Westerly GK 29 Buyer's Guide
The Westerly GK 29 is a 1978–1981 British-built IOR half-tonner from Westerly Marine Construction Ltd, designed by Michael Pocock with Jack Laurent Giles. With 182 made, she is a recognizable name in the used small-racer market but not a high-volume class, so a careful viewing matters more than a quick comparison of listings.
Layouts on the Used Market
The GK 29 is a masthead-rigged fin-keel sloop with a transom-hung rudder and a solid fiberglass hull. Below she carries six berths with a galley and a toilet, and the beamy hull gives her more interior volume than most similar 29-footers, which is the main reason the berth count works for a small cruising crew rather than being a paper number.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Boats on the market often carry a spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker, an autopilot, a chartplotter, and a life raft. For a half-tonner these are the consequential additions: the spinnaker gear restores the downwind performance the IOR rule rewarded, while the autopilot and chartplotter turn a race-derived hull into a manageable short-handed cruiser. A life raft is the safety baseline a buyer should expect on any offshore-capable listing.
What to Inspect
The GK 29 has no model-specific fault lines in the review record, so a buyer's inspection centers on standard age checks for a 1978–1981 fiberglass hull. Confirm the iron ballast keel attachment and the transom-hung rudder stock, and verify the engine — either a 6 hp or 12 hp diesel — starts clean and shifts the shaft drive without excess play.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
- Verify the keel-to-hull joint on the iron ballast fin
- Check the transom-hung rudder for stock wear
- Confirm the diesel engine and shaft drive operate smoothly
- Look for spinnaker or asymmetric gear and a life raft
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Westerly GK 29. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $17,467 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $18,343 | +5.0% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $17,467 | -4.8% |
| May 26 | 1 | $10,191 | -41.7% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $11,353 | +11.4% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $10,189 | -10.3% |
Where they're listed
Westerly GK 29 listings appear across 4 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 4 (50.0%), followed by Belgium and Ireland.
Country view
8 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $15,962 | 4 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Belgium | $13,391 | 2 | 1 | 25.0% |
| Ireland | $11,353 | 1 | 1 | 12.5% |
| Netherlands | $11,062 | 1 | 1 | 12.5% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sadler 29 | 28.42' | $ 17,596 | 69 | 12 |
| Hallbery Rassy 29 | 29.2' | $ 43,463 | 59 | 13 |
| BENETEAU First 29 | 29.67' | $ 21,990 | 34 | 4 |
| Westerly GK 29You are here | — | $ 12,467 | 8 | 3 |