# What's Better Than a Westsail 32?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

So here’s the dream. Sailing around the Pacific Northwest for a year or so to get our sea legs and then sail down the coast to Mexico and perhaps lands beyond. Who knows where the lust for distant places will take us? But we have to get the boat first. And become a lot more comfortable with our skills. We have sailed a few years learning on our wonderful old Thunderbird, but are looking for something a lot more comfortable and substantial (and less tender). 

I don’t know if either my wife or I could stomach the offshore stuff, but I would like to try at some point. But the clincher is that my wife is very nervous about the idea of being more than a stone’s throw from shore, and to help her with her anxiety I want to be able to reassure her that the boat we are in is as safe as possible! Not that some folks have taken it offshore, not that the odds are in our favour, but that this boat is up to anything we would likely run into as we sail down the coast. 

Given that, I have been looking at Westsail 32s, not only because they seem bulletproof as far as seaworthy goes (the Satori was abandoned in the same storm highlighted in the novel the Perfect Storm and yet weathered the storm fine all by herself – I like that – I can have the heart attack or fall off the boat or pulled off by a giant squid  and my dear wife will still be taken care of) but they also fit in with my own personal philosophy that smaller is better. However, I am concerned by several comments and reviews that I have read that describe the boat as an anachronistic slug. A tank with a big flag fluttering above it. The owners don’t seem to think so but everyone else does.

There are legions of production boats available that everyone also argues about, but I couldn’t look my wife in the eye and tell her we are as safe as we would be in anything in our newly-acquired Catalina or Hunter. So what about something in between - a very seaworthy boat that can take a lot more than I can, and yet sails better than the Westsail, has a reasonable amount of space inside for cruising, is under 36 feet, costs well under $100,000, is very well built, comfortable at sea and anchor and there were more than ten made and so the odds are that one would be available. It should have a high angle of vanishing stability, point well, track easily, and be comfortably handled by two.

A fast Westsail 32 would be about right Any advice on this would be much appreciated. It seems that boats are most often made for performance or seaworthiness but if you want both you are looking at big $$$$.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Sometimes I think that Adminstrator just types these questions under a fake name to occupy the old guys....lol.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

If you are on the PNW now, check into the Ontario 32.


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## pigslo (Nov 22, 2004)

Morgan 38 comes to mind if you can go bigger. Fuji 32 or Mariner 32. Tayana 37. Freedom series with the unstayed mast.

Pigslo


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Surfesq said:


> Sometimes I think that Adminstrator just types these questions under a fake name to occupy the old guys....lol.


That would explain why they're always first posts...


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## Gene T (May 23, 2006)

Surfesq could be right. They're trying to start an argument.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

This is an honest-to-golly-real question, not intend to cause a dust-up or anything like that. And I know that the question gets asked a lot, but everyone has slightly different reasons for what they are looking for, and as we all know, boats are pretty specific in terms of what they were built for. 

While of course we could get by in terms of a typical coastal cruiser, we have to have something more seaworthy than what we would actually expect to experience; perhaps a bit silly, but that’s the contract I’m working under and I don’t got a lot of leeway with it.
As an example, with the Ontario 32 suggested, the fin keel/spade rudder bit along with relatively low angle of vanishing stability and light displacement – I could not honestly tell the boss that this is an excellent seaworthy design, even though many use them for exactly what our plans are. 

In another post JeffH commented that he can’t understand why in the world people buy heavy offshore boats for coastal work, and my wife is a perfect example why! It’s the only way I can get her out there. 

There are a lot of good smaller, 70s era sailboats that meet the seaworthiness and size criteria (I have the book Twenty Small Boats to Take You Anywhere) but most of these designs are too small. I know narrow beam contributes to seaworthiness all things being equal, But I need the kind of space that the Wetsnail 32 gives. I also want to avoid the Tiawanese boats because importing them into Canada is very expensive.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Just ignore JeffH. He hates everything except his precious Farr. I wonder if he will admit that the Farr designs for the most part proved to be inferior designs in the Volvo Ocean Race?


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## SteveCox (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm not sure I understand. Is importing a Taiwanese boat into Canada expensive because it originally came from Taiwan or are you talking about a new boat direct from Taiwan? One option might be to look at a Mariner 32 or 36. These were built either in the US or Japan so I don't think they would have your import issues.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

One thing to remember, most boats will take far more than the crew can. I would suggest, if you are in the PNW, that you go around to some marinas and talk with people there who regularly sail that area and see what they sail. Also, I think you would be doing yourself...and your wife, a service by having her take a sailing course. Reading about what is "seaworthy" and actually experiencing it can be worlds apart. Or, to look at it another way, would you buy a Hummer, just to drive a few miles back and forth to work? That's basically the point JeffH is making. A good solid coastal cruiser would be more than capable for what you want to do, and, I believe, in the long run, give you more enjoyment. The thing is, to not get too caught up in a "numbers game" of ratios and formulas, and deleve into real world experiences with different boats. Otherwise, just say the heck with it and get a Westsail.

Remember though, it's YOUR boat, and you have to get what feels right to you, not to anyone else. All anyone here can do is give you their opinion, you have to make the decision.

Regards,


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

PBzeer has an excellent point...for example...there was a catamaran that was abandoned down near mexico...several months later it was still upright and floating, as if the crew never had any reason to fear. Most of the time, the boats will survive far more abuse than her crew is willing to experience. 

Many of the solid coastal cruisers would be quite capable of what you are planning on doing. I think a lot of it has more to do with getting to know whatever boat you are on, and learning what works for her and what doesn't...and learning to trust her to take care of you...and taking care of her, so she is able to do what you ask of her.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I really understand what PBzeer is talking about… and yet there are our experiences aboard our T-bird. We still are very green sailors. There was the time that our outboard packed it in when leaving a tight and crowded anchorage in the face of a blow – we were blown back among the boats, totally out of control before we were able to drop an anchor. Scared the wife pretty good. And then when we had to sail home in 5 feet of steep chop in 30 knots of wind, she was terrified. We had taken a beginner’s sailing course (how to set sail, reef, drop anchor etc), but knew nothing about seaworthiness, what a boat could take and couldn’t take, why boats sink and don’t sink and so forth. We only knew that the waves were so much bigger than anything we had seen before, and though our tiny boat bounced around like a cat on a hot frying pan, we had no idea that we were in fact quite safe.

And then the fact that a T-bird has no helm control for the first 50 feet or so of initial travel and the resulting “problems” we have had leaving the dock. There was the time we dragged anchor in a blow and almost ran aground on a reef because of the same problem (try pushing the helm hard to windward with no response while you are being blown onto rocks and imagine how that feels), the time we did got stuck on a reef (okay, that one was my fault), the time I miscalculated the tide and we woke up at a 30 degree list (and that was also my fault) – so we have had our share of learning pains coupled with some bad luck and a very challenging boat to learn on. A boat that hits 45 degrees of heel at less than 20 knots of wind might not be the best learner for timid neophytes ☺. 
There was the time the engine packed it in while entering a very narrow current-filled passage surrounded by rocks and shoals. That was a lot of fun. Two friends found alternate passage quite soon after. All this happened within our first two seasons as beginning sailors, so although we have had some wonderful times at sea, my wife has been scared a lot as well and I have to take that into account. In some ways I’m very proud that she is still willing to go out with me.
And this is why I have to be able to tell her that no matter how bad it might look to her neophyte eyes, she actually is safe. I don’t want to have to tell her that she is safe unless the wind picks up another ten knots. Which I guess is why I want a hummer to go to the supermarket.
The numbers are probably simplistic, but with my lack of experience it’s all I have and I don’t want to go offshore in anything like our old T-bird. I’ll be filing for divorce if I do ☺
In response to the question about importing, Canada has some ridiculous tax laws that make importing vessels not originally manufactured in Canada or the US very expensive – to protect a non-existent boat-building industry. It would cost up to 35% on top of the original asking price when taxes, duty, and exchange are factored in.


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## Jim H (Feb 18, 2006)

I met a nice guy not long ago who loved sailing, but struggled to figure out why his wife hated it. My wife was there, and asked some questions, and heard the following: "Well, we started with a Hobie Cat that I absolutely loved to sail, but it seemed like she got hurt everything we went out. You know, we'd flip the boat, and she'd fly and land in the rigging, and for some reason always got injured. Now it seems like she hates sailing. Weird, huh?"

Yeah.

I've never sailed a T-bird, but my impression is that they are rather challening boats to sail (as you describe) because they were built for performance. Don Casey would argue that jumping to a Westsail would be making a similar mistake in the opposite direction: serious blue water boats like the Westsail with very heavy rigging, heavy displacement, long keels, long bowsprits and sometimes undersized engines can be a real challenge to sail and maneuver in tight spaces. You could end up with another set of frustrating experiences, instead of happy and rewarding ones.

I think nearly all "guys" (myself included) get very "boat centered." It's like the boat comes first, and the fun second. In the long run, boats normally cost either beaucoup time or beaucoup money, if not both. Instead of jumping to another boat, why not focus on sailing more boats first?

Charter something simple, like a less-than-decade-old Catalina, Hunter or Beneteau for a fun part or full week charter this fall, when the rates drop and deals are made. Sure, nearly everyone on these boards likes to bash these boats, but the bottom line is that they are designed to be easy to handle and fun to sail. In my experience (brief charters), they are. And what's wrong with that?

Anyway, jumping from a T-bird to a Westsail could be a hard road to go, spouse-wise. Another idea-- locally the women sailors (and gents) normally help with deliveries to get their first offshore experiences. It's cost effective, and they get to experience a range of boats. Alternatively, Nancy Erley runs a great program for women seeking offshore experience (http://www.tethysoffshore.com/). For gents or couples, Mahina Expeditions gets good reviews (http://www.mahina.com/).

Sorry if this got off the topic of Westsails-- it's just that a different boat doesn't always solve the problems we have. Good luck!

Jim H


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

Surfesq said:


> Sometimes I think that Adminstrator just types these questions under a fake name to occupy the old guys....lol.


I'm a young guy. I've read a lot of your posts and I share a lot of your sensibilities. But I think that you are extraordinarily disrespectful to a fellow who has earnestly set out a real question that he has. It is quite possible to share your passion and even to challenge people without being a disrespectful, insulting jerk.

Fair winds.


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

Basilboy said:


> So here's the dream. Sailing around the Pacific Northwest for a year or so to get our sea legs and then sail down the coast to Mexico and perhaps lands beyond. Who knows where the lust for distant places will take us? But we have to get the boat first. And become a lot more comfortable with our skills. We have sailed a few years learning on our wonderful old Thunderbird, but are looking for something a lot more comfortable and substantial (and less tender).
> 
> I don't know if either my wife or I could stomach the offshore stuff, but I would like to try at some point. But the clincher is that my wife is very nervous about the idea of being more than a stone's throw from shore, and to help her with her anxiety I want to be able to reassure her that the boat we are in is as safe as possible! Not that some folks have taken it offshore, not that the odds are in our favour, but that this boat is up to anything we would likely run into as we sail down the coast.
> 
> ...


Why not look at a Tartan 37 from the seventies or eighties? This is a proven world cruiser that you could get in that price range. Maybe a little bigger than you were looking for but there are a fair amount of them around and maybe you could get a seatrial somewhere. There will be no comparison in terms of performance.

Also, I would suggest that you not lay out 50k plus before you figure out whether your wife can stomach it. Try chartering something first.


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## Gene T (May 23, 2006)

I think this is a difficult topic to answer. if someone believes that a Westsail 32 is a bullet proof safe offshore boat then what discussion is left? Only someone with that boat will tell them that he is correct. To me a boat is only as safe as the crew and maintenance. To me boat selection depends on where I intend to use the boat and how I intend to use it. If you really want to cross oceans you would want a small cockpit, if coastal and using the boat for entertaining friends you want a large cockpit. Fin keelers are much easier to handle in close quarters and sail much better. If you are going to end up with the boat laying on a beach somewhere a full keel boat might survive better. in the Pacific Northwest I would even consider a trawler, due to the odd wind conditions and great cruising grounds. Some of the people I am aware of that are on their 2nd and 3rd circumnavigations have had boats built for them with fin keels and spade rudders. If you think you can convince your wife that a boat is safe I think you will fail. She will need to come to that comfortable feeling herself, I would involve her in the process and education.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

CBinRi: Don't be such a puss. The same question has been asked a thousand times on this Board. And, it got answered by same old guys who answer all the questions on this board. Thats what is so funny about it and why I asked the question. By the way, do you know for certain that he is not the adminstrator? Do you? I think we should ask him just to confirm.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I want to thank everyone for their obviously thoughtful responses to a complex issue, and yes, I’m aware that there is more to it than “what’s the best boat”.
The comment was made that a boat is only as safe as the crew and maintenance. I completely agree with this. But as our experience with the T-bird will attest, the design of a boat can have a significant impact on your experience. I’m doing my best to become a better sailor, but I know the characteristics of a boat will profoundly affect my wife’s experience. For instance, I enjoy a buried rail but she finds it unsettling. It probably doesn’t help that we have only sailed on our Hobie cat and the T-bird, which is a very tender racer. You always seem to be on the edge of catastrophe on those things. ☺
I’ve read a few online logs of folks that have taken their Westsails down the coast from the Pacific Northwest to Mexico and while summertime winds up here can be fickle, most folks head to Mexico in the fall and both of these boats talked of almost constant winds of 30-40 knots, heavy seas, few anchorages and otherwise challenging conditions. It’s coastal cruising and I suppose most boats would shake it off without a problem, but what it is like going through all that I imagine will be determined in part by what you are sailing in. 
The comment was made that “If you think you can convince your wife that a boat is safe I think you will fail. She will need to come to that comfortable feeling herself, I would involve her in the process and education.” I agree with this and while I know those kind of sailing conditions will be a challenge for her, experience will be a big thing – putting lots of miles under the keel without a major disaster will go a long way in allowing her a sense of confidence in us and whatever boat we are sailing.
To leave the safe anchorage is always a risk, and we know that. I suppose this is about managing the experience of risk as much as the actual risk itself. And I’m starting to think that it was a mistake to introduce her to sailing in the above two boats. 
I had thought the Tartans were a Taiwan import?


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

Surfesq said:


> CBinRi: Don't be such a puss. The same question has been asked a thousand times on this Board. And, it got answered by same old guys who answer all the questions on this board. Thats what is so funny about it and why I asked the question. By the way, do you know for certain that he is not the adminstrator? Do you? I think we should ask him just to confirm.


Dude, you may be correct about everything you say. Your manners still suck.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I don't necessarily agree with that. The comment was made for fun and it didn't discourage the contingency from answering his questions. There was really no need to slam me. Frankly, that was more rude if you think about it. A little levity doesn't hurt anyone after all.


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

Surfesq said:


> I don't necessarily agree with that. The comment was made for fun and it didn't discourage the contingency from answering his questions. There was really no need to slam me. Frankly, that was more rude if you think about it. A little levity doesn't hurt anyone after all.


Maybe you're right. Point taken. I'll take back the "jerk" and pretend I'm not a "puss." lol


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## Gene T (May 23, 2006)

I have been up and down the West coast and it has been memorable. First in an old wooden boat and later in a modern 50 footer. Both times were cold and miserable, but we always felt safe. I have been offshore in my last boat, a lightweight 30 footer and we also felt safe. I have always found 30 foot boats to feel big, yet be easy to handle and are quite affordable. I have finally decided to go larger but only because I want comfort. 

It wouldn't hurt to look at some of the late 70s early 80s 30 ft Catalina's, Newport's, Ericson's to see if you can live with them for a few years sailing/cruising locally. You will both learn a lot and have some fun in the process. You will be in a much better position later to select your offshore boat.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Surfesq, very mature attitude. I love civilized discourse. Jim L


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hi Jim. Thanks. (I think!). lol. I like to make the occasional joke. But I also try to answer peoples questions when I am confident that I have useful answer.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Look around for a well kept Cape George 31 or 36. Very strong and the 36 is reasonably fast.


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## Gary M (May 9, 2006)

Basilboy, at this point in your sailing career looking for something that you can take offshore is probably impratical. I would highly recomend a good solid fin keel boat in the 28-30 ft range. My first priority with a boat is that it is fun and has excellent sailing and handling characterstics. This may mean sailing out of a berth or harbour if your motor dies. A Westsail may not do that particularly well. 

I would suggest that what you meed is much more experience, the more capable and confident that you are, the more relaxed she will be. It is not a function of the boat but the capabilities. Lots of crusing or racing with other sailors would likely help a lot. I have a friend with a Westsail that hardly ever leaves the dock.

Gary


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