[paulk]

The bigger the better, especially if there may be three (or more) of you at some point. If you''re planning to cruise for a week or two, a C&C 34 (or an older 35) mightt fit into your budget as well. The added space would help make such a cruise much more enjoyable. The C&C''s are also relatively quick. A good way to compare the relative performance of boats is to look at their PHRF ratings, if you haven''t already. Make sure any boat you make an offer on gets a thorough survey. Even "one design" boats differ from each other in condition and how they''ve been cared for, so expect every boat to be somewhat unique. J/30''s are reputed to need decent wind to really perform, but there seem to be a good many of them even here on Long Island Sound, where light wind is the norm. I have heard nice things about the Laser 28 as well.