guardian
Well-Known Member
Westerly in their heyday...........................
- Thread starter guardian
- Start date
Concerto
Well-Known Member
Excellent find. Reminds me of a number of other boat builders I visited in thge same time frame as the photo.
pvb
Well-Known Member
I visited the Westerly factory twice, to see new boats which I'd ordered in their build stage, and I can assure you it looked nothing like that. Thinly disguised chaos was the term.
jonic
Well-Known Member
I have very fond memories of crossing the Atlantic in my Westerly Corsair.
She was Hull No.3 and the boat on the cover of the brochure.
She was Hull No.3 and the boat on the cover of the brochure.
doug748
Well-Known Member
Some more, here is a link to the Hurley Owners site:
c HOA for attribution.
Probably Valley Road late 1960's / 1970's. This plant was in use by Princess Yachts until quite recently.
See: Hurley Owners Association - Hurley Marine Gallery
c HOA for attribution.
Probably Valley Road late 1960's / 1970's. This plant was in use by Princess Yachts until quite recently.
See: Hurley Owners Association - Hurley Marine Gallery
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
Nice pics. I worked for Westerly Sea School at Hamble Point from Summer 87 until its demise looking after the boats, it was a blast. I have fond memories of the Westerly boats. I now moor right next to one of the Fulmars that I used to look after.
What happened to Electric Storm? The Sealord Serenade? The Oceanlord Halcyon of Ashleigh? They were my favourites.
What happened to Electric Storm? The Sealord Serenade? The Oceanlord Halcyon of Ashleigh? They were my favourites.
V1701
Well-Known Member
Put that fag out & pass me the headlining glue...
halcyon
Well-Known Member
I may well have met you, I supplied the switch panels to Westerly, used to drop in to keep my on the Fulmars, good test bed for equipment.
Brian
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
I was the spotty youth!
We were a test bed for Jabsco bogs too, the plunger in the pump was secured by a pair of circlips that failed, leaving the plunger down the bottom in a load of wee and poo. I made a modification, ran an M8 die up the end of the rod a thin nut, then the plunger, then a nyloc. I also asked them to put a brass insert in the handle to stop the threads giving up. Jabsco introduced both mods. Its ok folks, thank me later!
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Remember one Fulmar with a 50 mm gap between galley and hull, I believe they got friendly with a buoy, they took some hammer back then.
Brian
Brian
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Once owned the last true Hurley 27, made before the Yanks took over, called Monique.
Brian
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
in 1987 Bolero had big hole in her. Big hole!
A while later one other hit a bouy, quite right, by the galley, I don't recall which one.
Rhapsody was quick, quicker than all the others by a country mile, when ever we were racing we kept her back as the spare boat.
guardian
Well-Known Member
I was hoping 'The Westerly Story' book would have a bit about the factory and its workforce, it was an interesting read, don't get me wrong - but wanted to see more pics like the one above and read stories from those who worked on the factory floor at their peak.
You know - a more unvarnished version of events, seeing as enough waters gone under the bridge since they folded 20 years ago.
You know - a more unvarnished version of events, seeing as enough waters gone under the bridge since they folded 20 years ago.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Do remember Rhapsody, they did a lot of hard work and hours at sea that fleet, they changed them all once from memory ?
Used to see John Hinton up at the factory, they were good days back then.
Brian
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
We tried to give the regular instructors the same boat, Rhapsody was Pete Ellis' boat, he now runs Boss at Hamble Point. Still uses a Fulmar I think!
Yes, first lot, there was 11, all musical names, Lullaby, Overture, Nocture, Sonata, Symphony, Prelude, Rhapsody, Concerto, Bolero, Tango, Melody (that took a few mins to remember!) they would have build built about 85/86.
They were replaced by 12 new boats in about 89/90, the 12th boat being Cantata. The 11 names re-used were suffixed with II. That fleet suffered chainplate failure early on and went back to the factory to be repaired.
You are right, those boats got a hard time and stood up to it really well. It wasn't unusual on a Friday or Sunday changeover for me to replace 4 stanchion bases, 3 spinlock levers, 2 bogs and a pulpit.
They came back with ovens in bits and Fray Bentos pie debris all over the cabin, a companion way hatch smashed to bits on the floor, blocked bogs, all sorts. I sometimes wondered how they managed to inflict so much damage. I was the bog unbloking expert, I had a washboard with a whale bilge pump mounted, long length of hose and used it to suck the blockage backwards out. My fee was a case of beer. I did dozens and dozens of them.
Aside from all the RYA training courses, they did Cowes Week, RTI, Viyella cup, Lymington cup, Air Canada Industry Sailing challenge and a load of corporate entertainment. Those boats worked bloody hard.
Alison Noice said that a well sailed Fulmar was equal to a Sigma 33. Fulmar sails like a big dinghy, its lovely.
Last edited:
Concerto
Well-Known Member
I have a Fulmar FR38 named Concerto that was launched in 1980. I know that my Concerto was based in the Solent until 1992. The original Builders Certificate shows that Cyril Lyon and Brian Willis were the co-owners. In 1982 Brian Willis sold his share to John Russell. Were they part of the Westerly Sailing School? She had a red painted style line and red painted transom, which I believe was original. Concerto was then sold to Mr Davies in 1990 and again in 1992 to Mr T Wicken and she then moved to the Medway.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
I think Westerly under sold the boats, tried to sell on price, not ability, though the new MD they got did help either.
Funny thing talking Fulmar, just had a order for a replacement Fulmar switch panel come in.
Brian
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
Is your mainsheet traveller across the back of the cockpit, behind your head when standing at the tiller, or is it across the front of the cockpit, so has to be stepped over to get down the companionway?
Concerto
Well-Known Member
It was originally at the aft end of the cockpit, later moved to the centre of the cockpit and then moved back aft again.
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
In which case, based on the build date and that the mainsheet started aft, I would say that yours is not an ex Sea School boat. Just happens to be sharing a common name.