Charley Morgan 38 or Bristol 40

[Hawkg]

I narrowed my search for a good liveaboard cruiser with a shallow water draft and without a fin keel. I live in south Florida so draft is important. I want to know if anyone has personal experiences with one or both of these boats. The CM38 I think will sail a little better in lighter winds, and do better downwind. The Bristol 40 will need a bit more wind but I think better into the wind with the long keel. Both boats will heel quite a bit. The Bristol 40 has by far more stowage space. Tell me your experiences with these boats if you have any. The Charley Morgan 38 I am looking at is 1970-1971 and the Bristol 40 is a 1981. I am also considering a Charley Morgan 34 or Pearson 35 but I think they will be too small inside.

[Hawkg]

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/morgan-38

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/bristol-40

These are the two boats' data.

[Don C L]

I have no personal experience with either, but looking at the numbers and your need for a liveaboard too, I think the Morgan comes out ahead. If the numbers are correct, it has a deeper centerboard, more beam, more ballast, (but less diplacement) and longer waterline. And for living aboard I think the interior layout (if the drawings are correct for the boats you are considering) looks more comfortable on the Morgan (I am guessing you'll be sleeping in the v-berth.) I don't know, did Morgans have osmotic blistering issues in those boats? Hopefully some Morgan owners will chime in.

[stormalong]

Some old Morgans had steel stringers. Make sure the one you are looking at does not.

[Hawkg]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Some old Morgans had steel stringers. Make sure the one you are looking at does not.

Thanks for the information. Do you know what years and models had steel structural stringers? I am seriously considering a 1971 CM 38. Hull #69. Would this be one of the boats?
Also potentially a 1965 CM34 with the bronze centerboard.

Do you have links detailing the steel structure of these boats?

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Hawkg

Thanks for the information. Do you know what years and models had steel structural stringers? I am seriously considering a 1971 CM 38. Hull #69. Would this be one of the boats?
Also potentially a 1965 CM34 with the bronze centerboard.

Do you have links detailing the steel structure of these boats?

Sorry, I don't. I once met a guy in a Caribbean boatyard that was having a horrendous time because he bought an old Charlie Morgan with glassed in steel stringers that were rusting and of course swelling. Maybe you can find a Charlie Morgan owners group where you can ask that and any other questions.