Don't forget what you see in the websites and
boat magazines is about as accurate as your blind date's actual measurements and abilities. There is usually a lot of hidden things wrong with the
boat or the owner would not be selling it for such a low
price. And finding a "green water" boat capable of crossing an ocean safely for that
price is quite difficult. Usually the best chance is to find a boat where the avid sailing owner just died and the widow wants to get rid of it. Sailing across the ocean is quite different from gunkholing around the islands. The standards for the stresses, strains, stability, and quality of the
rigging and
sails, etc. are much more demanding for ocean
work than island
work. Good Luck!