Hi, Y'all,

I'm in the process of setting up my next boat search trip, and the
Chesapeake is a fertile ground for the types I've found which might work
for us.

Unfortunately for me, I'm not familiar with the area as pertains to boat
buying and brokers. I've got about 40 boats scattered between Baltimore
and Northern Virginia. Surprisingly to me, there's very little overlap
on brokers (not many instances of a broker having more than one of my
selection), even though my boats are found only in the usual
concentration of areas (Rock Hall, Annapolis, Deltaville, that sort of
thing).

I'm hopeful of doing what I've done in other areas, which is to work
with as few, and perhaps only one, if it's appropriate, brokers as
possible, in order to maximize the efficiency for the broker and the
sales effort and my routing.

Has anyone here done the same sort of thing (targeted boats all over the
Chesapeake area and gone looking for them in a continuous trip)? If so,
how did you do it?? One broker? Have to visit each broker for every
boat? One broker per 'town'? Something else?

Since I'm hopeful of leaving sometime this week, and probably will be
gone for up to 10 days, I'm hopeful I'll hear back on the subject
quickly :{)) [handlebars and full beard, tm]

Thanks.

L8R

Skip and Lydia, searching...

PS I posted the below to a couple of cruising oriented newsgroups
recently. The critical elements are standing, sleeping and moving
around. The other design parameters are 'druthers' items. Do you know
this boat??

From: "Skip Gundlach"
Subject: Does anyone know this boat??? (AKA my ideal design)
Date: Friday, September 19, 2003 1:51 PM

A few pieces of background: My wife and I want to buy a sailboat on
which we'll live full time and cruise the Caribbean and perhaps the
Atlantic. We'll be alone, but may have frequent guests of a couple (and
perhaps kids, though most likely not). Circumnav is not currently
interesting, but we never know! For a variety of reasons, we'd prefer
to keep it as small as possible, but recognize that bigger can mean
easier in storage, space and livability terms. So, given that many
years ago, a 40' boat was "huge" we'd like to keep it there or less, but
might have to give in to another foot (or several!).

We started with the footprint and basic concept of a Morgan Classic 41,
but changed several things. We've also, out of frustration with our
lack of success, compromised on berth space, seen as "*" notation below.
I've sketched such a boat... Here's the 'design specs' on our ideal
boat:

Topsides:

Good locker space - probably the entire stern in lazarettes, plus
propane locker and dink fuel locker, and anchor locker/chain locker
(perhaps a fairlead to chain locker under the V to lower and move aft
the weight??)
Space for windlass not interfering with locker - perhaps lazarette
equivalency (fenders, dock lines, sails??)
Raised toe rail to capture water directed to fills after rinse and
plugged scuppers
Sloop or ketch rig, keel stepped, dual headsail/removable inner forestay
rig/running backs. If ketch, independently stayed spars
Center cockpit - enough back to sit comfortably, enough cap to provide
for belowdecks headroom, relatively narrow footspace to provide bracing
when heeled, seats long and wide enough to sleep topsides, majority of
deck/sole removable/hatch to engine room, main traveler on stern cap -
if not center cockpit, some sort of amply ventilated berth space either
below or in pullman style (which may provide challenges to single-head
dual-access; see below on heads)*
Abundant hatches - could be shoebox, standard Bowmar-type, FG with light
translucence, but all with opposed/switchable hinges. Objective:
ventilation, emergency exits, security from casual attack
Abundant opening ports - ventilation, light
Bow and stern stainless rails - port, starboard and stern entries
Jack lines and other harness clip points, including the cockpit
Set up for singlehanding

Interior:

Minimum 6'-4" standing headroom in all walk or normal stand areas (not
seating), minimum 36" seating room (clearance) in any seating or berth
space
V berth (guest) forward, with no head but some hanging and fair drawer
storage, below/cave storage - if bow design included lazarette/lockers,
wide foot space comes free*
Inline salon with forward bulkhead-mount drop table, flip-out to full
table for settee with astern L. If two settees, parallel orientation
for table efficiency, or individual seating opposite L settee
Storage behind/over and under (tankage?) settees
Offset companionway to allow wider galley, astern L settee
Galley athwart, full reefer and sink (to engine room astern) butting
astern to workroom, forward dry storage with drawers amidship, overhead
storage both athwart, propane locker outboard
Nav opposite galley
Single walk-through head and shower behind nav, engine room removable
full access panels, drop-seat for shower convenience*
Opposite head (other side of engine room) workroom, tools and storage
with removable full access panels to engine room, with entry door from
aft cabin
Stern cabin berth athwart, minimum 6'-3" deep inline to allow sleeping
ahull under way*
Engine room accessible from tool/work room, walkthrough head, aft
vanity, cockpit deck*

*Some sort of pullman/rear quarterberth arrangement would be ok if 1)
the pullman was approximately landside full size or better, with closed
access to cabin and 2) there were private and public access to the head

Hull:

Sheer, or close to it, stern for best use of space, or sugarscoop
45* or less entry bow (less overhang), again for space efficiency per
length
Relatively straight or slightly flared sides (no tumblehome) to the rub
rail/deck joint
Wide Fin and skeg rudder or severely modified full keel - a scheel keel
would be nice!
Sea chest or equivalent water intake and minimal output through-hulls
About 6' draft (5 to 7?)

What do you know that looks like this???

Thanks.

L8R

Skip and Lydia