OK, I'll go first. I've had two Swallow boats, a Bayraider 17 and and BC23. The first was easy, it was a great first boat, used it mostly on Derwent Reservoir in Co Durham, plus Ullswater and the North sea out of the Tyne. Moved on because I wanted to get into more yachty stuff at sea, and that's not the BR17.
BC23 is harder. I had had a 26ft long keeled wooden yacht, a Holman 26. I was enjoying the north east coast but wanted to explore further afield and thought a good trailerable mini yacht, big enough to live on for a little while but moveable around the country, would do that. And it does in many ways. Very easy to launch and retrieve for a boat of its size (since had a Norfolk Gypsy, now try that in comparison). Took the 23 to Mylor, great fun. Sailed up and down the Northumberland coast for a year or two, mostly single handed, nice. But what made me finally sell her was that the BC23 is a boat that has to be sailed. You have to be on her case all the time, hand on the tiller, hand on the main sheet. Want a pee? Heave to. Boil a kettle? Stop the boat. It's very responsive, very quick, but the downside is that she needs to be actively sailed like a dinghy, not passively sailed like a yacht. And that's just not for me. By myself, I need to be able to relax on the water, and with the BC23 I was having to concentrate all the time. I suspect that many Swallow boat owners have moved up from dinghies and are enjoying the space etc, and that sort of thing is second nature. Just not me.
Just for reference, I tried again as I mentioned with a Norfolk Gypsy, looking for a trailerable boat that sails well, looks great, sails ok. And the Gypsy was a better balance for me, much heavier, 1500kg displacement, long keel, steady, about the same accomodation, sails in a straight line long enough to put the kettle on. But, launching, you have to submerge the whole trailer and float the boat off, very heavy to tow, the whole "let's go to the Clyde for a week" thing is possible, but pretty stressful.
So I'm back to a bigger boat, just got a nice Vancouver 27. Different thing altogether.
I have a huge affection for Swallow boats (sorry, yachts. Actually, not yachts, well maybe the 26 is). I love the looks, the company is great, they make me smile. And maybe that's the joy of the whole thing, that we are all looking for our boat, and our needs are all different.
Well, you asked, hope this helps. I still keep on eye on this forum, just out of interest. Glad you're all having fun. Keep sailing....
Mark