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Longbow 31 Westerly
Designer: Laurent Giles  ·  Builder: Westerly Marine Ltd.  ·  First built: 1972
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About the Longbow 31 Westerly

With limited documentation available, the Longbow 31 represents an intriguing chapter in Westerly's distinguished catalog of British-built sailboats. As part of the respected Westerly lineage, this 31-footer likely embodies the yard's traditional commitment to solid construction and practical sailing characteristics that made the brand a favorite among European cruising sailors. Given Westerly's reputation for building robust, seaworthy vessels designed for the challenging conditions of British waters, the Longbow 31 would have been engineered with coastal and offshore cruising capabilities in mind. The Westerly approach typically emphasized deep, comfortable cockpits, spacious accommodations relative to overall length, and the kind of sturdy build quality that inspired confidence in demanding weather conditions. While comprehensive specifications remain elusive, boats from this era of Westerly production generally featured moderate displacement hulls that balanced performance with stability, making them well-suited for extended cruising adventures. The Longbow name itself suggests a design philosophy focused on reaching distant horizons with reliability and comfort. For sailors seeking a capable cruising boat with British pedigree, the Longbow 31 represents an interesting option worth investigating further, particularly given Westerly's enduring reputation for creating honest, dependable sailing vessels.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 31.00 ft / 9.45 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
Beam 9.50 ft / 2.90 m
Max Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 9,400.00 lb / 4,264 kg
Ballast 4,200.00 lb / 1,905 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 371.00 ft² / 34.47 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG w/balsa cored deck
Designer Laurent Giles
Builder Westerly Marine Ltd.
First Built 1972
Last Built 1980
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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
13.37
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
27.02
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
1.8
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. 6.7
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
1.66
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. 848.61
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 38.0
J (Foretriangle Base) 11.17
P (Mainsail Luff) 31.75
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.0
SA Fore 212.23
SA Main 158.75
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