Lancer 30' Sailability +/_

[E.David Worden]

I am looking at a Lancer 30' of 1978 vintage.It has the long 5'2" keel and the v-berth/salon layout.My question is; how good are these boats as cruisers?I'm being beaten to death by the dock crowd...some say they're good fast boats.Others say they tend to corkscrew alot and are tough rides in a seaway. I'm not a racer,I just cruise the bay and will be part-time liveaboard on it.The price is VERY attractive and the overall condition of the vessel is above average.Anyone had one of these and can give me your thoughts from HANDS ON experience.Must make a decision by end of the week.

[Faster]

If I'm not mistaken this particular Lancer model is designed by C&C - and Cuthbertson and Cassian certainly knew what they were doing in their day. So I'd be surprised if the sailing characterisitics were bad. Many of the late '70s IOR-inspired boats did suffer from death rolling, but that was usually a hull form vs large foretriangle/skinny main rig. C&C, for the most part, did not get into those extremes for their racer-cruiser designs.
The actual construction/execution by Lancer of the presumably sound design might be another question altogether, and I'd leave that to those with direct experience with these boats and/or a competent surveyor.