>>2330534I agree with other anon. try an ASA or US Sailing course near you and see how you like it. Consider getting a small dinghy (Laser for 1-3k is the only option) that you or the kids or the wife could sail alone to improve your skills in all types of conditions and then dropping the bucks on a daysailer.
You can get a max of about 300lbs on the laser so you can take both kids with you, or you and the wife if they're small and you're not fat basically.
Here are some good boat options, but a lot depends on what commonly available near you. If there's local small keelboat sailing fleets, there's usually boats for sale pretty cheap.
Dolphin 24 is a pocket cruiser, big and heavy compared to others im gonna mention but nice boats.
J-22 and Colgate 26 are both nice daysailors that you could serve cocktails to guests on.
Catalina 22 is a pig but they're everywhere and parts are cheap
J-24 is garbage.
Etchells, Soling, Thistle, Rhodes 19, and Lightning are all boats that sail nicely, are more about sailing than motoring to a party spot (these boats usually do not carry an outboard), and could easily fit the family. Everyone will be involved in sailing and feeling the elements, for better or for worse.
