On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:06:28 -0400, DSK wrote:

Of course, my prejudices tend towards performance boats and
so I work towards justifying that.... but there is a good
bit of logic along with some real world experience in the
justification also.


I did two Newport-Bermuda races on a nice fast Frers 41 displacing
about 10,000 lbs give or take. No extreme conditions encountered,
just typical offshore 15 to 20 kts, fast reaching through 6 to 8
footers. The boat was extremely uncomfortable with a fast squirrelly
motion that defies explanation, but in my view totally unsuited to
extended cruising in those conditions.

On two other N-Bs with a custom Ron Holland 50 displacing over 40,000
lbs, and in far worse conditions, we had a very comfortable ride. Not
exactly an apples to apples comparison because of the length
difference, but two very valid data points nevertheless.

It's one thing to go out for a couple of days on a light weight boat
and bash around a race course, but an entirely different proposition
to take off for 6 months or more of serious liveaboard cruising.