Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 26D by Eric W. Kiklevich

Year built	1988
Location of boat	Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO.
The boat is sailed on	Lakes
How the boat is used	Weekends and longer
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	solo
Liveaboard?	Yes
Owner bought the boat in	2000
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	Absolutely, this was a dream come true for me. Living in the Rocky Mnt.s makes for a rather difficult boat shopping experience. Prices seem rather inflated and I would have had to travle to the front range for sure. But this beauty just happened to fall into my lap, like it was destiny. My best friend had inherited an older Mac when we were a mear 17 years of age. I would have never seen myself as a sailor until I became first mate of his vessel. After he had moved on to Lake Tahoe, I drug myself around the Elk Creek Marina where I've been guiding fishing trips for the last 12 years. I searched for this boat for at least the last 5 of those and through a twisted web of friends and sailing connections, came upon my Salvalinus and you'de have to throw a pretty penny at me before I got rid of her.
Gear that's been added	Now don't laugh, like many of the sailors up here have, but my Mac is now equiped with a pair removable Cannon downriggers, as much as I am a sailor, I have always been a fisherman and Blue Mesa keeps producing state record Lake Trout. Aside from this, I've installed a Hummingbird depth/fish GPS locator, a solar system, 6 disc CD Stereo system, hammock storage, stern rail seating, a propane BBQ grill with cutting board attachment, personalized blinds, cabin carpeting, LQ cabinet, and a quick set-up take-down bimini system.
Structural or complex improvements	Not yet!
The boat's best features	The overall utility of the boat has been great for sailing, beaching, and manuvering around this high mountain lake. Blue Mesa, especially these last couple summers, has very swirling, unpredictable winds that have done considerable damage to larger, lead keeled cruisers. The Mac, even when she's not adequately reefed, can take it pretty well, and simply comes about and lets you know you better get to reefing. I've been out on days when others wouldn't dare, and those have been the most enjoyable and educational sails of all. The pop-up deck and canvas cabin is a blast for just lolling around cookin' up fish and dinning away the mountain nights. I actually prefer to solo this boat because of how easy it is, and when I do take out first timers ( or anyone for that matter) they can sit back and watch, enjoy, and learn what needs to be done as I sail. It's very comforting to know that I can handle the boat without much help, if any.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	The cyphen system for the sink drainage has given me some problems and it looks like the daggerboard sleeve is trying to crack a bit on the inside, I've spoken with some other Mac 26D owners and they had problems with the fiberglass in the sleeve as well. It seems maybe the mold and joining job isn't what it could be for the sleeve. The transome and motor compartment are a little high and tight;I have a 7.5 honda fourstroke longshaft that has trouble swinging up on the motor drop mount and resting over the compartment walls and transome while under sail. It's not too big of a deal but I may have opened up the wall a bit.
Sailing characterisitcs
Motoring characterisitcs	My little four stroke pushes her great, and ... now don't laugh... she trolls really well. I can't really come up with any complaints, spins on a dime, comes up to speed well and holds steady with little effort.
Liveability	Now I literally lived on this boat the last couple of summers and thought it was great. Yeah, it can get a little cramped when you've got more than four people and their gear for a weeks outing, and even just with all my junk I had troubles finding storage space here and there but you know... that's kinda' what these boats are about, closeness. It was always neat to be shouldered up to favorable sailing crew for a meal or even just at dock, having a few drinks. It seemed no matter how many people I take out (nothing' silly now)you could always find a comfortable place to set aside and enjoy the water veiws. Mind you- this is comming from a soul who's spent more than a month living out of a backpack, my perspective of comfortable may not be quite the same as most.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments	I'd just like to invite all MacGregor owners to come on up to Blue Mesa and get a load of our great winds and huge expanses of lake. Blue Mesa is the largest body of water in Colorado and the mountain winds can teach just about every sailor a thing or two about what could go wrong, and how to keep it from. Elk Creek and Lake Fork Marinas have become home to many wonderful sailing families and we pride ourselves on sticking together and learning together. I'd like to thank anybody reading this who knows what I'm refering to, you guys have been wonderfull, a family of sorts for this weary dock hand turned fishing guide, turned sailor, or perhaps I should say- in addition to...

Contact
About
Terms of Use