Westerly GK 24 Buyer's Guide
The Westerly GK 24 on the used market is a 24-foot flush-decked flyer with a wide beam, built from 1976 to 1981 with 320 produced. Its Quarter Ton racing ancestry makes it a sharp-handling small cruiser-racer, and the surviving fleet is concentrated where Westerly's reputation ran deepest.
Layouts on the Used Market
The GK 24 came as a Quarter Ton race version and as a cruiser-racer with a smaller rig and shallower draught, offered with either an outboard engine or an inboard diesel. The cruiser-racer layout uses the 9 ft 4 in beam for berths for four or five and a separate heads compartment, but the flush deck means sitting headroom only throughout. Buyers should decide early whether they want the race-version power and the deeper draught that comes with it, or the cruiser-racer's easier rig and shoaler keel for sheltered-water cruising.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used fleet, a spinnaker, gennaker, furling main, and solar are commonly fitted on GK 24s. The furling main and the larger downwind sails speak to the boat's need for manageable power given its large rig and early-reefing habit; solar supports the modest 7 horsepower diesel or outboard on a boat with only 6 gallons of fuel. These are the items with real consequence for how the boat sails and lives aboard. Less critical comforts and electronics tend to be owner additions rather than standard fit.
What to Inspect
The one fault the record flags is in the steering. A pair of GK 24s lost their rudders when the stainless retaining straps fractured in heavy seas anchor. Inspect the rudder attachment straps for cracking or corrosion, especially if the boat has seen rough water. Beyond that, the known handling traits — lack of directional stability, weather helm when beating, and a lively helm off the wind — are characteristics to sail and confirm, not defects to repair.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical markets for the GK 24 are the United Kingdom and Ireland. For a buyer there, the checklist is short: confirm which version (race or cruiser-racer) and which engine you are looking at; check the rudder straps; and sail the boat to judge whether its attentive helm suits you. A GK 24 well surveyed and sensibly rigged remains an easily handled, capable small cruiser with more light-air speed than its length suggests.
- Verify rudder attachment straps for cracking or corrosion
- Identify race vs. cruiser-racer rig and draught
- Confirm outboard or inboard diesel and fuel capacity
- Sail to assess directional stability and helm feel
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Westerly GK 24. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 3 | $5,367 | — |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $6,726 | +25.3% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $5,823 | -13.4% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $4,149 | -28.7% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $3,057 | -26.3% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $4,076 | +33.3% |
Where they're listed
Westerly GK 24 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 7 (70.0%), followed by Ireland.
Country view
10 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $4,756 | 7 | 0 | 70.0% |
| Ireland | $5,240 | 3 | 1 | 30.0% |