2011 MacGregor 26M Powersailer8m

Clean, contemporary, versatile Motor Sailer with all the benefits of Sail & Power, comes with a transferable slip close to Beach, Restaurants and a trailer in excellent shape.

Manufacturer Provided Description

Have the peace and quiet of sailing, or the fun of powering around at a good clip over 24 mph. Its high-speed under power opens up cruising waters that are out of reach for a conventional sailboat. The MacGregor 26 is also trailerable making still more waterways accessible. The trailer also makes it possible to avoid the expense of permanent in-the-water storage. The weather-tight cabin offers full, standing headroom and comfortable accommodations for family cruising. The galley - to port - has a sink, counter, and space for a 2-burner stove. There is a large storage cabinet below the galley and compartments designed for small items (plates, silverware, bottles, etc.) on its forward face. Five can be seated around the table. A foredeck hatch provides lots of ventilation. Notice the big windows. A full double berth is at the forward end of the cabin. The large dinette is raised for a view out of all the windows when seated. The table has a clear, protected inset for a chart of your sailing area. There are storage compartments under every seat and berth. For a boat of this size, there is an enormous amount of storage space. The table lowers to convert the dinette into a double berth. The front seat-back lifts out to create an uninterrupted sleeping area that is 13 ft. long. Unlike many boats, the mast post does not interfere with any of the berths. Looking from the forward end of the cabin, one can see the large entry - getting in and out of the cabin is easy.  The big rear berth is directly below the cockpit. For ease of maintenance there is no visible wood on the boat. The cabin is carpeted and high quality fabrics are used throughout. There are several good spots for electronics. The VHF radio is mounted on the port side, just behind the galley. In the stern the rear berth is as large as a king-sized bed (7 ft. 7 in. x 6 ft. 3 in.) with full sitting headroom over a large area. There is a small storage area under this berth. The 26 will sleep six. The cockpit seats are over 6 feet long. The wheel steering is standard. The optional cushions provide extra comfort. The steering seat combines security with the convenience of a walkthrough transom. MacGregor developed the concept of a water ballast system. It has since been widely copied and is now the standard throughout the trailerable sailboat industry. This system makes it possible to have a very lightweight boat for powering and trailering, and the heavy stability necessary for safe sailing. After launching, the transom valve is opened and a tank in the bottom of the hull is gravity filled with 1400 lbs. of sea water. It takes about five minutes. The valve is then closed, trapping the water. Under power or sail the ballast makes the boat stable and self-righting. When the boat is floated back onto its trailer the valve is opened. The car and trailer start up the ramp and the water drains out of the boat leaving a trailering package that is lighter than most small powerboats. The tank can also be emptied while the boat is in the water: Under power, at about 7 mph, open the valve on the transom and the tank will drain in about 5 minutes. One person can raise the mast (with or without the optional mast raising system), launch the boat and sail away in 10 to 15 minutes. Launching is easy because the boat sits lower on its trailer than any other trailerable cruiser. Once in the water, running the motor in reverse, or giving the boat a gentle push, will slide the boat off its trailer. Once the 26 is launched, it needs only 9 in. of water to float. It will sail in places most other boats simply cannot go. The 26 has a centerboard that retracts completely into the hull, allowing the boat to be launched and beached without fear of damage to the centerboard system. The MacGregor 26 is just under 8 ft. wide, and can be legally trailered everywhere in the United States. The MacGregor 26 is one of the best handling and fastest trailerable cruising sailboats available anywhere. The 26 balances beautifully. The big twin rudders give excellent control. The boat is light so it requires less sail area to sail fast. The 26's light weight and its powerboat underbelly allow the boat to get up on top of the water and plane in heavy winds. In such conditions, these boats have exceeded 17 mph under sail. If the 1,400 lbs. of water ballast is drained, the boat becomes an even faster sailboat. However, like most small sailboats or catamarans, without ballast it can be capsized if not watchful. Here are the sailing choices: (1) With the water ballast tank full and a conservative sail plan, the 26 is an extremely stable sailboat, ideal for a beginner. (2) With the big genoa jib or spinnaker, it is a conventional self-righting sailboat with outstanding sailing speed. (3) Unballasted, it is one of the wildest and potentially fastest sailboats around. Under power: (a) without ballast, it is a rather fast conventional cabin cruiser, or (b) with the water ballast, a docile, heavily ballasted power boat. The long, deep centerboard keeps the boat from side slipping when sailing into the wind. The centerboard, like the twin rudders, pivots and will kick up if it hits an obstruction. This allows the boat to be beached without risk of damage to the board or its attachments. The board is controlled by a line leading to the cockpit, and can be pulled completely up into the boat for powering and for downwind sailing. A long, thin airfoil is far more efficient than a short, wide one. This is why racing sailboat keels are deep, and why airplane wings are long and thin. The relationship between the fore and aft width of the board and its length is called its aspect ratio. Most boats have keels with aspect ratios of 2 to 1 (meaning that the keel or centerboard is two times as deep as it is wide). The MacGregor 26 centerboard has a ratio of 5 to 1 (it is 13 in. wide and 5 ft. 6 in. deep). The high aspect ratio increases lift as the boat sails into the wind and reduces drag. This is one of the major reasons that the new 26 will point closer into the wind and sail faster than other trailerables. The MacGregor 26 offers the amenities of a "houseboat" combined with high performance sailing. The 26 can also be raced within one of the many MacGregor class organizations. These MacGregor organizations are sprinkled throughout the country and offer a lot of low cost fun, including racing, parties, and cruises.