Bayfield 29

[dnielsen]

I recently sold my old Columbia 36' after a goodly number of years sailing mostly on the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding coastal areas. We are now looking to "downsize" to a smaller boat (we are in our mid-sixties and the C36 was getting to be a bit much to handle) and are looking at Bayfields, especially the 29' or perhaps the 32', and the Cape Dory, especially the 30'. I like the look of both boats, but wonder which one would give the greater sense of security when on the Bay in a good blow (we did 30-40 winds with the old Columbia and always felt pretty secure). This is a particular concern of my wife, who loves to sail, but gets a bit rugged around the edges when the winds go up and I don't want, in the process of buying a new boat, to "downsize" myself out of a very happy thirty year marriage! Anyone with any experience or sugggestions about the relatively capacities of these boats? Thanks!
DAN

[camaraderie]

The Bayfield 32 is more comparable to the CD30 as the bow pulpit on the Bayfields extend quite a bit and the 29 is a significantly smaller and lighter boat. If sea-kindliness is the issue, the CD30's certainly have a good reputation among long distance cruisers but the Bayfield 32 is perhaps the prettier of the two boats...though both are appropriatly "salty" looking.
In terms of handling, you seem to be getting smaller due to physical limitations so you may want to eveluate how you can handle trips out onto the pulpit if you choose the Bayfield. Otherwise...I'd say t is a tossup between the CD and the B32 with the B29 a distant 3rd in terms of your expressed desires.