Welcome aboard Sailorbean1! Your choice of boats will depend on your own preferences and the type of cruising you'll do and your
budget. Since you are new to it I'd suggest getting more sea time in with other folks,
crewing or chartering if you can. Chartering different boats can really help you get a god idea of your own preferences. Generally many folks prefer a shallower
draft boat, or one with a swing
keel, for the cruising grounds you mention. Different builders had different standards for construction at different times. Many boats were built very strongly in the 60s, only to see things get somewhat less sturdy in the 70s with newer
fiberglass techniques. It depends on the
builder, As an example, my own
boat built by
Columbia in '62 is quite strong, no "oil-canning" (flexing) of the
hull. But into the 70s and under new
ownership, I am not a big fan of the Columbias from that era. The early Morgans had a good reputation and the one you were looking at probably is shoal
draft with a swing
keel. Old boats, if they have been maintained and upgraded, can be a real bargain, as long as you like the way they sail and handle and don't mind a little less
interior volume. This site, bluewaterboats.org, might also help inform you, though its list of boats is not the end of the story. If you look also at the list of "boats to vote for" you'll see some more good ones.
Sailboat Reviews of Offshore Cruising Yachts : Bluewaterboats.org
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