macgregor venture 2 24 sailboat

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Looking to purchase a Venture 2-24 and have questions!

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Hello, I thought I would re-post this over hear to target the Mac/Venture group a bit more...sorry, but this will be long. I am seeking some advice on a 1974 Venture 2-24 I'm currently looking at. Because of our current temps (lake ice forming), I will not be able to sail her, so I'm going by inspection alone, and, I'm pretty novice. First off, I'm choosing this boat because I am looking for a bit more comfort and stability than my 18' Chrysler Buccaneer provides (my wife refuses to sail on the Bucc anymore because she doesn't want to capsize (it hasn't happened yet). And Venture/MacGregor has a good rep and following. The boat in question is listed for $1200, solid, with trailer, mast and 3 sails in great shape (not sure which ones yet). The owner said the keel is in decent shape with no housing or ridge damage. He also said that there is no damaged fiberglass, but there is some spiderwebbing. Sails and rigging are in great shape, some of the ropes need replacement, interior pieces are there, just not installed (was to be remodeled). Also, no soft spots on the deck, but possibly a small spot on the hull where it sits on the trailer. I have yet to see it in person (just pics), but it sounds like a decent price, is it? Can this be single-handedly sailed without much retrofitting? (I may need a mast raising system of sorts) Also, and most importantly, I am looking for a STABLE boat for my family to enjoy. I was originally looking at the Mac 26S, but this price caught my attention... Also, can this thing be towed with a Jeep Grand Cherokee on flat ground with an inline-6? Any insight into this? Thank you! Darren

Just looked at a Venture 2-24 today, have pics of it... I posted earlier about going to look at a 1974 Venture 2-24. Previous owner said sails are great, rigging is great, mast is fine and keel is decent. Interior is gutted and dirty, and there are a few cosmetic blemishes here and there. He wasn't there when I viewed it, so I am waiting to hear back about what sails are included and soem other misc....here is the link to the pics...price as it stands is $900 Worth it? 1974 Venture 2-24 - a set on Flickr

The price sounds good to me. I would be worried about the soft spot where the boat sits on the trailer. Typically a soft spot is where the deck is a lamination of balsa core between to layers of fiberglass and when the core rots it gets soft. I wouldn't think there should be a soft spot in the actually hull, it should be solid fiberglass. I wouldn't worry to much about the spider webs (crazing) unless it was extreme. As for a stable boat, I used to own a Mac 25 and it was fairly stable. Most trailerable sailboats are pretty lightweight for their size and stability is not very good on many of them. Just be careful when sailing with the wife and reef extra early for her.

Project boat for sure.At that price with trailer I would take it.

Mac24 Hi, I have owned a Mac 25 for a while and it has a way lot more room than the 24 and is a good sailing boat. Once you put the money it to get ready to sail the 24 you could have had a 25. One thing to remember, "There is no cheap boat". You pay now or you pay later. I learned this the hard way. I bought a 1982 Mac-25 that was in fair shape with good but dirty sails, and a very good motor. Had the sails cleaned and reconditioned, rewired the whole boat, got and Ada rudder, installed all the hardware to run all the controls back to the cockpit.Changed a few new lines, sailed it for a couple of years then moved up to bigger Sailboat last year. Bottom line, it's cheaper to buy one that has been redone. A good Mac-25 like mine can be had for 3 to 4k and the time and money you spend working on her could be spent out on the water. I have the Mac 25 manuals, and can email them if you want. Bob

Thank you all for your replies. Upon further negotiating, I got this down to $800. I'm picking her up tomorrow if all goes well and taking her to storage until spring. After having my Buccaneer for a few years prior, and talking to any other sailor around here, I pretty much figure all boats are an on going project unless they are new-leased. Like my father says, "it's like standing at the end of a dock and throwing money into the water". I know I will put money and a ton of time into this thing. I did the same with my Bucc. But after it's all over, I will have picked up some other skills, I will know this boat much better, and it will be a boat built for me and my tastes. I can find a nice boat for the same price invested, but probably not my boat.