Westerly Berwick 31 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Berwick is the twin-keel development of the fin-keel Longbow, and one of four Westerly models — alongside the Pentland, Renown, and Konsort — that share the same basic hull twin/bilge keel version of the Longbow. Below the waterline the hull is solid fiberglass with no core, while the deck is also fiberglass but carries balsa core in places for panel stiffness, with molded nonskid for safe passage on deck. The twin keels themselves are cast iron with lead ballast inside, bolted to the hull on stainless steel fastenings bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts. A skeg-hung rudder of foam-cored fiberglass on a stainless stock protects the steering from grounding or fouling when the boat dries out. With a 45.3% ballast ratio and 4,436 lb of ballast, the Berwick is a notably stiff hull high ballast ratio of 45.3%; its displacement places it among heavy cruisers by length-to-beam and displacement-length measures, and it sits slimmer than 62% of comparable designs while rating more comfortable than 79% of them in motion comfort.

Rig and Handling

The Berwick is a masthead sloop with a deck-stepped mast and tiller steering, the tiller adaptable to an extension or autopilot. Reported sail area is 39.4 square meters — modest against its 4,441 kg displacement, leaving it slightly underpowered for the weight but easy to manage slightly underpowered for its displacement. Sheet specifications from period data list 12 mm diameters throughout, with genoa and jib sheets around 9.5 m and a mainsheet near 23.8 m. The twin keels give good stability and let the boat dry out on shallow or tidal patches, and the theoretical hull speed is 7.5 knots under sail, about 6.5 under engine. A capsize screening value of 1.75 means the formula alone would admit it to ocean racing, though the boat is described first as a coastal cruiser that some owners have taken offshore.

Accommodations

High freeboard and a wide 2.9 m beam give the Berwick a distinctive look and a roomy interior centered on a raised coachroof with large windows for light and ventilation. It sleeps six across three cabins: a forward V-berth with infill and lockers, a saloon with two settees that convert to a double via infill, and a quarter berth behind the chart table. The saloon's folding table seats six. The galley sits at the companionway foot to port with a two-burner gas stove, oven, grill, manual sink, and large icebox; the nav station opposite holds a big chart table, instrument panel, and the quarter berth. The head is forward of the saloon to port with manual washbasin and hanging locker. A large aft cockpit with tiller and ample lockers, plus wide side decks, rounds out the plan. The engine compartment is spacious and reached from both the cockpit hatch and the saloon.

Equipment and Deck Gear

The original Volvo MD2B of 23 horsepower is carried in that accessible compartment, though some owners have swapped in newer units. Fuel is 76 liters and water 114 liters — limited for long passages. On deck, a sturdy bow pulpit, stern rail, stanchions, and lifelines are standard, with a bow roller, anchor locker, and manual windlass forward.

The Verdict

The Berwick 31 is a purposeful coastal cruiser whose twin-keel layout and shallow draft open tidal and drying harbors that fin-keel cousins cannot use, without surrendering the stiffness and comfort of a heavily ballasted hull. Its accommodations are generous for 31 feet and the engine access is genuinely practical, but modest tankage and sail area suit it to sheltered water more than bluewater loads.

Pros