Skip wrote:

I wonder how many are actually reading it?


Hi Skip,
You can bet I'm reading them, just not contributing when I don't have
much to say that's not al;ready been said.

However, now that I've started typing again:

First, let me say that I'm delighted that you're zeroing in on a
target. I learned long ago that just because your methodology doesn't
mirror mine, ot doesn't make it any less valid. We chose to approach
the goal in small steps (MacGregor 25, Catalina 30, and finally the
Tayana 37), letting our abilities and adventures grow until we were
pushing the limits of the boat, then moving on to a more capable one,
using what we had learned to date to select it. So far, I've seen
nothing to make me believe that there's a better way for us, but that
doesn't mean it's the best way for everybody. So far, we're on target
for an open ended departure in the fall of '06 (though if the economy
continues to remain in the tank, it may be '07). A date originally
picked by when our youngest child will be in her 3rd year of college (or
out on her own).

On the boat choices: I'm not certain of the model and may be of by a
foot one way or the other, but a member of the yacht club I used to
belong to and his wife used live aboard a Morgan 45 (until he put a 1'
diameter hole below the water line while under way, but that's another
story). He liked it, but complained that there wasn't enough
convienient storage for living aboard. They were not cruising, just
living aboard in a marina in Richmond (SF Bay). I gues what I'm trying
to say, is that before you ink a deal, make sure you examine it from
that perspective. I know that after doing extensive coastal cruising
trips in our Catalina 30 (the longest was 2 months), one of the biggest
selling points of out current boat was tha amount of available storage.

Good luck!

- Dan

--
Dan Best - (707) 431-1662, Healdsburg, CA 95448
B-2/75 1977-1979
Tayana 37 #192, "Tricia Jean" http://rangerbest.home.comcast.net/TriciaJean.JPG