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Galway 36 Westerly
Designer: Laurent Giles  ·  Builder: Westerly Marine Ltd. (Uk)  ·  First built: 1976
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About the Galway 36 Westerly

Built between 1976 and 1982 by Westerly Marine, this Laurent Giles-designed cruiser represents solid British boatbuilding from the era when fiberglass construction was reaching maturity. The Galway 36 stands out primarily for its twin keel configuration, making it an excellent choice for sailors who frequent shallow waters, tidal areas, or prefer the convenience of drying out upright in harbors. With a displacement of 17,355 pounds and nearly half of that weight in ballast, this masthead sloop offers the stability and sea-kindly motion that makes extended coastal cruising comfortable. The twin keels provide good directional stability while allowing access to anchorages that would challenge deeper-draft vessels. Her moderate sail area and substantial build quality reflect the conservative British approach to cruising yacht design. The boat's comfort ratio of 33.87 indicates excellent motion at sea, while the capsize screening formula of 1.73 suggests good stability for coastal and offshore passages. Her hull speed of 7.37 knots is respectable for a cruising yacht of this displacement, and the 36-horsepower engine provides adequate auxiliary power. This design appeals particularly to cruising sailors who value seaworthiness, shoal-water capability, and the proven track record of Westerly's construction standards during their productive years.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 35.75 ft / 10.90 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 30.25 ft / 9.22 m
Beam 11.15 ft / 3.40 m
Max Draft 4.49 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 17,355.00 lb / 7,872 kg
Ballast 8,289.00 lb / 3,760 kg
Ballast Type Cast iron
Sail Area (Reported) 616.00 ft² / 57.23 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Twin Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Laurent Giles
Builder Westerly Marine Ltd. (UK)
First Built 1976
Last Built 1982
Associations Westerly Owners Association
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
14.76
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
47.76
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
279.9
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
33.87
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
1.73
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.37 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,205.17 pounds/inch
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Volvo Penta
Engine Model MD38
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 36
Fuel Capacity 42 gals / 159 L
Water Capacity 75 gals / 284 L
How It Compares

vs. Freeport 36 Islander, Medway 36 Westerly, Rival 36

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Galway 36 Westerly ★
35.8 ft
Freeport 36 Islander
35.8 ft
Medway 36 Westerly
35.8 ft
Rival 36
35.8 ft
LWL
Galway 36 Westerly ★
30.3 ft
Freeport 36 Islander
27.5 ft
Medway 36 Westerly
30.4 ft
Rival 36
27.2 ft
Beam
Galway 36 Westerly ★
11.2 ft
Freeport 36 Islander
12.0 ft
Medway 36 Westerly
11.2 ft
Rival 36
11.0 ft
Displacement
Galway 36 Westerly ★
17 lbs
Freeport 36 Islander
17 lbs
Medway 36 Westerly
16 lbs
Rival 36
14 lbs
Ballast
Galway 36 Westerly ★
8 lbs
Freeport 36 Islander
7 lbs
Medway 36 Westerly
7 lbs
Rival 36
5 lbs
Sail Area
Galway 36 Westerly ★
616 sq ft
Freeport 36 Islander
659 sq ft
Medway 36 Westerly
502 sq ft
Rival 36
573 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
14.8
Freeport 36 Islander
16.0
Medway 36 Westerly
12.6
Rival 36
15.7
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
47.8 %
Freeport 36 Islander
Medway 36 Westerly
Rival 36
39.2 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
33.9
Freeport 36 Islander
32.0
Medway 36 Westerly
31.3
Rival 36
30.4
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
1.73
Freeport 36 Islander
1.87
Medway 36 Westerly
1.77
Rival 36
1.82
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
279
Freeport 36 Islander
Medway 36 Westerly
Rival 36
317
Hull Speed
Galway 36 Westerly ★
7.4 kts
Freeport 36 Islander
7.0 kts
Medway 36 Westerly
7.4 kts
Rival 36
7.0 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Galway 36 Westerly ★
Freeport 36 Islander
1.3
Medway 36 Westerly
Rival 36
1.5
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