Want To Buy: Trailerable sailboat, 26 to 30?

[MikeInMaine]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

I suppose that is a good thing, if they retain their value, buying a used one, should be mostly recoverable in a few years when I move up right?

Said no boat owner ever!

[MikeInMaine]

Have you looked at the Balboa 26? I have two.. one of which I would give away for free for the price of the dual axle trailer ($1200). Unfortunately I'm on the wrong coast for you (Maine). The boat needs a rudder and some minor glass work. I sail the Balboa on lakes and sometimes in very skinny water, hence I like the massive swing keel.

https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...st_5453-1.html

[capeharj]

You might also consider a Hunter 26 or Hunter 260, both are 26 footers and have a 9' beam for a little more stability. Easily trailered and launched, generous cabin space good sleeping for a family, enclosed head and a galley.

[ghochgraf]

We have a Mac 26S and really enjoy her. With a 9.9 she moves along at hull speed. There’s a vibrant online community for Macs. Search for Facebook groups.

[BugzyCan]

There are two macs for sale locally, one is an D and the other is an S. Reading about Dagger boards, they do not sound as nice if you hit something as a Centerboard would, but which is better? does the Centerboard setup cause more issues since water gets into the groove more? or are both basically the same difference? It seems hard to find pictures of the centerboard setup in sales ads, but I am going to look at one today.


Thanks for all the information everyone.

[Billnpr]

26sMac is a great boat for your intended use. Easy to trailer and rig. Sleeps 6, 4 adults comfortably.

[Secondshift]

I read somewhere that the D was a little faster. Perhaps on Mac owners forum. We sail many shoal areas and never considered D . For soft bottoms the board rides up quietly. If you smash it into rocks you'll be in for some glasswork.

[Secondshift]

Many replacement parts for these boats are available from Blue Water Yachts. With many older boats parts can be hard to find.

[Glansing]

Do not rule out the Hunter 240 or 260
Loads of room, trailer easy, and easy to set up...even single handed. I trailer my H240 with a Dodge Grand Caravan...V/6!

[BugzyCan]

Every time I look at a Hunter the price is too high. Maybe that is a boat for the second round, after the family falls in love with sailing.

I went to look at a 26M this afternoon. Super nice guy selling it, went over all the details of the boat, and showed me all the extra stuff included, and it is an amazing package, but..

Back at the engine compartment there were two areas where the plastic guards were falling off, and it was wet under. There were stains on the side of the boat, above and below the waterline, and the owner couldn't explain why. Not sure if power washing would remove that, but maybe just paint over it?
The real kicker though, was when I went inside the boat, I could smell there was water someplace, that kind of damp mildew smell you get on cloth when it is wet. It was very strong. The owner lifted up the seat cushions to look inside and there was water pooling in both of them, so water is getting in from the top. Nothing noticeably cracked or damaged though, and we have had a lot of rain lately.. still, makes me think there may be issues under the surface here. The 26D I looked at last weekend did not have any smells like this, but maybe it has been under a tarp, not sure.

Do all Mac's have some leakage from the top in heavy rain?

[rbk]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

Every time I look at a Hunter the price is too high. Maybe that is a boat for the second round, after the family falls in love with sailing.

I went to look at a 26M this afternoon. Super nice guy selling it, went over all the details of the boat, and showed me all the extra stuff included, and it is an amazing package, but..

Back at the engine compartment there were two areas where the plastic guards were falling off, and it was wet under. There were stains on the side of the boat, above and below the waterline, and the owner couldn't explain why. Not sure if power washing would remove that, but maybe just paint over it?
The real kicker though, was when I went inside the boat, I could smell there was water someplace, that kind of damp mildew smell you get on cloth when it is wet. It was very strong. The owner lifted up the seat cushions to look inside and there was water pooling in both of them, so water is getting in from the top. Nothing noticeably cracked or damaged though, and we have had a lot of rain lately.. still, makes me think there may be issues under the surface here. The 26D I looked at last weekend did not have any smells like this, but maybe it has been under a tarp, not sure.

Do all Mac's have some leakage from the top in heavy rain?

No it is not normal. Might need a new rubrail as that seals the hull and deck joint. Easy fix and no coring to worry about. Might be a good bargaining tool if everything else looks good. Could also be the windows or transom drain if it has disconnected, all easy fixes.

[jeepers]

There was a C&C Mega 30 for sale asking $2500 with a cradle. The cradle could have been put onto a flatbed type trailer easy enough. Sold for less than asking. There is currently a C&C Mega 30 for sale with trailer for $7500 ...
You may want to consider a 26 ft Grampian and similar boats after seing this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skiu7eE9rgM

[Glansing]

Hunter 240 will easily sleep 4, and I tow with my Dodhe Grand Caravan with their largest V6. Wanted the H260, but would have had to buy a tow truck and only gained the enclosed head with a little larger storage space.

[Volkeno]

A lot of boats get a lot of condensation during winter, so water inside the boat could easily be that. I had a San Juan 24 that was like a rainforest in the V berth. Air has to circulate and some kind of way to lower the humidity inside the boat will lessen the dripping. It takes a lot of elbow grease to get rid of the mildew smell. I have an Albin 25 now with foam insulation along the hull in the V berth that seems to eliminate a lot of condensation. Plus lots of vents to circulate air.

The daggerboard will sail better than a swing keel. Plus the water here on the west coast is deep. There are rocks, but most of them are marked on charts. As long as you pay attention to where you are you will be ok. I have only run aground a couple times and it's always been in mud or sand and sometimes I was able to get off, while other times I had to wait for the tide to come back in. Centerboards sometimes make noise when at anchor, but you can fix that.
When you are motoring they would both be retracted and your propeller is the lowest point. It's good to carry a spare prop. If you were sailing on the east coast or Bahamas, I might lean more towards the swing keel, but you can retract the daggerboard partially in shallow water too.

McGregor's daughter moved the company to Florida and renamed the boat Tattoo 26, but I don't know if they ever built any, or are still in business. It seems a little crazy to change the name and have to start over with marketing.
I've been fascinated by them since the 90's, but for one reason or another I have not gone past looking at them and motoring around Lake Union and buying other boats.

[BugzyCan]

The owner of the boat says there are no noticeable leaks inside, but he has always had to scoop a cup of water out from under the seats once a month. he thinks it is just condensation, and of course in Summer, when it doesn't rain, there is no water at all.

I was thinking I could run a hose over the top to see if it leaks into the seats inside, that would tell me if it is the rubber bumper that needs replacement. Maybe I can convince the owner to do this for me, but then, could I trust his analysis? Probably better to do it myself.

Another boat showed on craigslist the other day, and pictures of it look good. Trying to see if I can go check it out tomorrow.