I assure you that the CR and D/L have virtually nothing to do with whether you will actually end up with a boat that is "more seakindly and better able to handle less than perfect weather and sea conditions" or leaves you "holding on for dear life in a blow!"
That said you have identified a pretty good list of candidates. I especially like the Tartan 33 as a posible choice. I would take the Hunter 33 off of your list. While constructed in an era when Hunters (family members have owned two Huners from that era) were really quite well made, the 33''s tended to not be as good a boat as some of the other Hunters of that era.
I would also like to suggest a couple other boats as well,
C&C 35''s,
Good all around boats typcially a bargain prices. Not as good seaboats as some more modern designs but really exceptionally engineered for their day. Might be a little deep, I can''t recall.
C&C 36 (early 1980''s): These are nicely constructed boats that sail very well. They have a nice interior and should make a good boat for the type of thing that you are proposing. There is a shoal draft version that I believe draws 5''1".
C&C 34/36 (late 1980''s early 1990''s)
There were a number of versions of this boat from stripped out racer to performance cruiser. These are good all around boats, well constructed. There was a wing keel version and a keel centerboard version that should meet your draft goals. The cruiser versions have a nice interior ayout that is nicely finished and quite nicely detailed.
Cal 34. These offer reasonable performance and reasonable build quality. Cheaply priced for what they are.
Cal 36: (1960''s) these are nice looking boats that sail quite well. You can find beautifully restored and upgraded versions within your price range. I can''t recall the draft on these.
CS36
Late 1970''s early 1980''s)
These are really neat boats. They sail well and are very nicely constructed. because they are less known than many of the big names they tend to sell for less than some better known boats. There is a 5''0 shoal draft keel version that should work well for you.
Dehler 34/ Optima 106: These are extremely nicely engineered and excellent sailing boats. They are comparatively rare in the US and even rarer in the shoal draft versions. That said they would be perfect for your description of how you plan to use the boat.
Farr 1020:
Really nice cruising boats with a simple but comfortable interior. They are well engineered and constructed. It seems to me that there was a deep and shoal draft version. It was the last sailboat that Bruce Farr actually owned for himself. Must have been a pretty good boat.
Hinterhoeller Niagara 35, (late 1970''s early 1980''s) Probably the heaviest and slowest on this list but these are great go anywhere do anything boats. In an earlier search for someone else, they seemed to be listed between 4''9 and 5''2 draft but I am not sure that there were actually different draft models.
Pearson 34
Very nice boats. You will want a keel centerboard version as the deep keel version will be too deep.
Sabre 34: One of my favorites on this list. Well built and well detailed. Good sailing abilities. There were keel centerboard versions of the earlier model and wing keel versions of the later models.
Anyway those are just a few suggestions.
Jeff
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