I would get the largest
small boat you can afford. As they get bigger the list of chores get longer and harder to complete. It's a balance that isn't easy to understand until it's too much. You really want a
small boat but you need to lug all your stuff. If you think like that you can come out just right.
I know this to be the largest 36 ft boat on the
water. BTW, the 6 ft
bowsprit in not included in the length, but some
marinas will count it. The
davits don't come off either and
marinas often count those too. So it may be a 46 ft boat depending on who is measuring.
The new 37's are quite nice with lots of great improvements, but unless they are 10 years old the prices get pretty high. There is a 10 year old 44 in Rock Hall, MD. I've seen it in person for $435K. A very pretty boat that is very big.
You also would need to sell your neighbors house too to get the payments down low enough to
cruise a new 47. There are no old 47's just yet. I don't know of any used 37's on the market. It's basically a more modern design of the 36 in terms of the
hull and
rudder. The 41 is like the 37 with an aft stateroom. 36's after 1990 have a king sized aft quarter berth.
The whole Gozzard
family is very nice. They actually remember all the boats! I was going back and forth with Mike today about a replacement part on a shifter that was new in 1991. They take care of people as well the boats they build boats.