Tudor wrote:

This is probably going to sound like a very open-ended question, but
if you were an inexperienced sailor looking to buy a new 23 foot
sailboat with a swing keel to be primarily used in river and bay
cruising, what would you choose?

And how about if you were looking for a used 25 foot sailboat with a
swing keel in very good condition under $10,000?
I just bought a used American Mariner 8M (26') Sloop. It is a GREAT
sailboat. It has 28" draft and my wife and I have spent lots of weekends
on board. The boat sleeps 4 very comfortably and has a very roomy cockpit.
The down side is that this boat isn't made anymore. Mine is a 1975 model
and I picked it up for $3,500!!!
Dave Isaacson