Parrot Head, where in coastal nc are you?
Hope you are not trying to sail in the ICW. Troyaux alot of the boats you are considering I would call coastal cruisers although they could be modified for live a board or extended passages. Met a guy this summer who came across the pond on a catilina 25. (heavier
rigging , glassed over port holes, additional cockpit drains, windvane, etc. Might be kinda tight with your crew . I would consider you think about some sixtys or seventys boats, or maybe you could leave your wife with Big Red and trade your dogs for a parrott.
thomas