Heraldic Eagle

I've always been a big fan of Garry Hoyt's Alerion platform designed by Carl Schumacher - not because I've owned one but rather because I've seen a few under sail and admired them for their simple yet elegant design. The Alerion Express 28 was one of the first - if not the first - of a trend towards bigger daysailors that began in the 1990's. The current issue of SAIL Magazine reviews the new Alerion Express 38 and, while the author generally gives the vessel high marks, I have to wonder....when is a boat too big to be called a "daysailor?" While the new 38 reportedly sails beautifully the accomodations are, as they should be, somewhat sparse. Yet we're talking about a craft that measures nearly 40 feet LOA! I suppose it's all in what the market will bear. By the way, "Alerion" literally means Heraldic Eagle and was the name of the 26' sloop Nat Herreshoff designed for his personal use.