macgregor 25 foot sailboat

Macgregor 25

The macgregor 25 is a 24.92ft fractional sloop designed by roger macgregor and built in fiberglass by macgregor yacht corp between 1973 and 1987., 7000 units have been built..

The Macgregor 25 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.

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Review of MacGregor 25

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat has more than one rig. One option is a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a genaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed. Another option is a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

CentreBoard

The MacGregor 25 is equipped with a centreboard keel. A centreboard keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 0.46 - 0.56 meter (1.51 - 1.81 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for MacGregor 25 is 2.47, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.4 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for MacGregor 25 is about 113 kg/cm, alternatively 633 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 113 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 633 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 21m 2 (226 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for MacGregor 25 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Sailing a MacGregor 25

• Thread starter phdoc
• Start date Aug 7, 2008
• Forums for All Owners
• Trailer Sailors

I am looking to buy a 1986 25' MacGregor. How easy is it to trailer? How easy is it to step the mast? And lastly, how easy is it to sail alone?  

sailortonyb Allied Mis

Easy to sail I never trailered it, but it was easy to step the mast for TWO people. Not the kind of thing I would want to do on a regular basis. As for sailing alone, it is a piece of cake. It was my first sailboat. Took it through hell and back. Mine was a 1979, I think. I never needed winches, so I dont remember if it even had any. I would head into the wind, pull in my jib , fall off and let it out slowly until sail looked good. Did the same with the main. You will love your new boat. Tony B  

that depends... I just trailered my '88 26 D from California to Wisconsin and back again with no trouble whatsoever. It was on a tandem axle trailer being pulled by a motorhome. I would not want to try that trip on a single axle trailer being pulled by a car, especially if the outboard motor is heavy. A lot depends on what kind of terrain you intend to trailer on. Rochester is flatter than California, so you may have fewer challenges than I do. Make sure you have enough vehicle to handle getting the boat up the boat ramp. I've seen more than one half ton pickup smoke its tires trying to get up the ramp. A three quarter ton with four wheel drive will handle the task with ease. My 21 year old son and I (I'm 51) step the mast without any trouble, so long as the shroud lines don't foul. A little sister comes in handy to deal with the shrouds. I attach the bow painter to the fore stay, and then put a wrap around the bow pulpit to act as a brake against the mast. The bow painter allows me to arrest the mast, even at a fairly flat angle with a single hand. My buddy steps his mast alone, but he has a contraption to assist him. He single hands his 25 footer, but his boat is set up for that purpose. My advice is to buy the boat, get it set up properly, tow with the right vehicle and have fun.  

To caguy If you wouldn't mind forwarding the plans for that stepping system my email is [email protected]. Thanks.  

Breaking wind

she is a kitten, to sail solo, I actually have a dinghy that is more of a handful than our Mac, I trailer, sail and step the mast by myself in my 77 venture which is virtually the same boat with a steel swinger underneath instead of the water and a board. .... I am getting a little sore from doing this solo all the time so if you could forward me that $30 mast stepping info to [email protected] I would really appreciate it too. some advice, the boat almost never sits far enough forward on the trailer, if you dont have a furling headsail get one it's much easier to single hand with it, lead all the lines aft to the cockpit, a tiller tamer is a must (or autopilot)  

The 25 is a nice boat, larger than my 22-2, but a lot of parts interchange,poptop, hatches, rudder(thanks Duane,saved the day, you thought I wouldn't bring that up, did you Frank, *butt ) other parts(blocks, cleats, etc.) are standard parts that can be replaced with Harken, Garhauer, etc. The boat sits higher on it's trailer than most, so get a stepladder, Check the keel winch and cable, make sure the brake works, check the trailer tires and bearings carefully, check the standing rigging for broken strands near the ends, have fun. Tim  

CharlieCobra

I have a V-21 and let me tell ya replacing the triangle with a Harkin small boat traveller and getting IdaSailor's aftermarket rudder made a HUGE difference in my boat.  

Ok, ok Timo fixed the motor bracket and I helped. Thank goodness that the rudders are inter-changeable. In the rush to go sailing before the wife changed her mind I forgot to throw the rudder into the back of the truck. Thanks Duane for the use of your Ida Rudder. There I've thanked Timo, Duane and goodness for saving a great day of sailing, now the universe is in order. Frank  

Had one, done that. I loved my Mac 25, kind of. Not big enough for the wife and two kiddies, 6 and 8 yrs. But it was great as a day saylor. Doubt you could step the mast alone, even with a mast raising system, but finding an extra hand for 5 mins. is not hard at most boat ramps. Boat points well and with the 150 genoa I could really make it hum and smoked many a Hunter!  

might consider..... a 26D I have both... before you buy, just take a look at a 26D first... just a couple of years difference... but like the folks say... it's a great boat...... --jr  

Mast raising My first boat was a Chrysler 22, which I trailered everywhere, and sailed single handed 90% of the time, including stepping and unstepping the mast. Many years ago, but I remember that to step the mast I would get it up by hand just a little and set it on a crutch. Then use the trailer winch to hoist it the rest of the way up. On that boat it was simple and easy.  

Tonto's Revenge

Simple... Is the only way to describe sailing a V25. I went from Hobies and Sunfish almost 30 years ago to sliding my 1974 V25 into the water this spring and taking off like a shot. Raising the mast is not something I would even consider attempting by myself without some sort of mechanical aid. I've raised my mast twice and each time it has taken three people to get the job done. Two is probably the absolute minimum for my boat. We have spent most weekends this summer on the boat and have found it to be quite livable for two adults and an 8-year-old. The only problem we've encountered was one night the kid disappeared. After a few tense moments, we found he had wiggled his way under the cockpit and was sound asleep next to the battery and gas tank. I bought my boat from a guy who lived about 200 miles away and we had no trouble at all trailering it back on a single axle trailer. I haven't tried pulling it out of the water yet...that may be an adventure.  

Mac 25 I own a Mac 26D, but last week I took one of our club members Mac 25 out for a sail. The first thing I noticed sailing his mac was that the winches were halfway back the cockpit and very well suited for single handing. (My 26D has the winches on the cabin roof and are a little hard to get to when sailing by myself.) In addition I found that the cabin i higher or the cockpit lower than on my 26D, so I found that I had to sit on my leg or stand while manuvering around the harbour to be able to see where I am going. When you have the centerboard lowered completely the cable starts to sing when you hit 2knts+. The cabin layout was pretty good with the v berth up front and a single berth along the port side. The little table on the starboard was a nice touch but I found myself missing the huge double berth and stern lazerette of my 26D. All in all it seemed to sail all right but not as well as the 26D. Wow I really didnt notice this was a totaly dead post.. Opps.  

dancing bear

Re: Mac 25 I sail my Mac 25 solo all the time in winds up to 20 knots and waves up to 6 foot on Lake Michigan, I love it, it's easy, but these conditions are pretty sporting on not for everyone. Sailing with the family, I limit the action to 2 foot waves and 12 knot winds. Unlike Merg, I found this is a good small boat for my small family; my kids are 6 and 7. It is stable, easy to manage when little people are in the way, and is cheap, and holding it's value: As the kids get bigger, I will be able to sell it quickly and either get a Hobie Cat or a 30 footer, depending on what serves my teams's interests most. Granted, the interior amenities are sparse, so there is not much down there to entertain the kids, like a larger boat with more "living room" would offer. I tow mine with a 2003 Honda Odyssey, with four wheel disk brakes, and a 3300 pound towing capacity. I have no problems at all. Some people have installed brakes on the trailer; I don't see this as necessary in my case, the Odyssey has substantial stopping power. There are kits to set up the mast alone, I don't have one. I put the mast up with my wife, pal, or solicit a fisheman's help, it's easy and only takes a minute (but seems scary the first few times). In the archives, you will find mast stepping instructions for a two-some I have posted before. The Mac 25 is a great bang for the buck.  

For the money the Mac 25 is hard to beat. It sails well in moderate wind and waves. It has plenty of seating and sleeping room. Easy to launch and trailer. I have stepped the mast alone a few times, but don't recommend it unless you are 200# and very strong. I think it sails rings around the Mac 26's. With good sails, a clean bottom, an aftermarket rudder, and a traveler; the Mac 25 can hold it's own with most sailboats of similar size. I sailed mine for 6 years, until I needed a boat to go offshore. I sold my 25 for the same price I paid for it!  

mast stepping solo/sails "rings" around 26s? I have stepped my mast solo numerous times...only weight 163lbs. You can wrap the jib line around the bow cleat so when stepped you can tighten with jib line untill forestay is fastened. I think to say that the 25 sails rings around the 26s is a greatly exagerated opinion. I have heard that the 25 is a slightly faster boat...not knocking that, but sails rings around? I don't think so!  

Absolutely I've been in several 12 mile races with Mac 25's and Mac 26's. One club member has a Mac 25 that normally finishes 30 minutes ahead of the 26's. Yes, he has his 25 set up for best performance, but at least 1 of the 26 sailors has a comparable set-up, and can't compete. Maybe it's the 60hp outboard hanging on his transom? A 25 still feels like a sailboat. I'm not sure what a 26 feels like.  

nothing is absolute.... except, perhaps, that nothing is absolute... I would say that the difference was in the captain's not the boat. The phrf ratings would back up my statement. 25 is faster...rings around faster...don't think so; I would be willing to captain my 26s (with racing main and traveler setup, ida rudder, and my brain) against a 25 anyday. Not saying that he might have a higher probability of getting there first due to his boat...but the probability of him getting there 30 min.'s ahead of me in a 12 mile race is ABSURDLY low. I think I might; due to the phrf's I've found, and the hours I have sailing my boat, even have a chance to beat him. But there is virtualy NO WAY he would "sail rings" around me! *this was the "average" phrf for 25 231 phrf for 26s 222 *This was the one with the most advantage to the 25 phrf for 25 235 phrf for 26s 216 Neither one jives with your "rings around" nor "30 min. ahead in a 12 mile race" statements  

I think I see the miscommunication okabow. I just noticed you wrote of putting a 60 hp motor on the back of a 26's. I guess the apostraphe (sp?) makes a big difference (though I don't know the phrf or sailing chracteristics of the 26x or 26m). My boat is a 26s. The 26s is a PURE sailor.  

Re: I think I see the miscommunication okabow. Just going with "real world " experience and what I've witnessed over the past 3 years. My Bristol has a PHRF of 282. I have never had a M26 of any model beat me in a scratch race, or handicap race. There are at least 6 M26's of various models in our club. They make great campers, but only 1 of them, ( a m26S, ) is close to the cabin boats at the end of a race. That tells me it takes more skill to get good performance from a M26. On the other hand, I regularly placed with my M25, even though I was a novice sailor at the time.  

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• MACGREGOR Manuals
• Macgregor 25
• Owner's instructions manual

MACGREGOR 25 Owner's Instructions Manual

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Owner's Review of the MacGregor 26 Sailboat Models

There is some confusion about all of the different MacGregor 26 models and some controversy about their sailing abilities.

The MacGregor 26 evolved after the Venture 22 and the MacGregor 25, which had been built from 1973 to about 1987. The M25 had a weighted centerboard keel like other trailer able sailboats but featured positive flotation, a low price, easy trailer ability and a comfortable interior with an enclosed head (porta-potty). These features carried forward into M26 models and helped make MacGregor one of the bestselling sailboats.

Differences in MacGregor 26 Models

• The MacGregor 26D (daggerboard), built from about 1986 to 1990, introduced water ballast to replace the weighted keel. When the water was drained for trailering, the boat weighed only 1650 lbs, making it even more attractive for towing with a regular automobile. The daggerboard, like a keel, helps prevent the boat from being blown sideways but could be lifted up for shoal water and trailering.
• The MacGregor 26S , 1990 to 1995, replaced the daggerboard with a swing centerboard (which kicks up in an accidental grounding) and made other smaller changes. Together, the 26D and 26S are often called the "classic" MacGregor 26, and sometimes the 26C. Owners of these earlier models tend to refer to them as "the real sailboats" prior to the changes coming with the MacGregor 26X.
• The MacGregor 26X , 1996 to 2004, marked a major change from the earlier "classic" M26 models by allowing a relatively huge outboard engine that essentially turned the 26X into a powerboat with a mast. Earlier models typically carried outboards as low as 5 or 6 HP (max. 10 HP), but the 26X now took up to 50 HP. For comparison, many thirty-six foot sailboats of this era, displacing more than five times the M's weight, had inboard engines of 25-30 HP. The water ballast could be drained of power, allowing the M26X to come up on a plane like a speedboat. The outboard well had to be moved to the centerline, with twin rudders to each side, and steering changed from tiller to a small powerboat-type steering wheel. The cabin height was increased for greater room inside and the boat is said to sail less well than the earlier 26.
• The MacGregor 26M (motorsailor), 2005 to present, continued the 26X's trend, now allowing up to a 60 HP outboard. The swing centerboard was replaced with a daggerboard to free up more space below and the second tier of windows was added with standing headroom. The boat is advertised to motor at 24 MPH. In addition to the water ballast, there are 300 lbs of permanent ballast, likely needed for stability with so much windage and the high weight of the engine. At 2550 lbs dry (excluding engine), it now needs stronger vehicle and tow package.

Risks and Precautions

Many traditional sailors joke about MacGregors because of the light fiberglass construction (the hull can "oilcan" flex in places if you push hard against it) and its powerboat characteristics since 1996. Many say it is not a "real sailboat." Most misunderstood, however, is the water ballast that has been a hallmark of all twenty-six models.

The water ballast tank is horizontal and only a foot or so beneath the surface, unlike a vertical ballasted keel or centerboard that extends much deeper. Some have even questioned how water, weighing the same as the water displaced by the boat, can be called ballast at all. The ballast tank has been well engineered, however, and does provide righting moment the same as a keel when the boat heels over, because the weight of water far out from the centerline on the "uphill" side (in the air once heeled over) does pull the boat back down the same as a weighted keel.

This does mean that the boat is more tender, or tippy, initially. A story has been told about a sailor on one edge of the deck who grabbed the mast when the boat heeled, and his own weight pulling on the mast that far above the waterline caused the boat to capsize all the way over. Whether true or not, the story illustrates a common perception of how tender the MacGregor is.

It is true that an M26 with 10 people aboard capsized with two fatalities -- most likely due to uneven distribution of the human weight on the boat.

Safely Sail the Water-Ballast

In normal conditions, however, careful sailors can safely sail the water-ballast M26 by following standard precautions:

• Reef sails when the wind is blowing.
• Maintain good balance with crew weight balanced against heeling.
• Prevent accidental gybes.
• Keep the ballast tank full and well-sealed.
• Maintain steerage control at all times.
• Heave to or take other storm action in high wind or waves.
• Don't drink and sail.

The larger safety issue is that for many owners, the M26 is a "starter boat" and they may not have the experience or knowledge to avoid possible problems in time. The bottom line is that anyone who goes sailing needs to be fully aware of the limitations of their boat and practice all safety guidelines.

Experience With the MacGregor 26S

Having owned and sailed a 26S extensively for three years, it indeed sails fairly well and lives up to its reputation of being a roomy and easily trailered pocket cruiser. This sailboat can meet most budgetary needs and has room enough for a family of three to cruise for up to a week at a time.

It is a light boat, but with sailing experience and caution, trouble in winds to thirty knots can be easily avoided. The fiberglass is thin but you can avoid running into rocks. Thousands of MacGregor owners have had experiences where they thoroughly enjoyed sailing.

Keep in mind that it's a light boat and always take the precautions listed above. For powerboat owners of the 26X and 26M, the boat should be as safe as any powerboat but do not hit a rock or another boat at 24 MPH.

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• Sailboat Guide

Macgregor 25 MH

Macgregor 25 MH is a 25 ′ 0 ″ / 7.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Roger MacGregor and built by Macgregor Yacht Corp. (USA) starting in 1980.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Dimensions for masthead rig. See MACGREGOR 25 for more details.

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