[Jeff_H]

I probably should have been clearer in my earlier post. To start with, I think that a 46 footer is a very big boat for a couple. I personally think that for a long distance cruiser about 10-11,000 lbs per person is a reasonable maximum displacement. My personal preference is even less than that. I should also note, that the original displacement shown for KP-46's was more like 26,000 lbs. Even at the more typically quoted 30,700 lbs displacement, with a waterline length approaching 40 feet that gives the KP-46 an L/D in the 170-220 range which is not all that bad for an offshore capable cruiser (especially if you compare it to something silly like a Hardin 45 which has a 32,000 lb displacement on a 32 foot waterline and so a D/L of 426 )

But more to the point, I also am a firm believer that there are a lot of 'right' solutions to most sailing questions. The boat in question answers the question: "What boat should I buy if I have roughly $100,000 to spend on a boat to take my family around the world? I am looking for a design that has a proven record, solid construction and which will offer a balance mix of good performance, decent seakeeping and motion comfort, and which can be found in a well maintained and upgraded condition within my price range. I am not a fan of lighter displacement craft."

This is not the boat that I would probably buy for myself. If those were my goals, wanted a boat of that general size and I had a bigger budget, I would probably look at something like a J-44 or Farr 44.

But when I think of the folks who come here and ask about moderate to heavy displacement circumnavigators, I would suggest that this would be a very good candidate. What also distinguishes this particular boat is that someone has put a lot of money and care into making the necessary upgrades, long term maintenance and alterations that it takes to make this particular boat pretty ideal for this kind of thing.

And as Andrew (tdw) points out, I qualified this by saying within this price range. As I look at this subject, I think there are heavier displacement type designs in all price ranges that make sense as potential circumnavigators. For example at less than $75K I would normally default to a Tayana 37 and at over $200K I would normally default to the Valiant 40.

Personally, since I have no interest in doing a circumnavigation, none of these boats would make sense for my own use.

Jeff