See full version: Owner; s Review of the MacGregor 26 Sailboat Models
Having owned and sailed a 26S extensively for three years, it indeed sails fairly well and lives up to its reputation of being a roomy and easily trailered pocket cruiser. This sailboat can meet most budgetary needs and has room enough for a family of three to cruise for up to a week at a time.
Many traditional sailors joke about MacGregors because of the light fiberglass construction (the hull can "oilcan" flex in places if you push hard against it) and its powerboat characteristics since 1996. Many say it is not a "real sailboat." Most misunderstood, however, is the water ballast that has been a hallmark of all twenty-six models.
In normal conditions, however, careful sailors can safely sail the water-ballast M26 by following standard precautions: [links]
It is true that an M26 with 10 people aboard capsized with two fatalities -- most likely due to uneven distribution of the human weight on the boat. [links]
This does mean that the boat is more tender, or tippy, initially. A story has been told about a sailor on one edge of the deck who grabbed the mast when the boat heeled, and his own weight pulling on the mast that far above the waterline caused the boat to capsize all the way over. Whether true or not, the story illustrates a common perception of how tender the MacGregor is. here
The MacGregor 26 evolved after the Venture 22 and the MacGregor 25, which had been built from 1973 to about 1987. The M25 had a weighted centerboard keel like other trailer able sailboats but featured positive flotation, a low price, easy trailer ability and a comfortable interior with an enclosed head (porta-potty). These features carried forward into M26 models and helped make MacGregor one of the bestselling sailboats.
The Tattoo 26 is light for both easier trailering and better handling under power. It weighs only 2,500 pounds to which you add just over 1,7000 pounds of water ballast when ready to sail. With a 60 hp outboard, the boat can presumably attain a speed of up to 20 miles per hour. That goes down to 12 miles per hour if the ballast tank is full. The boat can be powered by outboards as small as 10 hp.
From trailer to sailor, the Tattoo 26 offers flexibility and economy..
Under sail, the boat is kept tracking with the deep daggerboard that is controlled by a line in the cockpit. The tabernacle mast can be raised by one person and carries a total of 300 feet of sail area with the standard 100% jib, although a larger genoa and an optional spinnaker are available. The rudders may be raised completely to allow the boat to float in just over one foot of water. [links]
Besides a few hull color changes, the model has a redesigned steering pedestal and helm seat, the water ballast plug has been changed, the mainsail has slightly increased square footage, and the traveler has been replaced by a pad eye on the centerline. The Tattoo 26 still has built-in foam flotation so it can fill with water but still float and is self-righting. [links]
The original small MacGregor was the 26X that was put in production in the mid-1990s. It was replaced by the improved 26M in 2003 and together over 8,000 hulls were sold. You can’t argue with that kind of success. Part of the boat’s appeal was that it was sold as both a power and a sailboat and sold new for under $25,000; the new version keeps price low with a starting point of about $35,000. here
The popular MacGregor trailer-sailer gets a new life under a different name.
Macgregor boats are a great design for someone wanting a boat fit for all purposes. With that .
One of the very last ones built, this McGregor 65 is designed for worldwide cruising. The .
SOLD, Elanora has had a firm offer and is currently off the market. Thank you to those of you .
The centerboard pivots into a slot molded into the [ballast] tank and so does not intrude into the cabin. Single-handers must leave the tiller to adjust it, because its control line is led to the galley counter and not out to the cockpit. more
Through-bolted hull-deck joint
Construction appears to be just strong enough for expected conditions. As one couple told us, they know of MacGregor 26s that have made the passage to Catalina Island, but having been caught in some nasty stuff on the same trip on other boats, they wouldnt take their MacGregor. Most owners seem well aware of the boats limitations. here
Many owners applaud the boats light-air quickness. The low displacement/length ratio of 96 and high sail area/displacement ratio of 19 tell the story. But to perform well in even moderate winds, one must add the necessary controls. Nobody likes to go slow, but the majority of owners seem to be family cruisers, for whom an extra half-knot doesn’t mean that much. [links]
Many of those companies sold out to bigger companies or folded over time. Roger MacGregor attributes his company’s success to keeping prices low and concentrating on one line, rather than building many different models. here
One of the region’s longest-operating boat builders, MacGregor has built approximately 45,000 boats in its boatyard, located on Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa. But it was time to end the long run, Roger MacGregor said.
The new three-story retirement facility that was built directly behind the plant’s mold shop made for an incompatible relationship. MacGregor said he believed the smells associated with fiberglass boat-building would bother the new neighbors.
They moved away from the area a few months ago, relocating to Stuart, Fla. — a city they said is reminiscent of the “old” Costa Mesa. There, the couple established Tattoo Yachts. more
“What sticks in my mind is that I had never heard of the boat — a customer told me about this great trailerable boat he’d seen,” McIntosh recalled. “I was interested enough to hunt Roger down in Costa Mesa, where they were pulling a part out of a mold when I walked in.” [links]