Westsail Corporation and, later, Jomarco built 119 hulls over a five-year production run. Boats were sold either fully finished or as kits for owners to complete, a practice carried over from the smaller Westsail 32. In percentage terms, more 42s left the factory finished than was the case with the more economical 32s.
Design and Construction
Crealock adapted the Westsail 32’s proven full-keel, heavy-displacement formula, adding a canoe stern and giving the new hull fuller aft sections than the double-ended 32. The Westsail 42 measures 42 feet 11 inches overall and 33 feet 4 inches on the waterline. It displaces 31,500 pounds, carries 11,000 pounds of ballast, and draws 5 feet 8 inches.
The hull itself is built in two sections. Each half consists of 12 hand-laid layers of fiberglass roving and mat, and the halves are joined with adhesive. At the sheer line, a moulded two-inch flange forms the hull-to-deck joint. The deck moulding is cored with half-inch plywood.
The deck and hull underwent a month-long curing process, during which any flaws would surface. The three portions of lead ballast were cast, bedded in a mixture of glue and asbestos, and then covered with glass.
A year after the Westsail 42 appeared, the Westsail 43 was launched from the same hull moulds as a rear-cockpit variant.
Rig and Handling
Westsail offered both cutter and ketch rigs, though the cutter was more common. The cutter carries 961 square feet of sail and has a bridge clearance of 60 feet. The ketch spreads 1,081 square feet beneath a bridge clearance of 57 feet 4 inches. An inner forestay sail is club-footed.
The ketch rig offers a large range of sail combinations and makes shorthanded sailing a breeze—an advantage for crews sailing with minimal hands. Under way, the Westsail 42 is lively, sea-friendly, and stable. With either sail plan, it is easily trimmed and balanced in all-weather situations.
Accommodations and Stowage
The Westsail 42’s center-cockpit layout was designed for long-distance liveaboard travel, with plenty of storage below decks. With aft sections fuller than those of the Westsail 32, the hull provides the sort of stowage a cruising couple needs for extended passage work rather than weekend coasting.
Production, Power, and Lineage
Westsail Corporation filed for bankruptcy in 1977, a casualty of a bad economy and conventional business procedures. The marque was rescued and continued as Westsail International until 1979.
Jomarco, a yacht manufacturer in Santa Ana, California, bought the moulds for the 42 and 43 and continued a small production run. Westsail produced hulls 1 through 116 between 1974 and 1979; Jomarco completed hulls 117 through 119.
Auxiliary power comes from a Perkins 4-236 85hp diesel. Broadcaster Walter Cronkite bought a Westsail 42 for himself, a measure of the model’s standing among contemporary buyers.
The Verdict
The Westsail 42 is a purpose-built ocean cruiser from the height of the Westsail era, conceived without compromise by a designer given free rein. Its two-section, hand-laid hull, lead ballast bedded in place, and month-long curing process reflect a serious approach to structural integrity. Its center-cockpit liveaboard layout and generous stowage suit long passages.
The choice of cutter or ketch rig broadens its appeal, with the ketch making shorthanded work easier. This is a heavy-displacement passagemaker rather than a boat designed primarily for speed.
Pros
- Crealock-designed, full-keel passagemaker with a canoe stern and fuller aft sections than the Westsail 32
- Two-section, hand-laid fiberglass hull with a moulded-flange hull-to-deck joint
- Lead ballast cast in three bedded portions
- Center-cockpit liveaboard interior with extensive below-decks storage
- Choice of cutter or ketch rigs; the ketch simplifies shorthanded sail handling
- Stable, easily balanced, and sea-friendly under sail
Cons
- Heavy displacement and moderate sail area favor passagemaking over speed
- Sold as both kits and finished boats, so completion quality varies by hull
- Production was split between Westsail and Jomarco during the 1970s
