Hate it or Love it, MacGregor Sailboats - Episode 116 - Lady K Sailing 

Know it all wanna be sailing snobs set aside. The best selling sailboat of all time did EXACTLY what it was designed to do. It was the perfect weekend family fun boat. I could drive to ANY destination in a few hours and spend the weekend sailing, gunk hole exploring, ocean sailing/fishing and generally having a good time enjoying the new scenery and USING my boat. Instead of sailing for days to get to a location or leaving it tied to a dock because I didn't have time to sail to places I wanted to go. If you like giving your money up for absurdly priced dock rent and the accompanying high dollar maintenance by all means, YOU BE "TRADITIONAL"!!! I enjoyed my boat AND USED IT! When I sold it years later I got nearly what I paid for it and there's a market for it as well. When I was at sea or anywhere and a storm was coming up I could dump the water ballast fire up the engine and do 20mph to a safe place. The mast could be lowered in a minute for intercoastal bridges without waiting for them to open. It sailed as fast as a "traditional" boat of equal size. It had a king size bed plus a v berth and STANDING head room. It weighed 1/3 of a blue water boat of similar size. I didn't buy it to cross oceans!!! It's not nor does it pretend to be a "blue water" boat!!! I've sailed all my life on ocean crossing and small day sailors. I even crewed on a 300 ft 4 masted schooner. I never had a boat that was more fun with the least expense. Don't listen to the sailing boobs that think they should apologize for saying something positive about these boats. There's a reason why it was and is the best selling sailboat of all time. Rodger MacGregor knew what he was doing. Sailing snobs can go pound sand... literally, with their fixed keels. I'd rather be able to glide up to a Sandy beach in as little as 9" of water have a hike, explore, talk to people then be on my way So THINK!!! What do you want from your sailboat.

I been sailing all my life from wind surfing, to Hobie cat, to 25 ft keel sailboat, Mac 26 D for 10 years, Hunter 29.5, Jeanneau 32 and 38, i chartered Cat Leopard 43 a few times and yet; for my retirement, i bought a Macgregor 26M for it s simplicity, versatility and i can operate and affort it, all by myself. I love my Mac 26M

SV Bear Hunt is our 2002 Mac 26X, equipped with an etec 90HP. It's a fantastic boat, in every respect. 25mph top speed, beachable, towable, plenty of room for our family of 5 to boat-camp: we have taken many trips of 5 to 7 days with our three boys. We can take it out of our marina, blast over to a beach 20 miles away towing a wakeboard for part of the way, spend the day there, and be back for supper. Or, we can take a leisurely sail over to the same beach, right under a 38 ft bridge, and spend the weekend anchored in shin deep water. It can do it all. Parts are cheap, it's easy to work on, and perfect for protected waters. Can raise or lower the mast by hand, alone. Floats in 10" of water. Enclosed head, king-size master berth, small v berth, and a dinette that converts to a small double berth. We've weekender with six on board. Fantastic boat.

Inherited a 26M from my Dad. I sail it all summer in the Salish sea and I love it. I've been sailing all my life and the 26M performs just fine. I particularly like the ballast system that lets you fill or jettison weight (ambient water) so she's well weighted when sailing and very lite when trailering. I pull it with a standard F-150.....easy. I can be sailing 30 minutes after I arrive at the ramp and I'm not a fast worker.

Thanks for the video. You’re right about one thing. The macgregor has allowed my family and I to get into sailing and getting on the water is key to keeping the dream alive. If we had to wait years to save for the real boat we really want then the dream would most likely be lost. The Mac 26c we are fixing up is teaching us to sail and all types of boat repair tricks. The best parts is that it’s in the backyard and there are no marina fees . I consider it a practice boat for my the 40 footer I will get one day.

Thanks for the video. For exactly the reasons you mentioned we recently bought an immaculate 1997 26x in the Seattle area. Now, all we have to do is get her home in Alaska. My background is aviation. Until September 2021 my boating background was limited to canoes and sea kayaks. Then, I took a four day sailing class in Seward, AK. What an eye opener. For decades we’ve used aircraft to camp and to tour the US and Canada. With an aircraft one is limited to tents and sleeping bags on the ground. I’m 62, my wife is 56, and we’re reaching an age where we’d prefer not to sleep on the ground. We were considering the purchase of a camp trailer, but a camping trip this summer at a local campground changed our minds. Our adjacent “campmates” were of the loud, drunken, and obnoxious type. We began to realize there had to be a better way, so we began researching sailboats. Our research consistently pointed us toward the MacGregors as a candidate for our needs. When we traveled to Seattle to inspect the boat we eventually bought we were chatting with the adjacent boat’s owner. The adjacent owner told us; “The MacGregor isn’t a sailboat. It isn’t a powerboat. It’s a cabin that floats.” This is precisely what we were looking for.

I have a MacGregor 26x. It sails like a bathtub, but I've lived in Georgia, Minnesota, Florida and Texas. It's come with me the whole way. I've sailed it in the Gulf, to the Dry Tortugas, the Atlantic, Lake Superior, and a number of smaller lakes. If I would of had a keel boat, it would have had to been sold 10 years ago. It's not a great boat, but it's done well for me.

Great video. Most people are quick to come to conclusions and do not have an open mind. I appreciate that you kept a very open mind, and made the effort to research the boat. I agree with your conclusions. Any boat that keeps sailing alive and thriving is good for our community. For the past 5 years, I have been sailing a Hunter 27 Edge. Hunter Marine's clone of the MacGregor 26, with planing hull, water ballast, swing keel and retractable rudder. It came with a Evinrude 75 hp. When it was time to replace it, I downsized to a Suzuki 20 hp 4 stroke. After several years of ownership, and many many sailing vacations on the boat, I discovered that I thoroughly enjoy sailing this boat, and no longer needed the larger motor to plane.

I have a 1989 26D, it's considered one of the classic MacGregor sailing boats. It's a great little boat. I've sailed it in lakes, Mission Bay and San Diego Bay. I've had so many good times on this boat. Don't hesitate on getting one, you'll love it.

OK 12 months on from watching this video and being inspired to buy a Macgregor 26X. You are 100% correct its not good at either sailing or power boating. But does both safely. Yes it's alot more competent than other sailors think. Easy to rig and use so much so we have gone many places most sailor's wouldn't.

"Any port in a storm." These and other Macgregor boats put lots of people on the water. Now a new generation of inflation fighters are restoring and sailing them. I'm all for it.

MacGregor 26, sometimes known as a Waterbago. I have a 26M with a 90 hp Etec. The only time the sails have been up is when the dealer showed me how to raise them. When my kids found out it would pull a tube, there was no need for sails. Kids are grown now, so I'm thinking about learning how to sail. Thanks for taking the time to understand the versatility of this boat.

I'd like to see more reviews of trailer sailer/pocket cruiser type boats. They're practical for a lot of newbies. I'd also would like to see an in-depth review of the Dragonfly line of trimarans.

A friend of mine has a MacGregor 26X. If I can ever find an X or M at a reasonable price, I would love to sell my center console boston whaler, and my bowrider, and get a 26X, or 26M. I've gone to some MacGregor owners meet ups with him and have seen just how much potential these boats actually have if you are willing to do some modifications. I have seen many of fhemr that have had upgrades done to make them every bit as comfortable and useful as any other 26'-30' live aboard cruisers. I saw 1 set up to be completely on the hook self sufficient and the owner lived on it full time. He had converted the head into a wet head with shower with a pan glued into the bilge with a water pump, and spent some big money adding an incinerator toilet. Many others had composting toilets, or even added a full head with macerator and pumpable/dumpable holding tank. His sliding cabinet was converted to have a combo microwave/convection/toaster oven, and it had a lp cooktop and 2 convection cook tops. He had air conditioning and both electric and lp gas heat. Lithium iron phosphate battery bank with Solar, Wind, and a dual fuel gas/liquid propane generator. The way the swing board attached to the hull was reinforced, the cable for raising and lowering upgraded, and had been filled with Bismuth to improve the ballast, and he indicated it greatly improved the sailing characteristics of the boat. Multiple pullies were added topside to increase mechanical advantage, to allow him to still be raise the swing keel by hand when necessary. He added water and holding tanks and weight to the bow and forward of centerline to both offset the heavier motor, and larger fuel tankage added to the cockpit area. Hydraulic trim tabs had been installed. Some transom reinforcement had been done prior to him buying the boat, and he added to it when He had an Evinrude etec 130 installed to replace the 70hp Suzuki it had come to him with. He said the 70 was more than enough to get the boat up in plane, and cruise around 20mph, and hit 26mph at wot with just him onboard, and his holding tanks empty. The 130hp was done for faster planing, tubing/skiing. He said a nice unexpected side effect of the larger motor was decreased throttle needed to maintain minimum plane speed and cruise speed actually increased his fuel economy over the 70hp. It has been all over the caribbean, and as far away as Rio De Janeiro and Buenos Aires. I'm not ready to completely give up on having a boat to get out to fishing spots quickly and back, or take my nieces and nephews out on the tube or skis, but I would like to start sailing, and getting experience for my dream of selling my home and like you on Lady K, traveling by sailboat in about 7-10 years. The comfort of heading out from the Florida Gulf coast to the Middle Grounds and spending a couple days there camping overnight and fishing on the 26x or 26m, or going down the the keys or hopping over to the Bahamas and other Islands from Florida for a week or so and having a nice comfy boat to anchor or moor out on to avoid crazy hotel prices, wold make the MacGregor the ideal boat for me that would let me have 1 that does everything I want. I am already over the whole Idea of maintaining 2 separate boats with having owned a designated fishing boat, and pleasure boat. A cruising sailboat with marina costs, and a center console fishing boat sounds even less appealing. What's kept me from getting 1 is the simple fact that most MacGregor Owners seem to love their boats so much when they do come up for sale they are expensive compared to a non planing sailboat of a similar size, and not very flexible on their asking prices.

When I was a kid the MacGregor 65 was my dream boat ( I remember it as a '62 for some reason) and my dad used to tow his MacGregor 25 with a VW rabbit! lol. Nice presentation, thanks.

Best trailer sailor due to the water ballast. I owned a MacGregor 26s (full displacement) for 5 years and sailed it around lake Simcoe and lake ontario. Loved going camping with it.

All things considered, unless you’re sailing across the ocean, and are a weekend sailer, the 26x is an awesome hybrid which bridges the sailing and power boating worlds in an affordable way. I have a 1988 Mac 26D, and my next boat will the the 26X.

I have a Mac 26X. Have owned 3 Macs and 3 Catalinas. These are value boats that were well thought out. I have a 115 HP Merc on the back of my 26X and it will do an honest 30 MPH. The planing hull sails well down wind and up wind, you let it heel over to put less hull in the water. The light weight makes it really go and I find myself passing 30+ footers with ease, especially in light air. I bought it for its flexibility. From my home in PA I can trailer it to Florida and be in the Bahamas in a couple of days. Would take a week or more to do this down the ICW from the Chesapeake. Retract the keel and you can run it right up on the beach. My "large" displacement boat is a Catalina 30 and this too is a great boat. Wide and comfy, it sails well once you learn to trim the sails. It makes a great weekender for 4-6 people and for a couple, you can sail the Caribbean. Both boats used can be had for about $10K a piece.

My "other boat" is a MacGregor 26-x, the best sailing trailer boat Roger MacGregor ever made. I got it because of its superpowers. It takes me four days to cruise from my home in Merritt Island to the keys but I can trailer the MacGregor there in an afternoon. A bridge near my house will not open from 3 to 6 PM and while other sailboats anchored up to wait, I lowered my mast and drove under. There is a low, fixed bridge going to my dock which it can also get under. I got the boat mainly so I could trailer it to the keys on a whim if weather was nice during winter because the big boat goes in the water in spring and comes out when the hurricanes start. So no boating til spring unless its the MacGregor. The other reason for the boat is Andros Island, Bahamas. More specifically, Fresh Creek and blue holes national park. There is a seven foot bridge and the MacGregor can fit under with the mast lowered while my other boat won't fit. There is no reason to climb the mast because you can easily lower it to fix anything at the top. The 26-x does not need autopilot. You tie off the steering wheel and adjust the boats course with the swing keel. Slightly raising the keel moves some of the keel toward the stern, causing the boat to turn a bit off the wind. Lowering the keel aims the boat a bit more upwind. Once you adjust the sail, wheel and keel, the boat will keep the same angle to the wind all day without me ever touching any controls. Being able to use that big motor to speed away from weather or cross the gulfstream faster is also a big plus. The cabin is big enough for seasonal cruising if I want to do that (for example, spending a few weeks at Fresh Creek). Its not the best blue water boat, not even close, but it can handle some surprisingly rough seas and wind. If this was going to be your house full time, its a bit small, but at least as nice as most tiny houses I've seen. Honestly, for a full time live aboard, I'd be looking for the biggest floating thing I could afford instead of the tiny MacGregors. For your first boat, a Mac Gregor is awesome! My first and second boats were the old Macgregor 25's because I could afford to buy one. My wife and I looked all over before buying our first boat. We wanted a big enough cabin to live in the boat for the summer. The 1981 Mac-25 was by far the biggest cabin in any boat we could buy for $1,000. The boat came with a trailer, sails, and a 9.9 outboard. I put in a little fridge and a microwave, and we were off. The $900 luxury yacht was a 1975 MacGregor 25, and I loved it. I really wish I hadn't sold it. I got a great deal on the 26 when someone offered to trade it for some stuff I hadn't used in years. I'd sell it for $20,000, but am in no hurry to do so. I love that it can be taken to the keys in one afternoon. It gives me a lot of capability the larger boat just doesn't have.

One of the fastest sailboats in the world!

You're awesome dude. Yeah, what's the problem? I was searching for one of these when I was getting into sailing for the exact same reasons you mentioned. I went as far as meeting Laura MacGregor in Stuart, FL in 2014 to buy a new 26X model, but she had stopped production to regroup. Then I changed my mind when I decided to go offshore, though people have taken them to the Bahamas, under sail! The company built Mrs. MacGregor a 70.ft sailboat to boot. Like you say, if this boats brings more people into sailing, hellooo! What's the problem?

A sailing club I belonged to had one and it was a favorite. Small, simple, cheap, and easy to use for a few hours to a weekend cruise. It fit that purpose well and it was also a great intro to sailing boat. Not everyone wants a bigger boat and the life that comes with it.

i have a mac 26d. i dreamed of a mac 26x or m but im sooo happy i got the d. for those who dont know, there are basically two kinds of macgregors; the early 26d's and c's which are no compromises sailing boats and the newer x's and m's which are hybrid power/sail boats. all are easily trailerable, have water ballasts, and can be parked in a yard. my boat sails extremely well and i love it. it cost me 5k (in hawaii so its a different market) and i put another 7k into it doing a complete (stripped the hull, recoated, new rigging, etc.) rebuild in my front yard. its a hassle to set up the mast but takes only a half hour once you get used to it. it does 6 knots flat out with our little propane 9.9 and 7.2 knots with the gennie and main and some nice breezes, though its far comfier at 5 with just the genny up. i did rebuild the rudder and centerboard to better foil shapes... the stock stuff knocks off a knot. there is a lack of slip space here in hawaii (ironic i know but our government is kind of 3rd world) so though i can easily afford a 30-40 production boat i cant realistically store it except for a mooring.

That last point is so essential. It seems like there are a lot of people in the sailing community who just love to talk about how awful someone else's boat decision was, when at the end of the day, it only affects them, and if that's what it takes to get them out there, then it was the right decision.

My first sailboat was a MacGregor 25’. I sailed it out of all the harbors in So California. I moved up to a 25’ Catalina and I now have a wonderful Columbia 8.7 which is a very capable coastal cruiser. Thank you Roger MacGregor without you I may never have ventured in to sailing.

26m. Perfect boat for puget sound! Take it to lakes all over the northwest. Can trailer up close to San Juan’s and see a lot in a short while. Great for small family of aspiring sailors. It does not point well, slips/leeway, and even with 70hp it will not do 20mph. With fam and food and bedding and mast!!😊…More like 15 and gets about .5mpg at that speed!! Still love it!! Amazing little boat!

Thanks Tim, I asked you to do a break down on the boat, and you did a great job of showing the boat, and explained everything about it. Thanks again.

Tim I own a MacGregor 26S and I absolutely love it. I bought it new in Vancouver Canada and have sailed it on a dozen different lakes from British Columbia to Ontario over a 25 year period. At the moment it is in Bayfield on Lake Huron. When you have a few hours I can tell you all the great things about this boat and of the hundreds of fantastic adventures I have had on it:)

As some one who has no sailing experience but is working towards paying off his bills in order to buy a boat , the Macgregor 26m is at the top of my list for starting out with for all the reasons you mentioned but you missed one thing it doesn't sink .

I have a MacGregor neighbor! They've been fixing it up but this is cool to know the history of it now!

We bought our Mac for exactly those reasons this year with no sailing experience. And our son wanted to wakeboard. Not great for wakeboard but we had 30 great days on it this summer/fall at long point. Beaching the boat is the best feature. Hardly used the 50 hp except when planing to marina at 10pm to get to work the next day. Bigger fixed keel sail boat is absolutely in our future!

I have an old Venture 222 ('78 if memory serves). Got it for free in decent condition because the owner wanted the trailer for another boat. Far from roomy but it's light and fast and easy to sail. I think a decent first-timer if in good condition

The MacGregor 26x is a real head turner for me. I'm interested in sailing, but I live a half hour from one lake and an hour and a half from a big one. I like the trailer ability and the motor power is a huge plus for me as well. I don't care if its not the ideal sailboat or the ideal motor boat. It's versatility and modest cabin make it perfect for my needs. I don't have to be the fastest or the roughest anything. I just want a little sun and weekend getaway.

We have a MacGregor 26M, and love it.

When you're based on the Northern Chesapeake there's a lot of shallow water that other boats can't go near.

Really loving these history lessons! A lot of good info for us couch captains still stuck in the dream stage. I also appreciate your ability to keep it unbiased and factual in addition to fun.

Will you be going over O'Day? The first boat I sailed on was my dad's first boat. He had an O'Day 22. That is a trailer boat like the MacGregor but more along the lines of a Catalina 22. And they had one of the most popular day sailor one design racing classes in the world with the O'Day Daysailer. Just a suggestion for a future episode. :) Love these. Keep them coming please.

I have a classic 26S and will probably not go with the 26X for a few reasons. A now important one is the cost of fuel when you do rivers and canals. A big 60HP is not made to be efficient at slow speeds while my Yamaha 9.9 gave me 14L per 100km of travel up and down the Richelieu river this summer. Also the 26X is 750 pounds heavier at 2450 pounds , again more fuel cost while towing and harder on the vehicle. The 26x does have more headroom and a nicer table layout, but the 26s has a huge rear lazarette to put two diving gears in with room to spare. And if my 9.9 breaks I can swap for my dinghy 2.5 in a matter of minutes and get out of harms way. Also replacing or maintaining a small outboard is not very expensive while the bigger ones can become quite an investment. I do enjoy the simple sailing it offers me and was able to be out in the Thousand Islands and the bay of Gaspé in the same summer. And for both models the mast is not very tall and get you under bridges others can't. Still you can lower the mast if needed by hand.

I am on the Indian River Lagoon system in central Florida and a shallow draft weekender is appealing to me. Plus I like the idea of a trailerable boat to avoid dock fees. There seems to be alot going for a Mcgregor style boat. Who cares if it is not a true sailboat. It looks like a fun weekender type boat ideal for shallow water.

Very well done, n true. I bought a 21 Venture new in 1977. Love it . Great on the lake . Since then I have sailed n owned many sailboats. My dreams came true n that’s what we want n need.

I actually wrote an article about that type of boat, which had a preliminary drawing of an open boat of that type. I tried to explain all the benefits and drawbacks of this boat type, which I call a "fisfow". The problem with most sailboats is they don't go very fast. Hull-speed for most is a brisk walking speed or maybe a slow jogging speed. In return for this slow speed, we get excellent range and great carrying capacity. But to get anywhere requires a great deal of time. And most people simply don't have that. This is why I can go to marinas, in the upper-midwest, where I live, and see not a single sailboat. A "fisfow", though not as fast as a planing powerboat, is almost twice as fast, under power, as a conventional sailboat under power. Great. But there is a catch. The immersed transom, needed to get the semi-planing speeds, proves to be a real drag under sail. So the sailing performance suffers. My article discussed two partial solutions to this problem. One was used by MacGregor. Their approach reduced the amount of immersed transom by changing the fore and aft trim by placement of the water-ballast tanks.

I like the 26: I have been riding a motorcycle for almost 50 years and like most I started on a Briggs Stratton 5hp mini-bike, I see very little difference here except I do not fit on a mini-bike and I can see a seasoned sailor still enjoying the 26. Enjoyed the show...

I bought one 30 years ago and only used it offshore as we do not have any lakes it was great in regattas

We had an 26X when we lived in British Colombia and it was the ideal boat for living and boating on a fiord when the wind spends most of its time blowing inland. We could sail for hours and then fire up the engine and be home in minutes. The is no question that it was a great sailing boat, but we spent many nights and weekends on her and would not have had a much fun had we been on a standard boat. They are thin and sweat a lot but they haul easily and can be put in just about anywhere. Since we had our X which be bought used and sold in a matter of days we have had a 26 Tanzer, two 30' Hunters and a 22' Eden back here on the Bay of Fundy. I not so sure I would want a MacGregor here but she was new perfect in BC.

We live in Alberta Canada. we bought our Mac new in 1998 from Gerry Berg in Vancouver , we had very little experience but the Mac met our criteria , we had an older 20' I /O AND A LASER .. but it was hassle to "camp Out " so when we discovered the Mac 26 we went for it , it is so forgiving especially with the 50 Honda ..we hauled that boat all over and sailed fish and camped out from Vancouver island to Ontario Great lakes and most every pot hole in between .. We still have and use it , but 5 years ago we bought a Catalina 380 and are having a hard time parting with our little Mac,,

Before MacGregor made the planing hull sailboats, they made a lot of traditional displacement hull boats -- some with cast-iron swing keels and others with water ballast and centerboards. We've had a '94 26S for a long time. We haven't had a chance to use it too much in recent years, but it costs essentially nothing sitting up at the cottage on the trailer. In the past when our kids were still at home, we used it a lot in northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron (including multiple vacations in the spectacular North Channel). It can handle some pretty rough open waters, but was also great for tucking into little bays we could have to ourselves. We'd pull up the centerboard and rudder, drop the anchor, take a stern line to shore and have in such shallow water that we could just wade back and forth to the beach without needing to use the dingy (sometimes we had to shift it a bit forward so the swim ladder didn't hit the bottom). We towed it for years with a minivan, and it fit all four of us plus our Chesapeake Bay retriever. The interior is far from luxurious, but we're also campers, so it was fine. Topsides, it's quite roomy, with a nice sized cockpit and plenty of lounging space on the bow for kids and a dog. It's not too slow of a sailor, either -- faster than any of the shorter cruising boats anyway. TBH, it really isn't much slower than the much larger charter boats we've sailed on bareboat vacations in the Caribbean. It was even fast enough under power (about 7 kts max) for it to be fun to tow the kids in a tube on a hot, windless day.

"Why start small?" - what my wife said to me on our honeymoon ;) The big argument re: Macgregors is - white hull vs. blue hull :) It's a great family activity boat, very flexible. Sail, power, tow tubes, 20 inch draft is great for beaches, AND an enclosed head, etc.- not for blue water. ;) Macgregor 25 was "sailboat of the Year" in 1975 ;)

The 26 s is the right boat if you mainly want a trailerable sailboat that you can pull behind you or cruise. It is a sailboat. When you go to the newer models m x etc. Then you get into the not great either but can do both. I think MG should have never stopped making the 26s . They should have just added the hybrid model.

Job well done on explaining the different hull type. Great information!

There is a reason these are still popular long after they ceased production. Even 20 year old models are holding their value. This tells me that they have a 'place' out there on the water even if the sailing purists don't like them. For me, I agree with you that they are a great entry point for people who want to get into sailing without a huge commitment. Once they get the boating bug, they can easily re-sell the Mac, and buy another sailboat if they want and move into a marina. Many don't. They simply keep their Macs for years because they do such a good job.

Thanks for an honest, fair review which the Mac doesn't often get. I own a 1999 26x and plan to sail it in the keys and Bahamas during retirement... I might do the Great Loop as well and the one thing you forgot to mention is, the mast can be lowered easily for canal, lock and bridge transit where heights are limiting.... Thanks again for a fair assessment.

Could never replace my MAC 26M. I also have a O'day 27. I love them both but the versatility of the MAC enables me to travel to new places which is awesome.

My Da had a MacGregor. Boat was a blast to power and sail.

Im going to sail a MacGregor Seattle to Hawaii someday just to spite everyone.

Great review and thank you for making this one as well as all of post! Such a great channel to learn and grow into sailing with! Thank you so much for all you do!

Ha ha, I now know what’s up with the “unusual” little sailboat is that is on a swing mooring near mine. My wife and I refer to it as the “James Bond boat” (Bond circa 1980 ;). It swings around so much and so fast on its mooring with every little puff of wind that it puts the rest of the boats to shame lol.

thanks for doing this video as I am looking at getting one of thies as a "First Sail" boat. Never had sails before and was looking at this as a RV boat weekender kinda thing.

Here's a situation to ponder: Nearing retirement but wife is afraid to be out of site of land but loves RVing and does enjoy boating. The M26 can sail. I love to sail. Drive around to lakes and go sailing and exploring regardless of wind.

I love this aspect of your channel. Im a bit of a details nut, so this makes me happy. Keep up the great work.

I have sailed all over the Great Lakes on my 26m. It was my first sailboat and although I am rapidly outgrowing it, it’s tough to make the jump to huge slip and storage fees for only better sailing and a lot worse motoring.

I have an 18" draft traditional sail boat with a light center board and full stub keel. 5 kts hull speed. Sometimes i just want to get to the sandbar before the powerboats grab all the good spots. Then sail home. This seems perfect.

I’ve seen 2 M65’s - one at my home marina. It’s a strange boat...65’ LOA, yet the beam is LESS than 12’! Looks like a greyhound. They do stand out from the crowd!

Wow, a yacht that could plain. Who would have thought that possible. Great video

Thanks for doing this video on Macgregor. I have a 26x and had to defend it very often from sailing snobs. I think the fact that I can afford this boat and have sailed it for many years, have adapted it the way I like and can maintain it myself is enough. They should not criticize keeping it simple.

when you state that the 26 S and M models were the reason people scuffed at MacGregor, it started decades before production of that model line. the problem was that you could get one of the other local sailboats with much higher build quality. In the boat yards across the street and in the local area there were such brands as Islander, Ericson ,Jenson, and Cal's being built along with dozens more. Costa Mesa was a hotbed for the Marine industry from the 60's to the 90's. the MacGregors were a much lighter and not so robust boat built in an area with plenty of bays and harbors. what people missed was that the boats MacGregor was building were not for the same type of sailor but more of an entry level boat that toy could take with you . But I can say after sailing a ew of the older 22' and 26 footers in the D, and X series they are a lot of fun to sail and much better than the other brands in light air that are unfortunately maligned since they are not built with the same purpose in mind and still are fun to sail .

My friend had one, and we'd sail together on the Chesapeake. He loved it, and his wife appreciated it's roomy accommodations. I had many a good barbecue on it, when we rafted up. But sailing, it couldn't keep pace with my little O'day 22. About once an hour I'd look back to see him starting that big ol' outboard, then he'd run it to catch up with me, then slowly fall behind again. My impression was that it was a bit complicated for my tastes, with a big motor (probably worth more than my whole boat) and plastic kick-up water ballasting rudders, etc, but that if you were ok with a lot of motoring and whatever costs and maintenance that entails, it was a fine little hybrid couples/family boat with a lot of room for its size.

I have a '75 MacGregor 22. You are spot on for why I purchased it. I live near a large lake, but don't want to pay $3500/season slip fee. I can store it at my house, use it on the weekends, and it has been easy to learn on. To me, this is the best solution for someone who doesn't live near an ocean and someone who wants to get into the hobby without spending a fortune every year on maintenance. I think the storage is the key part because you have less maintenance as it is out of the water most of the time and can be stored indoors out of the elements when not in use. Also, if you don't live near an ocean, you can trailer your boat to different lakes/states to enjoy other areas. (Can even use as a camper too!) It is so flexible! The more people out sailing the better!

I like my older "Classic" model MacGregor. The first ones don't have the powerboat hull, they're a real sailboat, albeit still water ballasted.

I like how u broke down the wind to keel issue! Great episode!

This is so funny because I actually going to ask you to do one on Macgregor. I do own a Macgregor 25 and love it. Proud trailer sailor

I had a 26D for 10 years. It was a great boat. Not made too well and a bit flimsy but we went many places to sail and holiday and have good memories.

I feel the same way. 36 Macgregor was my first sailing dream boat. I just had thru-hiked the A.T. and was used to “roughing it”. Never did find one...

I’ve never sailed a McGregor, and I’ve heard stories of how flexible the deck is underfoot, but I also can’t recall ever hearing of one failing significantly. Every boat is a compromise of one sort or another. My one complaint is that they still sell for a relatively higher price on the used market. They definitely fill a need. I didn’t know they were now sold as Tattoo yachts. I thought mr. McGregor’s son had inherited the molds and tried to make them in Florida. I heard he failed to make a go of it. Good to hear his daughter is doing it. Any boat manufacturer that pumps out what, 36,000 hulls, must be doing something right! Glad you covered this one

65 was/is a fast boat. Won a lot competitions right out the gate. Many thought it too light and too "plasticky" and prone to unwanted flexing.

Your new intros are very well done. Creative and generate great hooks to keep your viewers engaged.

One of the guys at the rod and gun club has a McGregor 24. With the wide beam and pop top it's roomy enough for fishing and hanging out. We turned it into a ratchet riverboat casino when we had poker night.

I had one it sailed like crap, did not motor well, but to your point it was fun, and I went out almost every day

I loved my Mac 21, hull #180. Totally upgraded with all the bells.

Great piece, thanks. Every endeavour in life has it's share of snobs, people who need to show their perceived superiority by any means; I have a sail on my kayak, it's my freaking yacht.

U got it exactly right! Owned a 26x for 10 years. Water tanks for a keel make it very tender then it firms up nicely at 20-30 degrees. Doesn't motor as good as a power boat but gets u home reasonably quick. So now retired and looking for something more traditional.

The utility aspects of this boat are amazing. Ant type of hybrid is a compromise. but this boat absolutely shines in its ability to be both a sailboat you can get into the shoals with and as a powerboat you can cover a lot of water with. It can pull a skier, it is not a bad fishing boat AND be put it on trailer that can be launched and taken out by one person. I know of no other boat that can do all this.

Great episode, I thought the same when I first researched the brand. I decided on an O'Day 23-2, and I can't wait till you do O'day

thanks for the video! Looking at a MacGregor 19 as an intro to sailing....this might be the one for me!

I am enjoying learning about the different manufacturers of sailboats and their histories. I have a S2 9.2C and am looking for an S2 11.0C. I would enjoy seeing you do an episode on S2.

I have a 26M and love it! Now have a 78 C&C 34 love it more much nicer boat for Huron. We kept the 26M in a slip because the activation cost of launching and getting mast up esp on a hot day would wipe me out. It is a great little sailboat! Will always love the Mac. Thanks for making this episode we got the Mac to dip our toes in sailing with out breaking the bank now going a little further with the 34 also enjoyed your C&C episode I have C&C fever bad Cheers.........Jim

We had one at our club and it was a great boat to sail. The water ballast is a great feature and makes it really light to tow. But I'll argue that, though you can tow it, it's a little misleading to say you can trailer it home at the end of the day. In order to trailer it, you have to take the mast down and put it back up which takes time and man power. It's probably more practical to leave it on a trailer in the marina with the mast up and only plan on towing it home at the end of the season or to take it on a trip somewhere. Sirius and Sirens are the same. We used our Siren twice as much when had it in the water.

MacGregors are always criticized because they are not heavy displacement keelboats. They serve a totally different purpose and that is a simple, beautiful day sailor made available to the public . There is a market for this and racers and keelboat owners will not understand. One major complement to the designer Roger MacGregor should be made here; they are the only North American sailboat manufacturer that did not declare bankruptcy or even slow production in all the years that Catalina and Hunter and Laser etc closed. First one boat a day and then 2 boats a day, year in and year out, and they had waiting lists for new boats every year. Roger really found a nitch and filled it well. He only closed the CA factory and moved it to FL because of CA EPA type demands on the color of gel coat he could turn out that was opposite the color of his orders. Just another company that California drove away. MacGregors are still in demand.

I have a friend who, when his wife passed away, sold his business to live-a-board full time. He went through several boats, from an larger Island Packet to a retired tugboat. Eventually, he traded everything in for a Mac. He lives on it full time and has sailed it from Alaska to Mexico, Hudson Bay to BVI and Rio Grande, TX/MX, the entire length of the Mississippi River and most every lake between. When he is driving cross country, it becomes his camper on the hard. Say whatever you will about the Mac; he is cruising and you are just watching videos.

“Barefoot Sailing Adventures” travel all over Florida with a Macgregor and stay in it months on end. It’s shallow draft is priceless in Florida waters.

I use to deliver the Resins for MacGregor. Twice a week i'd go to the factory. I use to love going there and ask questions. I was from South Central L.A, never had any knowledge of sailing, just wasn't an activity you do if from the inner city. I would also deliver some materials to other Marine Dealers, Repair facilities etc. Costa Mesa is adjacent to Newport Beach, Ca. with a large private yacht harbor. The Elite Snob Factor regarding the Disdain for McGregor was VERY HIGH. Of course me coming from where I did, I always had a real soft spot for the MacGregors. lol I would have bought one but getting into Sailing, the cost, Time, etc was more than I could handle. I would have had to live on the boat. lol I think the daughter had her company, factory out of florida, could be wrong I was sad to hear the Original factory closed down years ago. Due to retirement, not Demand i understand. Well, Time moves on as they say.

Thanks to all the supporters from someone that can't afford it.

Hope to see a session on Canada's Ontario Yachts. Best boat I owned over 60 years of sailing was a Viking 34. From the Mac to cruising the North Channel, simply the best. I'm sure you know the range of boats that came out from Oakville builder Dirk Kneulman.

I agree with you, if it brings people into sailing it is awesome...It just isn't for me - but I am not the market this boat is targeting. Thank you for another thoughtful discussion 😊👍

This was the best one so far. Thanks Donnie

I own a Santana 2023c, Very similar in concept to some of the older macs. But if i had a choice i would have loved to get my hands on a 26x. On my first sail i learnt fast that a swinging keel is very forgiving when sandbars and surprise shallows are in your path. Which is common in our local fresh water lakes & rivers

My company rents one of roger McGregor shops that he use finish the boats next to his office. Everyday i see him in his new corvette or bens. Hes a smart man

My second sailboat was a MacGregor Venture of Newport 23. I should have known better. A beautiful boat with the sailing characteristics of a Clorox bottle. Still, she was an eye turner while on a mooring.

Who wants to leave their boat in the driveway, im sure the neighbors would love that.

Can you do a special on a Sabre 34 centerboard keel boat for cruising? We are retired now and want to cruise. We live in NY on Long Island 's South Shore. The Sabre (above) we just purchased is in VA, so we will be bringing her up this spring. I'm a little nervous about the ocean crossing part from Cape May to Fire Island inlet . Your video adventures have been very helpful! Thanks for all your info and best wishes this holiday season. Susan

Back in the Mid 80's I went on the 65 at the Newport boats show but never sailed it. As I recall it wasn't that expensive.