In March of 2003,
MacGregor introduced the all new 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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
HIGH PERFORMANCE ASSYMETRICAL
SPINNAKER
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.
 We ship everywhere in
North America. For International Shipments,
please call Sharp Industries at (949) 642-9491.
MacGregor Sailboats
Mike Inmon
949-642-6830
1631 Placentia Ave.
Costa Mesa, California 92627
949-642-6830
sailboat, boat, sailing,
boating, yachts, trailerable, costa mesa, newport beach, marina del rey, california, in
stock, inventory, available, MacGregor Sailboats, sailboats, boating, macgregor 26X and
the all new 2003 26Mmacgregor 26 sailboat |
