We bought her in '88 - lost our Morgan 24 (that we'd had for 10 years) in Gloria in '85. Friends lost a Cape Dory 25 at the same time and bought a Tartan 30 in '86. They loaned her to us for a week, and we fell in love - the wife liked it, but I balked at the price. Same deal in '87 - wife says 'What a great boat', I say 'Do you know what these things cost?' Friends loaned us their boat again for a week. Finally we bought our own in Spring '88. Looked at T30s from the low teens to high $20s - bought one in the middle.
She's been good to us. Won more than her share of local races, plus taken us where we wanted to go and brought us home again. Furthest we've had her is Gagetown up the St John in NB. First trip to Maine was '99 when we went as far as Corea (nothing there - but pretty). Second trip went as far as Gagetown - and a lot in between.
I've considered selling her and getting perhaps a Tartan 33 (I've come to like fractional rigs) - buy why? I know this boat and have worked most of the bugs out of her (new ones show up now and then). I don't need a new project at this time in my life - I just bought a new (to us) house, and that's enough on my plate.
Funny, if it weren't for Gloria I'd probably still be sailing the Morgan 24 - not having any idea of the additional comfort in a larger boat. First new boat trip back from Block it was a smoky sou'wester. In the Morgan, it would have been survival conditions. In the Tartan, we had the cockpit cushions out and the wife was settled under the dodger reading - pleasure trip.