You didn't mention issues like budget, etc., and you'll probably want to take the Intercoastal, so draft is a concern. My boat was a 43' Tolly, but they're fairly rare (only 40-45 built), not too many East. They're also getting old, and very hard to ship, flybridge is too high.
Since you're already East, have you thought of the only-produced-for-a-few-years 43' Sabrelines built in Maine? Twin Diesel, good profiles for both slow and relatively fast running, US-built, and seem to have depreciated a lot, but settling now in price since they came out of production. They knocked off most of the 43 Tolly layout, but with modern windows, doors, and some good layout improvements. Wonderful engine room!
Another fine boat but a little smaller, built in Canada if you want a good one (earlier ones were built in China and Latin America and weren't great) is the 36' Monk, a single Cummins Diesel but bow thrusters were standard. Slightly constricting aft cabin bed headroom but owners love them.
Obviously, I'm a dual-cabin layout lover like the GB 42's, and a lot of older ones (1993 or so after they were widened) are priced within this universe, but if I could afford it, I'd get a boat that uses even more-modern fittings with the better space use that modern design technology affords.
Hope this adds to your thinking with expanding the confusion.
The Bellingham Yacht Club has a good "Boat Buyer's Checklist" piece I wrote a while back you might find useful. It is attached.
