Westerly Pageant

[pikeyrm]

Hi this is my first post on this forum but i have been looking on it for a long time and found it very usefull. Which is testoment to my new purchase of my pageant. i have just had it surved and i am paying £3k short of its value, thanks to the members on here.
I would like to know if it is worth getting a spinnaker/ cruising chute for this as it has the pole. i will be using it mainly on the south coast of uk with a couple of trips further a field.

 

[VicS]

Don't rush into buying either a spinnaker or a cruising chute. The pole may be useful for poling out the Genoa anyway even if a little shorter than ideal depending upon your sail and a bit heavier that necessary. You dont normally use it with a cruising chute

Once you have a season or two's experience with the boat then is the time to decide if you want a spinnaker or a cruising chute.

I draw your attention to the Westerly Owners Association website and to their forum and Yahoo discussion groups, links to which are on the website

 

[Searush]

VicS has it spot on as usual. sail her a bit & get to know her. If you are sailing short-handed then you will be more likely to use the iron topsail than a spinnaker or Cruising chute. I have a cruising chute on Searush & haven't used it for many years. I tried it out with son to help early on & found that the benefit over the hassle was relatively small. It's so much easier & safer to flick a switch when the wind drops & you have a tide gate to meet - provided you are not racing!

 

[damo]

I've used a cruising chute with snuffer on a Pageant a few times - not too hard to handle because it is relatively small, and a boon when the wind is light. (Nice not have to turn the engine on if you aren't in a rush). As the others say, don't rush out to buy one, though you can sometimes get a suitable s/h one.

Great cabin for a little boat /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wooslehunter]

Vic's absolutely right. Get to know the boat first. Here's some thoughts though since I have the big sister a Centaur. It had a cruising chute when I bought it, plus a pole.

I do use the chute occasionally since I have it. I generally use it in light winds and then only on a reach, or goose winged. It's useless broad reaching since it's masked by the main. I'd get on abslutely fine without it to be honest. I have tried rigging it like a spinny with the pole & it does fill OK on broad reaches. I doubt it gives any better performance than the genny though.

A spinny on the other hand would be useful. But, of course it's not quite as easy to handle especially single handed which is what I do mainly.

So. I'd vote for getting some miles under your belt & then going for a spinny if and only if you're happy with handling it.

 

[VicS]

On the other hand of course if you are a dinghy sailor and are used to a spinnaker and will have an enthusiastic crew go for it but dont skimp on the extra gear needed.

Up-haul, down-haul/fore-guy, sheets AND guys, sheet turning blocks, and ideally dedicated winches. (halyard of course)

 

[lw395]

Keep your eyes open for a used kite, suss out which racing classes might have old kites that fit and ask around for an old one. Can liven up downwind sailing and much more satisfying than the motor. An assymetric kite that is well past dinghy racing can still be fun on a small cruiser as a chute, and can sometimes be bought for a 2-figure sum.
enjoy your boat!

 

[BlueChip]

[ QUOTE ]
On the other hand of course if you are a dinghy sailor and are used to a spinnaker and will have an enthusiastic crew go for it but dont skimp on the extra gear needed.

Up-haul, down-haul/fore-guy, sheets AND guys, sheet turning blocks, and ideally dedicated winches. (halyard of course)

[/ QUOTE ]

If you get a spinnaker with snuffer then you can forget using guys. Just use sheets, run them as far aft as possible and run the windward sheet through a snatch block on the beam, changing over when you gybe
To gybe pull the snuffer down, gybe the main, move the pole to the windward side and pull the snuffer up. Wont win any races like this but only takes a couple of minutes and you are comfortably under control.

SWMBO and I regularly use a spinnaker when we sail two up, its really satisfying to be sailing when everyone else is motoring and even overtake them. Unlike a cruising chute which I think is not worth the effort a spinnaker will work broad reaching and downwind.

We have crossed the channel several times under spinnaker and on one memorable occasion carried it all the way from Dartmouth to the Needles.

 

[David_Jersey]

I dunno the answer to your question - but the previous answers sound about right /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif - just wanted to say "Nice Boat" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif......I have never had one, but nearly bought one a few years back so had a good look at and over them (only reason I didn't was price for condition on the one in question - not helped by having a mint Pageant moored next to her /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif).

Have a good Season /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pikeyrm]

cheers for the sound advise by all and i will get a couple of seasons under my belt before i get one while still keeping an eye out for one.
any other suggestions about thing to do with it please pm me.

 

[microhornet]

westerly pagent 23

hi
may i ask a question having searched lots of photos did the pagent have a transom mounted rudder ?
if not what westerly of similar size did thanks tim