Anita
Active Member
Does anyone have a Westerly Oceanranger? We're considering buying one and would like to know what they're like to sail - both in light winds and heavy weather.
Westerly Oceanranger - sailing ability
- Thread starter Anita
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fireball
Well-Known Member
Our neighbours have one and are very pleased overall with her ... sorry - can't comment on what she's like as I haven't sailed on her yet ...
jonic
Well-Known Member
I had a Corsair which became the Oceanranger. I took her across the Atlantic, endured a 55kt storm and sailed her all through the Caribbean and half way along the east coast of the USA. Strong, sea kindly and well mannered. Needed a bit of breeze to get going, so not particularly a light air boat, but sailed well with a fair breeze. Good boats.
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richardbrennan
Well-Known Member
Its probably worth looking at the WOA website as there is information on the Corsair/Oceanranger. The WOA also have a scheme whereby you can contact owners of any particular yacht.
Sans Bateau
Well-Known Member
fireball
Well-Known Member
Tied up or at anchor ... why?
Anita
Active Member
Sounds good. We're planning to sail the boat to Med first then decide whether to cross the pond.
Oceanranger
Member
Had an Oceanranger for 15 years from new - hence my username. Reluctantly sold her when we retired to Spain. Sailed beautifully; never let us down. Came across the Channel a couple of times in a F7 with no problem. Sailed with a friend who had a Moody S38 and would pull away from him in anything F4 or above and anything from a close reach, but not the most close-winded boat ever made. Deeper cockpit than usual for a centre-cockpit boat, which gave us a great sense of security.
VO5
Well-Known Member
I have a Sealord which is very similar. My first one was sluggish in light airs and needed a 4 to get going. This always puzzled me. I have only recently found out the reason. She was fitted with a Volvo 2003 Turbo and a 17 " fixed prop. Therefore the clumsiness was attributable to drag.
My current one is fitted with a smaller engine but I have changed the 15" fixed prop for a Brunton's.
The difference in performance is dramatic.
Unbelievably she will sail close hauled in 4 knots of wind to make 2 knots good.
She will make, on a broad reach in 10 knots of wind 6 3/4 knots good with a shortened mainsail with 2 reefs and a Genoa shortened to half.
Under full sail in a strong breeze the needle goes off the dial, frightening..
My current one is fitted with a smaller engine but I have changed the 15" fixed prop for a Brunton's.
The difference in performance is dramatic.
Unbelievably she will sail close hauled in 4 knots of wind to make 2 knots good.
She will make, on a broad reach in 10 knots of wind 6 3/4 knots good with a shortened mainsail with 2 reefs and a Genoa shortened to half.
Under full sail in a strong breeze the needle goes off the dial, frightening..
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
We have a Sealord as well - another member of the same bit of the Westerly family. I agree with the previous post regarding the occasional reputation some Westerlys get in light airs. Ours came with a NINETEEN inch three bladed fixed propellor. We changed it for a feathering prop and it has transformed our lightwind performance. Most Westerlies are perhaps never going to be lightwind fliers, but they are well built good sailing boats with good manners. You are welcome to a sail on ours anytime, but I expect you will find an Oceanranger to sail on through the WOA.
Ianhampshire
Well-Known Member
I bought my Oceanranger from "Oceanranger" (Hello Paul !) in 2008 so I've had it now for the past two years and this is my third summer. In 2008 I sailed it for 16 days single handed down to the West Country and in 2009 after a couple of trips to France I sailed it up to Kiel in the Baltic where it now lives. Second half of last summer was spend cruising the southern Baltic and same again this year (so far).
When assessing the Oceanranger, the starting point is what do you want it for. It's main strength is that it's a relatively heavy, straightforward cruiser capable of long distance in reasonable comfort. Its not fast but then its weight helps maintain it's speed when the seas against you. It doesn't point as high as a racer but its motion is much more comfortable. It feels safe helped by the depth of its centre cockpit which is also relatively small. It takes a good breeze to get it going properly but there is no desperate hurry to start reefing as the wind increases.
The internal layout is relatively conventional but works well both at sea and in port. It's a Westerly so you must expect problems with the headlining. The solution I've discovered is to use batons and not glue to reattach it. Storage is acceptable but could be better. Having the two water tanks under the saloon seating (P+S) is good for stability but takes up what would otherwise have been large storage bins. Storage in the forward cabin could be improved. helps to be tall to reach the bottom of the cool box in the galley but short to sleep comfortably in the main aft cabin. Oceanrangers have 7/8 berths depending on the layout but are very comfortable with 3/4 persons on board.
Only about 85 were built I think (mine is No.43) so they can be found but not everyday. Building started in 1989 and only finished in 2000 so condition can vary. If you find a good one then, if its what you want, you should enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
When assessing the Oceanranger, the starting point is what do you want it for. It's main strength is that it's a relatively heavy, straightforward cruiser capable of long distance in reasonable comfort. Its not fast but then its weight helps maintain it's speed when the seas against you. It doesn't point as high as a racer but its motion is much more comfortable. It feels safe helped by the depth of its centre cockpit which is also relatively small. It takes a good breeze to get it going properly but there is no desperate hurry to start reefing as the wind increases.
The internal layout is relatively conventional but works well both at sea and in port. It's a Westerly so you must expect problems with the headlining. The solution I've discovered is to use batons and not glue to reattach it. Storage is acceptable but could be better. Having the two water tanks under the saloon seating (P+S) is good for stability but takes up what would otherwise have been large storage bins. Storage in the forward cabin could be improved. helps to be tall to reach the bottom of the cool box in the galley but short to sleep comfortably in the main aft cabin. Oceanrangers have 7/8 berths depending on the layout but are very comfortable with 3/4 persons on board.
Only about 85 were built I think (mine is No.43) so they can be found but not everyday. Building started in 1989 and only finished in 2000 so condition can vary. If you find a good one then, if its what you want, you should enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
