MacGregor 26M cruising mods. A quick walk through our MacGregor 26M, Sailboat Sea Weasel, while sailing on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada.
Fellow Cruiser who's cruised the Great Loop. Your video is well done, I love the informalness of it. It was not staged and it doesn't sound like an infomercial. Well done and the information is excellent. I'm already checking out some of the products for my MacGregor
Excellent and thank you so much for your very useful demonstration and explanation of ‘stuff’. The Macgregor is not a large craft and the extra storage compartments and bits and pieces are priceless. I also liked the changes to the rigging in order to deploy from the cockpit. Nice! I also agree with Eric, you need some solar panel goodness too.
While the boarding ladder may seem to be the most important mod to your boat, I'd respectfully have to disagree. Clearly, the most valuable mod to your boat is not one that someone else has provided, but rather it is one that you have supplied yourselves. It is that magnificent berth warmer you have up there in the v-berth! I'll bet that mod is not "single-purpose" either. I'm sure it pulls double-duty in a host of other functions, not the least of which is providing a source of unconditional love, affection and joy, especially when things aren't going so well. All the mods you've shown are, really, top shelf, but you didn't so much as acknowledge that one! But, being who they are, I'm sure she/he would forgive you if they were aware of that 'faux pas'.... That's just how they roll. Bless their oversized hearts. Thanks for sharing and Happy Sails to the three of you!
That is a very clever galley mod for the 26M! Good idea on the line reel, the stern rail seat storage bag and the cover behind the companionway steps! Like Davilia said, it looks like you have a very pretty cruising area! Thanks, for sharing!
I really like the idea of storage for water bottles and such on the stern rail seats. I have a diaper bag holder that looks similar - brand new - and I may see if I can adapt that to make it work. The galley is gorgeous - we've planned to modify ours but I hadn't seen any ideas I really liked til now. The raised sink is fabulous! Love the drawers under the table as well - why didn't I think of that??? My husband said we didn't need curtains, but our first sail down to Olympia, WA was blistering hot and we wished we had some. Within minutes we did - paper towels hung with duct tape! I've since made fitted ones from actual fabric which look much better, lol. We also ordered a plex-glassi hatch from Blue Water Yachts, and I made curtains for that. I felt a bit claustrophobic if we were inside and the hatch needed to be closed. Love the open feeling, but I did make curtains for after dark, which still gives us privacy. We love our Mac 26M... anxious for nicer weather and a great sailing season. Thanks so much for sharing.
Amazing mods to a MacGregor. And most are In expensive Canadian Tire gear (that’s Harbor Freight in the U.S.). MacGregors are not known as great sailboats but you all are on the water and sailing. Kudos!
We're on our second sailboat, and it's our first MacGregor. This is our 6th year sailing her, and we are very happy with how she performs. We were caught in a sudden, terrible storm with gale force winds, and she kept us afloat and alive. Roger MacGregor thought of a lot of things that make this a great boat, even if he did keep it simple and affordable. I've heard the criticism of MacGregors by the sailing community, but I can't tell you how many people stop by to tell us what a beauty she is wherever we go, and she sails fine enough for us.
Just read your comments and we have actually already sold sea weasel in hopes of finding a liveaboard boat in the future. Your suggestions of learning during the winter is s good one. I'm actually studying celestial navigation at the moment. It's been fun so far.
Looking good. Friends of mine baught a McGregor 26. We anchored in almost the same location as you in Smugglers a few yours ago. He has a 90 horsepower too.
If your close to the coast doing this trip was perfect for the macgregor. The reason we did these videos was because we couldn't find any at the time that showed what to expect in that area. As newbie sailors seeing it on a map wasn't a whole lot of help. But we're hoping that anyone who watches these vids realize that with the right prep a trip like this is great even with just a trailer sailor.
My experience with kerosene heaters is that they set off the carbon monoxide alarm! Someday I want to learn just how much stuff can you add to a boat 'in weight'/foot. Informative video! I'm in a learning phase.
Our mac26x has never seen us on it for more than 3 days ( due to limitations on supplies and power )but the previous owner installed a plug on the back for shore power and a permanent back mount for the Bimini (where I would have a removable mount for solar panels ) , recently I saw some collapsable solar panels that you can buy a electric “generator “ with different models for different capacities called the “jackery”, and though about buying a smaller one for our Mac just to let us stay out on the water for more extended amounts of time .
Angel Vides glad you liked the videos. When we started doing some research into the trip we looked on u tube and found little info about the area . And we didn't know what to expect since it was our first time sailing on the "ocean" so thought others might like to see the area. We haven't put up any videos in a while but we are going to go to kitimat in June so might do a couple vids about that area.
Must admit to being a mite envious being the wrong side of 70.. Sold our Vagabond 42 aft cabin cutter ketch a few years back after it and I survived Tsunami anchored off Phuket. Certainly miss messing about in boats now we live on our 30acre rubber farm in southern Thailand. Take care. Next time in BC cruise the Gulf islands . Newcastle Island is a beautiful spot with miles of walks with your dog and has a shop selling great fish and chips. Opposite is Nanaimo yacht club with showers. Used to be a floating pub not far from the island many years ago..
Griz Da Bear ya I do gotta say the galley works really well . And the Gimbals for the stove are critical to how good our trip went . Nothing better than hot soup during a cold rainy run down the gorgia straight.
And electric motor to replace the outboard! I've seen a fairly heavy 30 footer upgrade to electric not by using the $20k marine system, but a 48v fork lift motor for $600. They still had to buy all the accessories and machine shop work to connect it to the original transmission. They did it, and it works, and it was probably $1200 total. It's bullet proof, it's so quiet I can't believe it, and it barely eats battery at the typical power speed setting. The best news is that at a decent speed setting, he still has tons of spare power at hand. Like the power you need to get out of a channel when huge waves are trying to push your boat sideways then capsize you, he can blast the throttle and she responds. The original prop was perfect for the rpm he runs at. He got the idea from a car electric conversion forum. Damn this is long...I hope someone finds it useful!
@@mboyer68 I wouldn’t think theres really enough room to place solar panels needed to charge batteries for electric motor there’s not enough room on my 27ft without putting expensive radar arch, wind generator etc starts to exceed boat value with all the mods needed being an outboard motor, prop, shaft etc etc
Very nicely set up. I'll steal a few ideas for my 2005 26M. When reefing the main, why remove the slugs. I just slide them down against the sail track stop and can reach the hook with the cringle. alternatively, you could string a line through the front and rear cringles to a jam cleat and just pull it down. A quick trip to the deck to tie the loose baggy part and off you go.
Nice Macgregor 26M, I love the bathroom set up, I have my port a potty in my macgregor 26M, I notice you didn't have a shower setup. You have everything else.
Just a thought: What better way to while away an Alberta winter than poring over paper charts and enrolling in evening courses for navigation, yacht maintenance etc..😁
That was a great little intro to Macgregor upgrades. I am thinking of one of these for my wife and I, and appreciate your views. Do you know what the largest engine you can use on it, and what the speed is for a larger motor?
Thank you very much for the upgrade information. As an inexperienced sailor I have often thought that the MacGregor would be a good boat to start with. I have had power boats most of my adult life. But now that I am retired something that uses wind for the main power I like better. I do think solar panels with electric drive would be really nice. Btw is there a black water tank on board? How many gallons. So where were you tied off during your filming? When you mentioned the heater plus the surroundings it looked Pacific Northwest. Thanks
I'm interested in the setup for your grill. I have the same T-track and wanted to find the connector (where to purchase) to mount my grill in the same manner. Thanks for sharing.
Really nice vid. I'd think of solar cells to keep battery charged. Harbor freight has them really reasonable. And to save deck space you can mount them vertical not too high up on the mast. ( two sandwiched) There are also wind powered ones. And some that are dragged behind the boat. I say this because when you are stuck somewhere and run out of all fuel and then all power with no way to call for help. What you gonna do? Oh say, how much juice you get out of that Bacardi bottle in the battery box? Ha.
Thanks for the comment. We actually sold the boat a few months ago and bought a catalina 36 couple days ago. Thanks for the tip about the harbor freight solar panels as we would like to go that route with the new boat ! Cheers Steve and Ally.
Biggest advantage of chemical toilets is the fact you can use them when dried out. Quite common to navigate an estuary and to sit in the mud on the east coast uk so ideal. Plus I don't think it will be too long before you can't pump waste overboard so unless you have a waste tank which isn't really feasible on a 26ft boat then a sea toilet is no good. Some EU countries don't allow it inshore anymore.
The marine head we have sits directly ontop the holding tank and all waste goes into it. Then you can pump it out at a pump out station or if your offshore far enough you can pump it out into the water. You can still use it dried out but need to use water from the fresh water supply if you need to "wash" anything down . Cheers Steve.
At 5:36 I glanced at the tv screen and your stove was in view. I hadn't been listening so I wasn't aware you were talking about the stove. If you pause it at 5:36, the right hand side has a stainless steel piece..I think to prevent pans from sliding off, but it looks exactly like a dual record player like DJ's use! And it was swaying...so I'm like damn, that dude throws sick parties on his boat and he's the DJ! Sorry..totally random. I like your boat! I'm thinking about buying a McGregor 30 that's not too far away from me. Do you still have your boat? Thank you:)
Haha we weren't set up to dj maybe next boat tho. We actually sold the MacGregor a few years ago and bought a Catalina 36 we sailed that for two full summers and this summer we circumnavigated Vancouver Island and sold the boat at the end of our trip. We plan to look for our next boat next winter.
Brent Songer thanks for watching. We installed a wabasto d4 air heater. I got the heater for free and repaired and installed it. I just use a small jerry can with diesel to run it with. The controls I ran to the back berth so we can turn it on when in bed without getting out of the covers.It was definitely the difference between a enjoyable trip and a wet cold trip.
Wait, 90 horsepower on a 26ft boat? Wow. That must move the boat along pretty well, just cracking the throttle up off idle. Your boat makes a good case for buying a boat already kitted out, not going the refit a wreck route.
ekner I agree. In our opinion it's worth buying a boat that has as much of the stuff on it that you want. Usually the boat is not priced that much higher . you can still get a good deal on a boat if it's a bit run down and fix the components for much less cost that buying them all brand new.
Any boat that you get, that you buy, you will modify to your convenience, ANY BOAT. i think they have done an outstanding job to make it comfortable to their desires. Congratulations. ..! :-)
Great set-up and really smart mods! It seems like it could support full time living aboard. What's the longest period you two have lived on it without going back to civilization for fuel or supplies?
Just incase you are still paying attention to this thread.. I'm looking at this boat for sailing the keys and some use in the bahamas. Would you be comfortable taking your boat to the keys and the Bahamas?
Pretty awesome. Any way to get a list of where you got those mods? I’m starting to save for my first cruiser and I’m sold on the 26m. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
What you need is a marine capacitor bank, 30 second charge to full power and you get 12v to 48v 110v all day long and you even get 240v if you have deap pockets and it will take well over 1 million + charges compared to dirty lithium batterys which can only take 1200 before needing replaced and no need for sun or wind power either. Fair winds ;)
Tell me about your 90 HP Yamaha. It's a 2 stroke as I think I can see. I have a 4-stroke 50 HP. But, I need more HP to take my teenage sons wake boarding. The 2-strokes are great as you can fit more HP in a smaller engine, but I don't like the louder sound of a 2-stroke and the smoke from gas mixed with oil. What to do? I don't think I can fit a 4-stroke 90 HP in my transom area on my 2000 26X Mac.
Awesome mods! I'd be interested to know how you shower? I contemplated modifying the head into a "wet toilet" with shower but it's quite a job to water seal everything plus adding the drainage.
The ladder placement go me thinking - I really liked it at first. However, I'm not sure I like the idea of it hanging over the side when I'm traveling and I don't like the idea of taking it off and storing it. Comments?
We actually leave ladder right where it is when we sail. The bottom couple feet are on a hinge and swing up so that the ladder has good clearance from the water. The only time we remove it fully is when we motor at hi speeds because the spray off the bow hits the ladder and trickles into cockpit. Not very often we motor at hi speeds (only twice on or month long trip). Thanks for the question.
Chemical porta potties are actually not that bad even the smaller ones will last a couple about two days before it needs to be emptied and you just pull it out take the cap off and dump it down a gas station toilet somewhere I used one in my RV
For me, this is a daysailer, for me, this is so cluttered it would drive me mad I had one for 10 years great boat to sail used it for offshore races and would win the single-handed cup each to their own I was lucky to have a Moody 44 for more deep water sailing
Thanks for your video - we picked up a 26M at the end of September 2016 and only had it out for one short weekend trip before putting it away for the winter. Lots of great ideas in your video! Going to look further into the heater. I like the galley mod too - we've been debating what to do with it. I noticed your water drain line is different then our stock one - did you add that? What type of line is it? Do you find the sink drains better raised?
The sink does drain good. The hose was cracked when we got the boat so as a mechanic of course I replaced it with automotive coolant hose .U can buy at any auto supply place.
One more question on the ladder, how long is yours? I found a similar telescoping ladder at Steveston Marine that extends to 4', which I don't think will quite reach the water (so no good as a swim ladder), but will work to get on and off our dinghy/docks etc.
Edelweiss the ladder was with the boat when we got it but basically home made. But go to bluewater yachts in Seattle, or on the Web site. The Web site tab "deck hardwear" and you will see that there are the brackets that are made specifically for the ladder to slide onto the geneoa track. Cheers.
If you can sail one of these boats you can sail any thing the fastest way to sail one of these is side ways but you dont have to try to hard the boat will do that all by itself and trying to Moore one in any kind of breeze is a nightmare
Hey guys, check out Patrick Láine, another TH-cam, who singlehands hos yacht offshore, and has great solutions for reefing, among many other great tips, and we have found his channel an extremely beneficial source for us sailors! Fair winds, and following seas to ye! Your new subs from the West of Ireland
Anatoly Sobolev it's the most comfortable trailer sailor I've been able to find. As for the 25+ knots in the open ocean... We've never been there on a macgregor . But I can tell you that those conditions and a trailer sailor like the mac shouldn't be used in the same sentence haha.
There was another TH-cam channel that modified their boat the 26x to extremes, this guy modified it with like autopilot, chart plotter, clutches and more winches,
Look like an amazing trip I look to do a similar trip next season Did you leave your truck and trailer at sunset marina? If so what do they charge? Also do you pay to stay on the mooring buoys?
Hey Dustin we didn’t leave our truck there luckily ally’s sister lives not to far away and stored the truck and trailer for us but yes the marina will as well but it wasn’t real cheap if I remember right. The mooring balls we did pay for but we anchored the majority of the time. It’s a great trip and you should def do it. Sept was pretty quiet and we really liked not having to fight for anchoring. Cheers. Steve
Oh dear! I guess some people think there's nothing new under the Sun, whilst others believe everything is new. We used to mod out skateboards in the '70's (1970's for clarification) and in the 1980's felt that using a modem was l33t or even 1337. I'll let you young folk look up that one, though I guess you'll use Google, rather than a BBS. Oh! Thats another one! :-) I do mean all this kind-heartedly though.
I like this boat. Does anyone still use Navionics? Just wondering. I was looking at in Google play store and the very first review said it's a $300 hike increase? Any experiences?
Jon Payne I'm not gonna be one to tell you it sails exallent because it doesn't , but I will say it sails satisfactory for a boat that is trailerable. It is very functional for its size. I belive they are the best all around trailerable sailboat for spending multiple weeks living on.
I sailed one of them once in the Med and it was the worst experience ever. Slow, rolly and just overall not nice. Still better than no boat at all though :)
thomas laux it's not a open ocean boat. Open ocean and trailer sailor probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence. But for protected costal it's fine. Rudders are strong enough . I heat it with a espar air heater that heats the boat very well. Currently it's -25c and I'm sure the heater would keep the boat warm but the lakes are frozen so ...
Fellow Cruiser who's cruised the Great Loop. Your video is well done, I love the informalness of it. It was not staged and it doesn't sound like an infomercial. Well done and the information is excellent. I'm already checking out some of the products for my MacGregor
Great mods! Thanks for sharing. Really wish that McGregor made a 35 w/the same draft & features as the 26.
Fantastic. I have a Ericson 27 and I’m going to make your galley. Thankyou.
Wow, super smart and well-executed ideas. Congrats.
Excellent and thank you so much for your very useful demonstration and explanation of ‘stuff’. The Macgregor is not a large craft and the extra storage compartments and bits and pieces are priceless. I also liked the changes to the rigging in order to deploy from the cockpit. Nice!
I also agree with Eric, you need some solar panel goodness too.
While the boarding ladder may seem to be the most important mod to your boat, I'd respectfully have to disagree. Clearly, the most valuable mod to your boat is not one that someone else has provided, but rather it is one that you have supplied yourselves. It is that magnificent berth warmer you have up there in the v-berth! I'll bet that mod is not "single-purpose" either. I'm sure it pulls double-duty in a host of other functions, not the least of which is providing a source of unconditional love, affection and joy, especially when things aren't going so well. All the mods you've shown are, really, top shelf, but you didn't so much as acknowledge that one! But, being who they are, I'm sure she/he would forgive you if they were aware of that 'faux pas'.... That's just how they roll. Bless their oversized hearts. Thanks for sharing and Happy Sails to the three of you!
Thank you for the tour you guys. Some great modifications for the MacGregor 26.
That is a very clever galley mod for the 26M! Good idea on the line reel, the stern rail seat storage bag and the cover behind the companionway steps! Like Davilia said, it looks like you have a very pretty cruising area! Thanks, for sharing!
I really like the idea of storage for water bottles and such on the stern rail seats. I have a diaper bag holder that looks similar - brand new - and I may see if I can adapt that to make it work. The galley is gorgeous - we've planned to modify ours but I hadn't seen any ideas I really liked til now. The raised sink is fabulous! Love the drawers under the table as well - why didn't I think of that???
My husband said we didn't need curtains, but our first sail down to Olympia, WA was blistering hot and we wished we had some. Within minutes we did - paper towels hung with duct tape! I've since made fitted ones from actual fabric which look much better, lol. We also ordered a plex-glassi hatch from Blue Water Yachts, and I made curtains for that. I felt a bit claustrophobic if we were inside and the hatch needed to be closed. Love the open feeling, but I did make curtains for after dark, which still gives us privacy.
We love our Mac 26M... anxious for nicer weather and a great sailing season. Thanks so much for sharing.
very nice and clean yacht, a lot of thoughts. You have great hearts to share good ideas, thanks :)
Stove mod is really neat, simple and practical and the access ladder coming off the track is clever as well! Cheers
Amazing mods to a MacGregor. And most are In expensive Canadian Tire gear (that’s Harbor Freight in the U.S.). MacGregors are not known as great sailboats but you all are on the water and sailing. Kudos!
We're on our second sailboat, and it's our first MacGregor. This is our 6th year sailing her, and we are very happy with how she performs. We were caught in a sudden, terrible storm with gale force winds, and she kept us afloat and alive. Roger MacGregor thought of a lot of things that make this a great boat, even if he did keep it simple and affordable. I've heard the criticism of MacGregors by the sailing community, but I can't tell you how many people stop by to tell us what a beauty she is wherever we go, and she sails fine enough for us.
The Mac 25 made the sailboat hall of fame
the stairs that flip up are a must have , and the cover you made is a great idea , well done
Great overview, and super slick mods. Will be coming back to this video for reminders.
Excellent info..very informative..salute.
Just read your comments and we have actually already sold sea weasel in hopes of finding a liveaboard boat in the future. Your suggestions of learning during the winter is s good one. I'm actually studying celestial navigation at the moment. It's been fun so far.
Looking good. Friends of mine baught a McGregor 26. We anchored in almost the same location as you in Smugglers a few yours ago. He has a 90 horsepower too.
Wow super impressed... you make me second guess putting my 26 up for sale....
If your close to the coast doing this trip was perfect for the macgregor. The reason we did these videos was because we couldn't find any at the time that showed what to expect in that area. As newbie sailors seeing it on a map wasn't a whole lot of help. But we're hoping that anyone who watches these vids realize that with the right prep a trip like this is great even with just a trailer sailor.
Excellent tour, nice boat!!!!
My experience with kerosene heaters is that they set off the carbon monoxide alarm! Someday I want to learn just how much stuff can you add to a boat 'in weight'/foot. Informative video! I'm in a learning phase.
"That's a lot of talking"😂🍻 thanks for that man good job on all the mods look good..
Our mac26x has never seen us on it for more than 3 days ( due to limitations on supplies and power )but the previous owner installed a plug on the back for shore power and a permanent back mount for the Bimini (where I would have a removable mount for solar panels ) , recently I saw some collapsable solar panels that you can buy a electric “generator “ with different models for different capacities called the “jackery”, and though about buying a smaller one for our Mac just to let us stay out on the water for more extended amounts of time .
I just found this video blog. It is totally awesome. .!!!
Angel Vides glad you liked the videos. When we started doing some research into the trip we looked on u tube and found little info about the area . And we didn't know what to expect since it was our first time sailing on the "ocean" so thought others might like to see the area. We haven't put up any videos in a while but we are going to go to kitimat in June so might do a couple vids about that area.
Sailing the Free Life THANK YOU FOR REPLYING. ..!!!
Please check your Facebook, i asked a few questions there.
THANK YOU. ..!!! :-)
Must admit to being a mite envious being the wrong side of 70..
Sold our Vagabond 42 aft cabin cutter ketch a few years back after it and I survived Tsunami anchored off Phuket.
Certainly miss messing about in boats now we live on our 30acre rubber farm in southern Thailand. Take care.
Next time in BC cruise the Gulf islands . Newcastle Island is a beautiful spot with miles of walks with your dog and has a shop selling great fish and chips. Opposite is Nanaimo yacht club with showers. Used to be a floating pub not far from the island many years ago..
Recommend SailKote for the slides. Put it on anything that moves on your boat. Dry lubricant, stays clean and lasts long
Great video
Lived with friends on corner of seaview and Tudor. Know that cove well. Well...30 years ago that is.
These are awesome mods, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Incase you never had enough boat projects here's a few more haha.
Thanks guys, great vid and you have given me some ideas.. :-) Looks like some magic cruising grounds you have there too.
I would so gut that entire interior and section it off looks like it has tons of room
Sweet mods!
Thats galley tho is reAlly nice . I work for Roger MacGregor
Griz Da Bear ya I do gotta say the galley works really well . And the Gimbals for the stove are critical to how good our trip went . Nothing better than hot soup during a cold rainy run down the gorgia straight.
Would have been cool to see how some of the mods were done you were lucky to buy it nodded already
Great job
I can't believe the transom hasn't broke with that 90hp sweet 26er tho
Your Right , that is a lotta talking ,
I'm way too quiet for the video.
Good job , neat boat.
Great video love the mods thanks
Solar power should be on your list as well.
And electric motor to replace the outboard! I've seen a fairly heavy 30 footer upgrade to electric not by using the $20k marine system, but a 48v fork lift motor for $600. They still had to buy all the accessories and machine shop work to connect it to the original transmission. They did it, and it works, and it was probably $1200 total. It's bullet proof, it's so quiet I can't believe it, and it barely eats battery at the typical power speed setting. The best news is that at a decent speed setting, he still has tons of spare power at hand. Like the power you need to get out of a channel when huge waves are trying to push your boat sideways then capsize you, he can blast the throttle and she responds. The original prop was perfect for the rpm he runs at. He got the idea from a car electric conversion forum. Damn this is long...I hope someone finds it useful!
@@mboyer68 I wouldn’t think theres really enough room to place solar panels needed to charge batteries for electric motor there’s not enough room on my 27ft without putting expensive radar arch, wind generator etc starts to exceed boat value with all the mods needed being an outboard motor, prop, shaft etc etc
Aprendi muito hoje com suas ideias,lindo local que esta ancorado.Onde seria... Parabéns.
Great insight thank you.
Very nicely set up. I'll steal a few ideas for my 2005 26M. When reefing the main, why remove the slugs. I just slide them down against the sail track stop and can reach the hook with the cringle. alternatively, you could string a line through the front and rear cringles to a jam cleat and just pull it down. A quick trip to the deck to tie the loose baggy part and off you go.
Alberta Sailor we have since changed the slugs to allow us to pull the ring down. Haven't tested it out yet tho..
Nice Macgregor 26M, I love the bathroom set up, I have my port a potty in my macgregor 26M, I notice you didn't have a shower setup. You have everything else.
Thanks Mark. You're right we don't have a real good shower setup. You'll see how we shower in Ep 3. That could be our next mod to think about.
hi great info on magregor have got a link for heater cheers mate
Just a thought: What better way to while away an Alberta winter than poring over paper charts and enrolling in evening courses for navigation, yacht maintenance etc..😁
great vids thanks for this. Im thinking about getting the same vessel. subbed
That was a great little intro to Macgregor upgrades. I am thinking of one of these for my wife and I, and appreciate your views. Do you know what the largest engine you can use on it, and what the speed is for a larger motor?
thanks
One of the coolest dogs I´ve ever seen... does he actually move sometimes? ;-)
Nice video
Thank you very much for the upgrade information. As an inexperienced sailor I have often thought that the MacGregor would be a good boat to start with. I have had power boats most of my adult life. But now that I am retired something that uses wind for the main power I like better. I do think solar panels with electric drive would be really nice. Btw is there a black water tank on board? How many gallons. So where were you tied off during your filming? When you mentioned the heater plus the
surroundings it looked Pacific Northwest. Thanks
I'm interested in the setup for your grill. I have the same T-track and wanted to find the connector (where to purchase) to mount my grill in the same manner.
Thanks for sharing.
I got a boat cover made for the 26m to protect the gel coat on deck
love the galley
Great video, very interesting!!
MacGregor 26M is a nice boat but not a boat for roaring 40s ;) or furious 50s..
Most of us understand this.
Very, very few boats are.
Really nice vid. I'd think of solar cells to keep battery charged. Harbor freight has them really reasonable. And to save deck space you can mount them vertical not too high up on the mast. ( two sandwiched) There are also wind powered ones. And some that are dragged behind the boat. I say this because when you are stuck somewhere and run out of all fuel and then all power with no way to call for help. What you gonna do? Oh say, how much juice you get out of that Bacardi bottle in the battery box? Ha.
Thanks for the comment. We actually sold the boat a few months ago and bought a catalina 36 couple days ago. Thanks for the tip about the harbor freight solar panels as we would like to go that route with the new boat ! Cheers Steve and Ally.
Great boat
Great video! I really liked the heater you have installed at the v-berth. What kind of heater ist it, brand/model...? Thanks for sharing!
Love the mods. Curious how you installed the Webasto heater and where you placed the exhaust. Thanks!
Also keen to hear about this
Biggest advantage of chemical toilets is the fact you can use them when dried out. Quite common to navigate an estuary and to sit in the mud on the east coast uk so ideal. Plus I don't think it will be too long before you can't pump waste overboard so unless you have a waste tank which isn't really feasible on a 26ft boat then a sea toilet is no good. Some EU countries don't allow it inshore anymore.
The marine head we have sits directly ontop the holding tank and all waste goes into it. Then you can pump it out at a pump out station or if your offshore far enough you can pump it out into the water. You can still use it dried out but need to use water from the fresh water supply if you need to "wash" anything down . Cheers Steve.
Cool :)
Cute doggie!
You definately turned a station wagon into a touring bus with your McGregor
At 5:36 I glanced at the tv screen and your stove was in view. I hadn't been listening so I wasn't aware you were talking about the stove. If you pause it at 5:36, the right hand side has a stainless steel piece..I think to prevent pans from sliding off, but it looks exactly like a dual record player like DJ's use! And it was swaying...so I'm like damn, that dude throws sick parties on his boat and he's the DJ! Sorry..totally random. I like your boat! I'm thinking about buying a McGregor 30 that's not too far away from me. Do you still have your boat? Thank you:)
Haha we weren't set up to dj maybe next boat tho. We actually sold the MacGregor a few years ago and bought a Catalina 36 we sailed that for two full summers and this summer we circumnavigated Vancouver Island and sold the boat at the end of our trip. We plan to look for our next boat next winter.
Can you share more details about your heater set up? Great info, thanks!
Brent Songer thanks for watching. We installed a wabasto d4 air heater. I got the heater for free and repaired and installed it. I just use a small jerry can with diesel to run it with. The controls I ran to the back berth so we can turn it on when in bed without getting out of the covers.It was definitely the difference between a enjoyable trip and a wet cold trip.
Cool video and cool mods! Do you know if the 90hp motor is quieter than the 50hp? Also do you find the 90 overkill or glad to have?
Wait, 90 horsepower on a 26ft boat? Wow. That must move the boat along pretty well, just cracking the throttle up off idle. Your boat makes a good case for buying a boat already kitted out, not going the refit a wreck route.
ekner I agree. In our opinion it's worth buying a boat that has as much of the stuff on it that you want. Usually the boat is not priced that much higher . you can still get a good deal on a boat if it's a bit run down and fix the components for much less cost that buying them all brand new.
Any boat that you get, that you buy, you will modify to your convenience, ANY BOAT. i think they have done an outstanding job to make it comfortable to their desires. Congratulations. ..! :-)
ekner power baby
Removing the foam releasing your insurance company from having to pay your claim if it sinks.
Great set-up and really smart mods! It seems like it could support full time living aboard. What's the longest period you two have lived on it without going back to civilization for fuel or supplies?
Just incase you are still paying attention to this thread.. I'm looking at this boat for sailing the keys and some use in the bahamas. Would you be comfortable taking your boat to the keys and the Bahamas?
Pretty awesome. Any way to get a list of where you got those mods? I’m starting to save for my first cruiser and I’m sold on the 26m. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
What you need is a marine capacitor bank, 30 second charge to full power and you get 12v to 48v 110v all day long and you even get 240v if you have deap pockets and it will take well over 1 million + charges compared to dirty lithium batterys which can only take 1200 before needing replaced and no need for sun or wind power either. Fair winds ;)
Tell me about your 90 HP Yamaha. It's a 2 stroke as I think I can see. I have a 4-stroke 50 HP. But, I need more HP to take my teenage sons wake boarding. The 2-strokes are great as you can fit more HP in a smaller engine, but I don't like the louder sound of a 2-stroke and the smoke from gas mixed with oil. What to do? I don't think I can fit a 4-stroke 90 HP in my transom area on my 2000 26X Mac.
Awesome mods! I'd be interested to know how you shower? I contemplated modifying the head into a "wet toilet" with shower but it's quite a job to water seal everything plus adding the drainage.
Liked and subbed
Props to the previous owner. Tickle your dog to make sure it is not dead.
Does anyone have any additional info on the T track clamp used for the BBQ? What it might be called or where to get them?
Sir i read that you sold the Boat, but one Question if you still have the Info. How fast was it with 90hp? Thats a lot of horses under the hood.
Why use a dingy? Can't you beach the MacGregor 26?
it's still unsinkable with that honeycomb hull design, unless I'm wrong. Can't believe the rigging situation though.
The ladder placement go me thinking - I really liked it at first. However, I'm not sure I like the idea of it hanging over the side when I'm traveling and I don't like the idea of taking it off and storing it. Comments?
We actually leave ladder right where it is when we sail. The bottom couple feet are on a hinge and swing up so that the ladder has good clearance from the water. The only time we remove it fully is when we motor at hi speeds because the spray off the bow hits the ladder and trickles into cockpit. Not very often we motor at hi speeds (only twice on or month long trip). Thanks for the question.
Thanks. It's just the "looks" of it hanging off the side most of the time and I don't have room to store it other places. Thanks.
Chemical porta potties are actually not that bad even the smaller ones will last a couple about two days before it needs to be emptied and you just pull it out take the cap off and dump it down a gas station toilet somewhere I used one in my RV
For me, this is a daysailer, for me, this is so cluttered it would drive me mad I had one for 10 years great boat to sail used it for offshore races and would win the single-handed cup each to their own I was lucky to have a Moody 44 for more deep water sailing
Curious with the helm so aft and the headsail winches atop the cabin, how do you manage to work the sheets through a tack? They seem so far away.
Thanks for your video - we picked up a 26M at the end of September 2016 and only had it out for one short weekend trip before putting it away for the winter. Lots of great ideas in your video! Going to look further into the heater. I like the galley mod too - we've been debating what to do with it. I noticed your water drain line is different then our stock one - did you add that? What type of line is it? Do you find the sink drains better raised?
The sink does drain good. The hose was cracked when we got the boat so as a mechanic of course I replaced it with automotive coolant hose .U can buy at any auto supply place.
One more question on the ladder, how long is yours? I found a similar telescoping ladder at Steveston Marine that extends to 4', which I don't think will quite reach the water (so no good as a swim ladder), but will work to get on and off our dinghy/docks etc.
I like your boarding ladder that is mounted on the track. I've been looking for one just like that. Is that "home made" or where did you purchase it?
Edelweiss the ladder was with the boat when we got it but basically home made. But go to bluewater yachts in Seattle, or on the Web site. The Web site tab "deck hardwear" and you will see that there are the brackets that are made specifically for the ladder to slide onto the geneoa track. Cheers.
If you can sail one of these boats you can sail any thing the fastest way to sail one of these is side ways but you dont have to try to hard the boat will do that all by itself and trying to Moore one in any kind of breeze is a nightmare
Hey guys, check out Patrick Láine, another TH-cam, who singlehands hos yacht offshore, and has great solutions for reefing, among many other great tips, and we have found his channel an extremely beneficial source for us sailors! Fair winds, and following seas to ye! Your new subs from the West of Ireland
Do the track mount come together with your BBQ grill? Or did you have to buy it separately? If so where did you purchase that?
West marine has them, but probably expensive.
i thought macs slept 6-8?
Create job mate!
How is live on Macgregor when 25+ knots wind at the open sea? Is it comfortable?
Anatoly Sobolev it's the most comfortable trailer sailor I've been able to find. As for the 25+ knots in the open ocean... We've never been there on a macgregor . But I can tell you that those conditions and a trailer sailor like the mac shouldn't be used in the same sentence haha.
Good guys ! Have a nice cruises in the new season!
Anatoly Sobolev thanks. We plan to go to kitimat bc in June.
Anatoly Sobolev z
There was another TH-cam channel that modified their boat the 26x to extremes, this guy modified it with like autopilot, chart plotter, clutches and more winches,
Look like an amazing trip I look to do a similar trip next season
Did you leave your truck and trailer at sunset marina?
If so what do they charge?
Also do you pay to stay on the mooring buoys?
Hey Dustin we didn’t leave our truck there luckily ally’s sister lives not to far away and stored the truck and trailer for us but yes the marina will as well but it wasn’t real cheap if I remember right. The mooring balls we did pay for but we anchored the majority of the time. It’s a great trip and you should def do it. Sept was pretty quiet and we really liked not having to fight for anchoring. Cheers. Steve
I tried to watch, am um, I couldn't, because, and um, I just, couldn't.
👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼.
For anyone born before 1990 "mod" = modification.
lmao..
Oh dear! I guess some people think there's nothing new under the Sun, whilst others believe everything is new. We used to mod out skateboards in the '70's (1970's for clarification) and in the 1980's felt that using a modem was l33t or even 1337. I'll let you young folk look up that one, though I guess you'll use Google, rather than a BBS. Oh! Thats another one! :-) I do mean all this kind-heartedly though.
dose the dog com with the boat#
Awesome videos. Do you mind if I ask if you have the 26x or the 26m? And, what your is it?
Ours is a 26m year 2005. The X is the older model and doesn't have the double windows . They are very similar so it's up to what you like for layout .
I like this boat. Does anyone still use Navionics? Just wondering. I was looking at in Google play store and the very first review said it's a $300 hike increase? Any experiences?
I haven't downloaded the app in a while but you can just try and see..
Ive actually looked at a lot of McGregors on line. how does it sail?
Jon Payne I'm not gonna be one to tell you it sails exallent because it doesn't , but I will say it sails satisfactory for a boat that is trailerable. It is very functional for its size. I belive they are the best all around trailerable sailboat for spending multiple weeks living on.
I sailed one of them once in the Med and it was the worst experience ever. Slow, rolly and just overall not nice. Still better than no boat at all though :)
Can I ask the modle number of your heater?
Would you say this is safe enough for open ocean? What about extreme cold weather? Are the rudders strong?
How do you heat the cabin?
thomas laux it's not a open ocean boat. Open ocean and trailer sailor probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence. But for protected costal it's fine. Rudders are strong enough . I heat it with a espar air heater that heats the boat very well. Currently it's -25c and I'm sure the heater would keep the boat warm but the lakes are frozen so ...
Nicest MacGregor 26 ever?