Westerly GK 24 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The GK 24 reads as a purposeful small racer-cruiser rather than a compromised pocket cruiser. Its flush deck and 9 ft 4 in beam give a surprising amount of space below for a 24-footer, yet the hull itself is conservative in shape by modern standards and of moderate displacement for its day. Westerly built it to Lloyd's Series Production standards from its founding, and the GK 24 carries that lineage of certified GRP construction in a solid fiberglass hull with iron ballast. What distinguishes the model is its dual nature: available both in Quarter Ton race trim and as a cruiser-racer with a smaller rig and shallower draught, and offered with either an outboard or an inboard diesel. The cruiser-racer variant traded some sail power for easier handling and a shoaler keel, but the essential character — a wide, responsive hull — stayed intact across both versions.

Rig and Handling

The GK 24 is, as one reviewer put it, definitely a sailing boat because of its Quarter Ton racing ancestry, and that shows in a relatively large rig for a boat this size; the fractionally rigged example measured 35 feet of mast. Under sail the boat is responsive to the helm and never particularly heavy even when heeled, yet it carries some weather helm when beating and lacks a great deal of inherent directional stability anchor. The helm tends to need fairly constant attention or an autopilot, though it can be lashed for brief periods. Off the wind it becomes more of a handful — a beam reach under spinnaker often demands holding the helm hard over to fend off a broach. Early reefing is the price of the powerful rig: you reef sooner than on comparable small cruisers to bleed off power. In light air the GK 24 is genuinely quick, outpacing many cruising boats including 30-footers, and under main and No. 1 genoa it heels noticeably but holds full sail to 15–18 knots apparent. Step aboard at the dock and she heels at once; in a choppy sea her short length brings rapid pitching that can stall progress in light winds, though beyond exposed headlands where wave period lengthens she rides over the seas without losing much way.

Accommodations

Below, the beam pays off in usable volume. The GK 24 sleeps four or five and includes a separate heads compartment — a notable concession to cruising in a 24-foot racer-derived hull. The trade-off is headroom: the boat has only sitting headroom throughout, which keeps the flush deck low and the center of gravity down but limits livability for taller owners. That compromise is central to the design's identity: a wide, low, quick hull that prioritizes sailing ability and berth count over standing room.

Known Issues

The principal documented structural weakness is in the steering. Steering failure occurred on a pair of sister boats when the stainless straps securing the rudder cracked and let go in heavy seas anchor. Any survey should examine the rudder attachment straps closely, particularly on boats that have seen offshore or rough-water use. Aside from this, the period record centers on handling quirks rather than systemic defects.

Refits and Ownership

Ownership favors the sailor who values an easily handled, capable cruising yacht without the enormous lightweight overlapping genoas of the racing days. Stripped of its extreme racing sails, the GK 24 makes an excellent small cruiser. The 7 horsepower engine — whether original inboard diesel or outboard variant — pushes the hull to about 5.5 knots maximum in flat water on a 7x13 propeller, with the rudder retaining balance under forward power and good astern maneuverability that supports single-handed pontoon approaches. The boat's responsiveness and modest power demands suit an owner who sails often and expects the boat to reward attention rather than forgive its absence.

The Verdict

The GK 24 is a small Westerly that wears its Quarter Ton bloodline openly: quick, responsive, and roomy for its length, but directionally loose and dependent on an attentive helm. It is a sailor's 24-footer, not a lounger's, and the rudder-strap issue is the one fault a buyer must reckon with.

Pros