Westerly 33 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The Westerly 33 was produced in several distinct variants sharing the same hull, and used examples reflect that variety. The most frequently encountered configuration is the three-cabin sloop layout: a forward V-berth or double cabin, a central saloon with a U-shaped dinette that converts to a double berth to port and a settee berth to starboard, a galley aft of the saloon on the port side, a navigation station opposite, a head compartment amidships, and a small aft cabin accessed from the saloon. This arrangement sleeps up to seven in modest comfort, which made it a popular choice for family cruising and helps explain why it remains the dominant type on the brokerage market.

Less common but not rare is the Discus variant, with its center cockpit and a more separated aft cabin that includes its own head — a configuration that suits liveaboards and couples who value privacy. Ketch-rigged examples also appear occasionally, particularly in European listings, and offer the practical advantage of a smaller, more manageable mainsail paired with a mizzen that doubles as a riding sail at anchor. The cutter-rigged variant with twin headsails is the rarest of the bunch. Fin-keel boats and the more traditional bilge-keel version both circulate on the used market; the bilge keel is especially valued for drying out on tidal harbors and beaching, a genuine asset in British and Irish sailing grounds.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Most Westerly 33s that have been actively cruised will have accumulated a respectable suite of electronics over the years. A chartplotter and autopilot are commonly fitted on boats that have passed through the hands of even a single conscientious owner, both being the kind of investment that repays itself quickly on any passage of length. Dodgers and biminis are widely seen, often fitted as part of a broader cockpit comfort package; the cockpit on this model is generous enough to justify the investment.

Solar panels are a frequent owner upgrade, typically mounted on an arch or pushpit frame, reflecting the preference of owners who like to spend extended periods on the hook without running an engine. Radar and a VHF with DSC are standard additions on boats used offshore or in the busy shipping lanes of Northern Europe. Heating systems — diesel cabin heaters in particular — appear regularly on boats kept in British, Irish, and northern European waters, where seasons extend well beyond summer. An asymmetric spinnaker for downwind sailing is a widely seen addition on cruising-prepared examples. Life rafts, AIS transponders, wind generators, and furling mains fall into the occasional-upgrade category: present on boats whose owners were preparing for longer passages, absent on coastal-only examples.

What to Inspect

The Westerly 33's GRP construction is generally robust, but osmotic blistering is a known characteristic of GRP boats of this era and should be on every buyer's checklist. Inspect the hull carefully below the waterline for blistering, particularly on boats that have spent long periods afloat without antifouling attention. A professional survey with moisture readings is advisable before committing.

The deck on this model is constructed of GRP with a balsa core. Balsa cores are durable when sealed but can become saturated if water finds a path through fittings, cracks at stanchion bases, or compromised chainplates. Press firmly around all deck hardware and listen for the soft, giving feel that signals delamination. Stanchion bases and the areas around through-deck fittings are the most common ingress points.

Keel attachment deserves close attention on any boat of this age. On fin-keel examples, inspect for cracking or rust staining in the bilge around the keel bolts; on bilge-keel boats, check the flanges where the keels meet the hull. Either form of keelwork should be assessed by a qualified surveyor if there is any sign of movement or weeping.

The standing rigging, chainplates, and mast step should all be treated as items of unknown service history unless the seller can produce documented replacement records. Chainplates on GRP boats of this vintage are often embedded in the structure in ways that make inspection difficult without some disassembly — a point worth negotiating into any pre-purchase survey.

The Mercedes diesel engine fitted to many examples has a reputation for reliability when properly serviced, but age matters: confirm oil change intervals, impeller history, heat exchanger condition, and whether the raw water system has been winterized correctly each season. A compression test is inexpensive insurance.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Westerly 33 circulates most actively in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where the brand retains genuine name recognition and a loyal following through the Westerly Owners' Association. Continental European listings — particularly in France, Germany, and Greece — appear regularly, and the bilge-keel variant has proved especially popular in the tidal waters of the English Channel and Irish Sea. Mediterranean examples do surface, often boats that have migrated south for extended cruising and then been sold in situ.

The Westerly Owners' Association is a tangible asset for any buyer: an active community with accumulated technical knowledge, parts sourcing advice, and a frank assessment of which issues are normal for the type and which signal neglect.

Before making an offer, work through this checklist:

• Commission a full out-of-water survey with moisture meter readings across the entire hull
• Press every area of deck around hardware, stanchion bases, and chainplate covers for softness
• Inspect keel bolts and bilge for rust weeping or cracking on fin-keel boats; check bilge-keel flanges for movement
• Pull the engine service records and run a compression test; inspect the raw water impeller and heat exchanger
• Verify standing rigging and chainplate condition, with disassembly if access is limited
• Confirm the variant: sloop or ketch rig, fin or bilge keel, standard or center-cockpit Discus layout
• Check electronics fit-out against your passage-making requirements — many boats will need AIS or an upgraded chartplotter
• Contact the Westerly Owners' Association before purchase; member insight is free and frequently illuminating