On Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:48:55 -0500, Charlie Morgan wrote:

Wayne has a powerboat that draws 3 feet.

That is true, and I have another one that draws considerably more.

In addition, I've cruised and raced Long Island Sound since the early
70s on sailboats with draft ranging from 4 ft to 9 ft. None of this
proves anything of course, but the water hasn't changed that much over
the years and there are plenty of deep draft boats running around the
area without hitting things.

I'd agree that on a boat used only for cruising I'd prefer something
less than 8 ft of draft. If you want a larger high performance boat
however, deep draft comes with the territory, and it doesn't mean you
can't cruise LIS with it. I have a problem with people saying that
something is impossible as a knee jerk reaction.

I actually think the bigger issue is overall size and having a young
child in the family. From personal experience, you need a boat that
you can single hand if need be. A mother's first priority will always
be to take care of the child first, as well it should be. There are
not a lot of potential crew out there who want to spend the day with
someone elses 2 year old, and a 43 is a lot of boat to handle by
yourself when under sail.