A Chuckle.

[Bob23]

   Thought I'd share this with you fine fellers:
   One of my neighbors has a McGregger Powersailer in his driveway. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I don't consider this a real sailboat. Nonetheless, I accept the fact that most of the folks who own these boats love 'em.
    He and his wife were out working in the boat and as I drove by, I slowed to gab with them. We started out with small talk, weather, etc., finally I said "Nice boat". She replied,"Yes, we like it...does exactly what we want it to. Do you sail?" "I do", says I. She: "What kind of boat do you have?" I reply back: "A Compac". "Yeah, our boat is kind of small too."
    I smiled, said goodbye and as I drove away, shook my head thinking: "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."
Bob23

[rwdsr]

LOL!!! That's rich.

[brackish]

LOL, I like that. 

I know that there is a good market for those Mac powersailers.  But it would be just too much of a compromise for me.  You look at a Compac, any Compac compared to those things and the answer is right in front of you.  Nothing against power boats, I'm going to build one (Yes Honey, after the dining room set is finished), a Bateau 14FS to use for back water fishing and scalloping, but it will be functional and not do poorly at everything it attempts.

http://www.bateau.com/boats/FS14/slides/FS14_netherlands_1.html

[Potcake boy]

Oh my Bob,

You have really hit on a nerve with that one.  It's shameful to say but I suspect that the percentage of wives that accompany their husbands on those hermaphrodite vessels is far greater than us foolhardy old salts in our Com-Pacs.  That is of course not a bad thing in many cases but it may be a bit unfair to the male components who share ownership of these curious sea craft with their spouse.  Not too many wives care to join their husbands for a day of fishing from their "flats" boat, but few will say no to an afternoon ride in an accommodating cruiser with a real bathroom.
Women have an instinct for comfort that us brawny beasts just don't understand.  So what you are really looking at is a man who has won at least half a loaf, and brother I gotta give him credit - he has more courage than I.

Ron

[bmiller]

I usually have to spell out the name and make sure to include the "dash" so they know what I'm talking.

When we sailed pooka across from San Carlos to Santa Rosalia there was a very nice husband wife team from WA who trailered their MacGregor down to sail across. They were very happy to be out sailing and enjoyed their boat. Hell of it was we both sailed back to San Carlos the same night, there was absolutely no wind until 10 or so miles left. We motored just like they did.

[HideAway]

I have a small one next to me at the marina - Seems to me anythine you try to make a boat - or most anything else - do two different things it will do neither of them well.   My Mac neighbor loves his boat - uses it as a fishing boat when he isn't sailing-  Like Bob I just smile and move on.   Matt

[Glenn Basore]

Funny,

I have experience a similar experience my self,

I was having a discusion with a sailor and his wife, when he asked what kind of sail boat I had ,I replied a Com Pac Eclipse, she responded, is that one of those Potter types.....

Glenn

[Craig Weis]

Seams to me that the hull shape of a McGregger is not conducive to a sailboat hull. Here in lies the problem me thinks. Jon Hanson of Snug Harbor, Sturgeon Bay uses these as rental boats and pontoons and a few 'speed boats'. He likes the McGreggers because they hardly ever come back broken.

I still chuckle when I think about the Indian who ran the rental pontoon boat into Jon's slip at speed, sending his whole family tumbling onto the carpeted deck. Me and Logan calmly walked over and tied it up before he slammed her in reverse. I throttled back and slipped her in 'N'...shut off the key as his wife gathered her self up and started to speak to her husband. He got mad and now I know how she got that dot in her forhead. I have no idea what she said. I don't speak indian.

skip.

[kahpho]

I still chuckle when I think about the Indian who ran the rental pontoon boat into Jon's slip at speed, sending his whole family tumbling onto the carpeted deck. skip.

Ya suppose he just couldn't find the brakes?

I never much cared for McGregger sailboats. They just look like a power boat with a stick. But then, some other newer sailboats kind'a look like that too. Hunters come to mind. Guess I just don't appreciate the aesthetic. Give me a stick boat with some traditional lines any day.

mel

[kickingbug1]

   i saw an add not too long ago for a hunter that like the mac was really a speedboat. it carried a 50 horse outboard and had what could only be discribed as a "fat" look. i guess some powerboat people fancy themselves sailors. gives them tales to tell that power boaters seldom have. i have to say though that if the boat actually leaves the slip with some sail aloft it is better than the "real" sailboats that never seem to leave their slips and if they do the sails stay in the bag. for me i will probably have my cp 16 until im too old to step the mast. the little bugger looks like a sailboat should and i smile a little every time i look at her.

[curtisv]

Nice thing about living here is lot of people know what a com-pac 23 is without me explaining.  Occassionally I get a blank look or someone who knows com-pac made a 16 but not sure about anthing else.  "She's a shoal draft pocket cruiser made in Florida.  Draws only 2'3"." is usually enough to get a response like "shoal draft is real handy to have around here" and a discussion of the local waters.

I've even heard on the water, "nice boat - is that a com-pac?", though I've also heard "nice boat - is that a Cape Dory?" (close).

Many of the locals know boats and sailing.

Curtis

ps - Well - I do have to admit that quite a few don't know boats and sailing.  But many do.

[kahpho]

    for me i will probably have my cp 16 until im too old to step the mast. the little bugger looks like a sailboat should and i smile a little every time i look at her.

And I say "boy howdy" to that!

mel

[Bob23]

Curtis:
   True. Out on the water or amongst informed sailors, the 23 is legendary. Mine draws attention where ever she goes. I even had the skipper of an overtaking Hinckley give a compliment which I rightfully returned. I suppose the Macs get the attention of powerboaters who want to try sailing and feel comfortable with a hybrid. Looks ugly to me and I think they are water ballasted.
   The Compacs look like proper boats to my eye. But I admit to being a tradionalist when it comes to sailboats.
Bob23

[rwdsr]

I get a lot of attention to my 16 everytime I put it in the water.  It's easily the smallest "real" sailboat in the marina, and people are always walking down on the dock to look her over when I'm down ther rigging her.  Then all they see is my tailfeathers as I sail out of the marina.  I don't go there just to sit tied to the dock and work on the boat.  Most of the sailboats there have never been out of the marina.

[peterg]

I have to wonder.................would the owners of these dual purpose craft be known as "transvesselites" ?