[GeorgeB]

Smack, things a little bit boring out there on the prairie lately? I thought this was all talked out months ago. There is no absolute ranking of boat builders – it is all too subjective. You are going to have to get a little experience to know what YOU want in a boat and go from there. To clear up some of the (minor) misconceptions: Tumblehome is a hull design where the max beam is greater than the beam at the deck. It was popularized during the IOR days where that formula had restrictions on certain dimensions. By going to a tumblehome shape, designers could lengthen the effective water line (and greater hull speed) for a given beam width. The venerable Cal 40 was designed by Lapworth to race the Transpac wherein it dominated that race for years after that. The Cal 40 went on to be selected as the boat used in the Congressional Cup. (Incidentally, it was later replaced by the Catalina 38.) The Cal 40 is a blue water boat. So how strong, stiff, heavily built is it? Starting at 2,000 lbs of backstay tension, you are no longer tightening the rigging, you are warping the hull. You can bend the hull by pulling the backstay tensioner on the Islander 36 too. Measured in square inches, the companionway opening on the Newport 30 is greater than the Catalina 30. So what is the difference between “premium coastal” and “regular coastal”? Does the one come with the upgraded radio, A/C, leather seats and wheel covers? Some day, if you ever come out to SF, I will take you to some broker friends of mine (J, Sabre, Beneteau and Catalina) who would be more than happy to discuss boat design with you. Oh, and one more thing, you are in serious need of some saltwater, dude! You need to spend less time keyboarding and more time trimming!