The MacGregor26 has two modes as a power boat: 1. With the ballast in she is an extremely seaworthy semi-displacement boat -- you can motor at regular speeds through any weather (within reason) safe and dry, with the added comfort that she is both unsinkable and self-righting. 2. With the rudders up, and keel down a few inches (necessary for good steering), the 50hp makes her relatively fast. Watch the look on those other sailers' faces as you leave them all in your spray after the wind dies! Or tow a skier!
Towing on land: your tow vehicle should have a recommended towing capacity of at least 3500lb. if you intend to do extended highway travelling. Most V-6 SUV's meet the requirement. Cars can often be beefed up to meet it. The critical elements are transmission, rear suspension, hitch and tire capacity. Standard transmissions aren't so critical, but automatics can overheat if too heavily loaded. A transmission cooler should be added to an automatic if the vehicle does not have a towing package. Rear suspensions can be beefed up. An ideal way is to use air lifts. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install on most vehicles, and the pressure can be changed to suite the load. Class III hitches are recommended, but a Class II will do if you are prepared to keep the boat light (no gas, water, heavy baggage, etc.). Your trailer should have brakes unless you are using a big tow vehicle (we bring in all trailers with brakes). Engine size is not critical -- it mainly determines how well you can maintain speed on hills. Make sure your radiator is in good shape (you can install a heavy duty rad) and keep an eye on the temp guage on long hills. Keep your revs up to 3000. If the temp approaches the red line, slow down and shift down. 3.5 litres should allow you to maintain 80 - 100 km/hr on Trans-Canada standard grades. Factory towing packages, by the way, usually include a heavy duty rad, bigger tires, stiffer rear suspension, a class III hitch, and a transmission cooler.
