MacGregor 26 S Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 26 S is a 25-foot-10-inch monohull with a 7-foot-10-inch beam and a displacement of 2,850 pounds, ballasted not with lead but with 1,200 pounds of water sealed in a baffled centerline compartment under the sole self-righting claim made by the builder. The hull is solid fiberglass; the deck is cored with plywood, a choice Practical Sailor noted as more likely to absorb water than balsa. The hull-deck joint is through-bolted, but it is sealed with foam weather-stripping that owners reported has a tendency to leak. Inside, a fiberglass liner pressed into wet mat limits hull access, and vertical mold surfaces are tabbed with 8-inch woven roving but without fillets to form a supporting radius. There are no structural bulkheads to take rigging loads in heavy conditions, and no deep bilge exists to house a pump.

Rig and Handling

The boat is lightly rigged with articulated spreaders, Nico-pressed eyes, and plate adjusters instead of turnbuckles, and a simple mast-raising system lets one person set up in about 45 minutes, with only five minutes to launch and five more to raise the mast. Sailing is restricted by fixed bullseye jib fairleads and wide sheeting angles from gunwale-mounted shrouds, which rule out a genoa close-hauled. Owners found the boat very tender because the ballast tank sits too close to the waterline, and it heels uncomfortably with strong weather helm in moderate winds; comfortable stability returns only with the board fully down and tank full. Reefing the main is advisable above 12 knots, and headsail area must be reduced at 6 to 8 knots. The centerboard control line is led to the galley counter rather than the cockpit, so single-handers must leave the tiller to adjust it. With rudder and outboard turned together, the boat pivots nearly within its own length, and maneuvering is much crisper with the centerboard down.

Accommodations

The cabin extends to the rail, and the 7-foot-11-inch beam with high freeboard makes for a large interior despite little stowage space. A queen-size berth measuring 6 by 7 feet sits under the cockpit and is quite comfortable, while the all-fiberglass interior is easy to keep clean. As standard the boat had no table or icebox, and the cockpit itself suffers cramped leg room with low seatbacks. A demountable table was provided in a later refit, and space under the V-berth was opened up.

Known Issues

The centerboard hangs from a 3/8-inch cross pin and bears laterally on the trunk, producing inherent slop that causes continual thumping at anchor, silenced only by fully retracting the board. The ballast tank is slow to fill and far too slow to drain. The hull-deck joint leaks, and gelcoat cracks appear at virtually every deck fitting; some owners report blisters in the nonskid gelcoat. The forward cockpit wall liner is thin enough to be punctured by an elbow. The electrical system as delivered used untinned wire with lamp-cord appearance and wire-nut connections, and most original connections turned to dust within a year; the group 24 battery had no containment box or terminal covers.

Refits and Ownership

Later improvements addressed the sloppy tiller-to-rudder assembly and opened the V-berth space, while provision was made for an optional boom vang and a demountable table. The trailer gained a jack stand, and MacGregor built its own painted-steel trailers; the boat needs only 15 inches of water to float and sits very low on its trailer. The typical 8-hp long-shaft outboard mounts on the transom and is adequate for most conditions, comfortably operated from the motor well.

The Verdict

The 26 S is a pragmatic trailer sailer that trades traditional ballast and structural redundancy for light weight, easy launching, and a roomy cabin. It sails acceptably with attention to reefing and board position, but its tenderness and leak-prone joints demand an owner who accepts its compromises.

Pros