3.3 Is the MacGregor 26 a good boat?
Description
This article is from the Boats FAQ, by John F. Hughes with numerous contributions by others.
3.3 Is the MacGregor 26 a good boat?
The MacGregor 26 has a very low price for a lot of boat. It also, like
any boat, has a number of flaws. The equipment is not as tough as that
on some other boats of comparable size (compare it to a Pacific
Seacraft to see the other extreme), and the fiberglass construction is
not as substantial either. If you are planning to do lake sailing on
lakes of modest size, perhaps it is the boat for you. If you are
planning on going into the ocean, perhaps it is not. The Mac26 is
quite large for a trailerable boat, which is one of its big
advantages. it uses water ballast, in part. It is more stable, even
intially stable, with its tanks full than with them empty. See below.
If you are considering a Mac26, you should also look at the Catalina
22. Compare the solidity of the structures, the hardware, the
rigging, and also compare the resale values of similar boats in your
area.
Greg Fox has kindly written a short dissertation on water ballast,
which summarizes the wisdom of the net on the subject (including at
least one practicing naval architect). It really *is* correct, and you
should read it carefully before you start disagreeing. Here it is:
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