Westerly Centaur

[Spuddy]

I was chatting to a chum today who is selling a Centaur on behalf of an older lady - boat was her late husbands. It's been lying fallow for a while as tends to be the case in these circs.
However the engine starts and runs fine; it's a two cylinder Volvo, one of the MD series. Two sets of sails: one quite new. It's out on the hard in the Medway.
I've got nothing to gain here but Roger says £3,000 would close the deal and so seems like a good buy for someone after a solid old boat.
Anyone interested could PM me and I'll do the go-between to exchange numbers.

 

[Darran1967]

Hi Spuddy,

I've been trying to PM you but it doesn't seem to be sending. I'm interested in finding out more information about the Centaur. Could you please try to PM me with any details you have or let me know if you need me to send my details for you to pass on.

Kind regards

Darran

 

[Fatbeard]

IMHO the Westerlys are pretty special boats all round.

With the Centaur, check the shrouds... where do they attach? If to the hull, its one of the new improved ones. If coachroof then its one of the older ones and you should see if her fins have been reinforced?

I like the 'C' layout best.

https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-centaur/westerly-centaur.htm

 

[Seajet]

The Centaur is a great versatile boat, but the original engine would put me off; they are raw seawater water cooled so corrosion and wear might well be a worry in the not so distant future.

Also a bit crude and vibrate a lot more than modern units like Nanni's which are also freshwater cooled and turbine smooth in comparison; re- engining is tons of hassle and around £5-6 K.

 

[Darran1967]

Thanks for that guys. I was aware of the keels needing to be reinforced but not of the shrouds, good tip.

Boats in my budget may well need to be re-engined but I have enough experience and pals who can help to fully overhaul an engine.

 

[JumbleDuck]

With the Centaur, check the shrouds... where do they attach? If to the hull, its one of the new improved ones. If coachroof then its one of the older ones and you should see if her fins have been reinforced?

As far as I am aware, the lower shrouds always attached to the coachroof, but on the earliest boats they attached above the windows, which resulted in leaks. They solved the problem by moving the attachment point forward a few inches, so that on most Centaurs it's right at the front of the foremost window.

I think it's always wise to check the keels, regardless of age.

 

[Fatbeard]

Thanks J, yes, shrouds ... I stand corrected. The newer ones had a better job done around the fin keels as standard, and you can imagine how many must have been reworked ... eek!

 

[chrishelen]

Might have a job to get the spares for that engine, coming up to 50 years old.

 

[Spuddy]

Finally got Darran's PM - laptop has been out of commission

 

[Darran1967]

Got your PM Spuddy, Thank you,

I have been looking at photo's of various Centaurs trying to see any with the shrouds to the hull, now I know why I couldn't find any

Anyone got any photo's of a Centaurs keels before and after reinforcement (or at least a description of what to look for)?

 

[Seajet]

The reinforcement is usually a row of several wooden lateral ( ie athwartships ) ) frames in the top of the keel cavities, down to the keel tops and heavily glassed in.

The keel bolts should still be accessible; my father had a good late model Centaur with this beefing up done, but there was still the odd drip - he used a box spanner with a 6' - yes six foot - long bar to tighten the bolts and still got these drips !

Nothing to worry about, just irritating.

 

[pvb]

Anyone got any photo's of a Centaurs keels before and after reinforcement (or at least a description of what to look for)?

Some pics here - https://get.google.com/albumarchive.../AF1QipMJ_plgmU00pbYBJB3IiznOi-RCzZSEFtZ8vlso