Westerly Storm

[KREW2]

Anybody on here had one, or sailed on one. My hunt goes on, yesterday I was in Dartmouth looking at a Sadler 32. The broker asked me had I considered a Westerly Storm, as we had had a long drive down I thought we may as well give it a look over while we were there. What a lovelly boat it was, my only concern was the engine, a VP2002. I had one in Racylady and it never missed a beat, so I am not questioning the reliability, I'm just wondering if 18hp is enough grunt for over 5 ton of boat.

 

[yoda]

Storm

Sailed one in a gale across the channel and was very impressed with it. Engine seemed more than adequate. Thats about all I can say for it other than a number of sailing schools use them which probably indicates they last well with use.

Yoda

 

[john_morris_uk]

I have sailed a Westerly Storm and found them responsive sweet boats to sail. I don't think there's any problem with 18 hp in a 33 ft boat - but then in the past I have sailed a 55 ft boat with 26 hp and never though anything about it... I suppose it depends on your point of view about engines. 18 hp is adequate to make progress against all but the heaviest weather, by which time you will probably be under storm jib and trysail etc...

 

[Vara]

Anybody on here had one, or sailed on one. My hunt goes on, yesterday I was in Dartmouth looking at a Sadler 32. The broker asked me had I considered a Westerly Storm, as we had had a long drive down I thought we may as well give it a look over while we were there. What a lovelly boat it was, my only concern was the engine, a VP2002. I had one in Racylady and it never missed a beat, so I am not questioning the reliability, I'm just wondering if 18hp is enough grunt for over 5 ton of boat.

Second what JM has said, nice boats and having sailed and motored one for 3 weeks didn't have any problems. If boats are in similar condition would tend to go for Westerly, personal choice, having sailed both.

 

[dratsea]

Many years ago (1980's) chartered one and had most fantastic sail, my first trip through Chanel du Four and the Raz and dried out in Pont Aven. Sara Jane is three times heavier and has a 50hp 4JH2E so I would not worry about power output of engine.

John

 

[KREW2]

Thanks one and all.
I now need to find out if it needs the spline conversation on the gearbox. This boat is in tip top condition, well equipped, and strongly in contention with a Sadler 34. If I can convince swmbo the Marcon 34 will also be a runner, along with the Holiday 34.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I now need to find out if it needs the spline conversation on the gearbox. .

I expect the Westerly Owners club will know more than me about this. I have a Volvo too.

If it makes you feel any better, a Marine Engineer ( who employs three other bods working on engines ) friend of mine, has only come across two instances where this was necessary in 18 years.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Thanks one and all.
I now need to find out if it needs the spline conversation on the gearbox. This boat is in tip top condition, well equipped, and strongly in contention with a Sadler 34. If I can convince swmbo the Marcon 34 will also be a runner, along with the Holiday 34.

It's unlikely that the engine is much less than 20 years old which means you should factor into your calx the possibility of an engine change. Certainly, you would IMO be daft to start worrying about gearbox splines in a box that old. Put your money into the replacement fund instead.

19hp is a bit small for a boat of that size but its a handy boat that will sail min many conditions that other boats might need their engines

 

[dunedin]

I suspect the Storm is only marginally better, if at all, compared to the Fulmar 32 that preceded it. But the Fulmar was one of the best sailing Westerly's ever, and one of the best boats of its era full stop, so that's not a major issue.
Personally I would choose either of these over the Sadler, but its just preference. (And as long as you enjoy glueing Westerly headliners back up each year)

 

[Twister_Ken]

"19hp is a bit small for a boat of that size "

Borrocks.

Happy Christmas.

 

[Pete7]

We did the gearbox splines on April Lass last winter, cost us £400, plus a new shaft as we replaced the stuffing box with a volvo seal at the same time. Actually the splines weren't too bad but having taken the gearbox out decided to go ahead anyway as we want to keep our VP 2003.

Although we have the 2003 at 28hp, it is way over the top for a boat weighing 5 tonnes and rarely use more than 2000 revs from a maximum of over 3000.

Westerly will have done their sums before offering the first owner a 2002 option, so I wouldn't worry, but you could always take her for a spin and ask the owners association.

Might be worth a read:

http://www.westerly-owners.co.uk/guides_10.htm


Pete

 

[DJE]

I'm just wondering if 18hp is enough grunt for over 5 ton of boat.

I've got a VP2002 in a 3.8 tonne Sadler 29 and it's got loads more power than I've ever needed.

 

[jonic]

The storm is a sweet boat, Fulmars are worth a look too. You'll have the inevitable headlining problem, but the interior has a nice warm feel. The headlining is easily fixed.

Glad the hunt is going well

 

[fergie_mac66]

Anybody on here had one, or sailed on one. My hunt goes on, yesterday I was in Dartmouth looking at a Sadler 32. The broker asked me had I considered a Westerly Storm, as we had had a long drive down I thought we may as well give it a look over while we were there. What a lovelly boat it was, my only concern was the engine, a VP2002. I had one in Racylady and it never missed a beat, so I am not questioning the reliability, I'm just wondering if 18hp is enough grunt for over 5 ton of boat.

seem to recolect hiscock only had 4 hp in Wanderer III! (30ft)!!

I think I would have to look up but somebody must know of top of there head

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Other point you should check with the engine is the join between the exhaust riser and the block. They are prone to corrosion there and the metal is thin.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Another endorsement. I sailed a Storm for a week a few years back and was delighted with it. The only weak points I found wer inadequate freshwater tankage, and a feeling that the rather shallow cockpit would be a bit exposed in heavier weather.

So far as the engine issue is concerned I agre with my namesake above; I spent many years sailing a 72' 35 ton boat with an engine of about 45hp and never had any trouble making it go where we wanted. The modern fashion for very powerful auxiliary engines in sailing yachts is completely misguided IMO.

 

[Rowana]

Puddock, poster of this parish, has one, and I sailed with him over a weekend last year.

Lovely solid boat, and the engine seemed fine to me with enough grunt. We were sailing down to go round the south end of Lismore when the wind got up. We had 2 reefs in the main, and a part rolled genoa and she felt fine. We turned round and went round the north end of Lismore, not because there was any doubt whatsoever about the boat, but just because we didn't fancy beating into a bit of rough weather and there was an easier alternative.

I have a Beta 13.5 HP engine in Rowana, and she is about 3.5 tons, so the ratio of HP/ton works out about the same. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[contessa26]

auxiliary engine sizes

Another endorsement. I sailed a Storm for a week a few years back and was delighted with it. The only weak points I found wer inadequate freshwater tankage, and a feeling that the rather shallow cockpit would be a bit exposed in heavier weather.

So far as the engine issue is concerned I agre with my namesake above; I spent many years sailing a 72' 35 ton boat with an engine of about 45hp and never had any trouble making it go where we wanted. The modern fashion for very powerful auxiliary engines in sailing yachts is completely misguided IMO.

I remember sailing a Storm in the 1980's - nice sailing boat.

Aux engine size? In 1935 Uffa Fox designed the 60 ton ketch 'Wishbone', welded steel, 10 foot draught, 83 feet overall. He specified a Coventry-Victor Diesel Cub engine of 12 hp, mounted in its own engine room, driving a 17 inch quarter prop via a belt drive. At her sea trials in flat calm water, she made 4 knots under power! (He gave lots of other super details, like the amount of anthracite the vessel's Aga cooker used per year, etc!)

Happy sailing.

 

[samwise]

Thanks one and all.
I now need to find out if it needs the spline conversation on the gearbox. This boat is in tip top condition, well equipped, and strongly in contention with a Sadler 34. If I can convince swmbo the Marcon 34 will also be a runner, along with the Holiday 34.

We have owned our Storm for four years and remain convinced it was the right choice. It took us down the Atlantic Coast, Biscay and into the Med then back home via the French canals when the doomsayers claim that 18hp up the Rhone would not be enough proved utterly groundless. This is in addition to a number of Channel and N.Sea crossings.

For the long cruise ( four months) down to the Med, we needed to upgrade from our Sadler 29. We did look at the 34 but the accommopdation was just too small, especially in the aft cabin which ( in the Sadler) is really a single plus stowage.

If your target boat has the 2002 Volvo it is the big rig, fin keel version which sails fast and beautifully. It is a tough and solid boat that will always look after you. We have never regretted our choice.

The Westerly Owners Club is a brilliant organisation with a fund of knowledge and experience with the marque plus some great social activities.

 

[richardbrennan]

I am copying this from the WOA website which you mind find useful:

About this time the Storm was beginning her gestation period, culminating with her official launch at the Southampton Show of 1986. From opening time on the first day there was a queue to get aboard her. New models always create a stir, but never had we seen day long queues of 20 yards or more. We must have sold 40 Storms there and then. By the end of the show, our total for all models was just over 100 £500 deposits. Exciting times.

They were conceived as cruiser/racers, and we gave much thought to One Design status, as well as help in forming a Class Association. There was some enthusiasm at the start, but the racing never took off. The problem seemed to be that they had trouble matching the lightweights in light conditions. Sadly, their heavy weather ability was not able to redress the balance, which is a shame, as they do well in every tough race where the flimsies start to back off, as F6 looms.

Nevertheless, as cruising boats, they are a great success, because their size makes them particularly well suited to the three cabin layout. There is enough room for a good big owner’s cabin forward, with a hand basin; plenty of elbow room in the saloon, with lots of galley and chart-table space, and a decent sized aft cabin too.

On deck the cockpit layout is superb, by virtue of her racing pedigree. Racing boats have the great advantage of being designed for total efficiency, regardless of cost. Cruising boats tend to watch the pennies, which results in less efficient layouts, less equipment, and smaller winches; daft really, as the cruising man (with little or no crew) needs those things most of all.

The only significant alteration to the Storm that I can recall was the advent, in September 1987, of slightly improved headroom over the berth in the after cabin. By the end of 1989 we had produced 133 Storms. Meanwhile in January of that year came the Storm Cruiser. This used the same hull and deck, but with a choice of fin or twin keels, a cut down rig (nearly 4ft shorter), less deck gear, and with a fridge, hot and cold water and a big engine inside.

To our surprise, nine were ordered with one keel, but most of the 30 produced had two keels. Naturally, these are now highly sought after on the second hand market, and sell for over £50,000, with most One Design Storms selling below that mark.(written 1995. Ed.)

The last Cruiser was built in August 1992, while the last One Design was sold in early 1993. The ODs all had the Volvo 2002, 18hp diesels, while the Cruisers were fitted with the 28hp 2003. The smaller engines tend to be slow to pick up, as they have a lot of work to do, but eventually wind themselves up to nearly the 7 knots which their big brothers manage so easily. With the advent of the Regattas in 1993 the thirty horsepower 2030 saildrives were fitted as Volvos introduced their new models.

You may remember that Westerly went into receivership in May of 1991. Not surprisingly, the Company spent the next couple of years sailing in the Doldrums, although the management buyout had happened in September of the same year. Towards the end of 1992, the new directors decided that the time had come to divide the range into two. They hired Ken Freivokh to design radical new interiors for the aft cockpit, fast cruiser range, while experimenting with different woods and more subtle alterations in the centre cockpit boats.

The centre cockpit boats were called the "Ocean" range, while their aft cockpit cousins were to be knows as "Regatta". The Regatta interiors are stunning examples of modern design, replete with delicious curves, fashionable colours and cunning ideas. Among these are a number of notable improvements. The chart tables are bigger, the sinks are more practical and the cabins make better use of space.

The Regatta range all have three quarter rig (and sail drives) which meant the Bermuda rigged Storm having a new deck moulding and improved performance.

Unfortunately, they went down like a lead balloon with our conservative buying public and very few sold, initially. By the end of 1994, six 290s (ex Merlin) and seven 330s (ex Storm) had been produced. However, things have been better this year (written 1995. Ed.) as even radical designs become comfortable as time goes by, and I suspect that we will see the Regattas become highly desirable on the second-hand market, as this is often very different to the new.
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