Design Brief & Intent
The primary mission of the Solway 36 was to deliver uncompromising offshore seaworthiness alongside maximum cruising versatility. In the context of Westerly’s line-up and the broader European market of the era, the Solway represented a massive step forward in structural engineering and accommodation space 2. To guarantee hull integrity, every Solway was constructed under the rigorous oversight of Lloyd’s Register, receiving a Series Production Certificate. The fiberglass layup was exceptionally heavy by today's standards, utilizing a minimum of 12 ounces per square foot of glass mat on the topsides, which doubled to 26 ounces per square foot along the bottom of the hull.
Where the Solway truly distinguished itself from its competitors was in the design of its underbody and its interior layout. Unlike the deep-draft, fin-keeled Conway, the Solway utilized a twin-keel (bilge keel) configuration. This enabled the vessel to stand upright on its own bottom on drying moorings, saving owners significant slip and winter storage fees while opening up shallow estuaries and harbors that were closed to deeper vessels 5.
Stepping below, the interior layout felt remarkably grand for a 36-foot yacht of the 1970s 2. It was the first Westerly design where the aft cabin could be accessed directly from the main saloon via an internal walkthrough passage, eliminating the need to scramble across a wet cockpit in heavy weather. The headroom was generous, standing at six feet, five inches in the saloon and five feet, two inches in the walkthrough. Early production models utilized a fair amount of exposed GRP inner liners, but later hulls shifted to warm, hand-crafted sapele mahogany and teak joinery, which significantly elevated the quality and aesthetic appeal of the living spaces.
Variations & Configurations 1
Throughout its eight-year production run, the Solway 36 was offered with several factory options, allowing owners to tailor the boat to their specific cruising grounds. The most significant variation was the choice of rig. While a masthead sloop configuration was available, the vast majority of Solways were commissioned as ketches. During an era when reliable roller-reefing systems were still in their infancy, the ketch rig allowed a small crew to divide the total sail area into smaller, more manageable units, balancing the boat easily under mainsail, jib, and mizzen.
Internally, Westerly offered up to four distinct cabin layouts, and the yard was famously accommodating of minor semi-custom modifications requested by buyers 1. The primary layouts centered around how the walkthrough passage to the aft cabin and the aft cabin itself were utilized. In some configurations, the walkthrough was fitted with a pilot berth, while in others, it was optimized for storage, a navigation station, or a dedicated workbench. The aft cabin also varied; earlier models typically featured a vanity sink and twin berths, while later hulls sacrificed a portion of the massive cockpit locker to install an en-suite head, creating a true, private owner's suite.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The sailing characteristics of the Solway 36 are directly defined by its traditional, heavy-displacement design ratios. With a displacement of 17,350 pounds and a modest sail area, the boat features a low Sail Area-to-Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 11.93. Physically, this under-canvased profile means the Solway is not a light-wind flyer; it requires a stiff breeze—typically Force 4 or higher—to fully find its groove. However, once the wind fills in, the boat is an unstoppable, steady locomotive.
The boat's outstanding heavy-weather pedigree is reflected in its Comfort Ratio of 33.78 and its Capsize Screening Formula of 1.73. The high comfort ratio indicates a very gentle, predictable motion in a seaway, with slow pitching and rolling periods that greatly reduce crew fatigue on long ocean passages. The capsize value sits well below the maximum safety threshold of 2.0, affirming that the hull possesses excellent ultimate stability and self-righting capabilities.
Crucially, the Solway carries a Ballast-to-Displacement (Bal/Disp) ratio of 47.78%. This exceptionally high ballast ratio was a deliberate design choice by Laurent Giles to compensate for the shallower 4.5-foot draft of the twin keels. By placing a massive amount of cast iron ballast in the twin-keel stubs, the designers ensured the Solway remains remarkably stiff and upright even when hard-pressed 9. At the helm, the boat tracks straight and steady, though owners must accept a performance penalty when beating to windward. The bilge-keel arrangement results in slightly wider tacking angles—often around 100 degrees or more—compared to the fin-keeled Conway, but off the wind, the boat handles beautifully and balances easily, especially under a well-trimmed ketch rig.
Known Issues & Triage 10
For prospective buyers, understanding the structural and mechanical realities of an aging Solway 36 is essential. Decades of service have highlighted several model-specific triage routines.
The most critical area of inspection is the hull-to-keel joint and the internal floor structures. Because the twin splayed bilge keels are designed to take the ground, they act as massive levers against the bottom of the hull. Repeated drying out, particularly on uneven or hard ground, subjects the keel stubs to intense flexing and wringing forces. Over time, this flexing can break down the original elastomeric sealant, leading to water weeping through the stainless steel keel studs—a phenomenon often accompanied by rust staining in the bilge. In severe cases, the flexing can cause stress cracking in the laminate around the internal floor frames. The accepted remedy is to haul the boat, drop the heavy cast-iron keels, inspect the studs, and rebed them using high-performance marine sealants. Many owners have also successfully reinforced this area by glassing in additional transverse webs or floor stringers inside the bilge to stiffen the hull bottom.
Another ubiquitous Westerly issue of this era is the "Westerly droop"—the systematic failure of the interior headlining. The original vinyl was glued to a polyurethane foam backing that disintegrates over several decades into a sticky orange powder, causing the vinyl panels to sag and hang down throughout the cabin. Replacing the headlining is an incredibly labor-intensive DIY project that requires scraping the fiberglass bare, removing all old contact adhesive, and applying new marine-grade foam-backed vinyl or fabricating modern wood-paneled headlining slats.
The skeg-hung rudder and steering gear also demand attention. The Solway's rudder is shorter and wider than that of the fin-keeled models, and the lower rudder bearing (or bush) is highly prone to wear. A rattling or loose lower bearing requires dropping the heavy rudder stock from its 2.25-inch tube, a job that must be coordinated while the boat is suspended or high on the hard, and which requires clearing the steering quadrant located beneath the aft cabin bunk. Finally, because balsa wood sandwich construction was used extensively in the deck moulding, any poorly bedded deck hardware can allow water to migrate into the core, causing localized soft spots that require grinding out, recoring, and glassing over 10.
Modernization & Upgrades
The Solway 36 is an excellent candidate for modernization, and the global owner community has established several common upgrade paths.
The primary mechanical upgrade is repowering. The original 36 HP Volvo Penta MD3B (or the optional Mercedes OM636) is incredibly heavy, loud, and increasingly difficult to source parts for. Modern owners frequently replace these antiquated blocks with modern, lightweight, and highly efficient diesels in the 35 to 45 horsepower range, such as a Beta Marine 38 or Yanmar 3JH series. This repower not only dramatically reduces overall weight in the center of the boat, but also provides much-needed alternator output for modern house batteries.
The electrical system of the Solway is also prime for modernization. Thanks to the immense dry storage space underneath the saloon berths and within the walkthrough passage, owners have ample room to install high-capacity Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery banks. When paired with solar panels mounted on a custom stern arch, a modernized Solway can easily support off-grid living, refrigeration, and light watermaking capabilities without relying on constant engine charging.
Rigging upgrades are also common, particularly on the ketch variants. Veteran owners often convert the original slab-reefing systems to modern single-line reefing run aft to the cockpit, install heavy-duty stackpacks with lazy jacks on both the main and mizzen booms, and upgrade the headsail to a high-quality roller-furling system to make the heavy sail plan much easier to manage single-handed.
The Verdict
The Westerly Solway 36 is a rugged, honest, and highly capable cruiser that punches far above its weight class in terms of sheer safety and accommodation volume. While it will never win races and requires a firm breeze to perform, its massive layup, comfortable motion, and ability to dry out flat on its twin keels make it one of the most versatile and budget-friendly offshore cruising platforms of its era. For the cruising couple or family willing to tackle systemic updates like headlining replacement and bilge keel reinforcement, the Solway offers an incredibly solid foundation for both coastal exploring and blue-water passage making.
Pros
- Exceptional tidal versatility, allowing the boat to dry out upright on its twin bilge keels
- Immense interior volume with an internally-accessed aft cabin and excellent headroom
- Outstanding offshore stability and safety with a Capsize Screening ratio of 1.73
- Very comfortable, sea-kindly motion in heavy weather due to a high Comfort Ratio
- Highly robust GRP construction built to Lloyd's Register certification standards
- Stiff and upright under canvas thanks to a massive 47.78% ballast-to-displacement ratio
Cons
- Under-canvased design (SA/Disp of 11.93) that requires substantial wind to perform well
- Compromised windward pointing ability and wider tacking angles than fin-keeled competitors
- Subject to chronic "Westerly droop" headlining failure, requiring labor-intensive replacement
- Bilge keel joints and backing structures require periodic inspection and reinforcement to prevent flexing
- Accessing and maintaining steering linkages and rudder bearings under the aft bunk can be physically demanding
