Hi Paul,
We’ve had ours for just under 3 yrs. If it is comfort and stability you’re after our 1.82m keel provides that. It’s certainly not a fast cruiser; the fastest I’ve managed was 8.2knots with a freshly cleaned hull, unreefed … just on the edge of becoming overpowered but still very stable; generally 6.5 knots on a good day. The main power house is the 130% 9/10th genoa * which is probably what you need to start reefing first, as our in mast main is a bit of a hanky really. If your boat has slab reefing then it may be a different matter. If she still has the original sails and it’s an in mast reefing then I would make sure the main does not jam on repeating furling in and out. That is a tell-tale sign that the main is past it ( baggy ) and you would need to replace it; to be considered in the price you offer (also use it as a safety issue as well). Not the best boat if beating upwind but for a cruiser not too bad.
The only drawback in the cockpit is the lack of room to walk around the wheel without having to step up onto the seats.
* suggest a survey by a rigger to make sure the forestay chain plate has no play. There is only a 3mm plate; ideally it should be 5mm, for the sail plan they carry.
A general Point: You should have the engine checked by a professional and ideally have a test sail and run the engine for 20 minutes at 2400 rpm on propulsion, preferably before returning to the marina, and give it a burst at full power for a minimum of 3 minutes. By the time you get back to the marina any over heating issues will become evident when back to idle or ticking over settings during approach and manoeuvring.
My 365 has an engine access hatch to the sail drive in the starboard cabin but no side panel hatch to reach the oil filters of the D1-30. This is a real pain. I am just having one cut out for ease of access to the filters, and save a lot of sweat and bad language!
Hope all goes well.
I concur with John about the comparisons and ultimate choice. I share a similar experience. I mainly sails with novices, family and friends who are unfamiliar with sailing and love it. I’ve been out on my own and with some forward planning she’s easy to handle.