curosity smacked me up side da head

[tybeefolk]

we, my partner and i, are anticipating an extended cruise with really no idea where that may lead or for how long we may stay. i have been observing this and other bb''s and see a great deal about boats and cruising but each seem to have an agenda. Where to sail,when ,what, how; we need to know this as well! but for those like us with no agenda, time frame, schedule,. what should we look for in a boat? we''re in no hurry to get outta site of land until we feel confident with both our abilities and our craft but at some point we may decide to see far off ports, thus warranting a sea capable boat. and well we can afford to spend funds now that may not be available later. better boat? Island Packet 38 or Pacific Seacraft in same size?
all information would be certainly appreciated.

[Jeff_H]

I would say that the Pacific Seacraft 37 is a better boat than the Island Packet 38 in almost all ways. It offers better build quality, motion comfort, ease of handling and performance. It has a better interior layout for offshore work. Generally the Pacific Seacraft are better thought out and more sophisticated designs than the IP. On the other hand, if your sole criteria is to get the largest posible interior in the shortest sailing length then the Island Packet does have more room. That makes sense if you are looking for a live aboard and do not plan to sail anywhere. If you are asking this question I would guess that you are reasonably new to sailing. I would seriously suggest that you start out with a smaller (27 or less foot) light weight sloop with a fin keel/ spade rudder. You will learn more in a year or two of owning the smaller boat than you might in a lifetime with a bigger boat and by the time that you have sailed the boat for a couple years you will be able to more easily answer that question for yourself. From your nom d'' Board I am guessing that you live in the Savannah area and if that is the case, neither the IP or Pacific Seacraft are particularly good for that sailing venue.

Respectfully,
Jeff

[paulk]

While you''re waiting, don''t forget to read everything you can get hold of. I found Dashew''s Circumnavigator''s Handbook interesting (though now a bit dated). He covers a lot of areas that are important, even for coastal cruisers, in a logical way. He considers pros and cons and explains why he decides what he does. The Pardeys do somewhat less of this in their books. Some writers simply relate their approach as the only true gospel. I try to read these with a grain of salt, for fear of ending up with them and their blind followers at the bottom of a cliff somewhere. Hereshoffs''s The Compleat Cruiser adds a touch of sense to the mix. Have fun, and like Jeff says, go sailing!

[tybeefolk]

thanks so much for your input and Jeff i would wonder what you might think the proper cruiser/liveaboard for the east coast venue might be.
a little history, i have been on the coast at, on or under the water all of my life. my sailing experiences, as you stated, are limited and up until several years ago i thought sailboating was what the almighty put out there as navigational hazards as i lumbered the deepsea rig out at 27+ knots. now that i have grown to respect the finer aspects of the sailing community, my wife and i are seriously wanting to join that community. i mentioned in my first post that my experiences with

[tybeefolk]