[smackdaddy]

Okay, after debating this issue for lo these many pages, and after deep genuflection on all the salient points made herein, I've come to a startling conclusion...

Production cruising boats will handle virtually any conditions on the ocean (aside from the true extremities). If you, as the sailor of said boat, can deal with said conditions, the boat will very likely not fail you.

Catalina, Hunter, Beneteau, Jenneau, whatever....it will keep you afloat just fine...if you've got the stones to ride it out.

Well, I guess that settles that. Now what?

(PS - I might be missing the large body of data that proves this conclusion wrong...but I've sure not seen anything like that. So, I gotta go with the facts.)