We have a winner!

[Webb Tide]

This may not be the best introduction for a newbie, but here goes-

I stumbled across this site while doing homework searching for my first sailboat. I have had powerboats since I was a teenager, and have dabbled in sailing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and whitewater rafting most of my life. I recently moved to the Central Coast of California after 30 years in Montana, primarily to check sailing off my bucket list.

I am also a lifelong car guy, mechanic, fabricator, and welder, and built my own race car that has set ten records at Bonneville and two at El Mirage. In my younger days, I was a 5.11C lead climber, podium-finishing mountain bike racer, and multi-continent adventure bike motorcyclist.

I say this not to be cocky, but to give an indication of of experience and breadth of interests.

Before I moved to the Morro Bay area, I didn't have any indication of how difficult it would be to find a slip on the coast. After some digging, I learned that the waiting list for a slip was five to eight years. I might not live that long, so I had the wacky idea of posting a "wanted" ad on Craigslist looking for a slip, with or without a boat.

Long story short is that an elderly gentleman reached out to me with a sad story that he had a MacGregor 26X that he had spent twelve years prepping as a retirement coastal live-aboard, only to have health issues cut his dream short.

The price was fair, the slip location was outstanding, and the upgrades that he had made alone far outweighed the asking price.

I knew the 26X wasn't the Ferrari of sailboats, but as an accomplished boater and novice sailor, it seemed like a good fit, especially with the modern electronics, upgrades, 20 HP dinghy, and new 50 HP four stroke he had fitted. I was stoked!

Which brings me to my point. I stumbled across this page because it appeared in a Google search for "cruising MacGregor 26X". Be it known, that as a lifelong car guy, machinist, fabricator, climber and racer, I have come across some pompous know-it-alls in my life.

But let me assure you, this forum has a more sizable accumulation of look-down-your-nose, arrogant, opinionated, needle-dick, insecure snobs than on any page I have ever encountered. You make the Porsche forum look like a quilting club.

Happy sailing...

[jimbunyard]

"I have had powerboats since I was a teenager, and have dabbled in sailing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and whitewater rafting most of my life. I recently moved to the Central Coast of California after 30 years in Montana, primarily to check sailing off my bucket list."

I am also a lifelong car guy, mechanic, fabricator, and welder, and built my own race car that has set ten records at Bonneville and two at El Mirage. In my younger days, I was a 5.11C lead climber, podium-finishing mountain bike racer, and multi-continent adventure bike motorcyclist."

"But let me assure you, this forum has a more sizable accumulation of look-down-your-nose, arrogant, opinionated, needle-dick, insecure snobs than on any page I have ever encountered. You make the Porsche forum look like a quilting club."


Looks like you'll be right at home then...

From the one of the head pompously arrogant opinionators, welcome.

[gamayun]

Hey now, those are our look-down-your-nose, arrogant, opinionated, needle-dick, insecure snobs that you're talking about. I take high offense at your ability to pigeon hole us after reading a few posts. Anyway, me thinks you're gonna fit right in. Welcome to CF, Webb Tide

[StuM]

We have a winner for .......Troll of the month.

[roverhi]

Assuming the guy isn't a Troll.

The MacGregor 26X is a bastard design fitting a mast on a power boat. If lake sailing with the need for speed fits the bill, go for it but it doesn't do either all that well. If you are looking at Coastal sailing out of Morro Bay would go for a real sailboat.

If mooring availability is that rare and comes with the boat there would buy the boat for the slip. You can sell the boat somewhere down the line when it no longer fits your needs and buy a boat more capable of handling the often rough conditions there.

[HellBentSailing]

Originally Posted by StuM

We have a winner for .......Troll of the month.

I second this.

As for the rest of this post... I have sailed as both crew and helm extensively and even overnighted a few times on a 26M that had even been turboed with a square top main and a sprit for the asym and I can confirm that 90% of the "look-down-the-nose" attitude towards the MacGregors in particular is 100% justified. The one I sailed on which had every factory option and most of the aftermarket ones still sailed, motored, and camped worse than nearly every other boat I've been on. She gives exactly zero feedback through her rudders, heels a ridiculous amount before locking out, and still manages to be slower than a 40 year old Catalina 27 that weighs twice as much and has a better camping interior. These are just facts, end of story. One of the reasons we **** on bad boats is because we don't want to see people make mistakes by buying them. OP might like his 26X way more than I did my M, maybe it's flaws are outweighed by the benefits (which are scarce and often paper thin but anyways).

Just because people on this forum slam particular boats particularly hard doesn't mean we are narrow-minded, it's just that we have enough collective experience that we know what makes a bad boat and what makes a good one. There is actually a lot of variety in our opinions, maybe more than we have been given credit for. For example, there was a post a few days ago about fin keels vs long/full keels on cruising boats. Some were all for the safety, security, and durability of full keel boats where as some, like myself, prefer fins and bulbs because we don't want to spend our lives slogging along at 5 knots while struggling to point upwind.

In general OP, I would say the exact same thing about MacGregor owners in general that you have said about the kind folks on this forum who exchange generally useful and sometimes lifesaving information. In fact, MacGregor owners are famously opinionated, snappy, and ignorant at the best of times. The gentleman you purchased the boat from may have been one of the better ones, you certainly seem moved by his story. I'd like to think I was one of the better ones as well, but I have certainly met too many others in marinas who were more akin to ill-informed, arrogant posers than sailors. By that measure, you may just fit right in.

Good luck and fair winds.

[Chotu]

Actually, I can think of several forms that are a lot more abrasive than this. And not even just in the boating community.

[HeinSdL]

I'd never heard of this boat but I am a bit afraid for the OP that he jumped on this opportunity in too much haste. And then, when the deal was done, decided to source some opinions online. Arriving at CF opinions were subsequently found to be not inline with his expectations (which may not be that surprising looking at some of the MacGregor 26X in action images on Google) and so comes the sour response.

Had he checked before buying this boat he might have been rather pleased to not now have been saddled with a MacGregor 26X.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

I am a bit afraid for the OP that he jumped on this opportunity in too much haste. And then, when the deal was done, decided to source some opinions online. Arriving at CF, opinions were subsequently found to be notinline with his expectations (which may not be that surprising looking at some of the MacGregor 26X in action images on Google) and so comes the sour response.

Had he checked before buying this boat he might have been rather pleased to not now have been saddled with a MacGregor 26X.

Here, here! +1
LittleWing77

[RaymondR]

Now now folks, before we get to carried away and indignant we should take a closer look at the person we are dealing with;

Originally Posted by Webb Tide

This may not be the best introduction for a newbie, but here goes-

I stumbled across this site while doing homework searching for my first sailboat. I have had powerboats since I was a teenager, and have dabbled in sailing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and whitewater rafting most of my life. I recently moved to the Central Coast of California after 30 years in Montana, primarily to check sailing off my bucket list.

See, he's not the sort to muck about, straight off he's explaining to us that he has very broad experience in water sports, definitely an authoritative source on any thing water, fresh or salt us poor ignorant amatuers need advice on.

I am also a lifelong car guy, mechanic, fabricator, and welder, and built my own race car that has set ten records at Bonneville and two at El Mirage. In my younger days, I was a 5.11C lead climber, podium-finishing mountain bike racer, and multi-continent adventure bike motorcyclist.

And, should we need advice on any thing mechanical, welding or structural engineering he's the go to man.

I say this not to be cocky, but to give an indication of of experience and breadth of interests.

Wow, also exceptionally humble. The blokes a jewel.

Before I moved to the Morro Bay area, I didn't have any indication of how difficult it would be to find a slip on the coast. After some digging, I learned that the waiting list for a slip was five to eight years. I might not live that long, so I had the wacky idea of posting a "wanted" ad on Craigslist looking for a slip, with or without a boat.

However whilst he displays an exceptional breadth of skills and knowledge he is in no way a slave to orthodoxy.

Long story short is that an elderly gentleman reached out to me with a sad story that he had a MacGregor 26X that he had spent twelve years prepping as a retirement coastal live-aboard, only to have health issues cut his dream short.

I also was fortunate to encounter a similar old gentleman when I went to buy my first car. Explained it all to me, single owner - his darling wife recently deceased, low mileage - she'd only used it to drive to church on Sundays, beautifully maintained - washed waxed and polished every Sunday before it was placed into the garage, regularly serviced - all oils changed every 100 miles. It was not at all his fault that whoever wound the speedo back had used to high a speed on the electric drill and consequently it quit working from excessive wear 2 weeks after I finally settled. Neither was it when all the fibre glass patches over the rust holes fell off when I drove it too far over a washboard road. Nor when the diff and gear box had to be rebuilt and it was found that they were full of powdered graphite. These things just happen to the most astute of us.

The price was fair, the slip location was outstanding, and the upgrades that he had made alone far outweighed the asking price.

I was also very happy with the deal on the car, I mean it would be outright crass of me to feel anything but fortunate to have had dealings with any as charming and helpful as he.

I knew the 26X wasn't the Ferrari of sailboats, but as an accomplished boater and novice sailor, it seemed like a good fit, especially with the modern electronics, upgrades, 20 HP dinghy, and new 50 HP four stroke he had fitted. I was stoked!

I thought the same about the car, after all they had only built 850,000 of that model and the folks claiming it was a cross between an Edsel and a Leyland sedan were just being envious.

Which brings me to my point. I stumbled across this page because it appeared in a Google search for "cruising MacGregor 26X". Be it known, that as a lifelong car guy, machinist, fabricator, climber and racer, I have come across some pompous know-it-alls in my life.

Yep, well earned in pomposity know-it-allnes and it's my opinion that if you live another 200 years you are not likely to meet our equals.

But let me assure you, this forum has a more sizable accumulation of look-down-your-nose, arrogant, opinionated, needle-dick, insecure snobs than on any page I have ever encountered. You make the Porsche forum look like a quilting club.

Yes again, guilty as charged and we promise to work hard at reforming ourselves of only you will continue with your wise, objective and constructive criticisms.

Happy sailing...

Welcome to the forum mate.

[Creedence]

Solid intro, welcome!

As unfair as CN may seem to the MacGregor 26, I think you’ll find some even more entertaining reading on it over at Sailing Anarchy. Opinions do run strong here, but check them out before declaring this one the winner!!

Best thing to do (if you’re interesting in engaging a forum like this) just keep it light hearted and have fun (as your intro was!). Relish in the disagreements you do have should they arise, and enjoy it.

It’s boats- nothing worth getting stressed over. If you come here and get stressed out, just walk away from the computer and take your MacGreggor out on the water!! But it’s unlikely anything anyone could ever say here could actually cause you any stress. It’s nothing more than words on a boat forum. It IS however a reasonable source of information, and at the end of the day we’re all boaters. There’s probably not anyone here who isn’t worth having a beer with- no matter what they think of hybrid motor sailboats.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Now now folks, before we get to carried away and indignant we should take a closer look at the person we are dealing with...

Welcome to the forum mate.

Well done, Ray!

The Auzzies clearly have the corner on fine-tuned roastings.

Keel-hauling next!
LittleWing

[Tellie]

My guess is that in somewhat short order a new potential MacGregor buyer upon leaving the Brooklyn bridge sales office, is going to hear this same pitch....



"Long story short is that an elderly gentleman reached out to me with a sad story that he had a MacGregor 26X that he had spent twelve years prepping as a retirement coastal live-aboard, only to have health issues cut his dream short."

[redhead]

I will interject one thing about the MacGregor's though (did I spell that right?)

While I refinish the dorades on my glamorous boat, they sail by my slip on the way out.
While I'm splicing some line I need, I glance over and a MacGregor leaves the harbor.
When I'm hanging upside down in the engine room, the (small) wake of a passing MacGregor rocks me back and forth.

Point being, they use the hell out of their boats. Simple, plug and play.
And I admit to some envy while I'm working on my lovely boat.

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by Creedence

It’s boats- nothing worth getting stressed over. If you come here and get stressed out, just walk away from the computer and take your MacGreggor out on the water!! But it’s unlikely anything anyone could ever say here could actually cause you any stress. It’s nothing more than words on a boat forum. It IS however a reasonable source of information, and at the end of the day we’re all boaters. There’s probably not anyone here who isn’t worth having a beer with- no matter what they think of hybrid motor sailboats.

HEY! Quit picking on my hybrid motorsailer.

Al, S/V Finlandia