Roger Long wrote:
Jim Conlin wrote:

The Westsail 32 is a direct descendant of John Hanna's Tahiti ketch,


But he's simply wrong.

The Westsail 32 lines are a slight modification of this boat:

http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Sail/Eric.html


Well, we could quibble over "slight modification." Why do we
always end up in these little discussions, Roger?

The Westsail, from what I've seen of their plans & the boats
themselves, have lower & softer bilges, less flare, and less
keel salient. Since those were among the defining
characteristics of shape that gave the Colin Archer
redningskoite their sea-keeping and sailing characteristics,
I feel justified in saying it's not really a Colin Archer.


The Tahiti ketch is a similar type but quite different proportions. I
think the Atkin/Colin Archer boat is the better one, myself.


I have sailed a Gilmer version of the Colin Archers, wherein
he keeps & perhaps even exaggerates. *Markedly* different
boat than the Westsail.

Another thing to bear in mind about the Colin Archers is
that they were innovative in design and construction, and
were considered light displacement for their day. His
expertise in building extremely strong double planked hulls
led to their success as much as anything else. If he were
building boats to day, I have little doubt he'd use some
very strong advanced construction and a higher ballast/disp
ratio.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote:

Well, we could quibble over "slight modification." Why do we
always end up in these little discussions, Roger?

My memory of early publicity and magazine articles at the time of the
Westsail's introduction (something you may be too young to remember) stated
that the lines were modified by Crealock just enough to accommodate
fiberglass construction. I looked one over out of the water just last
spring and was struck by how clean the flow lines look since the eye sees
the diagonals in 3D instead of the buttock lines that don't really follow
the water flow. It looked pretty much like the Eric lines to my somewhat
experienced eyes but I would love to see an actual lines plan of the
Westsail for comparison. Flare and keel shape could vary a lot without
effecting the basic characteristics of the hull.

--
Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:
My memory of early publicity and magazine articles at the time of the
Westsail's introduction (something you may be too young to remember)
stated that the lines were modified by Crealock just enough to
accommodate fiberglass construction.

I remember when they came out, don't remember any specific
published info from back then. There is a set of lines in
Ferenc Mate's book on the boat.

.... I looked one over out of the water
just last spring and was struck by how clean the flow lines look since
the eye sees the diagonals in 3D instead of the buttock lines that don't
really follow the water flow. It looked pretty much like the Eric lines
to my somewhat experienced eyes but I would love to see an actual lines
plan of the Westsail for comparison. Flare and keel shape could vary a
lot without effecting the basic characteristics of the hull.


Hmmm... flare is a basic characteristic, it is a major
component of the boat's reserve bouyancy and will affect how
it responds to waves. I have read that the keel shape of the
redningskoite included a lot of salient or flat/near-flat to
improve windward ability... it seems consistent with the
Westsails reputation of not making good speed to windward,
versus the redningskoite's rep for all-around handiness.

DSK

Your're right about the flare but, not within the limits of what would
produce two fairly similar looking boats.

Has anyone out there got a copy of the Ferenc Mate book? I'd love to see
the lines. If someone will email me a copy, I'll process the two so they
can be directly compared and post the result on my web site. It's something
I've always been curious about. Maybe we'll find out how good my "eye" is.
The Westsail 32 I saw looked a lot like and Eric.

--
Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:

Your're right about the flare but, not within the limits of what would
produce two fairly similar looking boats.

Has anyone out there got a copy of the Ferenc Mate book? I'd love to
see the lines. If someone will email me a copy, I'll process the two so
they can be directly compared and post the result on my web site. It's
something I've always been curious about. Maybe we'll find out how good
my "eye" is. The Westsail 32 I saw looked a lot like and Eric.



I'd be interested too.

I'm also curious if the PHRF rating of 228 is based on long
off-wind racing, such as the trans-pac. I'd be really
surprised if any Westsail 32, no matter how well tuned,
could sail to this rating on a W/L or triangle course.

Let it be noted that I have been surprised before

DSK

Jack Hornor's account of the Westsail 32's ancestery argrees with my memory.
See his review he

http://www.boatus.com/jackhornor/sail/Westsail32.htm

--
Roger Long