Promise not to laugh?
I bought a 1980 Venture/Macgregor 25. A lot of the reasons why I bought this
boat (aside from it being cheaply obtained from a nice couple who have
stepped up) are reasons I like the Potter so much. It was the largest used
boat I could reasonably afford that met all of the requirements the Potter
19 filled for us.
I learned a lot from the Potter list while here. The 'Small is Beautiful'
essay also was very instructive. I looked at a lot of different boats that
were 'trailer-able' and tried hard to evaluate whether or not one would go
to the trouble of doing so for a day or weekend sail. Many of the boats are
very pretty, but just way too heavy and take way too long to rig. The 25 I
purchased can be rigged in 20-40 minutes, from backing the trailer to
leaving the dock. This was important.
Macs don't have a very good reputation, but I found out they aren't all bad.
They aren't all good either. This one doesn't seem bad and has actually
spent a good deal of the past few years on the coast of Maine.
It does not, however, have the charm of the Potter (sigh). But as my wife
says, this is a good first boat.
By the way, in my search I found a Halman 20 (Nordic 20) in Keene NH. This
thing is a salty, deep keeled, double ended little... well, ship. Loaded to
the teeth with everything imaginable on a cradle on it's own trailer, with a
9.9 engine and every sail I ever heard of for $5000. It displaces 2500lbs
and draws 2'10". Not a good boat to trailer, I think. If someone out there
has a mooring, they might want to look at it.
Steve Welebny
Avonlea Farm NH