Nicholson 31 or Westsail 32?

[alaskaflyfish]

I would go with the one that is easier to get out of the slip at your marina. If you like to sail everyday, boomkins and bowsprits can be a pain in a tightly packed marina. Can you competently single hand berth a 40 foot WS in adverse conditions? I love the looks of the WS and have the opportunity to buy one myself but I am indecisive due to my time limitations only being weekends and the WS seems to be a better cruiser than a daysailor. Yes I know, my opinion stinks.

[Ramona]

There seems to be some confusion on the previous posts between Nicholson 31's and Nicholson 32's. They are two very different boats. I would take the 32 Nicholson over the Westsail.

[picklesandjesse]

I always loved the Nicholson 31, not the 32. great looking boats and you have to look at it so it will help with the love affair. Easier to work on a boat that is aesthetically pleasing. Transom hung rudder too not like the 32. No comment on the Westsail.

[markwesti]

Agreed Dooglas , that's why I put the "?" . Another thing I noticed about the two , was the Nicholson has a keel stepped mast and the Westsail is deck stepped . You can purchase a manual written by Bud Taplin (manager at the Westsail Corp.) , in this manual it talks (among a lot of stuff) about deck problems around the mast . I have never any deck problems , only pictures . IMO if anyone is thinking of buying a Westsail , you should get this manual . It also has a chapter on tank removal and replacement . Looks like more than one day to me .



























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[Paul Howard]

I skippered a Westsail 32 for a family, sailing from Jacksonville, Fla to the Bahamas for a few weeks, then back to Jacksonville - they did not feel confident to make the passages on their own. Lots of room, not a great sailing boat, but the sail plan is well balanced. Biggest drawback I found was that in a steep chop the prop cavitated and lost its thrust. The prop is at the end of the boat with nothing over it to prevent cavitation. Double ended boats tend to hobby-horse in a chop and the Westsail does that a lot.
During our circumnavigation of the world we met some people - one single-hander and one couple on Nicholson 31s and they loved their boats for sailing ability and comfortable motion. And the Nicholson has a very comfortable and protected cockpit.

[Adelie]

I’ve looked at the numbers for the 2 boats.

Based on those and the photo I’d say the WS has a significant advantage in interior volume.

Also based on the numbers I’d say it is probably all around a slightly faster boat. The SA/D are equal but the WS has a longer waterline. Being a much heavier boat to start with means that if you put equal amounts of cruising gear on both the speed of th WS will be affected less. That said the hull shape and sheeting angles are going to affect the WS more so i wouldn’t be surprised if the Nicholson was faster upwind.

Somebody mentioned the WS28. It is a different boat with a much smaller SA/D. Under PHRF it rates about even with a Catalina22.

My take is in the short to medium term the Nicholson is the better boat. Smaller so easier to handle and cheaper to moor and to fuel. As the smaller boat it will be easier to take for a daysail so you will get a lot more experience on it than the WS.

In the long term if you start long distance cruising you will learner to live with the smaller living arrangements or get a bigger boat.

If you are really worried about you wife aclimatizing then go with the WS as it will be more seakindly.

[olivert]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I wouldn't worry about spares for the Nic, most of the parts you will be replacing will be off the shelf parts that any yacht more than a few years old will need, like loo pipes, windows, tanks, rigging and sails etc. You might need a metric set of spanners though.

I would choose the boat that you will be comfortable living on board, because you will. A decent cockpit with some shade from the sun (or rain for those in the UK) is an asset. How big are the berths. Have you laid down on them? Can you shower in the heads or is it the size of cupboard with no room?

Pete

Pete, you sum it up to perfection

[markwesti]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Somebody mentioned the WS28. It is a different boat with a much smaller SA/D. Under PHRF .

PHRF haha , that's a good one . Actually we (W28) are in the PHRF rule book , at least when I checked 20 yrs. ago .
Westsails get a lot of undeserved bad press and it's always from someone who does not understand the boat and is comparing apples to oranges .
But back to the OP , IMO for right now a lighter roomy boat that doesn't need to much work would be a better fit . Maybe a Hunter , Catalina , in the 28-30 foot range .

[bobmcd625]

Before finding my Downeaster 38 (which I love) I looked at both the Nic 31 and Westsail 32. Apart from cost considerations the W32 would be more suitable for cruising albeit (as said above) upwind performance leaves much to be desired). Much more room inside and far more stable at sea. I did not like the cockpit arrangement much, but I guess one gets used to that. The condition of the one you are considering seems pretty good and parts and advice are readily available. Check out the W32 owners' group website for more tips. The price difference may seem large, but repairs and upgrades mount up fast. Anyway, get one or the other and enjoy it.

[LarryDW]

I would lean more towards the Westsail 32 myself, solid boat. No experience with the N31, so can’t provide any useful information there . Another consideration might be a PS Mariah 31, that’s what I sail. Often mistaken for a W32, built like a tank, and sails as good or better than the W32 (Oops! That comment will more than likely open up a can of worms!). Much depends on what your needs are. I’m good with slower, as long as I know she’ll take weather. Let’s face it the weak link is us humans!

[sgwright]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyfish

I would go with the one that is easier to get out of the slip at your marina. If you like to sail everyday, boomkins and bowsprits can be a pain in a tightly packed marina. Can you competently single hand berth a 40 foot WS in adverse conditions? I love the looks of the WS and have the opportunity to buy one myself but I am indecisive due to my time limitations only being weekends and the WS seems to be a better cruiser than a daysailor. Yes I know, my opinion stinks.

Thanks, some good points there. I'm still learning, so navigating the W32 could be a challenge for a while. For us, it will be a combination of day sails and short cruises until we're comfortable enough for a longer cruise. Many of the marinas around here have strong currents, which can make negotiating them a challenge, as I've experienced (28' twin screw Uniflyte, 26' Macgregor), but I've never sailed a full keel boat. Not sure how it will behave relative to these, but probably better.

[sgwright]

So the N31 is gone, but a Nicholson 35 is also available. It's not a full keeler, but is a solid boat from the specs. https://campernicholson35sailboat.ca/. Price is almost as much as the W32, and while it's a nice enough boat, the dark blue hull/light blue topsides are not my thing. Aside from the two WS32 for sale locally, there is also a Mariah 31. The main drawback for me is that it has even more exterior teak than the WS32, including everything in the cockpit. Also, I can't get over how the cockpit looks like a wooden hot tub in the photos, which of course makes me wonder about what happens if it gets pooped...
Other interesting boats I saw yesterday (not for sale) were a Coast 34 and a Nimble 30. They were near a nice W32 so I was able to compare, and decided that overall I prefer the W32, although the others had nicer cockpits. This particular W32 had a full cockpit enclosure, which is someone I'd like to have, for year round sailing in our wet, cold climate.

[alaskaflyfish]

When it comes to slip fees, you pay by the foot-length over all. The economy of a WS is a 32ft boat in a 40ft package. Those appendages cost money to park. Why not buy a real 40 foot boat and enjoy the extra interior and deck space? Maneuvering and slip fees will be the same as a WS. Just a thought.

[alaskaflyfish]

Originally Posted by sgwright

So the N31 is gone, but a Nicholson 35 is also available. It's not a full keeler, but is a solid boat from the specs. https://campernicholson35sailboat.ca/. Price is almost as much as the W32, and while it's a nice enough boat, the dark blue hull/light blue topsides are not my thing. Aside from the two WS32 for sale locally, there is also a Mariah 31. The main drawback for me is that it has even more exterior teak than the WS32, including everything in the cockpit. Also, I can't get over how the cockpit looks like a wooden hot tub in the photos, which of course makes me wonder about what happens if it gets pooped...
Other interesting boats I saw yesterday (not for sale) were a Coast 34 and a Nimble 30. They were near a nice W32 so I was able to compare, and decided that overall I prefer the W32, although the others had nicer cockpits. This particular W32 had a full cockpit enclosure, which is someone I'd like to have, for year round sailing in our wet, cold climate.

Nice looking boat. If that boat were here in AK I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Exterior teak is a pain. With all the other stuff on a boat that needs constant maintenance, exterior beautification is the last thing I want to do. I'm starting to appreciate the plastic boat qualities (ease of maintenance).

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by sgwright

Many of the marinas around here have strong currents, which can make negotiating them a challenge, as I've experienced (28' twin screw Uniflyte, 26' Macgregor), but I've never sailed a full keel boat. Not sure how it will behave relative to these, but probably better.

Interesting observation. Every design has its strengths and weaknesses, but maneuvering a full keeled double ender in reverse under power in tight conditions in a marina is not an experience for the faint of heart.