Capt Jay as usual has some good input. I especially liked this one.
CaptainJay said:
First off size does matter. It is your first trip as skipper the difference in a 40 is and a 45 ish size boat is a serious consideration. The forty will be easier to handle and get used to for a first time skipper. Size and mass are exponential everything is bigger, the loads the stress the windage etc.
We have only been sailing for a few years and only sail "big" boats once a year when we try to get down to the ilons. At this point we have only sailed mono hulls. We started on a 40. Then had a 42, 44, and then went to a 50 which we've done for the past three years. The difference in size between the 40 and 44 was huge but a nice upgrade we felt comfortable with after being on the 40 and 42. Could we have started on the 44? Probably... but with a little less confidence and a bit more stress in the initial days. Going up to the 50 was a huge difference in size, weight, forces, and definitely maneuverability. I would have crapped my pants had we started at that size. I like the 50 in terms of space. But in terms of how heavy and difficult things can be with my limited crew - wife and two kids - we're choosing to go back down to a 45 this summer. So to your question if you will even be able to tell the difference between the 40 and 44 on how they handle - YES!
Growing into the boat is not a bad plan. Is it possible for you to delay your decision until after you've been down for your classes this summer so you can make a size decision based on what you might be more comfortable with handling? No doubt big is always better in terms of your space on board when you are at anchor. But you have to get between locations safely. And that trumps space in the end.
