Bluewater MacGregor ?

[Trim50]

John, Anne was by here a while ago looking for you.

[John Galt]

I guess I'm not as old as I thought...What is a 'G.I. Belt????

[gonesail]

buy an old cape dory 25 or 26 full keel and fix her up. this would do a lot better in the blue water. the CD has good headroom and a lot more room to put food and water. if you can afford it go for a CD 28.

[Bay Sailor]

I don't know about blue water conditions with a Mac 25 and a 5 hp (a bit scary really). But sailing my 25 on San Francisco Bay in light wind I found my (beefy) 4 hp was a little too weak to overcome even tide currents in many areas of the Bay so I switched to a 9.9 and have had no problem since.

[Mark1977]

Macgregor and blue water should never be put in the same sentence.

[Pete7]

Hmm, an old thread, but Bay Sailor welcome to CF

Pete

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Hmm, an old thread, but Bay Sailor welcome to CF Pete

Good point. The question was asked 4 years ago. My 2 cents is only worth a penny by now. A similar question appeared on Sailnet about the same time frame.

I hate the term "starter" boat proffered by brokers. One person's starter boat is another's world cruiser but all of the trailer sailer type boats are so lightly built ... the fact that the question was asked at all suggests a skipper not ready for more than a daysail.

Welcome Bay Sailer. As you've doubtless learned by now, even with that 9.9, it's tough to keep the prop in the water when it gets rough.

[Bay Sailor]

...Indeed, and I learned the hard way to - check weather forecasts always! I guess my reply was more to the point of hp and Mac 25's. I'd say the more the better in any condition i.e. calm to gail. The Mac tends to have a lot of leeway heading up and many times I've needed to motor just to get back on course.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

Macgregor and blue water should never be put in the same sentence.

I second that!!

[Capt.Don]

Wasn't it a Macgregor 26 that capsized a couple of month's back in San Diego, killing the father and son?

[Sabbatical II]

McGregor's must have a magnificent marketing department. I am amazed at how many people buy them believing they are the complete boat, the best of both worlds. You don't have to buy new. There are many used ones for sale here in Australia where the owners have found that they don't do anything well.

It is possible to set out on a blue water voyage on a wide range of vessels. I am more interested in the vessels ability to return.

Greg

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Capt.Don

Wasn't it a Macgregor 26 that capsized a couple of month's back in San Diego, killing the father and son?

yep. but there was, admittedly a gross amount of user error in that instance. The ballast tanks were left un-filled and apparently the dagger board was not lowered either. The decks were over full with passengers.

So not NECESSARILY a fair comparison...

[senormechanico]

MacGregor is to Bluewater as Government is to Efficiency.

[Capt.Don]

Originally Posted by sarafina

So not NECESSARILY a fair comparison...

Fair enough; I wouldn't want to take one even out of San Diego Bay or a protected marina, let alone San Francisco Bay or offshore....... I keep thinking about 10' waves taken on the beam and the likelihood of capsize. Not something I'd want to experience.

[clockwork orange]

One thing all the Macgregors (i think) have going for them that everybody seems to forget (or deliberatly ignore) is genuine unsinkability,this does not make them bluewater boats anymore than a full keel does but at least they wont sink from under you.
Steve.