Opinions on the Westsail 42 Ketch

[SunSail2013]

Hello

I'm new to this forum and here is my first post.

I intend to buy 40' - 50' Bluewater Cruiser in the near future to begin a new chapter in my life.

I have much experience on the ocean however none of this is in sail boats. I intend to learn to sail over the next year or so while becoming familiar with whatever boat I buy through maintenance / upgrading and short jaunts in the Gulf of St Lawrence - Labrador coast. Within a couple of years I would like to go south and beyond.

I want a strong hull that is seaworthy in frigid waters yet capable to carry me around the world when my sailing skills allow.

I have been considering the Westsail 42 Ketch as a capable boat and likely candidate.

I have read much on the Westsail 32' version and taken note of a love / hate reputation this model holds yet there is little said about the Westsail 42 other than she is heavy and a good ocean cruiser.

I have a hundred questions about autopilots, communication options etc but first I have to settle on a boat.

I would very much appreciate some input from experienced sailors / boat owners on how they perceive the Westsail 42.

Kind Regards & Happy Sailing

Paul

[Capt Phil]

I can only speak from delivering a Westsail 42 from Barre Navidad, MX up to Portland, OR a few years back which was an up hill slog the whole way. We headed out towards Guadelupe Island before close hauling north so the whole trip was pretty much on the nose. What was memorable was that she stayed fairly dry in a head-on buck until the seas got over 10-12 feet, not the fastest bullet out of the gun but we made consistently 5-6.5 knots with one reef in the main most of the trip and a smaller genny/jib and footed self tailing stays'l. Motion was easy due to the heavy displacement but compromised speed. She was one of the safer vessels I've delivered and comfortable below as well as on deck. One leaking port issue was quickly resolved with reseating a new gasket.
Properly fitted out, I would feel comfortable doing a circumnavigation in her. Phil

[roverhi]

We briefly convoyed with a couple on a W42 sloop. They were happy with the boat. We found them to be much faster in light/ghosting conditions than our W32 than water line length difference would suggest.

Talked with couple who got hit by a low coming down from the PNW. Hit by 50 plus mile an hour winds with little trauma. There's a fellow on the Cruising Sailors Bulletin Board who has taken his W42 virtually everywhere and in some very challenging conditons. Can't remember his or boat's name but he posts regularly.

[westsail374]

This guy has many videos about sailing his W 42 in varied conditions, and the videos will be of help to you.

Search Westsail 42 Paragon and Westsail 42 Fiona

Good luck!




Yahoo! Video Detail for 1. Intro and Deck Tour - Westsail 42 Fiona

[Cheechako]

Never heard anything bad about them. From the lines and underbody I've seen, should be as fast as most fin and skeg cruising designs of similar waterline length.

[Kenomac]

The Westsail 42 certainly looks heavy duty. A couple of other manufacturers to consider if you like the Westsail would be Hans Christian, Bowman and Tayana.

[cburger]

If you can get your hands on the Novemberissue of "Good Old Boat" magazine, they published a four page article about Westsail boats.

I will never own anything other than a Westsail and am actually planning on being buried in mine when the time comes.

[Paul L]

Dave on Elysium would be a good one to ask about W42
svElysium…

[Lojanica]

I have a W43 cutter. I live on the North Coast. Very happy sailing in conditions that others would be turning away from. A buddy of mine is always amazed at how well she sails in light winds for such a heavy displacement boat.

Two things. A bigger motor is better. The more sail area the better.

[Kettlewell]

Walter Cronkite owned one.

[westsail374]

I met Walter Cronkite once when he brought his W 42 into the dock in Annapolis 30-some years ago. He had a wood captain's chair installed in the cockpit where he sat during docking maneuvers. Walter was just as uptight while tying up in a crosswind as any other owner.

[svadagio]

Hi
I have spent the last 9 years in the carribean on my Westsail 42. I can tell you she is just about perfect for 2 people to cruise on.
BTW Some people do not know she is a Bill Crealock design. The 32 are Lyle Hess. That is a lot of the differance.
Good luck to you
Bob
sv ADAGIO

[roverhi]

Crealock modified the Atkins Thistle design for the W32 hull and designed the 42/43 from scratch.

[GaryMayo]

Welcome to the forum! Great people here.

Zero sailing experience and looking at a Crealock 42 is like your first car being a vintage Rolls Royce to take drivers ed with.

For every ten feet of length, figure doubling your expenses. 22,32,42 etc. Doc fees, haul outs, bottom paint, it all adds up.

Crealock is my favorite marine designer and why I picked my sailboat.

Go sailing, crew on sailboats, make friends with sailboats, hang out on the docks. You are contemplating purchasing a big hole in the water to pour money into. The larger the sailboat, the less likely one is to untie and go sailing, because of the bother factor. Smaller sailboats are less bother out and back in the slip again. Larger boats have more requirements on captain and crew. Figure on a larger crew or harder worked crew than if you purchased a 32.

Sailboats are a never ending struggle to keep clean, maintain, and preserve.

Many great videos on you tube. Search Paragon 42 should get you to several.

First sailboat a 42 ketch? You get to college by finishing HS, after you finish JH. Droping straight away into a 35,000 pound sailboat is not the typical way it is done.

Hello, xyz insurance, yes, I just purchased a 42' ketch sailboat and I need full coverage for my slip lease, 5 million should be enough. Experience? Why yes, I have quite a few hours at sea on powerboats. Expirence sailing? Why, no, but I read lots on forums. Click. Hello, hello, I think we got cut off.

[cburger]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Welcome to the forum! Great people here.

Zero sailing experience and looking at a Crealock 42 is like your first car being a vintage Rolls Royce to take drivers ed with.

For every ten feet of length, figure doubling your expenses. 22,32,42 etc. Doc fees, haul outs, bottom paint, it all adds up.

Crealock is my favorite marine designer and why I picked my sailboat.

Go sailing, crew on sailboats, make friends with sailboats, hang out on the docks. You are contemplating purchasing a big hole in the water to pour money into. The larger the sailboat, the less likely one is to untie and go sailing, because of the bother factor. Smaller sailboats are less bother out and back in the slip again. Larger boats have more requirements on captain and crew. Figure on a larger crew or harder worked crew than if you purchased a 32.

Sailboats are a never ending struggle to keep clean, maintain, and preserve.

Many great videos on you tube. Search Paragon 42 should get you to several.

First sailboat a 42 ketch? You get to college by finishing HS, after you finish JH. Droping straight away into a 35,000 pound sailboat is not the typical way it is done.

Hello, xyz insurance, yes, I just purchased a 42' ketch sailboat and I need full coverage for my slip lease, 5 million should be enough. Experience? Why yes, I have quite a few hours at sea on powerboats. Expirence sailing? Why, no, but I read lots on forums. Click. Hello, hello, I think we got cut off.

Great advise here.