Westerly Longbow

[deanowens1966]

My wife and I will be looking at a Westerly Longbow 32 tomorrow and wanted to hear some opinions. It is the ketch model and we are looking to buy and refurbish it to bluewater cruise capable.

Are there any of you out there with experience with this boat or if you have opinion about this boat, i'd love to hear them?

Thanks in advance!
Dean

[andreas.mehlin]

I was THIS close buying (here in Sweden) one for an around-the-world trip. Had a surveyor over and he found osmosis. At that time I was terrified with everything about osmosis. That ment I walked away. May have acted differently today.

It was a sturdy built boat. Not very cosy inside due all the white bulkheads and interior.

I ended up buying a 30ft Endavour catamaran in Panama instead (took it all the way to Australia ). Had a great trip. The boat might not have been as suitable for this kind of trip as the Longbow had been. But the boat and we made it all the way

[El Pinguino]

Sitting between the Westerly Centaur and the Westerly Conway both of which are highly regarded.

1088 of the 4 variants ( Longbow/Renown/Berwick/Pentland) built so they must have been doing something right.

Usual caveats which you would expect with a boat of this age ( +/- 40yo).

Most would be obvious..rig, sails, engine etc but osmosis would be a thing to watch for on any boat of this age.

Ping - Westerly Man

Weavis will probably be along shortly.......

[El Pinguino]

Re the white interior...this from 'The Westerly Story'.....' the family eventually became the first Westerlys to have an all-wood interior' so that would be an early/late model issue.

[ausnp84]

Check out these guys - www.sailoverthehorizon.net. Westerly Longbow 31 sloop that they're sailing around the world.

I've spent a lot of time on their boat, working on bits from the bilge to the rig, and can honestly say they're a great little boat. Good heavy lay up, sensible location of deck gear and interior layout, and a good turn of speed in light and medium air.

n