"Bob D." wrote in message
...


Running a 16-foot boat for a year or so does a wonderful job of training
you....to run a 16-foot boat.


This is as you would say, "Horsefeathers". IMHO, running a 16 foot boat
allows to apply boating theory, and gain boating experience at a faster
rate, with reduced risk, and reduced ancillary costs than with say
stepping into a 28 foot cruiser.

If you discover within a month that your 16 foot boat is completely
inappropriate for 80% of the wave conditions outside of your harbor, you'll
find yourself using the boat quite a bit less. Then, its value as a learning
tool diminishes rapidly. Perhaps the OP should be wandering around marinas
and talking to owners of smaller boats, to find out if and how they feel
limited by their particular boats.