Want To Buy: 42'-54' Bluewater Cruiser Monohull - Ready to Buy

[JC Reefer]

XtaSea, are you using a broker?

I can’t imagine you are actually getting any use going out of the forum this way.

[XtaSea]

JC Reefer, frankly I am quite pleased with the public & private correspondences of this forum. Good deal of information is exchanged, new learning opportunities are created, and sometimes even friendships and professional projects are cultivated.

Time here is well spent, and represents just one of many parallel paths of the search effort.

Yes, several brokers are aware of my search criteria and I also reach out to new ones at boat shows, via cork boards at chandleries, marina offices, and ports around the world during my deliveries & yacht management projects. A few matching leads have already slipped through my fingers as I was days, and sometimes hours too late to submit an offer.

[El Pinguino]

I've just wandered through this entire thread and note with some dismay that there is no mention of any Westerly yachts.
They built two designs that may be of interest - the 49 foot Oceanmaster -
https://wiki.westerly-owners.co.uk/i...le=Oceanmaster
I've been aboard a couple and they would do the job for you rather nicely.

They grew out of the 41 foot Oceanlord which is a 'big' 41 footer.

https://wiki.westerly-owners.co.uk/i...itle=Oceanlord

The Oceanlord was a slightly stretched Sealord which is what I have. Probably a bit small for you but prior to me buying her spent 6 months as a dive boat in the Red sea and a further 8 months in Thailand. At that time she had a compressor mounted just frd of the mast. All three classes have a fine quarterdeck to set up diving kit. I carry scuba kit but not a compressor as 50º South doesn't make diving all that appealing.

37 of the 49s were built and several hundred Oceanlords. Pre covid there always seemed to be several of the former and half a dozen of the latter on the market. Now they seem more elusive.

Photo of my Sealord here
https://wiki.westerly-owners.co.uk/i...tle=Sealord_39

All good seaboats and big load carriers.

[XtaSea]

El Pinguino, first thank you for sharing that 129 page Chilean Anchorages. What a nice collage of photos, charts, names, prices, and more.

Admittedly, my familiarity with Ed Dubois designs is limited to a handful of models, and both Southerly and Wauquiez are on my call list. Westerly is a new one. A cursory research suggests it is very well suited for my purpose. Would appreciate any insights from your Sealord.

Was taken aback a bit after seeing fin keel on a ocean"master" vessel. Some resources list it as a sloop, but the photos look like a cutter. (Perhaps they were converted?)

Ed Dubois has my respect. In fact, I shared the "thrill ride rather than well seated sailing" feeling of a X-Yacht above, and in the same bay, and under the same sailing conditions, I was at the helm of a Wauiquiez. Such a well mannered toad! You could literally balance your martini glass on two carrot sticks. Stable, comfortable, fast, and a joy to fine tune. Oversized winches and a thick solid body. The galley leaved a lot to be desired, with smaller-than-expected everything and awkward layout. Perhaps Ed was the kind of guy who ate food for fuel, not for enjoyment. I love a large galley with plenty of stowage, double sinks, sea water tap add-on, and deep top loading fridge & freezer with independent compressors.

Added the Westerly to my list, thanks again.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by XtaSea

El Pinguino, first thank you for sharing that 129 page Chilean Anchorages. What a nice collage of photos, charts, names, prices, and more.

Admittedly, my familiarity with Ed Dubois designs is limited to a handful of models, and both Southerly and Wauquiez are on my call list. Westerly is a new one. A cursory research suggests it is very well suited for my purpose. Would appreciate any insights from your Sealord.

Was taken aback a bit after seeing fin keel on a ocean"master" vessel. Some resources list it as a sloop, but the photos look like a cutter. (Perhaps they were converted?)

Ed Dubois has my respect. In fact, I shared the "thrill ride rather than well seated sailing" feeling of a X-Yacht above, and in the same bay, and under the same sailing conditions, I was at the helm of a Wauiquiez. Such a well mannered toad! You could literally balance your martini glass on two carrot sticks. Stable, comfortable, fast, and a joy to fine tune. Oversized winches and a thick solid body. The galley leaved a lot to be desired, with smaller-than-expected everything and awkward layout. Perhaps Ed was the kind of guy who ate food for fuel, not for enjoyment. I love a large galley with plenty of stowage, double sinks, sea water tap add-on, and deep top loading fridge & freezer with independent compressors.

Added the Westerly to my list, thanks again.

Thank you for the kind words re my Chile stuff.

Where to start with the Westerlies?
All three have what I would call moderate fins and very well built spade rudders.

Apart from the slightly larger aft cabin and sugar scoop Sealords and Oceanlords are the same boat. There is variation in the fitout though esp in the 'walkthrough' area. Oceanlords also have a wrap around settee in the saloon so you lose a seaberth.

Re the rig. Having mislaid the original single spreader rig mine now has a double spreader mast and is what I would call a 'slutter' rig with the removable inner forestay secured just aft of the anchor capstan. I think you will find some variation there and I would really want any Oceanmaster that I owned to be a cutter.

Galley? Cosy , double sinks, salt water hand pump, and big top loading fridge. As built I think it was designed to keep english beer warm in winter.
If I was spending a lot of time in the tropics I would be tempted to put an Engel freezer in the walkthrough. As it is if I put a floor of frozen water ( aka bottled ice) in the bottom, frozen vacuum packed meat on top of that and the rest on top of that then stuff stays frozen for long enough.

General storage? I have twice stored for crew of 4 for two months with no resupply and more than a few times with 3 crew for a trip of 2 + 1 months ( 2 months full rations, 1 month basic) including two NZ-Chile crossings in the 40s.
General storage? There is a 'garden shed' accessed from the cockpit. Holds the 'fridge compressor, Eberspaker, FW calorifier, and a 'hanging' propane locker accessed from the side deck. Still has room for 8 x 20 litre diesel bidones and my rope bags.

Sails 'flat'.

If you have the time this blog is worthwhile, quite a bit of refit info in the 'technical' section as they circumnavigate.
https://yachtcamomile.co.uk/2010/02/

Things to watch for.
'Westerly Droop' aka sagging headliners.
Dodgy chain plate tangs and baby stay terminations on Sealords and early Oceanlords.

Re X-yachts. I came across that one up for auction by chance. All I know of them is that there was one in the slip next to mine at Montt for some time and it looked well put together.

[XtaSea]

El Pinguino, thank you for the good chuckle on the mention of the as-built fridge's purpose. That pretty much sums up my feelings on the Ed Dubois designs I was on. Except, the last one had Cointreau kept at the temp of the prior night.

All Westerly models listed on YachtWorld right now are <41'. I will check around to find a 49er listing that shows the pit & interior, especially the galley!

Enjoyed the 1985 Westerly Sealord Camomile's blog, a pity it stops at July 2018.

Bill Redgrove's poem posted on the site complemented today's urban morning coffee well:

Back stooped and shoulders sagging
Soul and body really flagging
Worn out and weary, time to retreat
Has this daily grindstone got me beat?

Cast your mind to a white sand shore
Green palm fronds over sea azure
Trade winds there cool a simpler life
And roaring breakers mute that strife
Above blackest night and pinprick stars
Milky way and meteors
Beneath, glowing wake eats up the miles
As mast and deck heel to the sails
Go cruising now then my friend, don’t wait
Till fatty fare ‘n stress slow up your gait
Real loved ones will support you swim or sink
Life’s hour is later than you might think

[XtaSea]

Found a nice one, made offer, they countered, accepted the counter, put ten grand down, survey pending. Whew, nerves stretched in anticipation!

[Jolly Roger]

I've just decided to put my schooner on the market. If your deal doesn't pan out, take a look at Britannia, at HOME
Price will be about $150,000
Located near New Bern, NC.
JR.

[XtaSea]

Jolly Roger, Britannia looks like a beautiful boat. Not a good match for my project due to the 70s age and being a modified rig. Schooners are elegant yachts for sure, but my background and interests are solely on sloops and cutters.

Wish you good luck in re-homing. The next owner will be lucky to be handed over such a vast how-to library.

[XtaSea]

The long search finally ends as I am now a proud boat owner (again!). And just like the prior ones, I vow once again not to ever buy a boat ever again. This is the last one! Seriously. lol

She was a love at first sight. I had said no-way to teak decks. She has teak decks. I had said no-way to earlier than 1990s. She is early 1980s. I had said any boat over 47' must have a sail locker. At 51' she has no sail locker. I wanted an aft center bed. She does not have so. I have favored Yanmar all along. She has a Perkins. I wanted less than 6' draft. She's well over 7'. I longed for ketches, she is a cutter rigged sloop. But she is the one for sure! As she also checks of a lot of big boxes that many other boats could not dare to. Impressed me from the moment I saw her, through the 12 hour survey, and now in my first few days of ownership. She has pedigree, character, charisma, strength, beautiful craftsmanship, quirky oddities, and hopefully a glorious future. She belongs to wide open big seas.

I now look forward to doing repairs and upgrades in the waters around the Pacific Northwest, so someday soon I can untie the lines to set free, so I can continue to do repairs at exotic ports around the world.

Please accept my deepest gratitude and recognition of the support on this thread. Every entry served well towards the end result. If there is anything I can help with for your own search, please do not hesitate to ask.

Cheers.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by XtaSea

The long search finally ends as I am now a proud boat owner (again!). And just like the prior ones, I vow once again not to ever buy a boat ever again. This is the last one! Seriously. lol

She was a love at first sight. I had said no-way to teak decks. She has teak decks. I had said no-way to earlier than 1990s. She is early 1980s. I had said any boat over 47' must have a sail locker. At 51' she has no sail locker. I wanted an aft center bed. She does not have so. I have favored Yanmar all along. She has a Perkins. I wanted less than 6' draft. She's well over 7'. I longed for ketches, she is a cutter rigged sloop. But she is the one for sure! As she also checks of a lot of big boxes that many other boats could not dare to. Impressed me from the moment I saw her, through the 12 hour survey, and now in my first few days of ownership. She has pedigree, character, charisma, strength, beautiful craftsmanship, quirky oddities, and hopefully a glorious future. She belongs to wide open big seas.

I now look forward to doing repairs and upgrades in the waters around the Pacific Northwest, so someday soon I can untie the lines to set free, so I can continue to do repairs at exotic ports around the world.

Please accept my deepest gratitude and recognition of the support on this thread. Every entry served well towards the end result. If there is anything I can help with for your own search, please do not hesitate to ask.

Cheers.

Congrats
What make and model did you finally get?.
Well a boat is a compromise...
teak decks can be removed, just done that on my cat...

[Jolly Roger]

That’s a ridiculous turnabout for what the OP said he wanted at the beginning of this long thread. Good luck with getting parts for that old Perkins.
It reminds me of the elderly couple who insisted I show them only single-story houses because the wife was so fat, she couldn’t walk upstairs.
I didn’t make a sale, but I heard later from another realtor they had bought a three-story townhouse, (because they liked it), and the wife was planning on slimming. Presumably, they would be living in the garage until she did.
It’s a fact, "there’s nowt as queer as folks."

[nhsailor]

Originally Posted by XtaSea

Looking to buy a 42'-54' bluewater cruiser. Fiberglass preferred, steel & aluminum ok. Fine with some refit & repair needs, however not looking for a major project boat. A big plus if it is located around the Mediterranean, but Europe and Caribbean are fine. Eventual goal is circumnavigation through South Pacific. <7' draft. Yanmar or Volvo Penta. Up to $100K for a project boat and up to $150K for a recently refitted cruiser.



I will note on this thread when the search ends.

I have an Atlas Rogger 46 FD. LOA49ft, Beam 14.5ft, Draft 5.5ft.
Engine 700h after rebuilt. 2 spacious cabins, 6.5-7 ft height throw-out.
Recent updates. Bottom painted in May 2022. Needs electronics update. Comes with the slip in Hampton, VA till June 2023. Asking 150k.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by XtaSea

The long search finally ends as I am now a proud boat owner (again!). And just like the prior ones, I vow once again not to ever buy a boat ever again. This is the last one! Seriously. lol

She was a love at first sight. I had said no-way to teak decks. She has teak decks. I had said no-way to earlier than 1990s. She is early 1980s. I had said any boat over 47' must have a sail locker. At 51' she has no sail locker. I wanted an aft center bed. She does not have so. I have favored Yanmar all along. She has a Perkins. I wanted less than 6' draft. She's well over 7'. I longed for ketches, she is a cutter rigged sloop. But she is the one for sure! As she also checks of a lot of big boxes that many other boats could not dare to. Impressed me from the moment I saw her, through the 12 hour survey, and now in my first few days of ownership. She has pedigree, character, charisma, strength, beautiful craftsmanship, quirky oddities, and hopefully a glorious future. She belongs to wide open big seas.

I now look forward to doing repairs and upgrades in the waters around the Pacific Northwest, so someday soon I can untie the lines to set free, so I can continue to do repairs at exotic ports around the world.

Please accept my deepest gratitude and recognition of the support on this thread. Every entry served well towards the end result. If there is anything I can help with for your own search, please do not hesitate to ask.

Cheers.

Yeah, me too. What did you buy?

[XtaSea]

wingssail, the beauty is a 1980s Passport 51 by Stan Huntingford.