# Westerly Fulmar



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I am excited because my offer was accepted on a 1982 32'' Westerly Fulmar. After reading many articles and after viewing 35 or more different manufacturers and visiting and inspecting countless boats in the 32-40 foot size range over the last 6 months, I finally made my offer. The boats appearance is a little rough but I suspect she will pass the survey. I''ve asked for a very thorough survey (deck down, engine and rigging) so I know as many details as possible and will begin the process of restoring her beauty. 

With that said, I searched this website via Boat Check for a review of Westerlys. I found every model they made accept the Fulmar. Does anyone else know of this model? Here are some details:

LOA=31''10" 
LWL=26'' 
Draft=4'' (Twin Keel) 
Beam=11'' 
Displacement=9900LBS 
Ballast=4210LBS 
Deck Stepped Mast

My question here is when I calculate the capsize formula, she shows as being prone to capsize and this concerns me. However, I know I read an article somewhere describing the twin keel as being very stable but I can''t find the article. Does anyone have any insight to this keel design?


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Actually, I have not seen any substantive materials that suggest that bilge keels (twin keels) are more stable. On the contrary, for a given hull shape and amount of ballast they tend to be less stable as half of the combined ballast weight of the keels is generally to leeward of the center of bouyancy when heeled. 

Based on my own experience working at and sailing on a rental and sailing school fleet that included bilge keel and fin keel versions of otherwise identical Westerlys, my observations from jumping back and forth between these otherwise identical Westerly''s and watching them under sail over a summer, clearly showed that the bilge keel versions were slower, made more leeway and were more tender than the fin keel versions. Obviously this is a small sampling but my observations were pretty much in keeping with the literature that I have seen on this subject. 

One other point to be aware of, once aground with a twin keel boat you are seriously aground. There is no heeling one out or twisting one off a grounding. You are seriously aground where a fin or even long keel can be broken out. 

Jeff


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