"DSK" wrote in message
...
Wendy, the CD 36 is a nice boat (more comments below) but I think you're
going
about this wrong-way to.

Story of my life

try just taking an
unfocussed look at boats available in your area. With a minimum investment
in
time & money & travel & heartache, you can get your toes wet and go poking
around on some boats. This will give you a chance to put into practice
some of
what you've learned about evaluating boats, and it will toughen up your
hide
for dealing with the inevitable broker when you do find the right one.

Yeah, this is sound advice. I've learned to be wary of my impulses, and
truth be told I may change my mind several times before I buy. I haven't
the money in hand right now, so that insulates me from doing something
stupid. so I'll use the time between now and when I am ready to buy wisely,
by crewing other people's boats. In this way I am sure to find what I do
and don't want in a boat.

Also: good work getting out on the Ranger 33.

Thanks! I hope I'm in demand as race crew around here. There are various
offshore races held in the area, along with the Harvest Moon race from
Galveston to the Corpus Christi area (which the Ranger participates in), as
well as the long race from Galveston to Veracruz. Dunno if I can swing the
time off for the race to Mexico, but it would be a great opportunity if I
were asked to go. I've no experience racing- who knows, I may get quite
taken with it and decide I don't want a dedicated cruiser after all (which,
of course, reinforces your above point).

We have some good friends who had a series of Cape Dories up to the 36,
they
kept wanting something 'a little bit bigger' before they started cruising
for
real. They did make a trip to Bermuda and back on the CD 36, the comment
was
that it too was not big enough.

This size thing is what struck me about Pacific Seacrafts. Stepping off the
Cheoy Lee 36 onto the Crealock 34 was vastly different than the two feet
would indicate. I may well find Cape Dory's to be the same. The Tayana 37
is hands down the most liveable of the boats I have seen so far.

Thanks Doug, and I'll post later Saturday about the racing experience. If
I'm not frozen.

Wendy