For Sale

Westerly Pentland Sloop

Saumur

PD38

Overview:

Westerly Pentland bilge keeled sloop

Launched 1975

3 Owners

Wintered ashore

Peel - Isle of Man - June 2000

Puilladobhrain July 2006

Eilean Mor - September 2008

Pros:

We have owned Saumur for 19 years and in that time have spent many happy days on her. Whilst we have used her every summer except for two, she has never been heavily used.

She has had extensive work carried out professionally and it is fair to say that from a structural safety perspecitve she is a fine example of her class.

Cons:

Some cosmetic work needs to be carried out inside.

Usual Westerly headlining replacement & new upholstery needed.

We are selling Saumur to restore a Westerly Conway of a similar age.

History:

1989: Purchased Saumur. We sent her to Partingtons Marine in Pwllheli which at the time was the leading International agent in the North West. Partingtons carried out an International preventative osmosis treatment and painted the topsides.

1991: Proctor boom with slab reefing to replace the original roller reefing. Sails by Mouse Sails of Anglesey. These were designed by an Australian yacht racer and Roger from Mouse. The main is fully battened and has a very generous roach. They get admiring looks wherever we go and we would strongly recommend the new owners either return to Mouse for the replacements or at least have them copied. They have strectched since new but still perform well and will give several seasons further use. In a fresh breeze when sailing free we can easily make 7.5 knots.

1996: Saumur spent this hot sumer on the hard. We resprayed the coach roof, decks and hull. After weeks of hot dry weather we took the opportunity to give the hull 4 coats of two part epoxy gelshield. A Profurl roller reefing system was installed.

1998: Simpson Lawrence Sprint 5 electric windlass fitted. This has powered release and haul, controlled by a corded controller at the bow. We stripped the winch in 2006 and fitted a new motor. At the same time we bought a spare motor which is included. 50m of 3/8" Simpsons Lawrence calibrated chain. Most other 30 footers have 5/16" chain and the extra holding power of 3/8" chain cannot be overestimated. Once securely anchored Saumur is not going anywhere. We have ridden out a F9 gale in Canna without any concern.

2000: We had Saumur in Dickies of Bangor and had both keels removed and the webs replaced and the keels rebedded. The keel floor and webs is a weak point on all Westerky 31's and it is a job that often needs doing on boats of this age if it has not been done before. The rudder was removed and new rudder bearings fitted.

2001: New mahogany facing applied to the cabin bulkheads. This gives a warmer feel. New washboards for the main and aft cabin. 4 new opening ports to replace the aging originals. These were for the forward cabin, heads and hanging locker. New Lavac heads fitted. In our opinion the Lavac is the best sea toilet. No awkward valves and is eay and intuitive to use for guests.

2002: The original Autohelm autopilot failed and a new ST4000 wheel autopilot fitted. New Seiwa colour GPS and plotter installed. This interfaces to the autopilot enabling a course entered on the plotter to control the autopilot.

2003: New Techimpex cooker fitted. New gas piping from the gas locker and regulator. Work by Victoria Marine.

2004: Saumur spent the year out of the water and a new Beta 28 hp engine installed by Marine Engineering Services of Port Dinorwic. The engine had an up-rated control panel with rev counter and the larger alternator option. At the same time we had a lot of other work carried out. A calorifier was fitted into the bottom of the starboard cockpit locker and a new fresh water tank to supply it was installed in the port cockpit locker. The engine bay was completely lined in Halyard 32 mm soundproofing. A new stainless fuel tank installed with fuel gauge in the saloon. New propshaft and propeller. Stern gland and stuffing box overhauled. New mini bulkhead fitted to stop drips from the sterngland getting into the main bilge. New engine bearers. A new engine drip tray was fabricated in grp. The boat was professionally rewired. New batteries and battery switch.

2005: New bilge pump in heads and all new pipework.

2006: A new Beta gearbox installed to give faster cruising speed. Replaced steering cables. Work by Ardfern Yacht Centre.

2007: New rudder reference transducer for the autohelm installed. New cockpit dodgers and sprayhood with grab bar. Work by Owen Sails. New standing rigging (Dyform). New running rigging. New guardwires. Engine morse control stripped and serviced. Work by Ardfern Yacht Centre.

2008: New lazyjack system with Stakpak. New sail cover. Work by Owen sails. New access cover for the fuel tank installed. New engine instrument housing. Full mast survey.

Characteristics

Sailing: Despite her bilge keels, Saumur is very responsive in anything over 12 knots of breeze. She goes upwind at 40 degrees apparent but is at her happiest when reaching. Her sweet spot is from 60 - 100 degrees apparent and with full sail up whe will storm along at 7knots + in 20 knots of breeze in a moderate sea. For heavy weather we had a deep third reef installed when we designed the sails. She feels stiff and seaworthy in a gale.

Motoring: The new soundproofed Beta engine is a dream compared with the old Volvo which was deafening. You need to motorsail just off the wind but in reasonable sea conditions she will go at 6 knots. As with all bilge keels she needs plenty of revs in short bursts when going astern but I am confident when manoeuvring her forward and astern in close marina situations in fresh winds.

At anchor: As mentioned aboe we have spent many happy nights at anchor. We have had a few gales and in 40-50 knots of wind she does not sail to her anchor as do modern lightweight beamy vessels.

Drying out: We have had the opportunity to watch and compare Saumur to other bilge keel boats when drying out in Irish Sea harbours. She does not 'dance' on her keels as do many other boats and she just gently sits down. In a flat calm harbour it is sometimes impossible to feel her touch.

Summary

As you can see from the above we have continually maintained Saumur. She was built in the days when the strengths of fibreglass were not fully understood. In short, she was built in the same thickness as a wooden boat. When we had the log and depth fitted I kept the cores that were removed and the thickness of the hull has to be seen to be believed. She is a good sea boat and given a choice of crossing the Minch in a fresh breeze I would pcik Saumur over the modern Ben/Bav/Jen brigade any day. We have set her up to be easily handled by two people. Although she can theoretically sleep 6 we have found that 4 or 5 is practical.

Work to be done

Whilst we have continously uprated Saumur we have not restored her accomodation areas. The following needs doing: New window frames in the saloon and opening ports for the aft cabin, new headlining & new upholstery. Windows and frames for the Pentland are available from Trafalgar Yacht Services.

If we had not puchased the Westerly Conway we would have completed the interior refit this winter.

The navigation instruments (wind, depth & speed) are made by Stowe and some of the system has recently stopped working. Fortunately, spares are available from AW Marine and they have started making replacement transducers. This means they can be repaired or replaced. A new instrument pod needs to be made. A radar (Raytheon R10x) which is 15 years old is included but not currently fitted.

We believe that if you restored Saumur as per our suggestions, you would have a fine boat that would give years of safe fun.

Price: 19,500

Documentation

We have two folders stuffed full fo all the manuals pertaining to the hardware right from the original Westerly brochure through to the new engine manual.

Location

Saumur is lying ashore at Ardfern Yacht Centre in Scotland. Ardfern is, in our opinion, the premier yacht haven on the West coast of Scotland and is approximately a 2 hour drive form Glasgow. There is an exellent Inn and hotel a short walk away called 'The Galley of Lorne' . The Ardfern area is gorgeous and would make a nice mini break if you wanted more than one night.

Saumur is on sale through Ardfern Yacht Centre - 01852 500247

Approaching Chicken Rock - Isle of Man

Inventory & Fittings

35 pound Simpson Lawrence CQR anchor
50m 3/8” (10mm) chain
Simpson Lawrence Electric Windlass
Handheld windlass control
35 pound plough kedge anchor
10m 8mm chain + warp
Spinnaker pole
Liferaft
Fenders
Danbuoy
Outboard bracket
Warps
Emergency Tiller
Winch handles
Beta Engine spares kit
2 bilge pumps - one operated from cockpit, one operated from heads
Lavac Zenith toilet
Manual fresh water pump in heads
Manual fresh water pump at galley
Hot water pressurised system with tap at galley
Extra fresh water tank
2 ring Techimpex cooker with grill and oven
2 gas bottles & regulator
Clock & barometer
Seiwa colour plotter & C-map charts for Ireland, Irish Sea, Clyde to Mull, Mull to Loch Nevis, Western Isles
Icom IC-M505 DSC VHF
Instrument & Switch panel
Raymarine ST4000 autopilot
R10X Raytheon radar (needs attention)
Sestrel steering compass
Chart table light
Nav lights & tricolour
V-tronix Hawk VHF aerial with wind indicator
Stowe Instruments (see notes)
Numerous spares including bilge pump service kits, spare windlass motor and seals
Lobster & Crab pots
Nylon boarding ladder
Hand held compass
Magazine/book rack
Sony radio VHF/MW/LW & CD
Separate Stereo amp with MP3 input
Monitor stereo speakers
Dividers
Parallel rules
Flares pack
2 white flares
Heaving line
Lead Line
Frog horn and spare cylinder
Boat hooks
Buoyant line
2 preventers with snap shackles
10 litre Water container
10 litre diesel container
Diesel funnel
Day marks
Bolt croppers
Emergency VHF aerial
EPIRB (ancient one but still tests OK so kept)
Fire extinguishers: 1 in each cabin (i.e.3)
Fire blanket
Bosun’s chair
Water hose on reel
Dinner & sideplates and bowls
Cutlery
Mugs
Tumblers & wineglasses (plastic)
2 large bowls
Kettle
Large and small frying pans
Assorted kitchen utensils
Tube heater (240v)
Red ensign
‘Q’ flag
French courtesy flag