IMHO, this is one of those occasions where bigger is indeed better! If you go too small, you will lose too many days fishing when the weather forecast is a little marginal, and you will limit places you can go i.e. that 14-15' boat is great in puget sound (most of the time, Iv'e seen 14' boat swamped at Mukilteo too) but what about if you want to try mid-channel bank, or sekiu, or Neah Bay? Going just a little bigger will open up a lot more doors for you. Also the deeper "V" makes a huge difference. I know someone who has a 17' Arima, who fishes out of Ilwaco for 15 days every year with no problems. One last tip, if going with that larger boat, get a cuddy cabin, not an open bow, even if the open bow can be canvassed over. I have a 19' and I went back & forth about getting cuddy vs open bow. thought the open bow would be more convenient if mooching. I ended up getting the cuddy, and would probably be crab bait today if I hadn't.