to buy a boat? I live on the West Coast so I thought I would check out East Coast. What builders? Every West Coast dealer seems to have a pinata of drama

If you're talking used boat, depends on how bad I want the particular boat and how much homework I've done to make sure that it is indeed the boat I want. In some cases, I'd be willing to travel nationally. In other cases, I may not travel more than 250 - 500 miles.

If you're talking new, I'd do as much research as I could on a few Co's I was interested in, and maybe make a vacation out of checking out a few different builders and walking the factory, and test driving.

I've bought almost all of my boats from the East Coast -Jeff

That is in every Coast

Does anyone know if any particular builder has the best ocean layup?

I went as far at I had to in 2000, live in CT and went to AZ for it. Distance means nothing these days.

if its really what you want, go get it.
i bought mine in fla, and sold it to NC

If you're talking about a new boat, I wouldn't waste the trip. Go see Larry Smith.

What exactly are you lookin to buy ?

East Coast builder have drama too...just look at any Fountain, Apache or Cigarette thread...lots of drama! If you are buying new you should have any of these dealers on your coast. If you want something really custom and from the west coast with what I call a east coast look see if Larry Smith will build you a Scarab.