Macgregor Owner Reviews

Serving sailors online since 1997

Review of the Macgregor 26D by gary ian worob

Year built	1987
Location of boat	United States
The boat is sailed on	Bays, sounds, or protected salt water
How the boat is used	Weekends and longer
Normal wind strength	10-15 knots
Average size of crew	2-4
Liveaboard?	Yes
Owner bought the boat in	2005
If the clock could be turned back, would owner buy again?	i would buy a 26d again that already had lots of things done to it and newer sails...there are such great deals out there that i would not have taken this one ...but it would be a d for sure.
Gear that's been added	i bought this boat in florida. i immediately bought a tremendous tandem trailer that has 6" aluminum i beams, surge brakes, torsions rather than leaf springs, disc brakes and more. i would never travel long distance with the macgregor trailer. i towed this boat to prescott, arizona where i live now and a month after towed it up through the tetons to british columbia and sailed in the kootenay's and then towed it to the coast and sailed around cortez island and parts close to there. as soon as i got home i put on the ida sailor rudder and the macgregor hasp for the daggerboard. love both, should have had them right away!
Structural or complex improvements	none yet but i may rip out the head and extend the forward area to accomodate two for sleeping. i refuse to use the porta-potti anymore, much easier to use a five gallong bucket, plastic bags and kitty litter with a portable toilet seat that snaps on......done with the former. i will follow the lead of of the marshall family from missouri? ...really like what they did and i may do some more drastic measures to make the lazarette make more sense...it is really stupid. have to think about more stuff as i also have a sea pearl 21 that now takes presedence over the mac.
The boat's best features	love the water ballast, love the pop top and dodger which saved us when we were sailig in the san juan islands in bad weather... love the ease of trailering and launching as i made my own mast raising system that takes only minutes to use. fast boat and so easy to sail with the new ida sailor rudder. i love the baby stays for raising the mast.friends with other boats are adding them after seeing this one work great.
Problem areas in terms of design, materials, maintenance, etc.	like everyone else...macgregor should be ashamed of the rudder they put on and the tiller design. hate the lazarette as it is and don't see the need for the bathroom as it is when there is more rooom for sleeping without it and a port-potti can slide anywhere. not crazy about back stay and i will change it and i already knew about all the crazing that macs do but so what..... changed the bow eye as the old one was cheap pot metal. i may add more purchase for the daggerboard as some have trouble pulling it up even with new hasp system.
Sailing characterisitcs	i have sailed this boat in british columbia in wonderful places there and wish i would have had the new rudder but i loved single handing with ease. in arizona i have sailed on lake pleasant with all the obnoxious power boaters and ignored them succesfully and camped in quiet coves. great stuff. but the coup de gras is lake powell after the insanity of summer and going into some awesome canyons with the mac and wathcing kayakers look in disbelief as i easily manuever in places only they thought they could go. here in prescott i can easily launch and sail on watson lake which blows people away.
Motoring characterisitcs	i have a honda 9.9 four stroke with electric start. what an amazing motor but it fills the motor well a bit too much.....won't complain as this has been the greatest motor i have ever used and so quiet and starts right up each time.
Liveability	i love moving the fiddle block for the main sheet over to the rail and taking the boards from down below and the two cushions i have and sleeping under the stars on the cockpit....beats anything. i have slept in the forward area and will enlarge it and i have slept under the cockpit and didn't care for it but it worked good ... but i think the best would be a coversion kit for the cabin area with the hatch lifted ....easy to stand up when you need to and good views and the right way to sleep on a boat. i never use the two burner alcohol stove....no need to as i have a great 3 burner propane portable and i like to beach the boat and cook out when i can which is almost always. in bad weather it is okay cooking ontop of my cooler in the cabin. ...i never use the sink.
The owner's experience in dealing with Hunter (if any)	called them once that was enough. take that back ...i bought the dagger board hasp from them .........they don't talk too much or help when you call.
The owner's experience with the boat dealer or broker, if any
Other comments	yeah......love to see more of them at lake powell at labyrinth bay third week in september for our annual gathering.... join us.....

Contact
About
Terms of Use