# westsail 32, that bad?



## TSOJOURNER

i have narrowed my choices a lot and i've come back to where I started, I love the westsail. I am speaking from a asthetic point of view and a personal love of teh look, and interior feel. 

however, as I searched threads everyone seems to more or less advise against. 

Personally i like the pacific seacrafts in teh 30 foot range better, but they are much more expensive from what i've seen. 

So whats the truth about westsail, that bad, will it truly be a huge mistake to purchase one? 

I know they are slow, but are they really THAT slow?

I'm trying to stay away from owner finished boats, i realize that craftsmanship will vary. 

i'd love ot hear from experiences from some true westsail owners!

This boat will be lived aboard for a year or two and eventually taken all over the globe


----------



## Valiente

It depends on how you sail. They are pokey by design, being a frequently owner-finished kit boat conforming to the ideals of what a 1970s offshore cutter should be.

Having said that, it is one of the very few boats under 35 feet I would happily crew upon on a delivery. It is a PROVEN design that will get you home...but it dates from a time before technology allowed us to avoid most of the heavy weather the Westsail 32 was expected to stumble upon in the course of normal passagemaking.

If you invest in new running gear and a suit of light-air sails, and if you are fastidious about keeping the bottom clean and perhaps if you get a feathering prop, you can improve to a considerable degree the Westsail's very modest light-air performance. Whether this is meaningful for you will again depend on your sailing style and habits. It will go as fast as any other 32 footer (i.e. hull speed) in the right wind, but will likely be more comfortable a ride than most.

As a liveaboard and as a global passagemaker, they are very good if the price is right. As a round-the-cans club racer, they are, to put it mildly, complete dogs. But were I alone at night on the Atlantic in fall, I'd be happy to be on one.

Read Ferenc Mate's books on customizing and "after-marketing" Westsail 32s. I saw one a couple of weeks ago at Cobourg, Ontario, up from New York City, and it was replete with the usual semi-homemade gear, improvised solar and wind, etc. and cruddy looking vane that marks both the budget cruiser and a sailor who does a LOT more sailing than the typical weekend warrior. The boat looked like a Land Rover on its tenth safari, but it also looked extremely capable and comfortable.


----------



## btrayfors

There's an excellent article in the current issue of SOUNDINGS by a guy who sailed his Westsail 32 to Bermuda in the One-Two race in June. 

Wetsnail 32's are known to be a bit pokey, but very strong. They have a comfortable motion for a boat of that size, and many of them have circled the globe.

If you really like 'em, aren't concerned with getting anywhere fast, and don't care too much about resale value, go for it!

Bill


----------



## TSOJOURNER

whats the problem with resale value? i was under the impression they hold well?


----------



## Sapperwhite

Some good friends of mine left San Fran. in his Westsail 32 in the late seventies, stayed in the south pacific for a number of year then finished the trip around a few years ago. That boat is the meaning of blue water. They said that once they fitted a folding prop in NZ, they were able to gain a full day on a ten day passage, so there are things you can do to max your speed.


----------



## Valiente

AmeriCdn said:


> whats the problem with resale value? i was under the impression they hold well?


How many have you seen? Every one I've seen (I guess about four or so) have looked from medium-worn to semi-destroyed in terms of varnish and trim. Maybe they were nice down below, but they all looked pretty beat up on deck and in their gear. This could be because of the generally conservative nature of their owners, favouring ratty ratlines made of seized manila, corroded bronze manual windlasses, and Dacron sails with more patches than Cher's backside.


----------



## sailingdog

Westsail 32s are boats that were designed to get you there...not fast, not in style...but definitely get you there. IIRC, a Westsail 32, Satori, was one of the survivors of the "Perfect Storm".


----------



## kwaltersmi

For a boat that "will be lived aboard for a year or two and eventually taken all over the globe", I think the WestSail 32 is an excellent choice for a minimal to modest budget. 

It sounds like you've heard the negatives and the positives. Why not ask someone to take you for a sale on one? Or how about a seatrial?

If you only like the W32 for the aesthetic appeal and interior feel, you can probably find other boats that will also satisfy you. However, the bluewater ability of the W32 and the looks and feel for the price might be unmatched.

I think it basically boils down to your sailing priorities. Do you want to get there fast? Maybe look elsewhere. Do you prefer to enjoy the journey and want the peace of mind that a proven boat gives? The WestSail is a good choice. 

Another factor is your budget. How much do you have to spend? How much do you have to refit/outfit the boat? I'm assuming part of the WestSail's appeal to you is the value/price. 

For what it's worth, the WestSail 32 is on my list of potential purchases for a future round-the-globe trip. A few of my other choices include the PSC 27/31, Southern Cross 31 and the Ta Shing Baba 30 (pricey!).


----------



## Sapperwhite

sailingdog said:


> Westsail 32s are boats that were designed to get you there...not fast, not in style...but definitely get you there. IIRC, a Westsail 32, Satori, was one of the survivors of the "Perfect Storm".


The sailboat rescue seen in Perfect Storm was based on Satori. Here is Satoris link, there is a little video in there that the CG took during the rescue. Satori was found on Assateaque a few days later, no damage to the boat other than from the beaching, she survived the storm just fine, the crew was the weak link.

http://www.westsail.org/satori.html

http://www.uscg.mil/news/perfectstorm/realstorm.html


----------



## sailingdog

Yes, I know the boat in the movie was based on Satori... the crew is often the weak link. There was a couple pulled off of a catamaran off of Mexico last year. The man designed the catamaran, and his boat was found floating, working as a sea bird colony, a few months later. AFAIK, it is still afloat.


Sapperwhite said:


> The sailboat rescue seen in Perfect Storm was based on Satori. Here is Satoris link, there is a little video in there that the CG took during the rescue. Satori was found on Assateaque a few days later, no damage to the boat other than from the beaching, she survived the storm just fine, the crew was the weak link.
> 
> http://www.westsail.org/satori.html
> 
> http://www.uscg.mil/news/perfectstorm/realstorm.html


----------



## Sapperwhite

sailingdog said:


> Yes, I know the boat in the movie was based on Satori... the crew is often the weak link. There was a couple pulled off of a catamaran off of Mexico last year. The man designed the catamaran, and his boat was found floating, working as a sea bird colony, a few months later. AFAIK, it is still afloat.


I know that you know, you brought up Satori. I was just posting some links and background info for the better of the group.


----------



## jrd22

There should be some people on here with more experience on Westsails than me, come on, speak up folks! I have all of one day's sailing experience on a 32, took it out of Kona, HI. Unfortunately there wasn't much wind that day so I can attest to what others have said about light air performance- there wasn't much. On the other hand, there was an enormous amount of room down below, and it was very comfortably laid out. It was overbuilt in every aspect that I could see, obviously this contributes to it's considerable displacement, and easy motion through the water. Even though there wasn't much wind (10K or less) there was a considerable swell and I could tell a lot about the way it would handle rougher conditions. I was completely enamored with the boat at the end of the day, even though I was disappointed that I didn't get to sail it in some good winds and big rollers. I could definitely see myself crossing an ocean in one of these, although I might store some extra food and water in case it took a might longer than expected. Personally, IMHO, I think that the ability to sail fast enough to avoid heavy weather is mostly a myth in all but the fastest ocean racers(and experienced skippers), so I would rather be in a boat that can take almost anything that can be thrown at it. The Westsail 32 has endured and has a loyal following, if you are attracted to this type of boat I'd say go for it.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

my primary reason is of course price and proven design, When people say slow how slow? Are we talking an extra day or two on a journey? That's not a big deal. 

The story of the Satori was alsoa big seller. 

i also love PSC's, Southern Cross's, and such. 

I want a boat that when the weather is too ruff I can just take do what the satoris owner did and just go below and rest, knowing the boat will be fine on it's own. 

I also want this eventual trip to be more of a getting off the grid getting back to an older way of life, i dont' intend to bring tons of electronics and such nor do I want the latest most advanced boat. I just want a tried true design that can handle it all. 

My budget is the 40k or so for the intitial boat purchase, give or take. .. 

over the next few years another 40k or so getting it ready.


----------



## JohnRPollard

As far as boat speed goes, I agree that the WS32 will not win many bouy races. But I also have this anecdote: My sailing mentor sailed his Westsail 32 from California to NZ and back. The first leg was from San Diego to the Marquesas. When they arrived at Nuka Hiva, they compared passage speeds with the other boats, and discovered that they had made the fastest passage by several days. They were the smallest boat in the anchorage.

Another interesting point was that he carried no liferaft. He had faith that the boat could handle any weather. (Also, that was before EPIRBs, so even with a raft there was no certainty of rescue in the vast Pacific). 

I have seen many Westsail 32s on the Chesapeake that were very well cared for.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

another big selling point is owner pride, it seems that the majority of west sails are well maintained and cared for by the owners and i've yet to see one that is in a complete state of neglect for sale.


----------



## Valiente

AmeriCdn said:


> another big selling point is owner pride, it seems that the majority of west sails are well maintained and cared for by the owners and i've yet to see one that is in a complete state of neglect for sale.


Note I said "used hard"...not "neglected". I would agree that Westsail owners love their boats and keep them quite functional. I haven't seen too many kept pretty, at least on deck, but I attribute this entirely to the fact that they are used all the time, instead of six weekends a year off the dock.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

I am an avid couch sailor and real sailor etc. I've been looking at sailboats many places and many years trying to get the $$$ and courage to come off the money and commit. I think the Westsail is a great boat.....Shannon....PSC......Hans Christian........I've sailed to British Virgin Is from Charleston,SC on Benneteau not at all impressed and dont really like the more modern vessels........ Really has to do with money available and personal choice...


----------



## CBinRI

I have never sailed a Westsail. But with a PHRF over 220, that is SLOW for a 32 foot boat. For me, part of the sailing experience is a higher degree of performance than that. I do not like being passed by all manner of boats or bobbing around in light winds. Everyone has different priorities, but if it were me, in that price range I would probably be looking at a Tartan 34.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

Argh, a guy in my marina just sold his Westsail (36 I think) on eBay. he got all of 32k for it. It is in great shape. If I had known, I might have bought it just to keep it from going so cheap....


----------



## TSOJOURNER

Bardo said:


> Argh, a guy in my marina just sold his Westsail (36 I think) on eBay. he got all of 32k for it. It is in great shape. If I had known, I might have bought it just to keep it from going so cheap....


if it was in sailing condition i woudl have dropped the money today, well if it's a 39 like i'm assuming you mean. .


----------



## TSOJOURNER

Yes, 39. Unbelievable deal this guy got. Pure dumb luck, coming thru eBay. But still.....


----------



## AlpineSailor

There is a Westsail 32 on Ebay right now, looks pretty nice.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

What about a Bristol Channel Cutter, how woudl that compare, besides being twice the price. i got word of a good one for sale. Anyone know where i can find better info than BCC owners association


----------



## sailingdog

The Bristol Channel Cutters are a Lyle Hess design, similar to what the Pardeys had as their first boat. Very seaworthy little boats.


----------



## Maine Sail

*With West Snails...*

With "West Snails" you have to be very, very careful and thorough in your survey and your inspection of the vessel unless it was a factory finished boat. The DIY kit boats are the reason the overall value of the snails is so low. Two years ago a guy in a WS hit rocks and when they hauled it to fix the keel they found the DIY previous owner had filled the keel with a mixture of scrap metal, including aluminum, and cement! Took weeks for it to dry out enough to patch the hole in the hull.Who the heck knows what the ballast ratio really is in a scenario like that?

Furthermore, how can a survey tell what the keel was filled with? You really can't on a "kit boat". These boats were sold in all manner of kits from bare empty hull to stringer & bulkheads installed up to a fully finished factory built vessel. In the last fifteen years I can count on one had the number of well cared for WS I've seen up this way. Most I've seen are pretty trashed derelicts with rotting teak, heavily oxidized top sides and blown out rags for sails. I don't know why the owners I see of these boats don't take better care of them but for the most part, and a "generalization" many of them are ridden hard and put away wet...

Speed - Yes they are slow. I dusted one three weeks ago flying only my genny in 12 knots of wind. The WS had his entire inventory of sails flying and I still went by him doing only 5.8 to 6.1 knots like he was standing still & I was towing a dinghy, he was not. Do you buy a sailboat to get somewhere fast if not racing? I personally like a decent turn of speed but not all do or care...

My advice would be to seek out a factory finished WS instead of a kit boat, & I hope you really like to varnish...

Factory boats are good and built like tanks, kit boats are like going to Vegas. It's a crap shoot....


----------



## JohnRPollard

AmeriCdn,

There was a recent thread about BCCs: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35992

If I was inclined to go that route, I'd choose the Cape George 31 over the BCC. Similar designs, and in fact Cape George Boatworks now owns the moulds and tooling for the BCC and smaller FCC. They're all pricey for their size, though.

Here's an example of a nice CG 31: http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=74772&url=


----------



## TSOJOURNER

I'm starting to notice a bit of a trend in my preference, i guess it's more of a traditional full keel boat. . . I do also love the look of tartans from teh on-water profile, the more streemlined looking hull is really very pretty. 

Can anyone tell me the primary sailing difference between a hull like that and a hull like say the westsail?

what about safety in a large storm or way out at sea?


----------



## southerncross31

Most full keel boats will have a shallower draft and more wetted surface area so they are a little slower (more drag) and can't point quite as high into the wind. However, they have a much more comfortable motion in heavy seas, as they have a more v shaped hull and do not pond into heavy seas. Some full keel boats are so poorly designed though, that they can't sail into the wind at all. These boats are more like motorsailers etc... Hardin Voyager, Formosa. Well designed full keel boats are usually more rugged and their rudders are better protected from grounding damage. Their props are usually less likely to snag a line, but they can't steer backwards.
Fin Keel boats have hulls shaped more like a u so they have less surface area underwater. The fin keel is usually shorter and deeper than a full keel and they are usually bolted to the hull or a keel stub. Fin Keeler's point higher into the wind and are faster but some can pound so heavily it will feel like the boat is falling apart. Their rudders are either skeg hung or mounted on a shaft through the hull with bearings. This design is the most prone to damage. 
There are also modified full or fin keels like a Valiant, with a longer shorter but not full keel.


----------



## TSOJOURNER

That Cape George cutter is very clean and i wish I had 150 big ones to spend on such a vessel, Seems underpowered with 10 hp Saab. Not too excited about replacing parts or reparing Saabs either. Where and what model BCC is for sale and how much????????? wished I was sailing and not typing............maybe soon just got my re-newed 100ton sail ticket in the mail Ya hoo...................


----------



## ccam

AmeriCdn-

I was at the lake the other day when a big wind thunderstorm blew in. I dove off a friends fin keel Bene to help my nephew up right the 17' Hobbie Cat. As the other boats beat cheeks for the marina, we up righted the cat, adjusted sail and flew around the lake, what a ride. This is what I do when I want ‘speed and sail....simultaneously’. 
Now cruising belongs to my HC33, very similar to the WestSail 32, which I think is a hell of a boat. They may not beat the Clorox bottles  and “Hobbie’s for that matter” to the #4 buoy and back, but then again they are not designed to. Seakindly and safe passage makers that won’t spill many drinks or shake the paint off the top of the mast in harbor. Thumbs up on the WestSail. Just have a good survey done. IMHO


----------



## AlpineSailor

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/34-f...ryZ63731QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Check this boat out, looks right up your alley.


----------



## rtwfamily

*very helpful*

I am investigating a westsail 32 and this thread was very helpful especially "the perfect storm" part.


----------



## landlockedsailer

"RESCUE"  ya right.... in big exclamation marks.. it was a forced de-boarding .. against the captains will .. if the coast guard wasn't so full of eager beavers the Satori maybe coulda just sailed it out w/o incident .. 

the Westsail looks like a solid rig to me..


----------



## bfloyd4445

btrayfors said:


> There's an excellent article in the current issue of SOUNDINGS by a guy who sailed his Westsail 32 to Bermuda in the One-Two race in June.
> 
> Wetsnail 32's are known to be a bit pokey, but very strong. They have a comfortable motion for a boat of that size, and many of them have circled the globe.
> 
> If you really like 'em, aren't concerned with getting anywhere fast, and don't care too much about resale value, go for it!
> 
> Bill


westsails have very good resale value try buying one


----------



## CBinRI

landlockedsailer said:


> "RESCUE"  ya right.... in big exclamation marks.. it was a forced de-boarding .. against the captains will .. if the coast guard wasn't so full of eager beavers the Satori maybe coulda just sailed it out w/o incident ..
> 
> the Westsail looks like a solid rig to me..


Yes. But last post was five years ago so OP may have made up his mind by now.


----------



## Markwesti

I can't resist making a comment here . Westsails are kind of slow for sure . but on the other hand they have a nice sea motion like few others. Some people say they hobby horse . I have never experienced that . What I have experienced is, in say 8-10 KNT's is a boat that heals over gets down on her lines takes off to about 6 KNT's . If that ain't love tell me what is! Ohboy and then there is down wind . I get going just a little off DDW then I sets the Drifter to the down wind side then the Yankee gets set to the windy side on the pole . I put the stay sail away and of course set the main DW, we do that all day long . So the Westsail as a choice for your boat ? What could go wrong ? Well a lot of things , none terminal . First there is a support group , Then you have the Grand PhooBahh Bailey Taplin . Mr Taplin was the GM for Westsail in the 70's . He has a web site World Cruiser Yacht co. also he will tell you how to fix your Westsail, he even sells a manual on it lots of boats for sale on that site . And of coarse we have the caped crusader that grumpy old man that man with a invoice . Bob. But then you would be buying a W39.


----------



## zeehag

i would rather be at sea in a slow deep keeled boat in a storm than out ina less solid boat.
so what if it is slow. 
so what if the wood isnt varnished. big deal. if not neglected that only means the boat was SAILED.
look at what yu like. if you are set on it, there are no deal breakers as most everything is repairable. 
have fun and good luck in your search.


----------



## bobperry

Mark:
I'm not always grumpy. I was not grumpy a week ago Thursday afternoon for a few minutes. But it passed. I was not grumpy while the Seahawks were winning yesterday.


----------



## christian.hess

now thats a beautiful boat!

I would of loved to have a westsail 32...but every time I searched they were a bit overpriced for me, sometimes just out of reputation(it happens on many boats, think contessa 26, flicka 20, hinckley 40, etc...) and sometimes they were so outfitted for cruising with new stuff by onwers that in the end changed plans and never actually went cruising and wanted too much money just for the gear package

the ones that were in my range 10k-20k had some major issues, rot, or they were unfinished interriors OR they had no masts or were basically incomplete or even just the bare hull...

I also was on a couple when cruising and they were only slow going to weather...on a reach and in trade sailing they were fine in my book...

something to take notice of is that most cruisers sail with drastically reduced sail plan, sometimes as much as 50%, and a boat like a westsail can tolerate using more sail and reef later...simply by being heavier and being able to tolerate more abuse(not in all manners)

anyways


----------



## djodenda

bobperry said:


> Mark:


I hope the owner is responsible and will keep a watch when the boat is underway when that close to shore, as pictured above, Bob..

I think that an active user's group, along with whatever support is available from a designer/factory is an important consideration when selecting a boat. I have experienced two very different ends of that spectrum, when I went from my Catalina 30 (6,000 built, strong user's group, factory still in business) to my present CS 36 Merlin (< 100 built, weak user's group).

I really miss having the backup I had on the Catalina. Whenever I was puzzling about something, you could bet that someone had figured it out before me)

I would say, however, that my boat's designer, Tony Castro, has been quick and helpful in response to my occasional pestering.


----------



## Markwesti

Hey Bob , I was just joking around a bit with the grumpy thing . I mean those are your words . Any way back to the Westsails , I would say to anyone who is looking for a long distance cruiser/liveaboard in the wake of Archer/Atkin at least take a look. Give o'l Bud over at World Cruiser Yacht Co. a call . Well you don"t have to call him, you can just look at all the boats for sale on his site . But be careful don't be to temped some of the W32's are going for fire sale price . Few are asking what their worth . Most will need work . But then who are we Maynard G. Krebs?


----------



## GBurton




----------



## christian.hess

Nice!


----------



## bobperry

Mark:
No, in fact those are not my words. I have no idea how that got there but it seemed appropriate so I didn't object. I wasn't offended.

I'm in a good mood this morning but I'm hoping it will pass.


----------



## Markwesti

Hey Gary , thanks for that pic . The dingy looks good on the house . Don't try that on a W28 . Also I like your radar set up . Any problems with it mounted like that ? Another plus about the Westsails is room to put stuff . When we take off for two weeks at a time, you wouldn't know it for all the storage. Nothing scattered about, everything in it's place and out of sight. Need water on a little o'l W28? 79 gals. in one tank. 30 gals. in the other. Nice thing about the W28 is , the more stuff packed on the better it sails .


----------



## capttb

> in say 8-10 KNT's is a boat that heals over gets down on her lines takes off to about 6 KNT's


That surprises me, I've been on boats reputed to be faster that would have difficulty keeping up with that.


----------



## Brent Swain

All most Westsails need is a much bigger rig and a much greater sail area to displacement ratio then they are normally given.


----------



## christian.hess

another take on that would be that their slightly undercanvased rig is what makes them such effective heavy weather sailors...

theres a flip side to most anything!


----------



## Markwesti

christain.hess ,that was indeed accurate, IMO. However Brent Swain is not totally wrong . Back in the day one thing that Kern Fergusen did (if you bought your sails from Westsail he made them) he came up with a sail called the super Yankee. Obviously it was just a bigger head sail , but from what I understand it works quite well . Maybe we could get Gary B to comment on that . TB I don't know what to tell you, I will offer this though . Westsail 32's got a reputation for being slow because of some inept skippers, back in the 70's they sold over 800 W32's not to mention a dream. West sail the world that was the sales pitch . So in some cases people would buy in and take off and not have much of a clue as how to handle the boat and make it preform to it's potential . Plus TB , 6knt's isn't all that fast what kind of boats are you talking about ? Did the skipper have over 30 yr's experience sailing ? Plus, OK I was talking perfect conditions , but still that's what the GPS says.


----------



## bobperry

Think about the physics of the Yankee.
No,,,,just think about it a bit.


----------



## christian.hess

Markwesti said:


> christain.hess ,that was indeed accurate, IMO. However Brent Swain is not totally wrong . Back in the day one thing that Kern Fergusen did (if you bought your sails from Westsail he made them) he came up with a sail called the super Yankee. Obviously it was just a bigger head sail , but from what I understand it works quite well . Maybe we could get Gary B to comment on that . TB I don't know what to tell you, I will offer this though . Westsail 32's got a reputation for being slow because of some inept skippers, back in the 70's they sold over 800 W32's not to mention a dream. West sail the world that was the sales pitch . So in some cases people would buy in and take off and not have much of a clue as how to handle the boat and make it preform to it's potential . Plus TB , 6knt's isn't all that fast what kind of boats are you talking about ? Did the skipper have over 30 yr's experience sailing ? Plus, OK I was talking perfect conditions , but still that's what the GPS says.


brent swain is most defintely not wrong, I love his info...I was just offering a flip side comment!


----------



## capttb

That you used a GPS speed is all the explanation I need, thank you.


----------



## Oregonian

I address this to anyone who has any opinion or interest concerning the Westsail 32. This includes: bfloyd445, vtoz7053, duchess of Montrose, Barquito, and shipislandpirate, just to name a few.
The Westsail 32 in the last photo is real, it is not a drawing. It is sailing at 4.2k in 4.2k of apparent wind, and 3.1k of true wind. This picture and the instrument pictures have been posted before. Most responders to the pictures were not believers. The two people aboard the boat that took the picture were also not believing what they saw, as they were motoring up the coast of Washington. Is 4.2k in 3.1k of wind fast or slow? I believe it to be respectable. Would a Comet 41 or Farr 38 really be much faster? 
The Westsail 32 never was a slow boat. It is only a slow “accelerating” boat. ( I may lose 0ne boat length per tack during a race against more modern boats) It takes 3 things to sail well in very light airs: 1) Some knowledge of what to do. 2) The right equipment for that boat. 3) A willingness to do it. The personality of the person who buys a W-32 has a different personality than the person who buys a Comet 41. Westsail owners, for the most part, are not inclined to sail faster. I was in that group. I finally tired of the negative comments, brought about by hearsay, and decided to start sailing faster. I now sail around about 1/2k faster than in my earlier days. The boat is still a W-32 in all regards and carries 2 dinghies, 4 anchors, 80 gals of water, and just about everything else. The boat has been a liveaboard for 26 years. To say a W-32 is slow is to say that most 35’ Racer/Cruisers and most modern cruisers, when cruising, are slower. The local and distant races run by this boat have proven that repeatedly. It is the other boats fault that it is slower than a Westsail. I will not repeat the boat types that have proven themselves slower than a Westsail as it angers many people. The very same people that propagate the hearsay. 
One huge problem to combat the hearsay is caused by the owners of the “slower’ boats, who will not own up that they were beaten by a Westsail because of all they have heard. Their admission is simply too painful apparently.
One moderator to this forum said “the Westsail is useless as a sailboat in under 10k of wind. Is 4.2k in 3.1k of wind being useless? One moderator said “you’ll never see 7K”. The boat pictured has logged 1774nm in a 10 day period. ( It made good 1641nm ). Please do the math. Is that not respectable? The boat pictured has made 3 round trips to the South Pacific. It took 57 days to sail to New Zealand from Astoria Oregon (stopping in 5 countries). Is that fast or slow? It took 61 days to return (stopping in 4 counties). Is that fast or slow?
One more thing. The difference between a “fast” cruising boat and a very different “slow” cruising boat, at about 35’, when both boats are fully cruising, and as many variables as possible being equal, is 1/4k.
Thank you


----------



## Markwesti

Oregonian, didn't I just see you in Avalon in Sept.? You were headed to San Diego for the Winter. Anyhow thanks for that post , I think some people get turned away from a Westsail because of the neg. thing . But you and I know it's just the have not's comparing apples to oranges with no real world experience. Bob really, do the physics? I'm a little intimidated here, I mean you, the NA with many wonderful/successful designs . OK here goes, the Yankee pulls. How did I do?


----------



## Oregonian

One more thought: The Westsail-32 is, of course, not the only boat abused by “hearsay” The DownEast 38 was recently mentioned around here in a derogatory way. It being just one other example. 
I delivered a DownEast 38 from Okinawa, Japan to Astoria Oregon in 39 days. Shortly thereafter, I delivered a Baltic 43 from Osaka, Japan to Port Angeles, Washington in 31 days. The Baltic delivery was 800 miles shorter. The math shows a 128.2 mile per day average for the DownEast 38 and a 135.5 mile per day average for the Baltic 43. That is approximately a 1/4k difference. The real difference was caused by the extra crew member that the Baltic required. The DownEast 38 was BY FAR the more comfortable and easier to sail boat. The Baltic was a poor excuse for a cruising boat IMO. Boats like that should be labeled as “coastal cruiser” or “inland cruiser”


----------



## christian.hess

its usually people who have no experience whatsoever in full keeled and heavy displacement boats that bash them...or that buy a new catalina cause thats what tey were told to do.

I love your comment about acceleration...this is exactly true...another flip side comment to this is that once you have acheiveed max speed on boats like the westsail 32 its like you are on rails...stiff and on track...

this was how my heavy as hell 28 foot h28 behaved it weighed twice what normal 26-28footers weighed but I could do 8knots steady on a broad reach with all sails up(no spinnaker)

again what helped was that it was a stubby ketch....with heavily stayed masts, and twin backstays...so the ability to carry bigger sail plan longer is exactly what makes them efficient heavy weather sailors...not to mention a long full keel that makes tracking straight AND motion at sea much nicer...

its all about learning to sail your boat how the designer intended to..

simple!

good comments guys!


----------

