Westerly...a proper British built boat

[Nick]

Always good to hear about other peoples' boats, especialy when they are doing something interesting!

The Centaur is a good tough boat - we met a couple (he French, she German) in San Sebastian, La Gomera in December on board a Westerly Longbow, the fin keeled version of the Berwick, who are now in Brazil. It was Andrea's boat - she had been living on board for 16 years. I was very impressed with it - a tough no-nonsense sort of boat.

I wonder though - why did you choose a bilge keeler for blue water work?

[cpedw]

We bought a Westerly Falcon (33 feet, built 1986) in 2003 and we haven't regretted it at all. Michael, in case you didn't know, there are several websites dedicated to Westerlies:
the Westerly Owners Association http://www.westerly-owners.co.uk/
the WOA yahoo site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/westerly-owners/
and a WOA forum http://www.westerly-owners.co.uk/woabb/

There are probably others but that's all I know.

You wrote " it's 60+DWM/NS/LD " . I can work out 60+ and NS but what are DWM and LD or shouldn't I ask?

Best wishes,
Derek

[Merlyn55]

Very old thread but had to reply. i understood you perfectly when said difficult having american/British sense of humour. I also had dad who was a sergeant in the Air Force and British mum. came to the states as a boy. Also live in Florida and am retired military. Your enthusuastic remarks about the Westerly along with other research got me to look for one. Sadly good ones are not easy to find. Thought I had one but she failed survey. Ended up finding a different gem, a well restored Cape Dory 28. Lovely lines, sea kindly boat. Refitting her now for the Caribbean and beyond by adding mack pack, roller furling, refrigeration, solar panel upgrade, jacklines, dinghy, and other goodies. Love her as she is. only disappointment so far is that her shoal draft of 4' is still a bit tricky for our shallow florida waters.

Cheers!

[Silkie]

Wow nearly 8 years! Not sure if this our record revival or not but it must be in the top five.

Welcome aboard Merlyn.

[cpedw]

It's all very well you Americans surfing over here but Google translate doesn't recognise the difference between our languages.
What's a mack pack ?
Derek

[claymore]

I think it will be a pac-a-mac. I still have one, its dark blue.
My Gannex, sadly has not lasted as long....

[Nick]

The 1970s should be scrubbed from the collective memory, it was a futile time as far as fashion was concerned

Surely not; I was a picture of elegance in loon pants, velvet scoop-necked t-shirts, cowboy boots and an Afghan coat.

Back on topic, here's a MackPack.

[pagoda]

I had a Cagool when I was a wee lad, every one had them, it was a sort of fad. Mine was orange in colour and was completely useless at keeping any sort of moisture out. They stuck to you like a shower curtain to glass and I have loads of pictures of me as a lad at Largs in the pissing rain, orange Cagool drawn tightly around my face and all my clothes visible through the opaque wetness. It was disgusting to try and remove, cold, minging and wet dragging over ones face and head. The 1970s should be scrubbed from the collective memory, it was a futile time as far as fashion was concerned, especially if, like me, you were a recipient of hand downs. A total fornicating fashion disaster and it scarred me forever. I feel like chibbing anyone who I see wearing a Cagool, which is thankfully rare. I think there was a slight attempt at reintroducing them as a retro style fashion which failed. Rayon underpants, how sad, celulose fornicating underpants that chaffed and had all the absorbent properties of glass and were terrifying to take off due to the van de graffe effect caused by the complete non existence of natural fibres from floor to ceiling. Dr Frankenstine would have had a field day in our house.

Edit: The swear filter has actually improved the story no end. A right fornicating success!

Oh dear. Been there too. Cagoules were great when almost new, they were akin to waterproof ponchos / cycling capes of that era. Once th e waterproofing had gone west, they were as nasty / cold / clinging / minging as BlowingOldBoots suggests. Other evil '70s inventions like brushed nylon pillowcases (turn over rapildly- get zapped) come to mind.
My sailing foulies are slowly leaning towards the more damp than dry stage. I find it difficult to ditch them as mechanically they are OK . Has anybody found any waterproofing that works (more than once!) Nev/ variants?

[Merlyn55]

It's all very well you Americans surfing over here but Google translate doesn't recognise the difference between our languages.
What's a mack pack ?
Derek

My apologies, Mack Pack is a term used by Mack sails in Stuart Florida to help single handed sailors. It's a system of lazy jacks, a battened main sail and top mounted zippered sail cover. Raising the sail is like any other but lowering is dead easy as the main drops between the lazy jack ropes and flakes quickly into the sail cover. Really quick and safe.

[Silkie]

Ah - that would be a stack pack in English then.