Gary wrote:
I'm not looking for lessons on boat buying or a diatribe on the quality
of the question.

Especailly not from a crank-yanker like Bubbles (BTW he's nuts).

... I am simply asking, if you were selecting a boat for
the "Hall of Fame: so to speak, which would you choose and what would be
your reasons for choosing that boat?


OK
There are a LOT of boats that might be entered, largely because it's
such a personal question. Everybody has different tastes and different
priorities.

I'm tempted to nominate the Hunter 19 because I've never seen a
trailerable boat that was so practical & so comfortable, but it could
have been a better boat even so. Instead I'll say the Johnson 18, rugged
& stable, good looking, very responsive, fast enough to give you the
feeling that you're in a Road Runner cartoon.

Stone Horse- 23' classic, lovely boat, sails quite well and very able in
bad weather, surprisingly comfortable for her size.

Laser 28- a roomy 28 footer, well built, faster than most 32 footers;
another in a similar category is the Olson 911. If you get 3-foot-itis
get a Frers 33.

Another great boat (and not too expensive) is the old Morgan 30. Not a
grand prix boat but can keep up with much newer racer-cruisers of her
size, not as roomy but with good stowage & 6'3" headroom, a handsome
looking boat to my eye, and shallow draft for getting the best anchorage.

I understand that something like the Passoa 54 is a lovely boat, but is
it a hall of famer?

Depends on if you like aluminum. It makes a lot of sense especially for
bigger boats & boats that will go where conditions are tough. They have
to be very well insulated though, or the crew freezes even in mild
weather. But the Garcia boats are pretty IMHO (although I don't like the
traveller up on a crash bar), they sail very well, definitely seaworthy
as can be, and the shoal draft is a huge cruising benefit.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King