"We'll we're movin' on up"

Well its only been a season and I think its time to move up. I know, I know.

"How can you succumb to 2-foot-itis in a season?"

I am weak, I admit it. As it turns out, I love my little V17. Its a great little boat. Operative word being "little". But my experiences this past season have led me to conclude that a bigger boat is going to be necessary.

I come from a very German, specifically Pennsylvania Dutch background and was raised in the Lutheran church to boot. Suffering and making due are not just things that occur in life for these two cultures, they ARE life. Well friends, the time has come to bust-forth-with and transcend the barriers of my ancestors. To rise from the bonds of martyrdom, self-sacrifice and a small boat. To boldly buy what no family member has bought before! {Cue theme music}

A Macgregor 26D

Below are the reasons that I have come to this conclusion. Please feel free to interject commentary below and tell me why, perhaps, this is a good or bad idea.

1. Love cruising, not just daysailing.
2. I am 6'4" (what the hell was I thinking in the first place?)
   
3. Want to be able to at least sit up straight in my boat. Don't need to play basketball in it nor even stand straight up, just at least be able to sit up with some level of comfort.
4. Would like for me and my passengers to be able to use the port-a-potti without having to attend regular yoga classes. (Please don't write back about how I just dissed yoga)
5. Would like a place to sleep that allows me to actually roll over if need be.
6. Would like a boat that feels a little less cork-like in the water.
7. Would like to NOT feel like a clay pigeon at a skeet range when out amongst other boats, particularly when out among other boats of the power variety with captains of the drunk persuasion.
8. Would like a boat large enough for a Bimini while sailing. Sun is nice but some days I swear that I am descended from Daedalus.
9. Really want my passengers to ENJOY themselves.
   

Now for the reasons I am looking at the 26D.

1. Really really really like the queen aft berth
2. Really like the pop-top
3. Like that its trailerable
4. Like that its affordable
5. Like the way the boat looks
6. Have read good things about the water ballast
7. Trust Macgregor after my first Macgregor experience

So...after all that, anyone have any thoughts on this or am I just a crazy man? Know anyone near DC selling? They seem to be hard to come by...

Thanks!

Rick

VIDEO - More footage from the Canada trip

I took off the auto play feature to cut down on unwanted noise.

Just hit play to...well...play it...

A Shout Out to West Marine

I just wanted to take a minute to thank the people at West Marine for helping to drain my wallet and reinforce the elitist ideals of boating to both the boating and non-boating population. Where else could I go to pay such a premium for products that everyone knows would be 1/3 the price if they were not designed for boating? Where else could I go to get the least knowlegeable service possible (there are, of course, exceptions) and have the opportunity to figure out what I need through trial and error instead of via assistance from knowlegable service professionals versed in the needs of the marine customer?

I would be remiss if I didn't also give a big holler of appreciation to West Marine for buying out the vast majority of their competition to ensure that only at West Marine will I get to pay for things at the monumentally over-inflated margins that I have come to know and love about having to buy things for my boat.

Yes West Marine, congratulations. Your celebration of what American business has a right to do without regard for what American business should do epitimizes all that is capitalism. Great job!

VIDEO - Couple of Day's Cruising on the Rideau Canal

The video log version! Give the video a few minutes to download before giving up. Its a little bigger than I had expected...