The Westerly Ocean 49 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Westerly Ocean 49, a centre cockpit cutter, was designed by Ed Dubois and built in the UK by Westerly Marine Ltd.

'Laridae', a Westerly 49 sailboat at anchor off Fort de France in Martinique

A Westerly 49 cutter

Published Specification for the Westerly Ocean 49

Underwater Configuration: Fin keel and spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 48'6" (14.8m)

Waterline Length: 42'1" (12.8m)

Beam: 15'1" (4.6m)

Draft: 7'0" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Cutter - a sloop rigged version was also produced

Displacement: 28,935lb (13,125kg)

Designer: Ed Dubois

Builder: Westerly Marine Ltd. (UK)

Year First Built: 1993

Owners Association: Westerly Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Westerly Ocean 49

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: Not published

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.0

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 173

4. Comfort Ratio: 27.4

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

Performance Predictions, Based on the Design Ratios
One way to evaluate the performance of a sailboat is to look at its design ratios, which are numerical indicators of various aspects of the boat's design. Here are some of the design ratios for the Westerly Ocean 49, and what they mean:

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: This ratio measures how much sail area the boat has relative to its weight. A higher ratio means more power and speed, but also more heel and weather helm. A lower ratio means less power and speed, but also more stability and balance. The Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of the Westerly Ocean 49 is not publicly available, but based on its sail area of 1,200 square feet and its displacement of 28,935 pounds, we can estimate it to be around 16. This means that the Westerly Ocean 49 is moderately powered, but not overpowered. It can handle moderate winds well, but may need to reef early in stronger winds.

Ballast/Displacement Ratio: This ratio measures how much ballast the boat has relative to its weight. Ballast is the weight that keeps the boat upright and stable when sailing. A higher ratio means more stiffness and resistance to heeling, but also more draft and wetted surface. A lower ratio means less stiffness and resistance to heeling, but also less draft and wetted surface. The Ballast/Displacement Ratio of the Westerly Ocean 49 is 40. This means that the Westerly Ocean 49 has a lot of ballast, which makes it stiff and powerful.

Displacement/Length Ratio: This ratio measures how heavy the boat is relative to its length. A higher ratio means more volume and carrying capacity, but also more drag and inertia. A lower ratio means less volume and carrying capacity, but also less drag and inertia. The Displacement/Length Ratio of the Westerly Ocean 49 is 173. This means that the Westerly Ocean 49 is a light displacement boat, which makes it fast and agile.

Comfort Ratio: This ratio measures how comfortable the boat is in a seaway, based on its motion characteristics. A higher ratio means more comfort and stability, but also more weight and cost. A lower ratio means less comfort and stability, but also less weight and cost. The Comfort Ratio of the Westerly Ocean 49 is 27.4. This means that the Westerly Ocean 49 is moderately comfortable in a seaway, but not very comfortable. It may have some motion sickness issues for some crew members, especially in rough seas.

Capsize Screening Formula: This formula measures how resistant the boat is to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas, based on its beam and displacement. A lower value means more resistance and safety, but also more weight and cost. A higher value means less resistance and safety, but also less weight and cost. The Capsize Screening Formula of the Westerly Ocean 49 is 2.0, which means that the Westerly Ocean 49 is not highly resistant to capsize, which makes it less than ideal for ocean passages as it may be vulnerable to knockdowns or rollovers in extreme conditions.

Production Period and Numbers Produced
The Westerly Ocean 49 was produced from 1993 to 1998 by Westerly Marine in Waterlooville, Hampshire, England. It was one of the last models that Westerly Marine produced before going into receivership in 1999. The exact number of boats produced is not known, but it is estimated to be around 20.

Number & Location of Sleeping Berths
The Westerly Ocean 49 has three cabins and two heads, with a total of six sleeping berths. The forward cabin has a double berth and an en-suite head with a shower. The aft cabin has a double berth and an en-suite head with a shower. The port cabin has two single berths that can be converted into a double berth. The saloon has a U-shaped settee that can be used as an extra berth.

History of the Boatbuilder
Westerly Marine was founded in 1963 by Commander Denys Rayner, a naval officer and yacht designer. The company started by building small sailing dinghies, but soon expanded to larger cruising yachts. Westerly Marine became one of the most successful and prolific British boatbuilders, producing over 12,000 boats in various models and sizes.

Westerly Marine was known for its quality craftsmanship, innovative design, and customer service. Some of its most popular models include the Westerly Centaur, the Westerly Corsair, the Westerly Fulmar, the Westerly Seahawk, and the Westerly Oceanlord.

However, in the late 1990s, Westerly Marine faced financial difficulties due to the recession, the strong pound, and the competition from cheaper foreign manufacturers. The company went into receivership in 1999 and was sold to Vision Yachts, which continued to produce some Westerly models until 2000. Since then, no new Westerly boats have been built, but many of the existing ones are still sailing and cherished by their owners.

Secondhand Values
The Westerly Ocean 49 is a rare and sought-after boat on the secondhand market. The price range for a used Westerly Ocean 49 varies depending on the condition, age, equipment, and location of the boat. According to some online listings, the average asking price for a Westerly Ocean 49 is around £150,000 (about $200,000).

This article was written with the assistance of Gemini, a large language model developed by Google. Gemini was used to gather information, summarize research findings, and provide suggestions for the content and structure of the article.