Why Sailors Love to Hate the MacGregor 26

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The MacGregor 26 might be the most controversial sailboat ever built.

Half sailboat. Half powerboat. Water ballast. A 50-horsepower outboard. Capable of sailing… and towing a water skier. For decades, sailors have loved to hate it, dismissed it, mocked it, and argued about whether it should even exist.

And yet, thousands of them are still out there.

In this video, we take a deep dive into the MacGregor 26 to find out why it became one of the most polarizing boats in sailing history. We look at how it actually sails, how it performs under power, why its water ballast design makes traditional sailors uncomfortable, and what the boat gets right that almost everyone overlooks.

Is the MacGregor 26 a terrible sailboat? A brilliant compromise? Or a misunderstood boat that solved problems most sailors don’t want to admit they have?

By the end of this video, you may find yourself rethinking everything you thought you knew about this boat — and why, for the right owner, it might actually make more sense than many “real” sailboats.

If you’ve ever argued about the MacGregor 26, rolled your eyes at one in a marina, or secretly wondered why so many people bought them, this video is for you.

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