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- Sailboat Reviews
Venture 21 Used-boat Review
The vintage macgregor is a good example of a budget-friendly boat..
Maybe this has happened to you: You’re on a country road, driving to a wedding (or family vacation or business conference), and you pass a sailboat on a trailer with a “For Sale” sign. It’s not a big boat. It’s not a small boat. But it’s just about right for launching a small adventure with your young family, or maybe you’re looking to downsize. You can’t resist stopping for a closer look. Incredibly, the sign reads “$600,” including a nearly new trailer and an old 4-horsepower, two-stroke outboard that “runs like a top.” You write down the number and drive away, thinking: “Somebody is giving away a perfectly good boat.”
Chances are that “steal of a deal” is a Roger MacGregor-designed Venture 21, and if not, it’s probably one of the many copycats riding the trailer-sailer boom that MacGregor’s little boat ignited. The Catalina 22, the Santana 21, and the San Juan 21 are just some of the boats that followed closely in the wake of the Venture 21’s introduction.
The concept for the Venture 21 came out of MacGregor’s master’s thesis in the Stanford University MBA program. The first hull was introduced in 1965, but full-fledged production didn’t begin until 1967. Several thousand hulls later, the last MacGregor 21 (the boat was renamed in 1980) rolled off the line in 1986 at the MacGregor factory in Costa Mesa, Calif. Today, with some 36,000 sailboat hulls behind it, the company builds just one boat, the hybrid sailboat/powerboat MacGregor 26x.
Although MacGregor sold fewer Venture 21s than its successor—the Venture 22, which later became the pop-top Venture 22-2—the 21’s easy trailerability and affordable price helped it maintain its popularity throughout the 1970s. Capitalizing on the fiberglass revolution in boatbuilding, MacGregor’s business-school project sparked a pivotal marketing shift that helped bring recreational sailing to mainstream America.
While the trailer-sailer boom is far behind us, the Venture 21 and its many look-alikes have renewed relevance today. With their discretionary spending sharply cut, younger sailors are taking the Craigslist-route into sailing, scouring the classified ads for boats that don’t require dock space but still have room for a family sail. Meanwhile, many owners of 30-plus-footers are considering downsizing to a boat that doesn’t require mooring fees and a hefty maintenance bill each spring. For better or for worse, in the dim light of a recession, a back-to-basics giveaway boat on the roadside begins to look awfully enticing. For these and other reasons, PS decided to take a closer look at the Venture 21, which, in many ways, is the epitome of “the boat with a price I couldn’t refuse.”
The Venture 21 was designed to be affordable, easy to trailer and launch, and fun to sail, with enough room below for storing gear, napping, or even spending a night at anchor. It was principally aimed at new sailors, but it also appealed to those who wanted to step up from an open daysailer. Its size, sail area, and hull design were tailored for lakes and bays with fickle breezes of less than 15 knots.
Seaworthiness and performance were important considerations but pragmatism and aesthetic appeal were the driving force behind its design features.
Although the boat’s low headroom and Spartan interior would not qualify it as a weekender today, it was initially marketed as a “cruising” sailboat. A sleep-aboard sailboat that could be hauled around the country behind the family station wagon seemed perfectly in tune with the wanderlust of the 1960s.
While the Venture 21 is regarded as one of the first modern trailer-sailers, no single design element stands out as particularly revolutionary or unique. Instead, MacGregor incorporated proven features that would not only appeal to serious sailors, but also would remain consistent with the public perception of what a good boat should be and look like. In the yacht market, the Cruising Club of America boats were still the aesthetic model. Carl Alberg’s popular Ensign, launched by Pearson in 1962, is a good example of a small boat that clung to the CCA philosophy and aesthetic.
The Venture’s heritage is more closely aligned with two daysailers that were enjoying a surge of popularity on the East Coast in the early 1960s: the 17-foot Day Sailer, designed by George O’Day and Uffa Fox in 1958, and, to a lesser degree, the Phillip Rhodes-designed Rhodes 19, first offered by O’Day in 1959. Both were built by the nascent O’Day Group of Fall River, Mass. The similarities in the three boats are most apparent above the waterline. All have a relatively flat sheer line and spoon-like bow overhang (or spoonbow), elements that predate the modern yachting era.
While the Rhodes 19 still carries fairly deep V-sections well aft, making it a capable performer in the chop typical of its New England home waters, the Day Sailer flattens out, particularly at the stern, giving it fast, near-planing speeds off the wind. Fox and O’Day later refined this feature, earning Fox a reputation as the innovator of the planing dinghy. With a modest V-shape and a relatively fine bow, the Venture 21 lies somewhere between the two Rhodes 19 and the Day Sailer.
The Venture’s swing keel gives it 5 feet, 6 inches of draft—even more than its popular big brother, the Venture 25—and retracts to allow the boat to float in about 15 inches of water. (The brochure says 12 inches.)
Although the original design called for a fractional rig with a 22-foot mast, this was later changed to a masthead rig, giving it quite a bit of horsepower for its era. At the peak of its production in the late 1970s, the Venture 21 enjoyed popularity as a racing boat, with fleets springing up on the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, and the Northeast, as well as its home waters of Southern California. Although some owners have gone to the trouble of re-routing running rigging, fairing the keel, adding travelers and vangs, and replacing the pinned turnbuckles with threaded turnbuckles, we’d encourage someone inclined toward performance to look at a more modern hull with an active racing fleet.
One of the most notable features is the boat’s 7-foot cockpit, as big as that found in the much larger and heavier Catalina 22. However, unlike the Catalina 22, the San Juan 21, and the successively longer Ventures (V-22, V-23, V-25) that widened the cabintop to provide more interior space, the Venture 21 preserves enough sidedeck for crew to move forward . . . with care. Many V-21s, like the one we sailed, never had lifelines; others have had their lifelines removed. The standard single lifelines—low and poorly supported by widely spaced stanchions—offer a modicum of safety, but these are still less than ideal. In our view, lifelines are not a deal-breaker on a 21-foot daysailer, but if you have small children, a boat that is equipped with lifelines with a supporting pushpit and pulpit would be preferable.
The cockpit has a small lazarette, presumably to store fuel for the small bracket-mounted outboard, but this leads directly to the bilge, a bad idea that presents a potential fire risk. The original boats came equipped with top-grinding winches with short T-tracks for the jib. The boat we sailed had only a single fixed-point for the jib sheet. The end-of-boom mainsheet has a 4:1 purchase that spreads the load to each corner of the stern, a basic setup that limits trim options. Some owners modified the leads and added a mainsheet traveler, although this entails either raising the traveler over the tiller, or moving the sheet forward on the boom; both are compromise solutions.
A modest 18- by 18-inch fiberglass bow hatch allows ventilation down below, as well as a place for sails to be passed down. There is no anchor locker or chain pipe. The boat we sailed had an 8-inch diameter screw-on PVC deck plate that was apparently used as a chain pipe.
Overall, the deck has a functional layout, fine for its primary mission, which is to enjoy some time on the water with very little hassle.
Accommodations
The biggest drawback to the Venture 21’s emphasis on trailerability and a 1960s aesthetic is the lack of headroom below. By keeping the cabintop and topsides profile low, MacGregor produced a boat that, in our view, is better looking than the slab-sided models that followed. However, the end result is a very cramped interior. The VW-camper-inspired pop-top on the Venture 22-2, which came shortly after the Venture 21, offered a compromise that was adopted by a number of boats in this size range. Gradually, the intrinsic appeal of a low profile gave way to market demands. (MacGregor’s current and only model, the M26x, is a classic example of the wedding cake look that eschews traditional aesthetics for the sake of comfort below.)
With two quarter berths and a V-berth, the Venture 21 technically could sleep four, but this sort of arrangement probably would be brief and acrimonious. Although you could pack a lot of gear under the cockpit, actual locker storage is limited. Some ambitious owners have added sinks, small galleys, 12-volt systems, and port-a-potties below, but the boat’s cramped headroom restricts its suitability for more than a few days of cruising. For the 20-something adventurer with aspirations of camp-cruising on one of America’s many inland lakes, it will do just fine, but more than a couple of days aboard a boat this size will be a sure test of any marriage.
Construction
During the Venture 21’s 15-year production run, from 1965-1980, the materials and construction methods used for its deck, rig, structural components, and keel went through several changes. Construction of the hull itself, however, remained virtually unchanged. The hull was hand laid up with woven roven and mat. The layup schedule was a single unit of alternating mat and woven roven. Owners do report flexing in some spots, although we noted none on the boat we tested. The early boats are fairly resin rich, so hull thickness is not necessarily a reflection of strength.
The earliest Ventures had a stick-built interior, with bulkheads and bunks made of resin-coated cuts of plywood that were laminated in place. These earlier versions make it easier for owners to modify or rebuild an interior, and this is almost an inevitable project, given plywood’s propensity to rot and delaminate.
By the mid-1970s, MacGregor switched to a molded liner, which accelerated production and eliminated issues of rot, but added about 200 pounds to the total weight. Large sections of the boat are enclosed and filled with foam—a touted safety feature—but it is nonsense to consider the boat unsinkable, as some websites and blog posts suggest.
About 50 V-21s featured lead keels. The poured lead was anchored to a steel beam, and the entire construction sheathed in fiberglass. This process was not only expensive, but it also presented significant corrosion problems, as water eventually migrated into the fiberglass-encased keel.
Most models have solid iron keels; corrosion, however, is still a problem with these keels, but they can be removed, ground-down, faired, and sealed with an epoxy barrier coat to provide many more years of service. This is the biggest “problem” with the Venture 21, and any buyer should take a close look at the keel and the related components.
The original deck was plywood core, but this was later changed to balsa. In either case, rot is a potential problem (particularly in areas of the owner-installed deck hardware), but none of the 14 owners of Venture 21s who participated in our survey reported significant problems with deck rot.
The hull-to-deck joint was initially a bolted and adhesive-bonded shoebox joint, in which the lip of the deck flange fits over the hull just like a shoebox lid. This was later modified to an outward turning flange joint, with the hull lip turning outward to present a horizontal bonding surface for the deck. In both cases, the joint was bonded with a polyurethane adhesive sealant such as 3M 5200, bolted together, and then covered with an extruded aluminum and vinyl rubrail. Neither joint is as rugged as an inward-turning flange, but this is method is typical for a boat of this size.
Early versions of the Venture 21 were fractional rigs, but the majority were masthead rigs with overlapping jibs. An off-center backstay and upper and lower shrouds add support to the 22-foot mast. Early boats, like the 1969 model that we test sailed, did not have spreaders on the upper shrouds. In windy areas, where mast pumping is a noticeable problem, retrofitting spreaders—or looking for a more suitable boat—would be a good idea. The chainplates are through-bolted to the hull, eliminating the typically rot-prone attachment to plywood bulkheads found in some larger boats of this vintage. The original turnbuckles are the fixed-adjustment type that allow 1/8-inch adjustment intervals, making it hard to tune the rig at sea, but impossible to over-tighten, a common novice error.
The two biggest problems cited in our owners’ survey were the hand-crank keel winch and the keel-retaining bolt. Although the keel winches on later MacGregor models are braked mechanisms that will not spin freely under load, the one on the Venture 21 is a common ratchet-type trailer winch. If it is let go under load, the handle can whip around dangerously. Many owners have replaced this with a braked winch—a good idea, although these winches will require more maintenance. The keel-retaining bolt is a 3/8-inch diameter bolt that is slipped through a hole in the centerboard trunk and a corresponding hole in the keel. It is used to lock the keel in place when sailing in deep water, preventing the keel from flopping back into the hull should the boat capsize or surf down the face of a wave. The retaining bolts are commonly bent during a grounding, and any boat with a bent one should be inspected closely around the hull and keel trunk for other signs of damage.
Overall, the construction is light, but adequate for the boat’s designed purposes. If the deck isn’t too rotten, and the swing keel and keel box aren’t shot, most any other potential problem on the Venture 21 is easily remedied by someone who is handy and has the time.
Performance
During its heyday, the Venture 21 was promoted for it speed. MacGregor touted its position as the first of the “hot retracting keel boats” and the “fastest of its type,” with “planing speeds at over 16 miles per hour.” In this age of ultra-light monohulls and multihulls with eye-popping sail area (see PS, September 2009 and May 2010), this sort of hype seems quaint, but if you compare the Venture 21 to other boats of its era, it is clearly no slouch (See “Venture 21 in Context,” page 11). Its sail area/displacement ratio puts it ahead of several contenders, and its hull form—as mentioned—does give it an ability to hit double-digit speeds in the right hands.
The boat we test sailed was handicapped by ancient sails and an outboard that could not be fully tilted out of the water. Although the boat had a masthead rig, the headsail was a fractional working jib. A 140-percent genoa, found on many boats, would have added about 25 percent to the total sail area. To windward, the boat tacked smartly through 90 degrees, although we’d expect a boat with good sails to point higher. The boat was initially tender on the wind, but once the full effect of the 400-pound keel exerted its influence, the boat settled into a comfortable heel. Despite the deep bellies in her sails, the boat handled gusts surprisingly well, and by adjusting the swing keel’s depth, testers could easily achieve a balanced helm. Off the wind in 12 to 15 knots of breeze, we were able to sustain speeds of 7 knots under working sails alone with the keel almost fully retracted. While not wind-in-your hair sailing by today’s standards, it meets our definition of fun.
Conclusions
After spending some time aboard the Venture 21, we were reminded how much and how little has changed since the boat was introduced more than 40 years ago. Most comparable modern “weekenders” with big cockpits and modest cabins, like the Precision 21 or Catalina Capris 22, offer much more in terms of safety, systems (limited as they are), and modern conveniences. And entry-level daysailers like the thermo-molded Hunter 216 offer more in terms of performance options, such as a sprit for the asymmetrical sail and rigging conveniences like a hydraulic lifting keel. If true small-boat performance with a potential for one-design racing is what you’re after, then a boat like the J/22 presents a more sensible choice.
While overall construction quality has improved over the past 40 years, most daysailer hulls (the Hunter 216 and the balsa-cored J/22 excepted) are still solid fiberglass and laid up by hand, an economical and forgiving method. Many daysailers with cabins are actually much heavier than the lightly built V-21, but they also have much better finish quality.
The bottom line with the Venture 21 is the bottom line. If you hunt around long enough, you are likely to pick up a sailaway boat with a trailer and outboard for less than $3,000—about the cost of a new trailer. The boat we sailed sold for far less, including the trailer and 4-horsepower Evinrude. If you are really patient, you can probably find a fixer-upper that someone will give to if you promise to drag it off their property.
Is this 40-year-old, mass-produced boat still a viable option for the entry-level sailor, or someone looking to downsize? No question about it. The Venture 21 is not a boat we’d recommend for someone with offshore aspirations or in places like San Francisco Bay where heavy air and a stiff chop would render it wet, slow, and uncomfortable. However, if you plan some coastal or lake adventures and are limited by a 2,000-pound tow capacity and a recession-era budget, then the Venture 21 definitely deserves a look.
There is one key caveat: Because it is easy to underestimate the amount of work required to revive barn-found boat, we would strongly urge looking for a Venture 21 that is in sailaway condition, rather than a project boat. Dealing with the iron keel alone can be a time-consuming project, and despite the boat’s interesting history, this adds little or no to resale value. On the good side, however, should you decide to embark on the restoration of a Venture 21, you will not be alone. Plenty have done it before, and given the boat’s irresistibly low price tag, more will surely follow in their wake.
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What kind of Trailer did your boat have. Mine (1972) is a 4″ welded C Channel, Is this a factory style trailer or somebody’s back yard built. It has the right v notches for the C/B etc.
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Review of Venture 21
Basic specs..
The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.
The boat is equipped with 11.0 liter fresh water capacity.
The Venture 21 is equipped with a swing keel. A swing keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.
The keel is made of lead. Compared with iron, lead has the advantage of being 44% heavier, which allows a smaller keel and hence less water resistance and higher speed.
The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 0.46 - 0.56 meter (1.51 - 1.81 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.
Sailing characteristics
This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.
What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?
The capsize screening value for Venture 21 is 2.39, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.
What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?
The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 5.8 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.
The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Venture 21 is about 78 kg/cm, alternatively 440 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 78 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 440 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.
Sailing statistics
This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.
What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?
What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?
What is a Ballast Ratio?
What is Displacement Length Ratio?
What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?
Maintenance
When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 16m 2 (172 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.
Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale
If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.
| Usage | Length | Diameter | ||
| Mainsail halyard | 17.9 m | (58.8 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
| Jib/genoa halyard | 17.9 m | (58.8 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
| Spinnaker halyard | 17.9 m | (58.8 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
| Jib sheet | 6.4 m | (21.0 feet) | 10 mm | (3/8 inch) |
| Genoa sheet | 6.4 m | (21.0 feet) | 10 mm | (3/8 inch) |
| Mainsheet | 16.0 m | (52.5 feet) | 10 mm | (3/8 inch) |
| Spinnaker sheet | 14.1 m | (46.2 feet) | 10 mm | (3/8 inch) |
| Cunningham | 3.0 m | (9.7 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
| Kickingstrap | 5.9 m | (19.5 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
| Clew-outhaul | 5.9 m | (19.5 feet) | 8 mm | (5/16 inch) |
This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.
Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.
We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Venture 21 it would be a great help.
If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.
Macgregor 21
The macgregor 21 is a 21.0ft masthead sloop designed by roger macgregor and built in fiberglass by macgregor yacht corp between 1980 and 1985..
The Macgregor 21 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a day-boat.
Macgregor 21 for sale elsewhere on the web:
Main features
| Model | Macgregor 21 | ||
| Length | 21 ft | ||
| Beam | 6.83 ft | ||
| Draft | 1 ft | ||
| Country | United states (North America) | ||
| Estimated price | $ 0 | ?? |
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| Sail area / displ. | 29.66 | ||
| Ballast / displ. | 34.04 % | ||
| Displ. / length | 82.85 | ||
| Comfort ratio | 7.29 | ||
| Capsize | 2.59 |
| Hull type | Monohull swing keel | ||
| Construction | Fiberglass | ||
| Waterline length | 18.50 ft | ||
| Maximum draft | 5.50 ft | ||
| Displacement | 1175 lbs | ||
| Ballast | 400 lbs | ||
| Hull speed | 5.76 knots |
We help you build your own hydraulic steering system - Lecomble & Schmitt
| Rigging | Masthead Sloop | ||
| Sail area (100%) | 206 sq.ft | ||
| Air draft | 0 ft | ?? | |
| Sail area fore | 91.13 sq.ft | ||
| Sail area main | 115 sq.ft | ||
| I | 24.30 ft | ||
| J | 7.50 ft | ||
| P | 23 ft | ||
| E | 10 ft |
| Nb engines | 1 | ||
| Total power | 0 HP | ||
| Fuel capacity | 0 gals |
Accommodations
| Water capacity | 0 gals | ||
| Headroom | 0 ft | ||
| Nb of cabins | 0 | ||
| Nb of berths | 0 | ||
| Nb heads | 0 |
Builder data
| Builder | Macgregor Yacht Corp | ||
| Designer | Roger MacGregor | ||
| First built | 1980 | ||
| Last built | 1985 | ||
| Number built | 0 | ?? |
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venture 21 for first boat?
- Thread starter Kazz330
- Start date Feb 3, 2014
- Macgregor Owner Forums
- Ask A Macgregor Owner
Hello all! I'm currently thinking of taking a look at a venture 21. it needs some cleaning up, has a trailer, but no outboard. would this be a good first boat? What is it like sleeping on it with two people? Looking for something for my and my girlfriend to spend weekends on during the summer. Thanks!
You have to make some decisions first because you don't buy a sailboat - you marry it. Do you intend to be a "serious" type sailor or just an occasionally splasher. Sleeping on a V21 with 2 - I don't know - that Vberth is going to be tight. On our V224 one of first things I did was extend the vberth - I'm a small guy with a long background in ARMY TANKS and I felt cramped, and our boat is quite a bit bigger than a V21. We use our boat as a pocket cruiser - stove toilet coolers heater etc etc and its about the perfect size for 2. We've spent up to 2 weeks on it not touching land. I think the V21 might be a fun little boat to learn on, should be lively and easy to handle on land and water. Before you buy (don't ask how I KNOW ) Check the sails - make sure they are in good shape and if not that you are willing to pay the replacement cost. Check the decks - all of them. Do the tap test EVERYWHERE, inside and out top to bottom keel to deck bow to stern. Look at the stringers from front to rear both sides. Look in the compartment under the vberth. Check for broken or rotten. Look for signs of water coming in or sitting. Look where ever fittings come thru the deck. Anything that's wrong can be fixed if you have the will and are at all handy. Could be a great first step perhaps but I think if you want to do long weekend cruise type stuff like we do you might want something closer to 25 foot boat. Welcome to the board and keep us posted please.
Our first boat was a Mac Venture 22. Great old boat to learn on and we put many new scratches in her gel coat the first year. Easy to sail with basic controls. As far as overnighting, we did many weekends our first year. As stated the v-birth is cramped for 2 people. Buy her cheap and have fun!
Thanks for the replies! I don't know what constitutes a serious sailor or not, but it would be our weekend getaway on the local lake, Doing a few races through the club we'll hopefully join. It would probably be my girlfriend and I, and us bringing a couple friends here or there. Should I keep looking?
You might get all kinds of opinions but... Only you can decide.
Me and my wife live here in Oklahoma and we bought our Mac 22 last summer in May. Wish I had done my homework like your doing before we bought, fortunately for us we chose a very solid well cared for boat that from all indication had never been overnighted in. It's an 85 and was owned by a college professor that kept it in a slip all summer then the marina would dry store it during winter. He couldn't even tell me how to lower the mast, and we were clueless, but we did it. After cleaning it up and reading and watching videos we hit the lake to sail it and spend the weekend on. We survived, but this approach is not advisable even with my years of power boating experience on the Chesepeake Bay. (take asa classes or go out with someone first) My wife had never set foot on a boat in her life. We spent almost every weekend on her (never just a day sail) this past summer and had a blast learning about sailing and ourselves in cramped quarters. Find someone that can help you that knows what to look for. Keel, pivot bolt, sails, standing rigging and some of the other things like Topcat mentioned are things that you need to be aware of and their condition. Look at a few and keep doing your homework. Not trying to make you skittish but also like Topcat says it's like marrying your floating castle so choose wisely cause they can be alot of expense if it needs alot. Btw after sailing ours for 2 months I went looking for a bigger one but decided until I really learn how to sail I am very content with the 22 that I can take anywhere and can set her up in 30 minutes! Sailing has been an awesome experience for us!
Dan Hill said: Our first boat was a Mac Venture 22. Great old boat to learn on and we put many new scratches in her gel coat the first year. Easy to sail with basic controls. As far as overnighting, we did many weekends our first year. As stated the v-birth is cramped for 2 people. Buy her cheap and have fun! Click to expand
bigger is almost always better. The 22 and 23 seem bigger inside by more than 1 foot. IMHO. can you find a V23? that's a big little boat. and probably not too much more $
dale4643 macgregor 22 oolagah, lake Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 1 More fresh meat! Glad ya could join us!
Thanks for the great replies! I really appreciate it. I'm thinking more and more that this would be a great fit for us, I'm just concerned with the sleeping arrangements. Are they pretty easy to refit/modify?
Thanks Topcat....I'm learning alot from guys like you. I new I was a sailor before I bought that power boat way back then in Maryland but was under pressure from friends to go with power. Not to sound corny but sailing is so serene, peaceful and from what I have learned it is an art...or a craft that no one can ever master...just improve upon. That's the fun part. We have enjoyed this "little Mac 22" so much and I find myself going to bed at night thinking of the ways I'm going to improve my sailboat and our experience on the water. Kazz don't waste any time getting out there and enjoying what sailing has to offer. I have seen some awesome modifications online of 21's that would make it comfortable for 2 people on the weekends. I have also extended my v-berth and getting ready to add a little galley as well. Sailors are so creative...I've already copied alot from these guys (or gals) and there is all kinds of things you can add to these things to get the most out of it without breaking the bank!
Yes they are easy to modify...just do it right the first time with durable material and even though it may be in the cabin it still has to withstand condensation, humidity and alot of motion from the boat itself. I have only minor carpentry skills and have been able to make it comfy for us so far. I was lucky though because the previous owners had added nothing to the interior so I had a clean slate to work with. I have learned to do fiberglass work which can be intimidating at first but it is very forgiving. You can make the cabin the way you want it...I catch myself inside sometimes just looking around for a solid hour just thinking of what my next project will be.
Thanks! Sounds great! Of course I would want to do it right the first time. I'd love to make a folding table, and extend the v-birth. Is there a way to move the post in the middle of the v-berth?
Not sure if your talking about further up in the middle of the v-berth?? but probably not because the post should be directly under where your mast is. That is the extra support for the weight of the mast on the top of the cabin. Maybe someone else can answer that better than I can but I'm pretty darn sure that post needs to be directly under where the mast is.
No. You can't move it. It carries the force of the mast rig to the keel of the boat. You are going to have to live with it and make it work for you. Not very conductive to cuddling or stealing body heat from your admiral, but if the V21 is what you want then you can find a way to make it work for you. A vberth doesn't have to be a sleeping area. We changed the entire interior layout of our venture to make the vberth something we could live with. Moved the galley moved the porta potty moved the table changed the settee setup - all of it. It is now and will be for a long time - a perpetual construction zone. All mods and fixes must be accomplished between splashes. Winter work is almost out of the question unless you have heated space for it. In another eight years it will all be pretty - for now functional works. I do often just driveway sail the boat pondering this that and the other. I got the bug bad and waiting for sailing season and ice to melt is excruciating. Not to mention you have all these down southers baiting you with warm weather photo's grrrrr. There's a lot of info on the net about the V21 - I suggest you get reading. All I know for sure is that a flock of sailboats on the water is far more beautiful than any mob of stink pots.
Kazz330 said: Hello all! I'm currently thinking of taking a look at a venture 21. it needs some cleaning up, has a trailer, but no outboard. would this be a good first boat? What is it like sleeping on it with two people? Looking for something for my and my girlfriend to spend weekends on during the summer. Thanks! Click to expand
Flamingo1 said: One thing that I learned is that the tiller can be a bit "tender". Click to expand
Flamingo1 said: One thing that I learned is that the tiller can be a bit "tender". I'm sure that I don't know exactly what that means yet, but I do know that if you let go of the tiller to tend the jib sheets, you are going to do an accidental gybe and you may hit your head on the boom in the process. Tim. Click to expand
centerline said: if your boat gybes when you let go of the tiller, you need to tune the rigging.... the boat should round up rather than gybe.... tender means the boat lays over (heels )easy in a light blow... the 21 is not a tender boat, but it IS a small boat, and it WILL lay over easier than a larger boat, but when comparing boats of that size and class, the venture/mac would not be considered tender... when sailing in a moderate breeze, the tiller should have a very slight pull to it. if you are sitting on the windward side (the high side) of the boat, the tiller should be almost neutral OR pull gently in your hand... it should never push at you. if it does, the boat can easily round down and you WILL gybe... this is not good. it also should not pull too hard unless you're in HIGH wind with too much sail in the air. if letting the mainsheet out doesnt do much, then you would need to reef to get the tiller back under control. but if you get the right amount of rake in your mast and trim your sails properly, the boat will almost sail itself.... Click to expand
Again, thanks for all the great info everyone! I am thinking about going and looking at it hopefully soon. the owner said the tabernacle got knocked off, but he can put it back on. This worries me about the structural integrity of the deck? Also what insurance should I look for on this boat? Just the basics?
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Notes Called the Venture 21 from 1966 - 1979 Sailboat Forum
Chances are that "steal of a deal" is a Roger MacGregor-designed Venture 21, and if not, it's probably one of the many copycats riding the trailer-sailer boom that MacGregor's little boat ignited. The Catalina 22, the Santana 21, and the San Juan 21 are just some of the boats that followed closely in the wake of the Venture 21's introduction.
The Venture 21 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Roger MacGregor as a racer - cruiser and first built in 1966. [1][2][3] Boat reviewer Darrell Nicholson noted, "capitalizing on the fiberglass revolution in boatbuilding, MacGregor's business-school project sparked a pivotal marketing shift that helped bring recreational ...
The Venture 21 is a small sailboat designed by the American maritime architect Roger MacGregor in the mid sixties. The Venture 21 is built by the American yard MacGregor Yacht Corporation.
The MacGregor 21 is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Roger MacGregor as a racer - cruiser and first built in 1980. [1][2][3][4][5] The MacGregor 21 is a development of the Venture 21. [1][2][6]
The MacGregor 21 S retracting keel provides the safety self-righting stability ot a keel boat. white easy trailering ramp launching It can in a garage. At 1175 it can many Of the new. light cars.
Venture 21 is a 20′ 11″ / 6.4 m monohull sailboat designed by Roger MacGregor and built by Macgregor Yacht Corp between 1966 and 1979.
The Venture 21 is a 21.0ft cutter designed by Roger MacGregor and built in fiberglass by Macgregor Yacht Corp between 1966 and 1979. The Venture 21 is a light sailboat which is a high performer.
The Macgregor 21 is a 21.0ft masthead sloop designed by Roger MacGregor and built in fiberglass by Macgregor Yacht Corp between 1980 and 1985. The Macgregor 21 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer.
Sep 25, 2008. 294. 1970 Venture by Macgregor 21 Clayton, NC. Aug 25, 2016. #4. If you check the history of the Venture/MacGregor 21, it started out as a racing boat with sleeping accommodations. Over the years it has come to be a sailboat with accommodation that could be raced.
1974 21' Macgregor Venture 21 sailboat for sale in HUNTINGTON BEACH California
1969 MacGregor Venture 21. Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Listed Mar 22. Expired. $5,339 USD. Seller's Description. Mostly refurbished. Ready to sail. Never used in saltwater!
Tennessee. $1,700. Description: This boat has sails and all rigging. I sailed it last year. Comes with a well running tohatsu 3.5 hp motor and trailer. Trailer has been treated with rust treatment paint as it was rusting significantly. Has a new bimini cover, new electric bilge pump and plumbing and the wood has recently been refinished ...
Thanks! In November of 2013, I bought my first boat - a 1973 Venture 21. I bought it because it was inexpensive, the fiberglass (while in need of paint) was in pretty good shape and the sails and rigging appeared to be in good shape. It seems like a good boat for a new sailor to learn on - and I have already learned a lot.
The VENTURE 21 was the first (mono-hull) yacht built by MacGregor Yachts. It was updated and renamed MACGREGOR 21 in 1980. Thanks to 'sea-scooter' for providing updated information.
MacGregor 21/Venture 21 Anyone ever owned one of these? Found one on craigslist with trailer for $500, looks to be in decent shape. Seller has no idea about it, got it from someone who owed him money, wants it out of his driveway.
The history began in 1721, when prospector Mikhailo Volkov discovered coal deposits of Kuznetsk Coal Basin, thus giving it the name - Kuzbass. From that moment active development has started and in 2021 the whole Russia celebrated it's 300 year anniversary! Kemerovo is the capital of Kuzbass, the city to host Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Games! Parks, colossal industrial plants, Dutch ...
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Macgregor 21 is a 20′ 11″ / 6.4 m monohull sailboat designed by Roger MacGregor and built by Macgregor Yacht Corp between 1979 and 1985.
Novokuznetsk (Russian: Новокузнецк, IPA: [nəvəkʊzˈnʲɛt͡sk], lit. 'new smith's'; Shor: Аба-тура, romanized: Aba-tura) is a city in Kemerovo Oblast (Kuzbass) in southwestern Siberia, Russia. It is the second-largest city in the oblast, after the administrative center Kemerovo. Population: 537,480 (2021 Census); [9] 547,904 (2010 Russian census); [10] 549,870 (2002 Census ...
1977 macgregor Venture 21. Asheville, North Carolina, United States. Listed Apr 17. Expired. $2,750 USD. Seller's Description. Excellent working condition, sturdy with signs of wear. Recently sailed and camped on. We have loved this boat!
Kemerovo Oblast — Kuzbass, [note 1] also known simply as Kemerovo Oblast ( Russian: Ке́меровская о́бласть) or Kuzbass ( Кузба́сс ), [12] after the Kuznetsk Basin, is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast ). Kemerovo is the administrative center and largest city of the oblast. Kemerovo Oblast is one of Russia's ...
catamaran; gulet; motorboat; powerboat; sailboat; trimaran; yacht; powerboat. rivarama yacht. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. 356. IMAGES. Riva Rivarama 44 Super