortable seats. The additional room and better access to the aft birth is welcome.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Even though I've owned three Mac's I've never worked directly with MacGregor. I would like to see more canvas and other options.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	I'm actually the second owner of this M. A few items had been back ordered to the original owner. The folks at Havencraft including, Otho and Bob, have been very helpful and made good on all promises.
Other comments	I know several people who own trailerable boats but with few exceptions the Macs seem to be the ones that hit the road and enjoy exploring. Thanks to Rodger MacGregor for making it possible for us to explore the entire length of the Maine Coast over the years, and all starting from our place in Vermont. Thanks too to the MacGregor Owner's Association New England (MOANE). What a great group of folks to share these experiences with. Find them on the web at "NE Trailer Sailors."

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