MacGregor

MacGregor yachts are considered some of the best sailboats on the wide, open blue sea. Established in the 1960s by Roger MacGregor, his yachts were produced for more than five decades in Costa Mesa, California. In 2013, MacGregor yachts were proceeded by Roger’s daughter Laura and son-in-law Paul’s venture, Tattoo Yachts. During MacGregor sailboats’ history, the company built a remarkable 38,000 yachts. MacGregor yachts were trailerable, which is one aspect that made them popular with sailors.

While boating experts and reviewers of the MacGregor sailboats didn’t always like the look of the company’s productions, they always agreed the group’s yachts were well designed and built.

The most popular design: the MacGregor 26

MacGregor produced around 20 sailboats, but the company’s most famous design was the MacGregor 26. The sailboat was built with fiberglass and it was created with easy sailing in mind. Originally built in 1986, the sailboat is now being produced by the Tattoo Yacht company in Florida.

The MacGregor 26 had four variants created by the company. The 26D was built from 1986 to 1989. This daggerboard-equipped boat had a hull speed of 6.5 kn. Despite its popularity, the 26D was replaced by the 26S in 1990. The centerboard-equipped yacht was in production for five years, and like the D, it had a hull speed of 6.5 kn. In 1995, the 26X was introduced. Its biggest difference was the dual rudder along with it being a motorized sailing model. The popular 26X was finally replaced by the last model in the 26 series, the 26M. This motor sailing model created by MacGregor yachts was daggerboard-equipped with a dual-rudder and a rotating spar.

MacGregor M25

The M25 may not be as popular as the M26, but the yacht was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2000. Over 7,000 were produced by MacGregor from 1973 to 1987. The M25 is the only MacGregor sailboat to be inducted into the hall of fame and only one of 26 sailboats currently enshrined in the hall of fame. The trailerable motorized cruising sloop was a favorite of boat lovers around the world and now fans can see it in the in the Newport, Rhode Island hall of fame building.

MacGregor Yachts Facts

Roger MacGregor, a former Ford Motors employee, is credited with bringing the cruising sailboat to the average person. While working for the Ford company, MacGregor and his wife, Mary Lou, operated the sailboat company from their house. The family-run business sold yachts to customers in more than 15 countries around the globe.

McGregor Yachts may no longer be in production under the company’s name, but the iconic sailboats Roger and his employees designed and built will live on forever. With Tattoo Yachts now taking over some of the original designs, fans of sailing can still get a high-quality product made with the same precision as its predecessors.