Alberg 37 or Westsail 32 - Apples and Oranges ?

[Jon Neely]

Hello All, Been a while since I las posted here, been busy with family dues and work all over the country, Having looked at nearly 50 boats in the last year, two boats that are available now have really stood out from the rest, Whitby/ alberg 37, and the westsail 32. Both great boats and both outfitted very similar. with a price difference of 20k aside, what else could anyone tell me pros and cons of these boats. The closest thing I have sailed to either of these boats is an old Alberg 30 down in the bvi's and a Aries 32 in the bay area. next thing would be my families mason 43 but that is too big of a jump from what I can gather this is my list in the Vs battle;
Alberg;
Pros:
Cheaper,
Faster?
Lighter
Cons:
Less beam, more overhangs = more heel under way

Like it otherwise!

Westsail:
Pros:
More stable in heavy blow because of full keel and heavier displacement and beam
Cutter rig is preferred vs the sloop of the Alberg to me

Cons:
Slower?
more expensive
...

Any thoughts on this would be great guys, looking to next month some time!

best wishes,
Jon

[slomotion]

OK, I'll start. I don't know anything about Alberg 37s, but I think you can remove the question marks. Just about everything is faster than a Westsail 32. They are strong, heavy, slow boats, and in good condition they can take you anywhere. They can go like freight trains in Trade Winds, but in light winds, well ......... not so much. I think they have a PHRF rating of something like 220.

[Zednotzee]

[Ocean Girl]

subtle zednotzee subtle
Alberg is better, ya just can't go wrong with em (says the girl that owns an Alberg design). The pointing ability is why I decided not to go with the WS, the alberg will point better.
Whatever boat you choose I hope you have a blast and enjoy many sunsets aboard her. Really, either boat will get ya where you want to go.
Erika

[Ocean Girl]

Forgot to add this link, it compares the statistics of production boats, but don't take it for gospel, they imply the WS has a good motion comfort rating. However, I have never been on a more uncomfortable boat than a WS beating to windward, she doesn't like it, she loves downwind and only downwind (IMHO!!).

Here is the link Sail Calculator Pro v3.53 - 2000+ boats
Erika

[um saudade]

I looked at an Alberg 30 years ago. I was a little concerned about the steel shot keel encased in glass. I figured if it ever leaked it would simply burst the thin glass and the keel would go. Does the larger Alberg use the same keel design and has it ever been an issue?

I think the Westsnail is a boat of the past. Too old a design compared to comparable vintage boats.

Just 2 cents

Um Saudade

[Zednotzee]

Originally Posted by um saudade

I looked at an Alberg 30 years ago. I was a little concerned about the steel shot keel encased in glass.

The 30 & 37 were built by Whitby Boatworks. The 30 used iron/steel, but the 37 has lead. The Alberg 35 was built by Pearson, & also uses lead ballast while the 29 & 34 were built at Nye Yachts & have lead as well.

[cburger]

Regarding this question you really need to ask yourself how do plan to utilize the boat. I have repaired and sailed, owned Albergs and Westsails and like them all. That being said the Westsail is more money because hands down they are amongst the highest quality fiberglass production
boats ever built. How many vessels can you name that the median used price range is higher than the vessels retailed for 35 years ago. The really well maintained, fully found vessels are starting to push the 100k mark.

The supposed issue with windward performance is generally due to many owners not understanding how to get the best out of the boat in terms of correct sail selection. However if you have a full quiver of hank on sails and are willing to do the work in terms of sail change and correct trim for the wind conditions going to windward becomes a non issue. You are not going to get the most out of this or any boat design sitting in the cockpit drinking beers, (what a shame) .

The Westsail 32 is meant to due her best work in the blue ocean, with strong winds and water. The boats average daily runs are legendary with owners reporting 160-180nm.

WESTSAIL - CRUISING BOATS FOR SALE

WOA Web Site

http://www.angelfire.com/or/petermarsh/king.htm

[Jon Neely]

Thank you all for the responses, let me get back to you guys/gals with what we end up, I will defiantly post any other questions. While we are here, am I right about the heel with these boats?

Jon

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by cburger

.

The Westsail 32 is meant to due her best work in the blue ocean, with strong winds and water. The boats average daily runs are legendary with owners reporting 160-180nm.

G'Day All,

I've got nothing against the above lauded W-32, but I really hate statements like the above "160-180nm" AVERAGE days runs.

I'm happy to admit that under ideal circumstances a W-32 might do a 165 mile day or so, but average means day in and day out... not best ever!
The boat's hull speed is around 7 knots... this gives 168 mpd IF you maintain hull speed 24/7. Not bloody likely IMHO in any cruising boat.

Our previous boat was a retired IOR one-tonner. She had more w/l length, less displacement, more sail area and an argueably faster hull shape than the W-32. Over 17 years of blue water cruising in her, our passage average (this is real data) was 139 mpd. Our best single passage average (Vanuatu to Australia in strong trade conditions) was 159.5 mpd, anchor up to anchor down. We drove the boat pretty hard on that one because there was a cyclone heading our way! Our best ever 24 hour run was 172 nm. With this experience, and having sailed past a few W-32s along the way, I am hard pressed to accept the above claims.

Having said that, I don't think the OP should rule out the W-32 because of its sailing performance, unless that has a high priority with him.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Morning Cove, NSW, Oz

[roverhi]

We did 178-185 mile days on three different W32's Averaged 150nmpd for 6 days on one passage. Our average over 10,000 miles plus was 118nmpd without resorting to the engine. Had 500 hours on the engine after 10 years and much of that was battery charging at anchor. Days runs ranged the gammut from an 18nm day in the dodlrums to 178 mile day in the trades to Hawaii. The W32 will sail in light air but with all that wetted surface they won't beat a fin keel boat. They will still sail however. From a close to a broad reach with more than 10knots of wind, we didn't find a boat a boat that could beat us and put one hot **** IOR one tonner over the horizon so fast he had to break out a spinnaker to keep us in sight.

What the W32 won't do is go to weather in choppy seas in light air. They will actually sail sideways if pinched up. We found that cracking off a bit and maintaining boat speed was the best tactic to get to wx unless you wanted to motor sail. Still, we did have enough passage experience hard on the wind to know that the boayt would do it but it's not somthing we cared to do unless absolutely forced to. We did average 5 knots for 4 days hard on the wind to lay Hiva Oa when the South East trades decided to be North West trades.

The W32s are not 'fun' to sail. They are like driving a motor home compared to a Porsche Speedster. The Porsche may be more fun to drive but on a cross country trip, the motorhome might get there first and in much better shape. If day sailing is your thing, the W32 is the last boat I'd chose. If you are talking serious ocean passages and living aboard for a reasonable cost, it would be my first choice. The interior is emminently livable. In 4 years of living aboard and cruising, we never lacked for livability room. More bulk storage for things like a bicycle wouldn't have hurt but but for living room, we never had a complaint. When we finally moved off the boat, the house we moved into couldn't handle all the gear from the boat. The wide walkways, high bulwarks, and easy motion made the boat a dream out on the ocean. I've dropped more stuff overboard in a year on my current boat than the entire 10 years we owned the Snail. The low cabin and bulwarks kept me and my tools on board.

So the W32 isn't as slow as some people would like you to believe. If you're sailing SoCal or LI sound, you aren't going to win many races, however. If you are making long passages, the W32 will probably get there just as quick, if not quicker than any other boat near her water line length. For coastal cruising and short 2-3 day passages., the Alberg 37 isn't a bad boat. I chose a similar design over buying back my Westsail for doing just that.

One last thing, the W32 is pushing 42' from the selfsteering vane to the end of the bowsprit. Don't try and squeeze one into a a 32' slip as the dockmaster will be down on you right quick.

[Jon Neely]

Well we are looking for a boat to go offshore and we may get into some rough stuff. We will be working with the trade winds and will be sailing with weather windows in a desirable season and wont be going around any horns, I'm thinking the alberg is looking better every second!

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by roverhi

... If you are making long passages, the W32 will probably get there just as quick, if not quicker than any other boat near her water line length.
....

The water line on a W32 is not short for a 32 ft boat. It is just really short for a 40 ft boat - its slip size. A J/32, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32, Alberg 37 all have WL's about the same as the W32. Of course, the Alberg will gain a lot of WL as soon as it heals, which it will very quickly.

Paul L

[sailstoo]

Either one had better have a reliable engine 'cause if you ever have to beat your way off a lee shore, you'll be needing one. Neither of your chosen goes to weather. How about a Perry design like a Tayana 37 or a Tashiba 36 which give you a lot more weatherly performance (safety and get you where you need to go more quickly) in a similar package?

[Jon Neely]

I would love to get into a tayana 37, and it was one of the first boats I looked at because I thought for some reason they where priced lower than the competition back in the day, but I must have been wrong. Truthfully our budget for a "Cruise Ready" boat went from 25k to 50k opening up a whole different world of boats. Any boat that can be had for the 50k mark rigged up for cruising show me! so far the most I can get for that kind of money is what we are looking at right now, the alberg being in the mid 30's and the westsail being in the low 50's. My dream boat is actually a Panda 34! but I probably wont see one of those around the 50's for some more years

Jon