Expanding on Petes comment re: a boat already equipped for cruising - cheap.

I know that's true. I've sold two of them. Avid sailors are not necessarily "cruisers". There I may have just saved you (if you were me ) about 150 large.

The closest place I know of for you to find that boat would be Hawaii. Lot's of one way tickets from there back to the US.

Now, if what you really like to do is WORK ON BOATS that's another story.

A lot of us fit that discription.

Something about the smell of acetone in the morning!

Good Luck