Sails:

There are numerous quality sail makers around that can help you with replacement sails based on the type of sailing you plan to do and the waters you plan to sail on. Be sure that they understand if you are looking to do local cruising, racing or make ocean passages. Each require different types of sails and trade offs when considering the material used, size and method of deployment ie furling vs hank on. The original sail plan of the Westsail 32 was not refined when they were initially launched and it had a main sail that was too large and usually headsails that were too small for Southern California. That lead to an initial reputation of the boats not sailing well. This myth has been proven incorrect over the years by plenty of people sailing the worlds ocean safely making fast passages as well as folks that have raced their boats with highly respectable results. Certainly they don’t point as high into the wind as a modern production boat, but they were never designed to do that. Having a well made and measured set of sails makes a huge difference in the performance of the boats and will last many years if well taken care of. 

KernFerguson has been helping Westsail owners for decades, craft sails to their specific needs and comes highly recommend by many Westsail owners as the go to adviser when getting a new set of sails and upgrading. He can be reached at: kernferguson@gmail.com

Furling Gear

There are many options when considering roller furling for your boat. Furling gear has now almost been perfected to the point that it is nearly foolproof and can be used as a temporary reefing system for the headsail, as well as for furling the sail. There are many good brands on the market. Some Westsail owners have had good results with Profurl, Harken and Schaeffer. Profurl uses a round foil on the stay, in approximately 7' sections, Harken uses an airfoil shaped tube, also in 7' long sections.

For the W28 the recommend unit is the Profurl Model C 350 or the Harken ESP Unit #1.

For the W32 the recommend unit is the Profurl Model C 350 or the Harken ESP Unit #1.

For the W42 or W43, the Profurl Model C 420. The Profurl Model C 350 has a single groove, as does the Harken ESP Unit #1. The Model C 420 has two grooves, so that a sail change can be made with one still up, or you can run two sails on the foil at the same time when sailing downwind.

Additionally Schaefer Furling and Reefing systems are renown for their ability to perform under the most adverse conditions. All of their furlers use Torlon bearings in machined races to assure smooth operation. Schaefer’s Torlon bearings cannot corrode and ride in open, easily accessible races that don’t require lubrication. These proven, high compression strength bearings provide low friction, and need only periodic flushing with water. Schaefer Systems utilize your existing headstay and turnbuckle for reduced cost, full turnbuckle adjustability, and optimum performance. Their heavy-duty base toggle/link articulates to absorb side loads that might otherwise cause turnbuckle fatigue. Your turnbuckle is attached to the base toggle/link and is housed by the system, easily accessible. The powerful, large diameter drum provides the mechanical advantage needed for high sailing loads. Standard split drum plates allow for easy conversion to a full length headsail. Their CNC machined metal construction resists ultraviolet rays and abuse from anchor chains and poles mounted near the stemhead fitting.Schaefer Systems utilize your existing headstay and turnbuckle for reduced cost, full turnbuckle adjustability, and optimum performance.

All of these units should include the long link plates to keep the drum just above the turnbuckle, so that the foot of the sail does not interfere with the pulpit. The headstay on the W28 is about 38', on the W32 about 45', the W42 standard mast about 53', and the W42 tall mast, about 58'.

The Profurl C 350 has a standard maximum length of 47'. The standard Harken ESP Unit #1 has a maximum foil length of 46'. The Profurl C 420 standard system has a maximum length of 60'.

To install any of these units on the headstay, the lower end fitting needs to be a swaged stud that will slip through the foil, and screw directly into the turnbuckle body. Since most boats have a marine eye swaged on the lower end, and the headstay probably is the original ones, we wouldrecommend installing a new headstay when installing the furling system. You would need to take the measurement of the stay to the end of the threaded stud in the turnbuckle. Or take the measurement of the overall length including the turnbuckle, and I can adjust the length accordingly if I know the brand of turnbuckle you are using.

Reefing

For the leech end of the mainsail reefing, cheek blocks can be can be installed on one side of the main boom, and padeyes installed opposite side. 3/8" braided dacron line is spliced onto the padeyes, and the line runs up through the aft reefing ring on the sail, then down through the cheek block, and forward along the boom. For the W32 the aft lower reef line should be 32' long, and the upper reef line should be 44' long. For booms without internal leads, fairleads should be installed on the boom to contain the lines, and keep them from drooping and tangling. A winch can be installed on the side of the boom near the front end to pull in the reefs, and cleats installed to hold the lines while freeing up the winch to pull in the other reef. The clew blocks should be installed so that the reefing line assumes a 45 degree angle down and aft for the clews. Locate the reefing winch on the boom at a convenient position, and mount the cam cleats, with locking cams facing away from the winch to handle the reefing lines, as they are used while freeing up the winch to pull in the next line. Mount the cams and fairleads for the lower reef low on the boom, and for the upper reef high on the boom, so that the lines do not cross. Or you can mount them on opposite sides of the boom, To hold the reef on the luff of the sail, two 3/8" braided lines should be made up, with a padeye for the fixed end, and cleats attached to the mast to hold the other end of each reef line. For the W32 the lower reef line should be 18’, and the upper reef line should be 30’.

SINGLE LINE REEFING 

A single line reefing system can also be set up. Mount a padeye and a cheek block opposite each other on the boom. Use one pair for each reef point, near the forward end for the tack, and at a 45 degree angle down and aft for the clews. Locate a reefing winch on the boom at a convenient position, and mount camcleats on either side of the winch, with the locking cams facing away from the winch. The short line is for the lower reef, and it should be tied to the aft padeye, go up thru the lower reef clew, then back down thru the cheek block opposite the padeye. The line then runs forward along the boom in fairleads, thru a camcleat, past the winch and thru another camcleat, then thru a cheek block, up thru the lower reef tack, then back down to the padeye opposite the cheek block, and tied off. There should be only enough slack in the line to get a turn around the winch. The long line is used for the upper reef, and is installed the same as the lower one, with the padeyes and cheek blocks in the appropriate positions. The lower reef line should be 45’, and the upper 70’. To operate the single line reef, pull the clew line first, wrap it around the winch, then pull up the boom until the reef ring is close to the boom, and lock the line in the camcleat. Free up the winch, and wrap the other end of the same line around the winch, loosen the halyard, and pull down the tack ring until it is close to theboom. The second reef is taken in the same way as the first one. With different colored lines, you should not have a problem figuring out what line does what function.

Available parts:

• •W28 clew reefing kit for main boom - cheek blocks. padeyes, 3/8” line, fairleads, cleats
• • W32 clew reefing kit for main boom - cheek blocks, padeyes, 3/8" line, fairleads, cleats
• • W28 luff reefing kit - 3/8" lines, padeyes, cleats
• • W32 luff reefing kit - 3/8" lines, padeyes, cleats
• • W32 single line reefing – 3/8” lines, cheek blocks, camcleats, fairleads, padeyes

Boom Vang & Preventer

To properly control and adjust the shape of the mainsail, a boom vang is almost a necessity. Particularly if you have end boom sheeting. The system consists of a four part block and tackle with snap shackles and a cam cleat on the lower block, and is attached from a boom bail to down on deck. The deck location can either be on the aft side of the base of the mast for a single point attachment, or on the aft lower chainplates on both sides for a dual attachment. The main advantage for the dual attachment is that it better controls the shape of the mainsail, and also serves as a preventer to hold the boom in the event of a jibe. The disadvantage is that it must be slacked off before tacking, moved to the opposite side after the tack, and then retightened. The center position aft of the mast needs only to be slacked off before tacking, then retightened after the tack. The boom bail should be located 7' to 8' aft of the mast. A 1/2" hole is drilled in the boom, and a compression tube cut about 1/16" wider than the boom. The bail is installed with a 5/16" bolt and locknut, then the excess threads can cut off. For the single point attachment, use a deck pad on the mast step just behind the mast. This can be attached with long self-tapping screws, or with long 1/4" bolts, washers, and cap nuts. For the dual point attachment, use two 1/2" stainless steel D shackles on the aft chainplates. Loosen the aft lower turnbuckles, pull out the pin holding them to the chainplates, and replace the pin with the shackle with the loop of the shackle facing aft. Wire the shackle pin shut with a piece of stainless safety wire.

Available parts:

• • Boom Vang Tackle Kit - consisting of fiddle blocks with snap shackles and cam locks with 45'
• of 7/16" braided line spliced on, boom bail, (2) D Shackles, W28/W32
• • Boom Vang only - fiddle blocks with snap shackles and cam locks with 45’ of 7/16" braided
• dacron line spliced on, W28/W32
• • Bail with compression tube, bolt and locknut - specify width of boom
• • Heavy duty deck pad with fasteners – specify type of fastening
• Cheek block for centerline deck pad
• • Two 1/2" stainless steel D shackles

Boom Gooseneck

If the gooseneck you have is one of the early ones, and it slides to be able to raise the boom slightly, it also was originally designed to set the mainsail without a winch. You can raise the sail with the halyard, let the boom go to the top of its track, then cleat the halyard. The boom can then be pulled down with a two part tackle attached to the bottom of the gooseneck to adjust the tightness on the luff of the mainsail. If you do not want to use this system, then fix the slide in place by replacing two of the flathead bolts in the track with hex bolts, to trap the slide in a suitable location. We have been able to find replacement goosenecks for the various mast and boom combinations that were used on the Westsail boats. If you have a broken gooseneck part, send it to me, or make a good drawing, and we will try to get a replacement.

W32 Mainsheet Traveler Track System

We have had many inquiries regarding improving the sailing performance of the Westsail 32, and probably the most important area is the shape and control of the mainsail. With the standard block setup from the end of the boom to the boomkin, it is very difficult to take the twist out of the mainsail, even with the use of a boom vang. One good solution is to use a mainsheet traveler track across in front of the hatch, with a traveler car and control lines on either side to move the car and control the boom and sail shape. We have been able to find a source of a very heavy web track, bent to a curve, with stainless steel adjustable riser bolted to the ends. This track is self- supporting across the top of the hatch, and is used on other boats with mainsails of even larger area on molded fiberglass deck risers. We have fitted it to the cabin top of many of the boats, and the track clears over the hatch. Depending on whether you have a fiberglass or wood hatch, you need to raise the track to clear over your hatch. The risers can be ordered in different heights to accommodate the hatch height. The track risers are thru bolted to the cabin top just ahead of the hatch opening, and still permit a dodger to be installed just aft of it. There is a nylon ball bearing track car, controlled by a 4 to 1 purchase tackle on each side, with built-in cam cleats for the control lines. A ball bearing fiddle block with becket is used on the car, and three boom bails with blocks are installed on the boom. One is directly above the car, a second aft of it by 9" to 12", and a third ahead by the same amount. There is another single block at the gooseneck end of the main boom, a deck turning block at the base of the mast, and a cheek block by the forward corner of the main hatch. The mainsheet runs thru these ball bearing blocks, to a winch on the aft end of the cabin top, usually to starboard. All lines are easily controlled from the bridge deck at the forward end of the cockpit, thereby clearing the aft deck from the congestion of the mainsheet. You need to have a winch on the cabin top to control the mainsheet, as with the midboom sheeting it is harder to pull in the mainsail. By sheeting in the sail, then pulling the control lines to move the car, the mainsail is easily controlled and shaped for optimum sailing performance. A dodger conversion is available to bring the control lines under a dodger if desired. The traveler track is gray hardcoat anodized, with stainless steel blocks with ball bearing sheeves. we usually supply a complete package of all parts, including all fasteners and control lines. The only additional item needed would be a winch for the cabin top, and a mainsheet cleat. Individual parts are also available, if you want to use some of the existing parts you might already have aboard.

Available pieces:

• Entire unit, with track and risers, boom bails, all necessary ball bearing blocks and control
• lines, specify track width, riser height, and cams cleats on the ends of the track or dodger
• conversion Traveler track, bent to fit, end caps, roller car, 4 to 1 controls, cam cleats and
• control lines or dodger conversion
• • Heavy duty risers only (pair)
• • Fiddle block with becket – ball bearing
• • Single blocks – ball bearing
• • Deck block – ball bearing
• • Cheek block
• • Boom bail with compression tube, bolt, locknut

Email or call for an exact quote - randy@westsailparts.com 415 254 7296

PDF available of this content here.