Hi there!

Let start with... Len is completely right. Forget this stuff about
autopilots, windvanes, etc... that`s all icing that can be added later.
The most important thing that you cannot change is your hull, and
second is your layout (changeable, but at considerable expense). Then
there`s your rig.

Big question... where do you want to sail, and why. High latitude and
low latitude boats are completely different animals, and very few
vessels suit both roles. If you want to circumnavigate, based on what
conditions do you chose this? If you want a rapid circumnavigation then
you should be following the Dashew world... very fast boats... but not
my definition of fun. If you want to cruise in comfort and you choose
your weather windows well, staying in lower latitudes, there are a lot
of boats that will give you this. If you want to see higher latitudes
such as Chile, Argentina, northern Canada, etc... fewer boats suit
these needs. In Puerto Williams, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina, most of
the vessels you see will be metal. But surprisingly, there are two very
well founded ferro-cement vessels that do fine in Ushuaia. You just
have to know what you want, why and how to take care of it. Know your
vessel`s limitations and respect them. That`s the key.

The deck salon/pilothouse world is a controversial one and again, it
depends on what you want. Yes, this vessel will be your home, so you
want to be comfortable in it. But remember, if you want to
circumnavigate, you have some big oceans to cross and once you`re out
there, you`re out there. Too much open space and you`ll be tossed
around like a salad. And it hurts. Furthermore, the larger the vessel,
the bigger the systems, the more maintenance, the more expense, and the
more muscle needed to move it. There are times I envy the guy in the 34
footer.

One very important thing to remember... buy your boat based on her
hull, the material she`s constructed from, the interior layout, and the
material used for the interior. And of course your rig. As I said, the
rest is icing. Hopefully, you`ll install the other bits and pieces
yourself. If not, get good manuals and take the time to following
everything throughout the boat. Things will break. You will fix them.
And you will learn in the process.

Rick, there are a lot of opinions out there. Go sailing.