Are centre cockpit Westerlys easy to board?

[chal]

We are looking at buying a new boat, and a prime consideration is how easy it is for someone with some mobility problems to get on board. My wife injured her knee very badly a few years ago and it's not very strong and best not subjected to too much stress, especially not twisting. Our recently-sold old, long keeler had nice wide decks and no guard rails, and it was fairly straightforward for her to get on board and walk around. The cockpit coamings were low and there were no obstacles like winches in the way. Most modern boats look much more tricky for her: narrow sloping side decks littered with trip hazards, high coamings with sloping tops she would be unable to stand on. etc etc.

I used to know someone with a Westerly Pentland, the ketch rigged variety, and as I remember it, getting aboard was relatively very easy. No need to get on by the shrouds and walk along the deck at all, you could use the mizzen shroud to get on right by the cockpit, and stepping in was then pretty straightforward. I've been looking at pictures of these boats and they tend to confirm my impression - indeed, the cockpit coaming seems almost to be formed into a step at the aft end nearest the shround, as if specifically designed for easy access. There are a few of the boats around for sale but none particularly close at the moment, so before going to look, does anyone own one and can either confirm that they should be easy to board or tell me why they are not?

 

[Porthandbuoy]

I have a centre cockpit boat similar to a Westerly. She has a folding stern ladder that makes getting aboard relatively easy, as long as the boat isn’t pitching too much. I’ve found the ladder can fold down such that the lower section fits inside the rubber dinghy pinning it in place. No doubt someone will be along to say in that case it’s not long enough for an MOB recovery, and I agree.

 

[chal]

Thanks for that, though as I should have made clear, I'm thinking more in terms of getting aboard from a pontoon. I think my wife's days of boarding from a dinghy are well and truly over.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

A friend has a Westerley centre cockpit ketch, and personally, I find it more difficult to board from the pontoon than my Moody 31. The side decks next to the cockpit are too narrow for a foot to fit cross-wise, as they need to when stepping up from the pontoon, and I have small feet. I'm reasonably agile, given my age and the fact that I too have had major reconstructive surgery on one knee (fortunately with a better outcome than your wife's sounds), but I prefer to board her at the shrouds and then walk along the side-decks with my feet lengthwise on the deck. The Moody has a higher freeboard, so it is a bit 6 of one and half-a-dozen of the other, though.

 

[laika]

To a certain extent isn’t it the nature of boats that the side decks are littered with trip hazards? I wear shoes on a boat in summer only because my toes have had too many previous encounters with Genoa sheet cars.

I suspect the boarding challenges might be entirely different depending on *which* westerly we’re talking about. I have no experience of the pentland but the sealord/oceanlord’s side decks are wide enough to walk down although shorter people can find the freeboard challenging. It’s a bit of a step into the cockpit for someone with limited mobility but if that’s the case you can just sit down, hang onto a winch and swing your legs over.

 

[Graham376]

Our 376 most likely has the same freeboard as a CC Westerly and we use a step fender by the shrouds for boarding from pontoons and dinghy in rough conditions.

 

[Supertramp]

Low freeboard, conventional raised coach roof, gates in the guard rails make it easier. Don't overlook the access below - bridgedecks and high cockpits make for ladder like descents and ascents every time you go below.

I think you raise a really good point - some boats are much better than others in this respect and I'm not convinced centre cockpits are necessarily better.

 

[steve yates]

I have a longbow ketch, so the aft cockpit version of the pentland, its pretty easy to board into the cockpit from a pontoon using the mizzen shrouds, worth a look maybe?

 

[dunedin]

Low freeboard, conventional raised coach roof, gates in the guard rails make it easier. Don't overlook the access below - bridgedecks and high cockpits make for ladder like descents and ascents every time you go below.

I think you raise a really good point - some boats are much better than others in this respect and I'm not convinced centre cockpits are necessarily better.

Indeed, I was going to say that many centre cockpit boats have long and/or very steep ladders down to the accommodation, which could be a major obstacle. Stern cockpits much less so. (Though the old generation Westerlies with no accommodation under the cockpit are likely better in this respect).
More modern boats with rail gates help, as may a stern cockpit with opening stern platform and berthing stern to.

 

[LadyInBed]

My CC Colvic Countess ketch has high freeboard and I need a pontoon stool to get onboard with any ease. Boarding from a dinghy via the stern ladder is for me still manageable, but I have to negotiate the mizzen rigging and I need a stool to step down into the deep cockpit (I have short legs). The other side of the story is that I only have three steps down from the cockpit to the pilot house saloon.
If you are looking for ease of boarding from a pontoon, I would be looking at boats with a sugar scoop stern and reverse park to give access. Access through the cockpit is easy but the downside is that the ladder from the cockpit to the saloon is normally steep and long.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I have a Fenderstep - bought in Holland when we took my current boat for the first time. My wife spotted it and insisted I buy it as she found it difficult to board our boat. Moody 33mk2. A friend used similar but 2 steps, also can be used as a fender.

 

[chal]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had completely forgotten about step fenders so will probably get one of those. I had not thought about descent into the saloon possibly being more difficult with a centre cockpit, so that is something I need to take into account.
Stern boarding would probably be great - I was walking around a harbour looking at some boats moored that way just this morning - but to be honest they are probably all well outside our price bracket.
It's also perfectly true that side decks are almost always trip hazards, but the presence of such just makes my wife too nervous, so she would not be able to do it. This is why I thought centre cockpit might work well as the side decks can simply be completely avoided.
The Longbow ketch sounds like it might be great, though the problem with 2nd hand is availability.
Anyway, food for thought!

 

[ashtead]

Just to clarify these Westerly had four separate designations,namely a Berwick,Longbow,Pentland and Renown but if you are seeking one and more detail the Westerly owners association would be best source of info and maybe owners who are looking to trade in etc. if you are looking for a stern entry sugar scoop then an early Bavaria but as you say £20k more ie double the price . The other downside the stern cabin Westerly of this era is lack of walk though . Discus are are another westerly option which are slightly newer.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had completely forgotten about step fenders so will probably get one of those. I had not thought about descent into the saloon possibly being more difficult with a centre cockpit, so that is something I need to take into account.
Stern boarding would probably be great - I was walking around a harbour looking at some boats moored that way just this morning - but to be honest they are probably all well outside our price bracket.
It's also perfectly true that side decks are almost always trip hazards, but the presence of such just makes my wife too nervous, so she would not be able to do it. This is why I thought centre cockpit might work well as the side decks can simply be completely avoided.
The Longbow ketch sounds like it might be great, though the problem with 2nd hand is availability.
Anyway, food for thought!

AGain comparison between my friend's Westerley and my Moody 31; the steps down to the cabin are MUCH easier on the Westerly, with a much smaller difference in height between cabin and cockpit.

 

[steve yates]

There is a berwick ketch here, same as longbow but bilge keels instead of long fin.
1975 Westerly Berwick Ketch for sale - YachtWorld