Design and Construction
The hull is solid fibreglass with a solid fibreglass deck, lead ballast of 11,684 pounds in a fin keel, and a spade rudder. At 48.5 feet overall, 42.08-foot waterline, 15.08-foot beam, and 28,935-pound displacement, the boat shows a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 40.38 and a displacement-to-length ratio of 173.36. Capsize ratio is 1.97 and comfort ratio 27.4.
Rig and Handling
The masthead sloop rig and 7-foot draft fin keel with substantial lead ballast suit long passages, while the spade rudder gives directional control. Hull speed is 8.69 knots from the long waterline, and the cutter configuration points to manageable offshore sail plans.
Accommodations
The Ocean 49 has three cabins and two heads with six berths. The forward and aft cabins each have a double berth and en-suite head with shower; the port cabin has two singles converting to a double; the saloon has a U-shaped settee as an extra berth.
The Verdict
A rare late-era Dubois cruiser with a divided three-cabin layout and passage-making ballast profile from a fading British yard.
Pros
- Centre cockpit cutter with three cabins and two en-suite heads
- Lead ballast and fin keel for offshore work
- Improved Oceanmaster lineage by Ed Dubois
Cons
- Around 20 built; last Westerly model before 1999 receivership
