seems like this is how you get into boating these days. Go to a show, pick one out, specify the upholstery color, and learn to drive it. My first boat was an 8' pram, then a 14' dinghy, then a 22', then 30, then 45. That's not the way it is done these days.

When I built my current boat, I started with a 39' LOA plan. Smaller boats are after all, more fun to sail. However once the wish list was accounted for this became 45 ft., mainly for the garage. With only one, or two with never any guests, 10 ft shorter would have worked. Dashew figures you need about 55 ft minimum just for a couple!