[Jim H]

My son and I had an enjoyable visit to a 38 foot Westerly Oceanranger last week that is for sale. She's 38 feet, 3 cabins, but with a good pilot berth in the passage way to the aft cabin. On this model, there is treadmaster instead of teak decks, and the head linings have been replaced.

This is probably the best condition center-cockpit Westerly we've been on (and we have weeks of sailing on a Westerly Fulmar 32). If you've never been on a Westerly, it's hard to describe how well executed the interiors and overall boat design can be. Good but not "Swan like" joinery, but the most incredible feature is the cavernous, large cockpit locker with it's own large window. There are literally molded steps down to its deep bottom, and it can hold sails, tools, extra tankage, and the dinghy with no problem. Some owners have built workshops in them. I wish other boats we looked at had such sensible storage.

The Oceanranger has done long-range cruising, but perhaps not as much as the larger 41 foot Oceanlord.

For pics, go to:

Westerly Oceanranger Visit

For more information about Westerly boats, go to

Westerly Owners Association

Here is a sample pic:

 

[DarkBlue]

From a completely novice wannabe sailor look, for some reason I always liked Westerlys and this one that you have visited seems in very good shape.
Maybe you already know but Pratical Boat Owner has been publishing, for the last 3 editions of the magazine, some very good guides covering all of the Westerlys range.

DarkBlue

 

[Jim H]

From a completely novice wannabe sailor look, for some reason I always liked Westerlys and this one that you have visited seems in very good shape.
Maybe you already know but Pratical Boat Owner has been publishing, for the last 3 editions of the magazine, some very good guides covering all of the Westerlys range.

Yup, we've been reading the series as it comes out, and yesterday at the boat show we signed up with the Westerly's owner association to get their book about the development of the Westerly line. I've been on their discussion group for awhile, and they know a lot about their boats. (Good and not so good.) Westerly boats have to make compromises, just like all others.

PBO is a fun magazine-- but it has a bit of a bias toward UK boats like the Westerley, Northshore, Rivals, etc.

My first impression of Westerlys was that they wouldn't be tough boats, since they have wider beams and large interior spaces instead of cave-like tubes. Spending a lot of time on the Fulmar 32 changed my mind, and now I wonder why other boats don't have similar interior desings. I like the settee berths, for example, because behind the backrest is a board that moves out to be the leeboard, and opens up more padded space for a much wider berth and soft gear storage to the hulll. Good design!