westerley fulmars

[Concerto]

You probably know my boat then - Westerly Serenade. You may even recall her falling out of the Travelift - I only found out about that a few years after I bought her
I bought her in Thailand in 1994.
I have kept her in South America - mainly in the 'southern cone' - for the last 19 years. That is apart from a run back to NZ in 2014 for a 'half life' NZ$100k refit.
Bonzer boat.
Bit about her travels here
2020.2 Chilean Anchorages.pdf

Well Frank, I did not know you were a Fulmar owner. I very much doubt at my age if I would sail down to meet you, but you certainly have sailed considerable distances with Westerly Serenade. I have to agree Fulmars are brilliant boats to sail and I have sailed a huge number of different boats over the decades. They are almost vice free. When I chatted with Ed Dubois shortly before his death, he still rated the Fulmar as one of his best boats as everything was just right. The reason I chatted with him was I wanted to know more about the rudder. I had head they tested 4 different shaped rudders. They did, but only in a test tank and found the balanced rudder performed best.

 

[Concerto]

It's these small(?) connections that give history meaning to me. I'll look up Steve - thanks. Don't give me nightmares matey! I knew it was an old school barge with all that entails but also knew it was a total refit. I'm lucky - my job allows a lot of time in summer and winter in Wales to repair stuff! It's been a heartbreaking (realising the PO had left holes open) and I had to rebuild all the engine surround and nav station, some soft core upfront but its getting there. This year I hope to start making her look better! I've learnt so much and enjoyed every second. People write off some of these old boats but if they were solid enough to start with I think its worth it! PS Ill would swap it for an Oceanlord if pushed! (;-))

Refitting an Oceanlord is a much bigger proposition. I find the Fulmar a good size to handle singlehanded and easy to get into almost any marina.

Where is your Fulmar at present? When I am back in October I might pop over to see what you have done.

 

[spudnukem]

Refitting an Oceanlord is a much bigger proposition. I find the Fulmar a good size to handle singlehanded and easy to get into almost any marina.

Where is your Fulmar at present? When I am back in October I might pop over to see what you have done.

I'm a member at SEGAS in the Strand. You would be very welcome. A guest of honour (my excuse to open the bar). In all seriousness I think the Fulmar will be the best of all Worlds for me. Safe, nimble and user repairable. Westerley's, although not perfect, just feel me with a sense of security...

 

[burgundyben]

You probably know my boat then - Westerly Serenade. You may even recall her falling out of the Travelift - I only found out about that a few years after I bought her
I bought her in Thailand in 1994.
I have kept her in South America - mainly in the 'southern cone' - for the last 19 years. That is apart from a run back to NZ in 2014 for a 'half life' NZ$100k refit.
Bonzer boat.
Bit about her travels here
2020.2 Chilean Anchorages.pdf

Well blow me down with a feather!

Yes, of course I remember Serenade and yes, sadly I did watch her fall from the hoist, I was just about to drive her out of the hoist dock, early one morning, she was booked on a charter that day too. In fact, she fell twice, first time about 18 inches or so, a cable snapped, the big bar that joins the cables and straps hit one of the chaps and he was very badly hurt, but I think did eventually get back to work, I can't remember his name now, he went off in an ambulance, they fitted a new cable, lifted her to get her back in a cradle for a surveyor, a second cable broke, memory fading a bit now! From what I recall the damage wasn't very bad, bit of toe rail smashed and a couple of stanchions, but otherwise unharmed I think. I don't recall a big repair job. Jim the grumpy tw@t of a crane operator that was driving when it happened was there at Hamble Point until about 5 or 6 years ago, but has since retired.

Fab sailing boat, I did a mid winter day sail on her, was the coldest I've ever been, remember it like it was yesterday. It was bastard freezing.

Her berth at Hamble Point was such that her keel was always stuck in the mud at low tide, we often used to just put her on full throttle and drive her through it! I bet I could still park that boat inch perfect.

I'm delighted to hear of her. Pleased she has served you so well. Look after her.

We had 11 fulmars and the Sealord at the start, all musical names

Bolero (Big big effing big hole in the side in 1987!)
Prelude
Sonata
Symphony
Nocture
Overture
Rhapsody (1 knot quicker than the others)
Concerto (but not the one on YBW)
Lullaby
Tango
Melody

Later we got 12 new Fulmars, 1989 I think, re-used all the names, plus the 12th one needed a new name so we added Cantata.

We had a few others too, Storms etc, but I recall an Oceanlord 'Halcyon of Ashleigh', owner smoked a pipe with lovely tabacco, lovely boat she was, same hull but with a sugar scoop.

 

[Frank Holden]

Well Frank, I did not know you were a Fulmar owner. I very much doubt at my age if I would sail down to meet you, but you certainly have sailed considerable distances with Westerly Serenade. I have to agree Fulmars are brilliant boats to sail and I have sailed a huge number of different boats over the decades. They are almost vice free. When I chatted with Ed Dubois shortly before his death, he still rated the Fulmar as one of his best boats as everything was just right. The reason I chatted with him was I wanted to know more about the rudder. I had head they tested 4 different shaped rudders. They did, but only in a test tank and found the balanced rudder performed best.

A year after I bought Serenade I was in the UK and decided to get my RYA Yachtmasters. I chose BOSS largely because they had Westerlys - ex Westerly Sailing School boats. It was also a reasonably cheap way to spend a week sailing on the Solent.
I forget the name of the Fulmar I was on - may have been Hakuna Matata or one of the musical names.
Good boat - essentially a scaled down Sealord with the bit behind the cockpit sliced off. Or is the Sealord a scaled up Fulmar? Dunno.

It was one of the BOSS principles who told me about Serenade falling in the travelift. The way she described it gave me to understand the damage was quite severe.

 

[burgundyben]

A year after I bought Serenade I was in the UK and decided to get my RYA Yachtmasters. I chose BOSS largely because they had Westerlys - ex Westerly Sailing School boats. It was also a reasonably cheap way to spend a week sailing on the Solent.
I forget the name of the Fulmar I was on - may have been Hakuna Matata or one of the musical names.
Good boat - essentially a scaled down Sealord with the bit behind the cockpit sliced off. Or is the Sealord a scaled up Fulmar? Dunno.

It was one of the BOSS principles who told me about Serenade falling in the travelift. The way she described it gave me to understand the damage was quite severe.

That's right Frank. When WSS folded Pete and Lucy started BOSS. Pete was still there about 4 years ago, I went to freshen up my first aid, he might still be there. They would both remember Serenade's mishap.

Hakuna Matata I'd forgotten about her! She was indeed a Fulmar, privately owned but used by WSS and later BOSS for training and charter.

Storms, Electric Storm and Hamutan.

Falcon called Nonie.

Corsair called Mellangoose.

 

[sail sail]

Crewed on a Fulmar once from Cardiff to Cork. We had a lumpy crossing. Felt safe though. She sailed well. Good choice I'd say.

 

[Nigel52]

having just completed my coastal skipper, I am now ready to spread my sails and set out acros the channel and further afield. I've looked at and am tempted by Westerley Fulmars. Any advice out there?

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In my view an excellent choice. We had one of the special series that were raced. We had her for about six years and did many miles in her sailing from the Hamble to North Brittany most years. Sailed in upto force 8 safely. Ours was a fin version and exciting and safe to sail. We got two 2nds in the cruising class Round the Island race. Easy to maintain. You will need to replace the headlining which was a Westerly weakness on all their boats. The owners association is a must to join if you proceed.

 

[ashtead]

I guess the other one to look at might be a westerly Storm ?

 

[Concerto]

I guess the other one to look at might be a westerly Storm ?

For someone looking at a Fulmar that is good advice as they are totally different boats. The Storm has an aft cabin anf aft toilet compartment but the main cabin feels more cramped due to the narrow coachroof that allows wider side deck.,

However spudnukem, who resurrected this thread, has a Fulmar he is rebuilding on the Medway.

 

[spudnukem]

Exactly right. My brother in law has a Storm and it's differences are quite striking. The whole saloon seems to be shifted forward a meter or so to move the heads to the back. This leaves the compression post smack dab in the middle of the table. Not so nice IMHO! Seems narrower because of the deck width but I like that. The feature I like best is the deep protected campanionway. Very similar boats in many ways. I just wish Westerly had listened and left the Storm with a fractional rig.

 

[spudnukem]

Indeed, it would have been me that commissioned her when new.

They had a hard life.

Some went back to the factory to have grp repairs where the chainplates are secured.

I knew then inside out, every bolt and screw, but it was 30 years ago.

Just one little question! Do you happen to know / remember if they kept the standard mild steel tanks in her? Mine look huge but un-blemished. Just wondering if the school asked for larger ones. All the best.

 

[mrming]

Notice a few mentions of the sea school Fulmars - we have one, ex Tango which Concerto kindly advised on the purchase of. If this weekend’s forecast holds true we’ll be mooching round the East coast with the kids.

 

[burgundyben]

Just one little question! Do you happen to know / remember if they kept the standard mild steel tanks in her? Mine look huge but un-blemished. Just wondering if the school asked for larger ones. All the best.

The sea school had the boats from New, so the tanks would have been as built. I really can't remember if there are steel or stainless.

I think fuel is 20 gallons.

Can't remember about the water capacity.

 

[burgundyben]

Notice a few mentions of the sea school Fulmars - we have one, ex Tango which Concerto kindly advised on the purchase of. If this weekend’s forecast holds true we’ll be mooching round the East coast with the kids.

Ah Tango. Each instructor had their own favourite boat, the chap that had Tango was Mike someone, can't remember now.

Christ they had a tough time. I was unblocking toilets, replacing spinlock handles and stanchions weekly. We had spare pulpits and pushpits and bogs and ovens.

Bolero had a huge hole in the side.

One boat had the door blown off the oven by a pair of ybw favourite Fray Bentos pies put in with the lids on.

One instructor jumped off the boom to show how strong the companionway hatch was...he landed in the cabin.

We never lost many rigs though.

Tough as old boots.

 

[spudnukem]

Notice a few mentions of the sea school Fulmars - we have one, ex Tango which Concerto kindly advised on the purchase of. If this weekend’s forecast holds true we’ll be mooching round the East coast with the kids.

I wonder how many of these boats are still knocking around? Amazing really and testament to their build. Where about on the E coast are you?

 

[burgundyben]

I wonder how many of these boats are still knocking around? Amazing really and testament to their build. Where about on the E coast are you?

Of the first 11, 3 of them were sold to Tallin, Estonia.

Leaving 8, plus the second 12, so there's 20 odd.

 

[mrming]

I wonder how many of these boats are still knocking around? Amazing really and testament to their build. Where about on the E coast are you?

We keep ours in Conyer Creek, just off the Swale (Kent).

 

[Concerto]

Today I met the new owner of Patanda who completed today. This Fulmar that has been on the Medway since it was built. I knew the original owners and raced against them regularly. Well, Patanda is leaving the Medway and being moved to Gosport this weekend. He visited Concerto and was impressed and now is planning to just sail this year and later in the year to move to Portugal for a short while whilst his work is quiet to get some work done, before returning to the Solent. I have wished him all the best.

 

[mrming]

Today I met the new owner of Patanda who completed today. This Fulmar that has been on the Medway since it was built. I knew the original owners and raced against them regularly. Well, Patanda is leaving the Medway and being moved to Gosport this weekend. He visited Concerto and was impressed and now is planning to just sail this year and later in the year to move to Portugal for a short while whilst his work is quiet to get some work done, before returning to the Solent. I have wished him all the best.

I’m moored right next to Patanda at Queenborough this morning as it happens.