Macwester 30, aft cockpit sloop.

[retsina]

I have bought a Macwester 30, aft cockpit sloop. I know very little about these boats. I have not used it yet; how does it sail?, It has a Volvo 2 cylinder 25 hp. i understand they develop a lot of whether helm. Do they sail ok in heavy whether? blue water?

 

[mainmarine]

you will get more info here: http://www.macwester.org/

 

[Slow_boat]

I was looking at a Macwester 30 aft cockpit (there weren't many built) at Tollesbury at the weekend. They seem to be about the same underwater as my Macwester 26, which developes horrible weather helm and leeway if not reefed early. By reefing early (to windward I have one reef in in a force three) heeling is reduced and she sails about 45-50 degrees to the wind with about 15-20 degrees of heel. They're not supposed to be sailed on their earole!

The shape of the rudder (longer than it is deep) makes them heavy on helm at times.

They are a very tough old boat, designed along the lines of a lifeboat, so wouldn't baulk at taking one offshore, though I would prefer a deeper keeled boat really. (my next boat will have more modern bilge keels)

Oh, and the wide bow does tend to slam in heavy weather, though the plus side is that they are so heavy they don't get stalled by every wave.

I hope that helps.