I am impressed. People are using photographs to determine the
wonderfulness of boats.
wow!

If you are cruising these two wonderful rocketships, which one is easier
for a couple to handle, with two athletic adult friends? which one is
easier for the couple with two kids or no one else on board?
which one draws more water? (I assume that you experts understand that
term!)
My wife and I cruised a J-30 for a few weeks. Did lots of things well
but not everything. The 5'6" cook had trouble cooking because the stove
was located in a section of the boat with adequate headroom. the cockpit
is great for not getting bruised but not for casual reading in the sun
when reaching along the south shore of Cape Cod.
My friends with the Express 30 claimed that towing their inflatable, in
any configuration, even with the bow pulled up the transom, just kills
their speed. they say they can really feel the difference with the boat
loaded for a weekend of cruising versus the boat in racing trim. they
said that the cruising weight seemed more noticeable than the weight of
the racing crew.
but both couples loved their boats.

SAIL LOCO wrote:
Cost of adding an over to a boat...6-900 bucks or so. Cost of making the
miserable Express 30 cabin livable?

You'll have to make a few interior mods to have a place to put an oven on a
J30. That might just add a few dollars to your estimate.

Bwahahahaha! Show me ONE good pic of an Express 30 interior! Just
one!!!

I go sailing instead of hanging at the dock to take pictures of my boat to
post on the internet. As far as I've seen the Express 30s interior is about
the same as any other 30 footer from the mid eighties. In the late 80s
builders started moving the head aft ala the French boats and the C&C 30mk11
which made for a nicer head. I opted not to spend $40K more to go slower but
have more room to take a dump.
Face it. Your just jealous because the Express 30 was designed by a real
designer and your 70s tub was designed by an in house employee which was done
to save money. To put that into a perspective that you will understand that's
the equivalent of private label in house speakers and you know how crappy they
are. Get lost........... you know nothing about boats.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
Trains are a winter sport