Introduced as a progression from the Westerly Centaur range, the aft-cockpit Longbow was the first of the 31-foot family to appear. Westerly later reused the hull moulding beneath centre-cockpit decks to produce ketch-rigged sister boats. Production ran from 1971 to 1980, with roughly 265 boats completed. Well over a thousand boats were built with the same basic hull shell.
Design and Construction
Laurent Giles designed the Longbow as a moderate-displacement cruiser with a good ballast ratio. Its hull has the typical Westerly profile, including a pronounced bow knuckle. The iron fin keel is paired with a rudder on a half skeg.
Westerly built the Longbow at its Hampshire works to Lloyds specifications, with the construction processes rigorously monitored. Early boats used less real wood below, relying more heavily on GRP and plastic laminates for the interior trim. Later versions gained more wooden joinery.
The sloop measures 31 feet 0 inches overall and 25 feet at the waterline, with a beam of 9 feet 6 inches and a draught of 4 feet 6 inches. Displacement is 9,400 lb. Sources differ on ballast: one gives 4,200 lb, while another quotes 4,000 lb.
The same hull was also offered as a 32-foot 6-inch ketch. Across the wider 31 family, Westerly combined aft or centre cockpits with fin or bilge keels and sloop or ketch rigs.
Rig and Handling
The sloop carries a 206-square-foot mainsail and a 333-square-foot No. 1 genoa; a 236-square-foot No. 1 jib is also listed. The ketch variant divides its sail area between a 150-square-foot mainsail and a 54-square-foot mizzen.
The theoretical hull speed is 7.5 knots, while speed under engine is about 6.5 knots. Given conditions, passages can readily be planned around a 5-knot average. A Yachtsnet reviewer described the sailing performance as good if unspectacular. The design has long been regarded as a capable blue-water cruiser rather than a racer.
Accommodation
The interior was considered huge for a 31-footer when the Longbow appeared, and it remains spacious. The conventional layout has a forecabin with vee-berths, followed by a separate heads compartment between the forecabin and saloon. In the saloon, a removable table can help form a double berth, opposite another settee berth.
Twin quarterberths aft bring the potential total to seven berths, although the standard accommodation count is six with a single head. The chart table is a slide-out panel over one quarterberth. Alternative layouts were built, but this is the most common arrangement.
The engine compartment is roomy and easily reached through both the cockpit hatch and the main saloon. It originally housed a Volvo Penta MD2B diesel producing about 23 bhp. Tankage comprises 25 UK gallons of fuel and 30 UK gallons of water.
Known Issues
By now, the headlinings on all Westerlys of this period are drooping unless they’ve been replaced or refastened. On the Longbow, the usual cure is a series of trim battens that re-secure the panel. It’s a straightforward job for an owner, but the headlining remains worth checking on any prospective purchase.
Refits and Ownership
Beyond headlining repairs, some Longbows have been refitted with a permanent chart table aft of the galley and a divider in the port settee berth, improving the sea-berth arrangement.
The simple MD2B diesel and robust moulding help keep these boats practical to own. Later boats with wooden joinery look warmer below, while the laminate interiors of earlier examples are easier to live with in damp conditions.
Verdict
The Longbow 31 is a thoroughly sensible small blue-water cruiser: a Laurent Giles hull built to Lloyds standards, roomy for its length, and designed with good access to its machinery. Its sailing performance is steady rather than sparkling, and drooping headlinings are the one universal age-related issue. Even so, its disciplined construction and generous accommodation make it a credible offshore companion.
Pros
- Spacious, still-modern accommodation for a 31-footer, with up to seven berths
- Roomy engine compartment with easy access to the standard Volvo Penta MD2B
- Built to Lloyds specifications, with a capable blue-water hull and good ballast ratio
Cons
- Headlinings droop on all Westerlys of this period unless replaced or refastened
- Sailing performance is characterized as good if unspectacular
- Early interior trim relies on GRP and laminates rather than wood
