Hi all

I have been messing about with small boats for a long time now (up to
17ft, 25hp), mainly inshore and estuary stuff, leisure trips and
fishing. I've got my Day Skipper and I'm pretty confident with my
navigation skills. With a 7m+ tidal range and being on the West Coast
(Pembrokeshire) I have seen some nasty conditions too. I'm now
considering moving up a bit and going a little further. I'd like to
get across to Ireland and the near French coast, and I'd like to be
able to sleep aboard. My requirements for my next boat a

1. Sleep 2 in reasonable comfort - no need for shower & toilet,
although space for a small cooker would be nice
2. Seaworthy enough to cross the Irish sea in reasonable weather (I
know the weather is unpredictable, but I won't be actually setting off
in a force 8!)
3. Enough deck space for 2 to fish with rods occasionally
4. Looks like a boat, not a Barbie-doll toy (ie nothing that looks
remotely like a gin palace, beige plastic etc)

I've seen a couple of boats locally (a Mayland Kingfisher 21 and a
Blue C Marine Trusty 21) and they look likely candidates, but I
suspect at 21ft they will not be up to a longer passage - they are
really inshore workboats. Also they are perhaps a little cramped for
more than the odd night away. One big question is outboard/inboard -
I've only ever had an outboard and I like them for ease of access and
because mine have always been very reliable, but on any trip longer
than a couple of hours at speed, fuel becomes a very big issue. Can
an inboard engine deliver the power and "fun factor" without being
huge and unwieldy (and very expensive)? My present boat will do 20
knots all day, but drink like a very thirsty thing in the process. I
wouldn't want anything slower than this - I like to get where I am
going. Semi-planing would be good.

If anyone has any observations on these boats or recommendations for
any others that might fit the bill, I would be glad to hear them.
I've lurked on the group for a while, and there seems to be a lot of
expertise in here! I'd like new, will probably settle for "good"
second-hand, and the budget is around 12K GBP. Over to you, and
thanks for listening.

Ixion