# Good, small cruising sailboat?



## memills (Feb 6, 2002)

Would appreciate any recommendations for small sailboat models (about 27'' and under) that are good for local cruising / overnight stays.
These features would be great:

-- can easily place an outboard motor on the transom
-- dockside power -- and electrical outlets inside
-- refrigerator
-- enclosed head, bildge pump
-- trailerable (maybe a centerboard instead of a keel)

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
-- Mike


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Try a McGregor...the new models are quite interesting $25,000.oo(CDN)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

kestrel: do you mean the MacGregor 26X?

my first boat was an early 70s MacGregor 22; despite its resemblence to the Catalina 22 (which Ive never sailed, but being in the Benehuntalina category) it carried me over 3000 miles up and down the ICW, and brought me safely through weather I had no right being out in.

Ive been aboard the 26X at boat shows & was impressed, but never sailed one. They are water-ballasted motorsailors which can take up to a 50hp outboard, with very roomy interiors, but I couldnt say anything about the quality of construction, other than Id consider their 22 to be of average quality (Ive sailed and worked extensively on 3 of them)


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I read about the suggestion of the 26 McGregor..... Let me say I dont like her.
Saw a couple with 50 hp motor planning and behaving almost like a jetski. At the time there was no wind and everybody was just sitting there and watching them in disgust. 

But boy the picture changes when the sails are up and the motor up. Than EVERYBODY else runs ( sails ) circle around them because they are SLLLOOOOOWWW. 

Sweet revenge I guess, but its supposed to be a sailboat, right. 

There are thousands of used older boats on Sailnet. If finances allow, check to find a 23 First Benetau. Nice boat kinda pricy maybe. Than they are Santana''s and a pletora of others. I also like a ranger 26. Some [email protected] are nice and offer more room inside, but than it becomes tough to trailer them.

ps. try to find out what the PHRF rating for the boat is. Somewhat you can see how fast she is that way. The higher the number the slower she is. 

of course you dont need to race her, and probably have no intentions, but it is very nerving when you get passed all the times.

Have fun looking and much luck
Thorsten


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I''ve never owed a McGregor I sail an Ericson..just was impressed with the room and... I''d thought a 25hp would suffice and I''m sure she''d do well reaching as cruising off a trailer let''s you go where the wind isn''t always coming from the bow of the boat
Happy Sailing
dh
ps:the one I saw in a showroom in Hamilton Ont had a 150hp o\b stuck to the stern?????


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

There was someone around us here that had a MacGregor 26. I didn''t care for the look of it. Can''t say I ever sailed it or even watched it much, but I never understood a SAILboat being marketed by how fast it can go under power.

I guess some people are into them, but I''ve looked at how the boat sails first, then ask if the iron genny beefy enough to get me home eventually.

Anyway, if you are looking for PHRF info to get approximates speeds, where is a good list of base ratings:

http://www.phrfne.org/baseh.htm

Even if you are not planning to race, you will be able to get a feel for the relative speed differences for the various boats. It''s not going to tell you how fast the boats will go, but it will let you know things like a Macgregor 26 is closer to a Tartan 27 in performance than a Melges 24 <g>.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Look up Cascade 27 from Cascade yachtd of Portland Ore


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I have a ''83 Macgregor 25.... Its in nice shape. Since you put so many miles on a 22, do you think it would be unsafe to sail a 25 to the bahamas from florida? or to the keys from tampa?

How was the boat on the icw?
troy


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## tsmith409 (Feb 28, 2002)

HI MIKE;
THAT''S A BIT SMALL FOR ALL THE FEATURES YOU''RE LOOKING FOR. YOU PROBABLY WON''T GET REFRIGERATION OR SHORE POWER.YOU MIGHT GET A HEAD BUT IT WON''T BE ENCLOSED. LOOKAT COLUMBIA''S OR CATALINAS.
TONY


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Isn''t the MacGregger supposed to be a fresh water lake boat?
Myself, I wouldn''t dare cruise one in salt water. (MacGregger owners please forgive me).
My suggestion is that there is alot of possibilities out there. Read some books, talk to alot of people and basicly
just educate yourself further and since
you want to cruise, try to buy a boat that is meant for the trials of salt water.
Good luck
Dennis L.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

just a note the the macgregor is not a heavy boat or a open water boat by any means although they are built in Costa Mesa CA and sailed on the Pacific. most people on the westt coast take them to Catalina Island which is about 30 miles off shore... it is for the most part a coastal cruiser but never was meant in any way to be a freshwater boat. Fiberglass is uncaring what the salt content of is surroundings is.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

troyaux,
Yes, I''m sure Catalina I. is just full of
macgregor sail boats.
I''m from L.A. and have been to Catalina
and really did not see any there. I would have remembered. Furthermore, California has plenty of fresh water lakes. True,Macgreger fiberglass is not intelligent, if it were, it wouldn''t drag itself out into open ocean. (I refer you back to the first line of your post). Then I refer you back to my previous post. With $25,000 alot more boat could be purchased.
Forgive me for being so blunt.
Dennis L.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I had a Mac 26 for 8 years. Was a great boat in the lakes. I towed it behind a S-10!!! We took it to Panama City for a week but stayed in Andrews Bay. In a lake or bay it''s great especially in light winds. But I think it would surf easily and lose control. With a double reef and jib we sailed in shore to shore whitecaps with no problems at Kentucky Lake on the TN river. It is a cheap boat but I would buy another for lake use. We had a Catalina 22 before and the Mac would sail circles around the Cat. The wife liked not having to rearrange the furniture to sleep. I don''t like the 26X and would never buy one.
C172guy


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

I looked at the Com Pac 27 during the AC boat show and really liked it. As much room as some 30 footers. I''m not sure about keel options though.


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## SloopSailor (Aug 2, 2001)

If you don''t mind towing weight in excess of 5500lbs. An older Ericson 25 will fit the bill nicely. Enclosed head, you could add refridgeration(althought I don''t mind ice boxes), 2 people can cruise comfortably on her. Built heavy, center board comes all the way up for extreme shallow water capabilities.


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## maxcontax (Jan 30, 2002)

Take a look at the new Hunter 26: alot of cruising features in a trailerable boat. They''re on their website


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## greatwhiteway (Mar 6, 2002)

There is a very good book I think you should read, It will greatly help you, The title is Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere
By John Vigor.


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## greatwhiteway (Mar 6, 2002)

There is a very good book I think you should read, It will greatly help you, The title is Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere
By John Vigor.


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## greatwhiteway (Mar 6, 2002)

There is a very good book I think you should read, It will greatly help you, The title is Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere
By John Vigor.


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## greatwhiteway (Mar 6, 2002)

There is a very good book I think you should read, It will greatly help you, The title is Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere
By John Vigor.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

People who knock the Mac26X misunderstand what it is about. Clearly it is a limited use sailboat, in the same genre of other water ballasted sailboats of its size, and probably sails a little worse than even its water-ballasted cousins.

The key that makes the 26X valuable for some sailers, though, is this: if you sail in a situation where current is a problem (like a river or a tidal estuary), or where you have to go a long ways under power before you can reach your desired sailing grounds, a boat that can go 20 knots can get you there quicker and maximize your sailing time.


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## v1s (Nov 17, 2002)

Check out MidShip or ParkerDawsons. They are center cockpit boats trailerable and pretty heavy duty. Most have inboard engines. And they are fairly roomy.


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## maestro (May 3, 2002)

How about an O''Day 272??? One of the better performing O''Day''s. Solid construction


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## bdkorth (Jun 4, 2002)

We have had a 22'' Reinell (don''t laugh, please), and replaced it with a 1981 25'' Catalina with a poptop. It was a great upgrade for us. It has a modified fin keel which makes her quite heavy, but has alot of living space inside. In comparison to the Macgregors that we had looked at she feels much sturdier built. (Can''t hear the fiberglass crackle when it is being walked on, etc.) We were sorely tempted by the Mac, as it would have worked nicely for dragging my 10 year old behind on skiis. We came to the conclusion that we could buy a boat that is mediocre for sailing and also for motoring, or could buy a sailboat that is built for sailing. In our conclusion we decided to sail. I guess my input would be, buy what best serves your needs. If sailing, buy a true sailboat (in my opinion, the Mac isn''t one), or if motoring buy a true powerboat (again, the Mac is a poor excuse for a powerboat). If you can''t decide which way to go, sail, or power, buy the Mac.

Just my opinion, but I have been there, done that, and those were my own conclusions.

Good luck on your decision.
Brad


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