Westwind 42

[Rippins]

Hello everyone,
My husband and I have found a Westwind 42 that we would like to purchase and live aboard.
Obviously we fell in love with the lines first and then the spaciousness next.
Does anyone know anything about this boat? We know it was made in Taiwan and then sold through Texas. Does anyone know of any glaring problems with it and what type of cord the fiberglass was assembled with? How does it sail. Does it travel windward without too much of a battle?
Thank you,
J & N

[callistov42]

We have owned a Westwind 42 (aka Vagabond 42) for 15 years and have more than 40000 miles under her keel. It is a great boat. Not very fast but sturdy and forgiving in a seaway. They were imported by Blue Water Yachts in Houston by Buddy West (hence "West" wind). Check her tanks. Fuel were built black iron and they go first. Stainless water tanks also will fail. Replacing them isn't terrible but you have to remove main salon sole. Original engines varied, ours was a Layman Peugoet. We re powered with a Yanmar. We have a Westerbeke 7.6 gen set, water maker, ice maker, air conditioning. It is a wonderful boar for hanging off an island. Ours lives in St Martin right now but it has lived all over the Caribbean over the past 15 years. I have put it on a reef and beaten it against a dock in a hurricane and it just keeps on ticking...
Let me know if you have any specific questions. We know quite a few of the individual boats. We are l number 58 built in 1983 and launched in 1984.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Looks like you've found an answer already.
kind regards,

[James Baines]

Welcome to the best sailing forum on the net.
Unfortunately, I know virtually nothing about the Westwind 42 other than what I learned when a couple who had one asked me if they could join up with me before I left Sau Miguel in the Azores to head for Bermuda.
Having good winds and weather all the way, there were no “Boat Testing” occasions, it really was “Plain Sailing” but for whatever reason, although her sails were set as I would have set them, and although she was a couple of feet longer than me, I found myself running away from her all the time and having to come about and wait for her to catch up with me.
Now, I know that the way my Jenny 40’ is rigged makes her fast for her class, and I’m not suggesting by any means that the Westwind 42 is a slow boat, but I was surprised at the difference in pace.
Ergo, based on the little I know, I would suggest that she is a solid and safe blue water cruiser but one that is unlikely to break any speed records…James

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

[scook1]

Welcome to the forum! Get some pictures of that 42 posted real quick!
Spencer

[tsunami42]

I have a 42 westwind/vagabond (george h stadel 111) in galveston tx. I would like to get ALL the info I can get on the boat, builder and designer .....I have some basic info however I would like to find more....if anyone has info they can share please respond 281 236 6113 or houstonenforcers aol

[gonesail]

check the tanks .. they should have been replaced by now. rigging is probably gone too.