Is the MacGregor 26 a good boat?

The MacGregor 26 has a very low price for a lot of boat. It also, like any boat, has a number of flaws. The equipment is not as tough as that on some other boats of comparable size (compare it to a Pacific Seacraft to see the other extreme), and the fiberglass construction is not as substantial either. If you are planning to do lake sailing on lakes of modest size, perhaps it is the boat for you. If you are planning on going into the ocean, perhaps it is not. The Mac26 is quite large for a trailerable boat, which is one of its big advantages. it uses water ballast, in part. It is more stable, even intially stable, with its tanks full than with them empty. See below.

If you are considering a Mac26, you should also look at the Catalina 22. Compare the solidity of the structures, the hardware, the rigging, and also compare the resale values of similar boats in your area.

Greg Fox has kindly written a short dissertation on water ballast, which summarizes the wisdom of the net on the subject (including at least one practicing naval architect). It really *is* correct, and you should read it carefully before you start disagreeing. Here it is: