I would take a serious look at some older boats, specifically the Alberg
35, built by Pearson and the Alberg 37 built by Whitby. Both are tough
as nails, built in a time when fiberglass lay-ups were frequently the
same thickness as the wood they replaced.

The Alberg 37 in particular, is a very nice boat. It has a nav station
which I like. You can frequently find these boat completely fitted out
for wherever you might wish to sail, and well within the range of your
proposed budget.

I wanted an A-37, but at the time I was last buying a boat, just didn't
quite have the cash. I wound up with an A-35. If you search for article
on the A-35 you will find several, and one describes a couple who,
finding it rough, lay ahull for a few hours and played cards. :after
they found they had survived, with minimal discomfort, the fabled
Fastnet storm that claimed many leading edge racers and a few lives.

Jonathan

Wendy wrote:
Hi-

I'm new to this group, and while I have done some archive digging I have a
few questions I was hoping I might get some answers to. Specifically, I am
interested in a sailboat in the 35'-40' range that is suitable for serious
offshore work to include transatlantic crossings. The boat should be easy
to sail, obviously well-built, preferably sloop-rigged, and (here's the
catch!) around $80,000 or so. I would live aboard the boat- I'm single with
no kids- while building up a cruising kitty. I am going to look at a 1990
34' Pacific Seacraft this weekend; at $99,000 it is more than I would like
to pay but perhaps it's negotiable. There is also a 1985 Cheoy Lee Pedrick
36 (yes, I know about the teak decks) at $60,000 that has caught my eye.
Obviously one gets what one pays for, and the Seacraft is no doubt the
better boat, but is the Cheoy Lee suitable for serious passages? I know
Westsail is a definite possibility, but what other boats should I consider
based on my plans and price range?

I do not have a lot of sailing experience- some time on 30' Catalinas and a
Hobie Cat. I crewed on a 90' motor yacht in the Caribbean for a year and
also ran 40-50 foot dive boats out of a resort for another couple years, so
the basics of boat operations and upkeep etc are no mystery to me (I know
what I'm getting into here, and must admit that I am wondering about my
sanity

Thanks!

Wendy