On Apr 14, 2:49 am, Bruce in Bangkok wrote:
The reason I always tell people that they need a forty foot boat isn't
because it takes forty feet to keep two people's head above water. It
takes forty feet to keep two people AND all the tools, spares, parts,
cooking pots, clothes and the Banjo above water.

Curiously, stuff seems to accumulate to fill all the available space.
Lots of couples live aboard full time and cruise widely in 35 ish feet
of moderate displacement. I tend to think that 36' is close to the
magic compromise in terms of space and cost and workability for a
voyaging couple on a monohull. I'd take ten feet off that for day-
sailing and the occasional extended weekend. Cats need a bit more
size offshore. But, YMMV big time.

-- Tom.