aroostifer wrote:
I'm interested in a Choate 41 (2 ton IOR) for sale in the Bay Area. My
interest is NOT in racing but rather in long-distance cruising.

Interested in the seaworthiness of these designs. It seems some say
they can be squirrely to steer downwind, but others say that applies
mostly to racing situations where the boats being driving hard. Have
heard all the Fastnet stories, but this boat is post-Fastnet vintage
(very early eighties I believe, but may be very late seventies.)

Former owner did the Baja HAHA and Bash. My immediate crusing plans
would be SF Bay, Mexico, Hawaii, and eventually the wild blue yonder.
Would love to circumnavigate the Pacific.

Thoughts, opinions, slander, or wild conjecture about the suitability
of such a boat for bluewater cruising?

It's a 1979, apparently. Former racers make indifferent offshore boats
due to their lack of capacity to sail well heavily loaded. I admit the
concept of skimming along at 8 kts in a light breeze while other boats
drudge along barely moving is attractive. However, a water capacity of
50 gallons is thin for moving 'beyond'. I may be wrong here, but I think
if you loaded this boat up with what most folks take to hit the south
pacific, it'd sail terribly.

There is a reason offshore types gravitate to heavy boats. They're not
stupid.