Design and Construction
The Typhoon 37 represents a departure from Westerly's mainstream cruising formula without abandoning the rugged reliability for which the yard was known. The hull is hand-laid fibreglass laminate, using chopped strand mat as the primary structural medium — consistent with most Westerly production — but with two layers of osmosis-resistant isophthalic gel coat and isophthalic resin for the first layer of mat, providing meaningful protection against osmosis. Biaxial cloth combined with unidirectional fibres was applied strategically in high-load areas for additional reinforcement. The deck moulding uses a foam core rather than balsa, which is a meaningful distinction: foam cores are far less vulnerable to moisture ingress-related delamination if the deck fittings are ever compromised.
The bulb fin keel is one of the boat's defining features. Where the Ballast/Displacement ratio of 36.7 might ordinarily suggest a tender boat prone to heeling, the concentration of ballast in a bulb at the keel's foot dramatically improves initial and secondary stability relative to what the raw ratio implies. The result is a boat that carries sail well and does not need to be reefed as early as a conventional fin-keel boat of similar displacement might.
Rig and Sail Handling
The fractional sloop rig is the key to the Typhoon's character on the water. Unlike a masthead arrangement, the fractional setup allows backstay tension to directly influence mainsail shape — flattening the sail as the wind builds without requiring a sail change or a different reef point. This tuning capability makes it possible to carry full sail longer in rising breezes and to dial out weather helm progressively rather than in sudden, disruptive steps.
Reefing is straightforward from the cockpit, and the design's performance testing demonstrated this concretely: a single crew member was timed at fifty seconds to take in the first reef when the boat was under sail. The large mainsail that drives the boat so effectively in light air is therefore not a liability in a squall — it is simply a sail that rewards attentive trimming.
The inner forestay, which can fly a staysail, adds further versatility to the sail plan. Upwind ability is the boat's strongest suit. A boat that tacks through 80 degrees effectively arrives on a comfortable reach at the wind angles where a less efficient design is still grinding upwind, which shortens uncomfortable windward passages and broadens the sailing conditions that feel rewarding rather than merely endured.
Performance Under Sail
The Typhoon 37's Sail Area/Displacement ratio of 21.3 is firmly in the performance category for a cruising yacht of this displacement, and on the water the numbers are backed by behaviour. The boat proved willing to surf on a quartering sea, doing so under easy control rather than requiring active correction. It will reach speeds in excess of eight knots in moderate winds, sailing rings around contemporary production cruisers of similar length when conditions suit its low-drag hull form and efficient rig.
The Displacement/Length ratio of 226 places it in the moderate-displacement bracket — heavy enough to carry full cruising stores without dramatically altering its trim, but not so heavy that it becomes sluggish in light air. The Capsize Screening Formula of 1.9 keeps it safely below the 2.0 threshold generally considered acceptable for offshore passages.
Accommodation
The interior offers a choice between two- and three-cabin layouts, both of which were developed thoughtfully rather than squeezed in to match a marketing checklist. The two-cabin version gives the aft area to a single substantial double cabin — meaningfully larger than a typical quarter cabin, with real floor space and a small settee — while the three-cabin option divides the same space into a smaller double quarter cabin on one side and a separate single cabin opposite.
Forward, owners could choose between a conventional V-berth or a pair of singles at different heights, providing generous foot space for each berth. Both configurations were fitted with an en suite heads and basin forward, and a second heads aft. The galley and navigation station earned particular praise as among the best in the Westerly range — the galley with two-burner stove, oven, sink, and top-loading refrigerator, and the chart table with a forward-facing position opposite the companionway.
The woodwork is darker than contemporary production yachts and natural light is more limited than owners accustomed to modern wide-opening ports might prefer. The interior volumes are also modest compared with the Westerly Corsair 36, which gains significant aft cabin space from its greater freeboard and centre cockpit arrangement. These are trade-offs for the Typhoon's superior performance and lower centre of gravity, not oversights.
Known Issues and Practical Considerations
The Typhoon 37 is not a boat with a long list of structural weaknesses, but a few practical considerations shape the ownership experience. The early engines — the 28hp Volvo Penta 2003 diesel — were adequate but the later Perkins-based Volvo Penta 2030 fitted to later boats and Regatta 370s is widely regarded as a more robust unit. When inspecting examples, engine generation is worth identifying early.
The transom is closed, without a central gate or bathing platform, which French contemporaries of similar size had already begun to offer. For passage-making this matters little, but for day sailing and anchoring in warm water, the practicality gap is noticeable. The cockpit also lacks the wide unobstructed volume of some rivals, though the coamings provide good protection from spray.
The construction era's use of hand-laid chopped strand mat means that any hull which has seen hard service warrants careful osmosis inspection, even with the isophthalic resin treatment. The osmosis protection is meaningfully better than the yard's earlier boats, but it is not equivalent to the vinylester lamination that became standard in later production.
Refits and Ownership
The Typhoon 37's deck gear was specified to a higher standard than typical Westerly cruisers, and the layout was designed to allow accurate sail trim. Most surviving examples have been upgraded over the decades — additional sail control lines, updated electronics, and in many cases, updated rig components. Given the fractional sloop configuration, a careful rigging survey is advisable, particularly for the intermediate shrouds and backstay adjuster, which see significant load in active trimming.
The design's rarity — around forty examples built before the model was revamped as the Regatta 370 — means that a strong owners' association at westerly-owners.co.uk is the primary resource for sourcing original parts documentation, comparing notes on vendor experience, and accessing the collective knowledge of long-term owners. The community is active and knowledgeable in the way that rare, enthusiast-owned fleets tend to be.
Forepeak layout changes between the two bunk and V-berth configurations are described as practical conversions rather than structural interventions, so owners who want to alter an existing arrangement are not facing a major shipwright project.
The Verdict
The Westerly Typhoon 37 is what happens when a production boatbuilder applies genuine performance thinking to a cruising brief. Ed Dubois gave Westerly a hull and rig combination that could embarrass more expensive contemporaries to windward, yet the interior and construction remained practical and owner-maintainable. It is not the most spacious 37-footer ever built, and its closed transom and darker woodwork show its era, but as a boat to sail hard, cruise offshore, and own without specialist support infrastructure, it occupies a position few of its peers can match.
Pros
- Fractional rig with backstay-adjustable sail shape rewards active trimming and simplifies reefing
- Bulb keel concentrates ballast low, delivering stiffness beyond what the raw ratios suggest
- Galley and chart table among the strongest in the Westerly range
- Capsize screening below 2.0 with a moderate displacement suited to offshore passages
- Foam-cored deck is more resistant to moisture ingress than balsa-cored alternatives
- Strong owners' association preserves institutional knowledge for a small fleet
Cons
- Closed transom and no bathing platform limits functionality at anchor compared with contemporaries
- Darker interior and limited natural light feels dated against modern production standards
- Early 28hp Volvo Penta 2003 engine is less robust than the later 2030 unit
- Small fleet size means parts and vendor experience are narrower than for mass-produced rivals
- Interior volume is constrained relative to centre-cockpit contemporaries of similar length
