I like your idea of getting rid of that dirty big motor.
Pros: The flat planing hull sits nice and level when the tide goes out, and they are light to tow.
Cons: Just about everything else.
There's lots of them out there so they can't be all bad but I'd be looking at Nolex or Farr.
Try trailersailerplace.com

AUS126 said..
I like your idea of getting rid of that dirty big motor.
Pros: The flat planing hull sits nice and level when the tide goes out, and they are light to tow.
Cons: Just about everything else.
There's lots of them out there so they can't be all bad but I'd be looking at Nolex or Farr.
Try trailersailerplace.com

Thought about a Nolex but if we are going to change we'd rather another pop top. AFAIK the later Noelex 25 had a poptop. Agreed that the Noelex is a great yacht and the Mac isn't, but we are cruisers, not in it for thrills, just love being afloat and sailing.

The Mac is a very different kind of boat to what you are used to. Also very expensive. I would try to get a sail on one before you commit.
On the plus side you can trail it away from the coast if a cyclone was heading your way. On the negative, it is large and light, so you better have some strong ropes to tie it down. Don't think it is fully self-righting. Really a boat for inshore waters.

Make contact with people on this site.
www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/index.php
or even an overseas association.
Although I would not go down that path I can see where your coming from re the Mac26.but I don't think your going to get much love from traditionalists on this site or trailersailer forum.

If a macgregor fills your needs and you are happy mainly sailing downwind get one.
I would stick with a decent motor to take advantage of those attributes of the design.
Sounds like a decent lifestyle

G'day Tinggu,
i don't think they're that bad as we all generally make out if you are sensible and experienced enough to understand their limitations.
A lot of the times they suffer from a lack of awareness, maybe due to the type of purchaser, in the fact it is still a yacht with a mast and sails, and hence the water ballast system needs to be managed as you don't have any keel.
You see some horror stories about overloading with too much ballast, overloading without ballast, sailing with not enough water ballast, etc etc, but this is more the fault of the human, not the boat.

Im not a fan due to the lack of a keel mandating an average sailing performance, but if you don't need to beat off a lee shore in fresh winds and you're capable of understanding the limitations why wouldn't you?

Carrying that much water would mean I'd be really anal looking for soft spots and any lack of maintenance tells, get a survey if you don't have the skills.
best of luck with your hunting!
SB

Tinggu said..
Thank you all for the comments. I put this question on trailersailerplace.com as well but got not one response. While I wasn't expecting much love I have been a bit surprised to not have a comment from anyone who will admit to sailing a Mac in the Whitsundays. Are they really such awful sailboats? Sounds like with a pissy motor it won't do anything properly!

When i was inthe Whitsundays last year, i saw a big group of10 or 12 Macs, and/or the other design that is similarto the macs. They were sailing around, pulling onto beaches and drying out overnight, they looked like they were having heat fun.
This poor quality photo of them is on Goldsmith Island.

As mentioned above, Farr (7500) or RL28. Both can dry out. Farr has a poptop and will hold a decent outboard. RL has (full, i think) headroom, and most have an inboard diesel. Both will sail rings around a Mac, and can be bought for a fraction of the price. 2cents.

I had hoped to subscribe to this topic but have had no notifications, so had assumed nothing was happening. My apologies for this late response.

Mention of the RL 28 by All@Sea got my interest. Does anyone know the on road weight? We are stuck with a top legal pull of 2000kg.

Tinggu said..
Mention of the RL 28 by All@Sea got my interest. Does anyone know the on road weight? We are stuck with a top legal pull of 2000kg.

At the RL web site, it has the specs for the boat. Just under 1400kg without trailer. Trailer would be about another 450kg for a tandem with override brakes.

www.rlyachts.net/specs28.asp

www.rlyachts.net/survey.asp?TableCode=trailer&Command=Display

Oh well, the RL 28 is out the window for now as our new car can tow 2000kg.
Thanks for the replies and I think that was pretty much what I was expecting.
Thoughts right now we are thinking that we will keep Isabella Jane and find how she suits us up there. If she does then new rigging and sails are in order.
Macs just cost too much. Always a mystery as they were a cheap boat in the US.
Cheers to all for your interest,
Pete

I you launch from Bowen, it's only a reasonably short trip from the ramp to Gloucester Island and the eastern side of the bay which is a great protected cruising area in itself and a place to spend the weekend (and Monty's and the Eco Resort are good to visit too). For longer breaks you can get out of the passage and head towards the Whitsundays "proper", but one way or another you'll usually be pushing into the wind on the trip there or back. You can also be a bit exposed to fetch between the passage and, say, Hayman in brisk weather. Once among the islands though, it's a piece of cake and I've seen people heading out in things like kayaks and sailing dinghy's regularly enough (though some do get stuck on the wrong side of the Whitsunday Passage on occasion when it blows up and they need to book the barge to come rescue them)

An alternative is to tow the boat south to launch from Cannonvale or Shute Harbour. Of course a Mac 26X @ 20 knots probably makes the trip straight out of Bowen quite doable for a weekend away :)

You never know. I love anchoring in bona Bay it's a really nice spot. P.s make sure to check out the fish and chip shop at the harbour when you settle in. It's quasi famous for its fish and chips!