On 2008-06-24 09:17:58 -0400, Tim Shavinsky said:

Now I have a few more questions about sailboat. From what I've seen the
smallest I would go is about 27 feet, the largest about 32 feet. What
boats would you guys recommend that I look at? It would be me and my
wife aboard, we have no physical handicaps, I'm 6 ft tall. I want a
solid, reliably built boat that is simple and easy to handle.

I'd walk the docks and yards and "try on" every boat you can find.

First thing we do is climb into the permanent berth(s), particularly at
your size. I'm 5'10" and Pat is petite, but easily 70% of the small
(and medium) boats we see fail that simple test. Yes, a settee may be
comfortable and a great size, but making it up and breaking it down
gets old fast.

After that, inspect the rest of the living arrangements, the galley,
the head, stowage, cockpit. Lastly, worry about the cleanliness,
upgrades, and such. Expect the electronics to be toast, or nearly.
Performance, handling, configuration and that sort of thing might
separate two otherwise-equal boats, but are of little consequence
long-term. My one exception to that is draft if you're intending to
cruise skinny water like the Chesapeake or Bahamas.

Learn a bit about surveying in general and find out what to look for,
what to avoid, what "good bones" are. Pascoe's
http://yachtsurvey.com/ is a good start.

When we were looking, anything below 33' was heavily discounted because
few wanted the multitude that existed. In this market, you might get
some deals in larger boats, but I suspect 35' will be the break-point.
Quality "unknown" boats are surprisingly cheap, but you gotta do your
homework on the net.

Now might be a good time to look at the charter fleets. The charter
companies get boats that are simple for the charterers and cost the
companies less to maintain, and I suspect some fleets are hurting.

Also what is the downside to living on a mooring other than the
obvious? Where are the best places to do this in the US?

A mooring is only slightly more secure than anchoring out, with a lot
of very close neighbors in a harbor that can be busy. Rock and roll!

We used to moor the boat for our mostly weekending lifestyle, but now
spend the bucks for a slip because of the many conveniences it gives,
though we hardly ever stay at the dock overnight. Wouldn't moor as a
live-aboard.

From what I've heard, and from our preferences, we'd rank best cruising
grounds in the US roughly: Chesapeake, Long Island Sound, Maine, North
Carolina Inner Banks.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/