[dpinorm]

You''ve been getting a lot of great advice, but let me add one thing that hasen''t been stressed here.

Don''t think of performance and light (but strong) construction as strictly an advantage in winning races. I did over 20,000 miles in a J40. The boat was heavily modified for long distance cruising and a good bit heavier than her deisgn weight, but still performed very well. It was great to make a passage in, say, 30 hours rather than 40 hours. If you''re getting pounded, saving even an hour at sea can seem like a lot at the time. Also, boats with light ends and carbon rigs often have better motions in a seaway.

I always felt that volume production boats required a lot of (expensive) modifications for me to feel comfortable in offshore. I felt it was better to start with a boat where the design priorities were more oriented towards passagemaking to begin with. Hugh volumes in cabins without adequate handholds look great at boat shows, but try walking through the cabin in a seaway.

I''m in the process of building a Sabre 452 now. I had narrowed my search down to that or a J46. I have been impressed with the quality of Sabre''s construction and selection of components. Also, they are very nice people to deal with. Still, I have "pages" of modifications and additions to make what I consider a true passagemaker out of her. This Spring, I''ll find out if I''ve succeded.

Good luck in your journey. I hope your sailing dreams are fulfilled with the same joy as mine have been.