Westerly Typhoon 37 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Ed Dubois conceived the Typhoon 37 as a bigger and better Fulmar, and the result embodies everything that was good about that earlier model while adding a higher standard of finish and a larger interior. The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass laminate built largely like other Westerlys from chopped strand mat, but it carries two layers of osmosis-resistant isophthalic gel coat with isophthalic resin for the first mat layer, and biaxial cloth with unidirectional fibres was placed strategically for extra reinforcement. The deck moulding uses a foam core, which is less prone than balsa to trouble if moisture gets in foam core, which is less likely than balsa cores to develop problems. The hull itself carries Lloyds construction certificates, and below the waterline the boat runs a bulb fin keel with a spade rudder, the low centre-of-gravity bulb making her considerably stiffer than her 36.7 ballast-displacement ratio would suggest likely to be considerably stiffer than her published ratio.

Rig and Handling

The Typhoon 37 came with a powerful fractional rig on a single-spreader mast that could be deck- or keel-stepped, and an inner forestay allows a staysail to be flown for versatility inner forestay that can fly a staysail. The fractional layout lets the backstay flatten the big mainsail as the wind builds, and the whole set-up allows quick and easy reefing from the cockpit while the large main remains easily tamed. On the water she was easily handled and a solid upwind performer, proving well behaved when reaching and willing to surf readily yet under easy control on a quartering sea. Generous sail area promotes light-air speed, and with fin keel and spade rudder she shows excellent maneuverability; test sailors found her very light on the helm, lively, and able to top eight knots in moderate winds.

Accommodation

Practical Boat Owner judged the Typhoon 37's galley and navigation station among the best of any boat in the Westerly range, and the saloon was open and airy by period standards. Early boats used a two-cabin plan with a single aft double significantly larger than the usual quarter cabin, gaining floor space and a small settee, while later hulls could option a smaller double quarter cabin to one side and a separate single opposite. Forward, owners chose either offset single bunks with good foot room or a conventional double vee-berth, and both forepeak arrangements included an en suite heads and basin as well as an aft heads. The interior volumes fall below those of the 36-foot Corsair, and the woodwork is darker with less natural light than most modern yachts, but the accommodation is very civilised in either layout.

Engine and Equipment

Earlier Typhoons were fitted with a 28hp Volvo Penta 2003 diesel, while later versions and the Regatta 370 moved to the Perkins-based Volvo Penta 2030, widely regarded as the more robust unit. On deck, stainless steel stanchions and lifelines, teak coachroof handrails, an anchor locker with electric windlass, and two bow and two stern cleats were standard, with two winches per cockpit side for sheets and halyards and a pair of large sail lockers.

Lineage and Successors

Around 40 Typhoon 37s were built before the late-1993 revamp to the Regatta 370, of which only eight sold; that boat carried a radical Ken Freivokh interior aimed at French competition. A further makeover became the Ocean 37 in 1999 with a more conventional high-quality interior, and only two were completed before Westerly closed for good. The 50 boats on this hull remain desirable and have held value better than comparable size-and-era designs.

The Verdict

The Typhoon 37 is a genuinely performance-oriented Westerly that keeps the marque's construction discipline and a praised interior, trading some volume and light for stiffness, pace, and helm balance. She suits a sailor who wants a Dubois fin-keeled cruiser that is quick upwind, easy to reef from the cockpit, and better finished than her Fulmar ancestor.

Pros