[PBzeer]

Whether it''s rated offshore or not is rather immaterial. One need only look at the absence of anything usable as a seaberth, and the minimal tankage for a boat that size to realize it is not meant for extended offshore sailing.

Any boat is only as capable as her skipper and crew, but after a year of boat searching, it seems apparent to me that the "Big 3" production builders are building for the "casual" sailor. They stress ammenities and liveablity, and sacrifice seaworthiness to that end.

I own a Hunter 26, and while I like the boat, and enjoy it, that''s because I use it as it was intended. And while the "Big 3" may make boats certified for offshore, I really don''t believe that is their intended purpose. All boats are a compromise, but in the case of the "Big 3" I believe they compromise on the side of "at rest", rather than "in motion".

Fair winds,

John