Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 26M by Tony Gore

Year built	2004
Location of boat	Burnham on Sea, UK
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	2004
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	I posted a review just after I bought this boat. I have now had it two years and thought reviewing it again with experience might be interesting.Yes, I would definitely buy this boat again.I now sail solo some of the time; my regular crew, my father in law, passed away last summer, but he had no trouble handling the boat at 84.
Gear that's been added	Toilet - port-a-pottiStove - Origo single burner dual fuel i.e. it is electric in port and spirit when no electricsShore electrics (240v)Small Ctec microprocessor controlled charger (fitted on front of batter case lid). This keeps battery well conditioned during the winter.Instruments - Navman 5500i GPS/Chart plotter on top of pedestal; Navman depth sounder (it is possible to buy a case mounting for two standard sized instruments, so I ended up filling the other hole with a GPS repeater.Raymarine DSC radio set recently fitted with aerial at top of mast combined with a windex. I took the cable down the starboard shroud and along the outside of the hull back round the stern to the pedestal. This means that I have no connectors and do not have to disconnect to trail.A Simrad wheel pilot - use compass mode only, as an electronic windex impractical because of pivoting mast.I am also experimenting with LED lighting, as this reduces the electrical load considerably.
Structural or complex improvements	None, but for storage1) Lashed a varnished louvred door in galley onto the daggerboard case - some of shore electrics fixed to this, and can hook/tie things to it.2) Use light plastic boards to provide storage alongside rear berthSomeone commented on a problem stowing the mast raising kit - I solved this obe very neatly. I fitted two large releasable tie-wraps to the cover board that stops your feet getting into the steering gear on the rear berth. I hold it in place with these, as the mast raising kit is about 2" shorter than the widht of the boat at that point.I also had a smaller main made - about the size of the reefed standard mail. This, plus the genoa, is the same total area as the standard jib + standard main; the centre of effort is also lower for the same sail area, which is better for nervous crew. I no longer use the standard jib. I have the genoa on all the time and then put the standard main if it is F3 or less and will not gust above F4, or if F3/4 and I have non-sailors (including the wife) on board. For light airs, or racing, or with more experienced crew, then I have the standard main.
The boat's best features	Versatility.Once you get used to it, she is a very reassuring boat. It will heel quite easily to 15-20 degrees, but at this point, it starts to lift the water ballast tank out of the water and so stiffens up and does not heel much more.Versatility also extends to sailing - it handles well with just the main, and will also go well with the jib.Strong following wind and sea = no main, use genoa - this allows you to sail comfortably at 135 degrees from the wind. The genoa is pulling upwards, so reduces pitching; no danger of gybing, and much less yawing as the drive from the sails is well forward.I have also achieved 3-4 knots on a reach with just one third of the genoa and no main - we actually measured both up and down the river to be able to deduct the tide from this.In anything from F4 and above, I have generally found that reducing sail area quite a lot e.g. taking the genoa in leaving just the main will only lose about 1 knot of speed, or using my smaller main BUT make the boat a much smoother sail.We did make one trip, under motor only, which turned out to be a F7. Because of our particular bit of coast - shallow water and a long fetch, we get very short steep waves. The lightness of the Macgregor shows then, and even at 3 knots you can be taking off the tops of some of the waves. She still felt safe.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	Little, although it might have been a good idea if the lights had been wired negative earth, instead of positive earth. Most LED replacement lamps assume positive earth if they are the bayonet type, but the nav lights use festoon types which are not polarity sensitive.There is also a lack of storage, and means of lashing things down to stop them moving around.
Sailing characterisitcs	Sails like a very big dinghy.Lightness does mean that going out to sea in moderate waves is hard work - the 26M doesn't have the weight to punch into the waves.
Motoring characterisitcs	Motors well, although sometimes get nowhere near top speed - have to empty ballast to get this.Low speed manouevrability is main problem because of the high windage. When leaving a berth, quarter dagger board and no rudders works well - shallow draft, the dagger board provides a pivot point. Short burst of power from the (steered) outboard will turn it easily, although it takes nerve in a marina of expensive boats to do this.On returning, same routine, but rudders needed (or one rudder) to provide steerage at low speed.Launching is not a problem, but recovery can be. Certainly my home port which is a steep slipway with prevailing winds and tides across the slipway. Generally, can only recover in less than 8 knots of wind. Fortunately, we can run a long line to the walkway to the pontoons or the shore (slipway is at 45 degrees) and thus depending on wind/tide, it enables us to hold the stern in place and line up. The problem is that with the board up, there is nothing to "work against". A small weight or anchor from the side of the stern could possibly be used to allow lateral drift to be controlled to line up on the trailer.
Liveability	Only downside is lack of convenient storage, which I am slowly working on (and also discarding things that are not really needed).
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	Excellent. Two years on, they are still helpful and answer my stupid questions.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any	Bought directly from MacGregor UK.
Other comments	Every boat is a compromise.For day sailing, fun and versatility, this boat takes some beating. With an electronic helm, it is a very good boat to sail single handed - actually better than with a crew, as you trim the sails so the helm does not have to make corrections and you can then see the speed improve dramatically as you get the sails perfectly set.

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