Buying First Sailboat - Advice?

[Thorpydo]

Hi All,

I'm looking for boat recommendations. My needs are as follows.

I would like to be able to make a passage along the California coast. I'd like to be able to be able to make it out to Catalina and down the Baja Mexico. Sailing for the day or even only a couple hours is also something I'd like to be able to do.

I'm not rolling in money and need to be able to trailer the boat. I can't and won't afford dock space or a mooring even if it were available. Ideally, I would like something that I can rig myself, solo. I don't know how difficult it is to step and unstep a mast but I'm sure there will be times that I'd like to go out sailing for the day and won't have a friend to lend a hand.

I understand foldable keels and daggerboards make trailering much easier. Will I be in for trouble trying to take a boat with a foldable keel on such a trip as I listed above?

I've got a '05 tacoma truck. I'll have to look up the recommended towing loads but I presume it will be able to handle anything I'm looking at.

I'm not sure what I need in the cabin (stove, fridge, head, etc). What are my options if the boat doesn't have these sorts of things? I'm a fairy tall lad, 6'1" and the berths that I've seen look small though I'll admit that the last time I slept in one I was probably 6 years old. Will a 22'-30' boat be able to sleep 3 people of my size?

My budget is about 5 grande but if there is something just up of that please mention it and I will take a look.

I have some sailing experience though I have never owned a boat. What other information or criteria should I provide?

Thank you for your help. I really do appreciate it.
Adam