Macgregor 26M (2007) registered until Jan 2020. This is a power trailer-sailor, stored on its trailer, undercover for the last 6 years. The boat is in great, used condition with many extras. We have had many amazing family holidays on our Mac and this is a regrettable sale due to illness. In March of 2003, MacGregor introduced the MacGregor 26M, to replace the 26X that had been in production for 7 years. Approximately 5000 of the X had been produced before being replaced by the M. The new boat is substantially different from the old. The following is a summary of the changes. PRICE We have raised Continue reading 'MacGregor 26M vs 26X'.
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Macgregor 26 Boats For Sale
Go Back to Reviews Boat Review Date: June 2010
Author: Mike Brown
Overview
Author: Mike Brown
Overview
Here is one trailable sailing boat whose most distinctive attraction is not its ability to sail. Instead it is its great ability as a fast power cruiser. That it sails well too and has a mass of clever features seems almost like a bonus.
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Unlike the vast majority of US imports, the MacGregor 26 with its 2.34m beam is also trailable without restrictions, and its trailing weight of 1400kg (plus motor) makes it an easy pull. Its accommodation is so spacious and well laid-out that it would make a very acceptable caravan. The idea of touring Australia with free accommodation and the ability to cruise anywhere there is enough water is very attractive. A price of $45,000, again plus outboard motor, is attractive too.
The point of the plus-motor reservation is that the power range of this boat is from 5 to 60hp, or nothing at all of course. Five will give the sort of performance usually acceptable in an auxiliary, and 60 is good for 22 knots. For a long weekend at Rottnest you might decide to leave the mast at home and be a powerboat. Or when the wind fails you, you do not have to go home at idling speed.
The trick to this is a hull shape suited to planing, coupled with low weight. To get the necessary weight in the right place for sailing, the MacGregor relies on water ballast, 520kg of it, to add to the 136kg of permanent ballast. The water is taken on by opening a transom valve, and drained either by getting over eight knots under power or when back on the trailer.
The weight is of course entirely within the hull so the righting moment is not as great as a ballast keel would give, but seat of the pants on review day said stiffness was acceptable. Keel area is given by a daggerboard that increases draught from 0.3m to 1.75m.
Rigging proved to be a one-man job. A hand winch is provided for raising the mast, but there is so little weight involved it is not vital. Forestay and two pairs of shrouds, one on swept-back spreaders, support the mast without the help of a backstay. It is a rotating mast, giving better airflow to the mainsail.
The sail area, main and genoa, is 37sqm, which is pretty effective on this light boat. We had only around 7 to10 knots of wind, yet saw a best boat speed of five knots. On the wind speed dropped of course, but the MacGregor showed itself to be closer winded than I expected.
Steering is by wheel – inevitable when it needs to control both a pair of kick-up rudders and the motor. When sailing, the motor disconnects from the steering and locks amidships with a very quick and neat gadget. The wheel, mounted on a pedestal carrying the electronics, is powerboat sized but required very little effort in sailing mode.
All the control lines lead back to the cockpit where a pair of winches is mounted. There is nothing complicated about the layout, and a converting power boatie would soon get the hang of things. There is no doubt that the big market for this boat lies more with him than with the traditional sailors.
Below the boat seems huge. All but a few inches of its length is devoted to living space and, with the absence of side decks, the same applies to the beam. A toilet lives between two partial bulkheads, but otherwise it is all open space. A mirror covering most of one bulkhead makes the space visually larger.
There are permanent double beds at each end and two part time singles amidships. At other times they are a dinette and a couch. An ingenious sliding galley moves to wherever is convenient at any moment. An icebox is below one of the dinette seats, and general storage under everything else that is not taken up by foam flotation. Moving around is unhampered, and requires no bending in the main part of the cabin.
Up top is uncrowded too. The cockpit is big enough to seat half a dozen comfortably, and would even take a couple of al fresco sleepers. Macos photos app unexpected error has occurred. The lack of side decks is no handicap to movement: stanchions and guard wires protect the pathway over the cabin top. The foredeck has a substantial pulpit and good anchoring arrangements: the anchor is stowed powerboat fashion, and the lidded anchor well has capacity for plenty of cable.
The fuel capacity of 90L in portable containers under the cockpit seats would give useful range purely as a powerboat, and practically limitless as a motor sailer. With extra fresh water containers on board, a week’s cruise for four could be contemplated – quite something for such a modestly priced boat.
LowdownPrice without motor $45,000
Length overall 7.87m
Draught, board up 0.30m
Draught, board down 1.75m
Sail area 37sqm Force photos on mac to download from icloud.
Fuel capacity 90L
Fresh water 19L
Boat weight 1156kg
Trailing weight 1400kg (plus motor)
In March of 2003, MacGregor introduced the MacGregor 26M, to replace the 26X that had been in production for 7 years. Approximately 5000 of the X had been produced before being replaced by the M. The new boat is substantially different from the old. The following is a summary of the changes.
PRICE
We have raised the price on the new boat to $18,990.
Price increases are a bummer, but inflation has rolled on, and a lot of materials, including resin, have jumped dramatically. We are putting a lot more into the new boat, and I hope that you will agree that the improvements are worth the extra cost.
Download adobe acrobat pro xi mac. We were being pressed hard on costs on the old boat, and a major price increase was likely if the X had remained in production.)
APPEARANCE
Looks are subjective, but we are getting a lot of feedback that the new 26 is one of the best looking trailerable sailboats ever built. It has a more traditional shear line, and the dark blue hull is a knockout. It really stands out in a boat show or at a marina.
The dark blue hull is an option, and will cost extra. The white hull, with black stripes, just like the 26X, is standard.
The transom, with its smaller opening and rounded corners, makes a big improvement in the view from the rear. Much of the rudder system is inside the boat, offering less clutter on the transom. The good looks came at a fairly small price. The transom opening is smaller and not quite as easy to pass through.
The boat looks a lot longer, and the taller rig gives it a more traditional sailboat look.
The sliding hatch, rather than just sitting on the cabin top, contours to the deck. When it is open, there is no gap between the deck and the hatch leading edge.
A DEEPER V SHAPE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE HULL
The new hull has a deeper V bottom (15 degrees), rather than the flatter bottom of the older boat (8 degrees).
The purpose of the deep V shape is to give the boat a softer ride under power, with less slamming against choppy seas. It also provides a moderate reduction in wetted surface, which benefits the boat’s sailing ability.
The V bottom has softer corners at the transom, and, at typical angles of heel, the corners dig in less and create a less turbulent wake.
The deeper V bottom keeps the boat from sliding around on the trailer, and gives better tracking under power.
The more pronounced centerline ridge provides a stiffer hull bottom.
PERFORMANCE
The new boat is significantly faster under both power and sail, and quite a bit faster under main alone. We compared two identically rigged and loaded boats, a 26X and the new 26M, both equipped with 50 hp Mercury Bigfoot engines. Install python 3.6 for mac.
At identical rpm settings, the new boat had an advantage of approximately 2 to 3 mph. This advantage held over a wide range of speeds. It held in both calm and choppy water. The big reason for the higher speed on the new boat is the lack of centerboard trunk drag. When we studied the videos of the speed runs, the turbulence from the 26X centerboard trunk was clearly visible, while the new boat offered a really clean water and spray pattern. The old centerboard trunk carried along about 100 lbs of water, the new trunk, with its tighter tolerances, carries virtually none. The 26X, boat, with its flatter bottom, was slowed each time it came down hard off of a wave.
Both boats showed an equal ability to get up on a plane.
Under sail, the differences were striking. In all conditions, the new boat had a major speed advantage. The taller rig, reduction of the drag from the centerboard trunk, and the rotating mast really paid off. I believe that it will prove to be the fastest trailerable boat we have ever built.
The most striking difference in speed was when both boats were sailing with main alone. In typical conditions, when the 26x was sailing with main and jib, it was going about 5.7 mph. When the jib was furled, the speed dropped by 2 mph. With the new boat, when the jib was furled, the speed dropped by only 1 mph, with little change in the balance of the boat.
This means that an owner can go out for a sail and forget the jib, and still get good performance. In high winds, the main alone is an excellent choice. The new boat is less likely to get in irons when tacking with just the main, and if it does, it is far easier to recover. It balances almost as well with the main alone as it does with the main and jib.
Since the front third of the main is now working, and not screwed up by the turbulence of the mast, the thrust is now forward, rather than to the side. The result is more speed and less healing angle. When the mast is properly rotated, the boat comes alive. When the mast is centered, the boat slows measurably.
A DAGGERBOARD HAS REPLACED THE CENTERBOARD
Better performance is the big reason for the change. Here are a lot more reasons.
1. LESS INTERFERENCE WITH THE INTERIOR Media player app for android free download.
A centerboard trunk presents a 16″ high problem from the mast almost back to the steps. Unfortunately, this ridge dominates the interior plan, and made it essential to bring the seating structure on one side out beyond the centerline. This forces a dinette type of configuration, which makes it more difficult to have a good conversational type seating for a bunch of crew members. It also reduced the interior floor space (and thus moving around space) by a significant margin. The daggerboard trunk, which is partially hidden by the galley, eliminated these problems.
2. IMPROVED STRUCTURE
The daggerboard trunk takes the full downward thrust of the mast to the keel of the boat.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/3/4/3/134325565/664957240.jpg)
The daggerboard requires a much smaller opening in the hull, which helps reduce drag and keep structural weight down.
3. NO ELECTROLYSIS OR LEAKS
The daggerboard requires no metallic parts below the waterline. There are no holes in the hull to leak, or pins to wear.
4. EASIER MAINTENANCE
The retraction cable is less subject to wear, and it can be easily replaced. The board itself can be lifted out through the deck for cleaning, inspection or repair. Removal of a centerboard is a tougher job.
5. QUIETER AT AN ANCHORAGE.
Daggerboards are a lot quieter and subject to less wear when the boat is moored or at anchor.
6. THE BOAT CAN SAIL WELL TO WEATHER WITH THE BOARD PARTIALLY RETRACTED.
With a centerboard partially down, the center of pressure moves aft, and the boat gets a lee helm when sailed into the wind. With the daggerboard partially down, the fore and aft center of pressure does not change, and the boat continues to balance well. This helps when trying to sail the boat to windward in shallow water.
For reaching, the daggerboard can be partially retracted to kill off weather helm, in the same manner as the centerboard. When reaching, you do not need the full lifting power of the board, and the partially retracted board works fine.
The down side, of course, is that if you hit something, the boat will come to a stop, just like any other keel boat in the marina. At normal sailing speeds, there should be no problem. The board is strong, and the hull is stronger. Don’t, however, leave it down when powering fast.
RIG
The 26’s rotating mast is similar to the setup used on modern catamarans. We have developed a system (for which we are seeking a patent) that allows conventional spreaders, with upper and lower shrouds, and a mast that rotates to good airflow across the mainsail.
With a conventional non-rotating mast, the mast creates a serious amount of turbulence on the mainsail, making the first third of the sail virtually useless. The deep notch between the mainsail and the mast disturbs the laminar flow of air across the downwind side of the sail and causes the smooth air flow to separate from the sail and disintegrate into a vast field of turbulence. The drawings below show the difference.
Since the first third of the mainsail is not working, the thrust created by the main is almost totally sideways, causing a lot of heeling and less forward thrust. (See the above drawing.)
With the rotating mast, the boat heels less and goes faster.
The mainsail can now be used as the only sail for comfortable effort-free day-sailing. When the wind kicks up, getting rid of the jib and keeping the mainsail retains really good performance, and makes sailing a lot easier.
The mast section is larger (fore and aft) and does not require a backstay. This reduces weight aloft, and reduces windage.
The rotating rig raises and lowers like a non-rotating rig, and requires no attention when sailing. As the boat tacks, the mast automatically adjusts itself to the proper angle without human intervention.
When raising the mast, there is no backstay to tangle up in the rudder system or outboard motor.
The mast is 2’ taller, giving a bit more mainsail area and a better looking rig.
The mast is sealed with injected urethane foam, and acts as a powerful buoyancy chamber if the boat is knocked down. The 67 pounds of buoyancy provided by the mast is equivalent in righting power of adding 500 pounds of ballast in the bottom of the hull. This multiplier is the result of having the center of buoyancy of the mast a long way out from the center of buoyancy of the hull.
We have beefed up the chainplates, bow plate and all mast hardware, and the rig looks strong and efficient. The chainplates have a stainless deck plate welded to them. These plates bolt to the deck, reducing the chance of a leak.
A small tube will be cast into the mast flotation foam to allow the future passage of wires to the top of the mast.
IMPROVED RUDDERS
The rudders’ fore and aft adjustment allows precise tuning. It is possible to set the rudder rake to completely eliminate rudder load on the wheel. (However, a slight weather helm is better for upwind control.)
The rudders are larger than those on the X, and have a more efficient elliptical tip.
With the deeper V hull, the upwind rudder is less likely to be raised out of the water when the boat heels.
With the deeper V on the new boat, the transom corners don’t dig in as much when the boat is healed over, and the wake is a lot cleaner. This means less drag.
With the new hull and rudder shapes, the boat has less tendency to round up into the wind when heeled far over.
STABILITY
To enhance stability at lower heel angles to make up for the V bottom, we have added a permanent ballast of 300 pounds inside of the water tank.
The ballast is in a sealed container surrounding the daggerboard trunk. The ballast is bonded to both the hull and the trunk, giving the trunk a great deal more strength. The 300 pounds of permanent ballast replaces an equal amount of water ballast, so the removable water ballast amounts to 1150 lbs. Total ballast is still 1450 pounds.
The new boat is about 200 pounds heavier in its trailering condition.
STRENGTH
We have added an extra layer of fiberglass mat and roving to the underwater area of the hull. This adds about 120 pounds, and adds to both stiffness and stability.
The deck has more beams, between the liner and the deck, and feels stiffer under foot.
COCKPIT
The cockpit seats are about the same length as those of the 26X, and slightly wider. The seat area across the front of the cockpit (where the mainsheet traveler is located), gives more seating area, but reduces the footwell floor area. To make up for the loss of foot room, we have mounted the pedestal on a stainless steel column (4″ in diameter). This replaces the large fiberglass box that went all the way to the floor, taking up a lot of foot space.
The footwell is narrower, to allow more room in the big berth underneath, and gives a better spacing to brace your feet against when the boat is heeled over.
The steering seat is similar to the one in the older boat, but is about 6″ higher. This allows room for the outboard motor to be under the seat, rather than behind it, and puts the captain up higher with a better view over the cabin top.
The cockpit cushions are improved and more comfortable. The inside sofa seat back cushions can be used, when sailing, as cockpit seat back cushions.
The fuel tank lockers in the cockpit will take two tanks, (12 gallons each). The tanks are in a recess in the cockpit seats, with a hinged hatch covering the opening, much like the system in the MacGregor 19. Since the tank holders are recesses in the deck, and not bonded in compartments, there are no exposed raw edges in the deck
FAR MORE CABIN SPACE
By placing the outboard motor under the captain’s seat, instead of behind it, we were able to move the entire cockpit to the rear and add about 15″ to the length of the cabin.
A MORE USABLE REAR BERTH
Improving the rear berth was a major design goal.
By moving the head forward, we were able to gain access to the rear berth from the starboard side. The head occupied the most usable part of the old boat’s interior, and is now a lot less obtrusive forward of the mast. (The down side of this is a slightly smaller head with 2″ less headroom.)
By shortening the footwell in the cockpit, by running the seats across behind the cabin entry, we were able to provide much more room in the rear berth, and make it a lot easier to get into.
By narrowing the footwell, we were able to make the rear berth look enormous. When you are standing in cabin, you are looking clear back to the transom
BETTER SEATING.
After a good sail, it is highly desirable to have a place where the crew can comfortably sit, preferably facing each other, with a good table between them to hold the drinks and goodies. On the 26x’s starboard side, the dinette and the head made this a bit more difficult.
The galley blocked seating for most of the port side of the boat. With this new design, 4 people can comfortably be seated on each side of the boat, and be in a position to have a good conversation. That many people in a small boat is a bit of a crowd, but it will work.
IMPROVED SEATS AND UPHOLSTERY
The main salon seats are more like comfortable sofas than the seats found in most sailboats. The starboard sofa is 6 feet long, and the port side is 10 feet. The seat cushions are 5″ thick, and the seat backs are thick and comfortable (the seat back cushions can also be used in the cockpit). The upholstery is top grade vinyl that has the feel and look of soft leather. The V berth and rear berth cushions are covered with an attractive fabric.
The main cabin sofas make fine, comfortable berths. (It is no longer necessary to unrig the table to use the seats as berths.)
The boat sleeps 6; 2 on the V berth (which is a bit small), 2 on the rear berth, and one each on the cabin seats. Again, this is way to many for a happy voyage, but it can be done.
UPHOLSTERED HULL SIDES
![Mac Mac](https://www.sailboatlistings.com/sailimg/m/21642/28022011.jpg)
We have long been criticized for having rather Spartan, refrigerator like interiors. No more. The hull sides are upholstered in durable fabrics, providing a softer, warmer appearance. The fabric also does a lot to quiet the boat.
Replacing the hard liner with fabric sides knocked out a considerable amount of weight without any reduction in strength. This also lowered the center of gravity and added to stability.
MORE HEADROOM
Headroom is a full 6 feet under the closed sliding hatch, and 5’ 10″ under the cabin near the galley. Headroom is also increased over the rear berth.
SMALLER CABIN ENTRY
Raising the bottom edge of the cabin entry not only made the rear berth more accessible, but lessened the chance of flooding the cabin in the event the cockpit was filled with a severe following sea.
We also made the side decks wider, making it easier to get to the foredeck. The height of the toe rails on the cabin top have been increased.
MORE WINDOWS
The two rows of windows give a lot more light inside, and greatly improve visibility. (However, on the down side, the forward view is more restricted as a result of the forward head.) The windows are flush mounted, and thicker than on the 26X.
IMPROVED INTERIOR BULKHEADS AND CABINETRY
The galley and all doors and bulkheads are surfaced with top grade formica, and give the look of varnished mahogany.
All doors, bulkheads, windows, galley faces and hatches are cut with a computer controlled router, and are accurate to within 5 thousands of an inch.
The interior is now better looking, better built and more plush than anything we have offered before, and better than anything offered by of our competitors.
The galley top and sink are produced by a rather exotic process that gives the look of Corion. You will really like this.
GALLEY AND TABLE
Tables, when in use, are essential. But when not being used, they gobble up a large amount of needed interior space
Ideally, the table should be the focal point of a conversation setting. It should be really easy to set up and remove. When not is use, it should be out of the way. And it should be solid. We did all this. The table setup is a bit smaller than the 26X table, but quite useful.
The table can be rotated (on its central fore and aft axis) to a vertical position, allowing the crew to move around in the cabin. Or, when not needed, the table can be completely removed in seconds and stored out of the way.
The galley now sits across the boat, on the starboard side. The molded counter top and molded in sink look great, and there is room for a standard stove.
The counter top is about the same size as the one on the 26X. The X galley was a bit too low to be used while standing, and impossible to use when seated. The new galley is easy to use while seated on the sofa, and is still somewhat too low to use when standing. The height of the galley countertop was dictated by the need for a stove, which would provide a heat problem on the overhead if it were much higher.
The inside of the galley is nicely finished.
Rather than take up a lot of valuable under bunk storage space for an ice chest, we made a home for one on the starboard forward corner of the rear berth. When the rear berth is in use, the ice chest can be removed, and replaced with a small cushion that fills the cutout in the larger cushion. You can either get an ice chest from us as an option, or you can get your own locally. This idea came from Todd at Marine Marketing (our dealer in Seattle), and it really works well. You can still remove the chest for packing at home, and move it around the boat where it is needed. When you are sitting and working at the galley, the standard position is quite convenient.
CARPET
We are using a much higher quality carpet, and it is nicely edged.
MIRRORED BULKHEAD
In order to accentuate the greatly increased size of the interior, we have covered the bulkhead, forward of the galley, with a good quality mirror. The effect is striking, and gives the look of a much larger interior.
MAINSHEET TRAVELLER
By extending the seats across the cockpit underneath the cabin entry, we were able to put a really good mainsheet traveller on the boat without screwing up seating and other usage of the cockpit. The traveller is tucked neatly up against the cabin back, out of the way.
The mainsheet no longer hangs across the crew area when the mainsail is let out when running down wind.
The traveller gives better control of the shape of the mainsail, with less dependence on the vang.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We have upgraded the electrical system, with better fittings and heavier wire. The deck liners have molded-in runs that allow dealers and owners to install wire to all areas where it might be needed for extra lights, instruments, etc.
The old boat had 2 interior lights, the new boat has 4. There is one over the front V berth, in the head, in the main cabin, and over the rear berth.
COLORS
We have always used white interiors, and the new boat is a big change. The liners are tan, as are the upholstered hull sides. The cushions are a medium tan, and the carpet is a darker brown. It looks great.
NEW MAST RAISING SYSTEM
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The new mast raising system is shown in the brochure. We us a small brake winch to raise and lower the mast, and a set of removable wire cables to keep the mast centered as it goes up and down.
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The new system requires a lot less effort to raise and lower the mast, and tends to keep the mast centered when it is going up and down. It doesn’t use the halyard, and is not dependent on having the halyard properly cleated down.
The line going to the bow of the boat is a fixed length, and does not require guessing at the proper angle of the pole.
SELF TENDING JIB
We are working on a self tending jib option, that can be added to any new 26 at a later date. This will greatly simplify sail handling.
HEADSAILS ARE NOW OPTIONS
Since there are so many combinations of possible headsails, you have a choice between a working jib, genoa or the proposed new self tending working jib (which is slightly smaller than the working jib, because it cannot overlap the mast). In addition, each of these requires a choice of having snaps for hanking on to the forestay or with a luff tape for use with a furler.
You can pick the best combination for your type of sailing.
TRAILER IMPROVEMENTS
We have installed heavier axles, springs, wheel and tires to bring the trailering capacity to 4200 pounds. There is more fender clearance, better support for the hull, and more effective surge brakes.
We now have big stainless steel disc brakes, and an electronic system that ties into the car lights that automatically disables the surge brake system when backing up.
The deeper V hull helps keep the boat centered on the trailer when bouncing down the road.
LIFELINES AND PULPITS
You will be pleased to know that we are now putting a pelican hook on the lifelines in order to make it easier to get in and out of the cockpit. The lifelines are now higher in the cockpit and conform to the new European standards. On the cabin top, the lifelines are wider spaced to give more walking room when going forward.
The pulpit is substantially longer, and gives more to grab on the foredeck.
ANCHOR HANDLING
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An anchor roller is now standard, and the anchor locker is substantially larger to hold bigger anchors.
ENGINES
There is no change in the engine mounting system, or the type of engines that can be used.
We have, however, widened the engine well area to allow easier bolting of the engine to the transom. The transom is now flush, and a pad won’t be needed between the motor and the transom.
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HIGH PERFORMANCE ASSYMETRICAL SPINNAKER
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We are working on a very high performance, large spinnaker to be flown from a retracting pole extending about 5 feet forward from the bow. This should give really hot downwind performance. Present boats are not yet being delivered with this system, but it can easily be installed on any 26M in the future. The 26x cruising spinnaker can be used on the new boat, and is available as an option.