Cbarg,
I personally think the gold standard for general use, comfortable cuising are last generation Bristols. They offer quality construction, good performance, offshore capability and as they age, surpisingly affordable purchase prices. (Remember the purchase price on an older boat is more like a down payment.. you won't get more than you pay for.)
Here's an example:
http://yachtworld.com/core/listing/b...ick&searchtype=