SF Bay Area boat recommendation

[aqwert5]

All,

I'd like your recommendation for a 25-30 ft boat for the bay area. My criteria are:
- Most important attribute: Forgiving (new sailor w/ ASA101 only).
- Mostly bay area use
- Coastal sailing to Half Moon bay, Monterey and maybe out to Farallon Islands (20mi offshore) at some point.
- Summer winds: 5-15 in the morning, 20-30 knots in the afternoon. Although light air handling would be good, it better handle 20+ knots well.
- Spring/Winter winds: 5-20 knots.
- Should sleep at least 4 for a couple of days (we like camping so a bit cramp is ok).

Boats I've been looking at and I see most advertised in this area are:
- Northstar
- Pearson 26
- Cal 2-27, 27
- Ericson
- Catalina 27
- Irwin 28
- Columbia 26, 28
- Coronado 27
- Olson 30
- Santana 27

Your help is much appreciated.

[puddinlegs]

You're not ready for an Olson 30... great boat, but very very very... did I say very? different than everything else you're listed... It's a ULDB. If there's a Yankee 30 in good condition to be found in your area, that'd be at the top of my list for tooling around the Bay and local coast. i think there's an Olson 911 listed in Lat. 38 this month... that'd be even better and out perform everything on your list except the Olson 30, but also be more expensive out of the box.

[imagine2frolic]

I am not a racer, so the speed issue didn't matter much to me. Of course I didn't want a slug either. My first boat was a Columbia 30, and it covered most of your wants. It also got me safely from Frisco to P.V. Mexico, and back safely. Almost all of it single-handed. The waterline was a couple feet short of the over all length. This made for a lot of living space compared to most 30footers.


Most of the boats listed will cover your needs. I recently returned to the bay area, and have been getting rides on a Catalina 27. I enjoy sailing this boat, and it is roomy for 27ft...........i2f