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When fellow sailing instructor Liz Le Mare invited me aboard her recently acquired boat, I didn’t need much persuading. She’d recently married a fiercely competitive dinghy sailor, Richard, and their wedding had included a mini-regatta in Portland harbour. So I was a little surprised to learn that the boat in question was a Westerly Konsort. It didn’t seem like the natural choice for a couple who’d crossed the start line of their marriage in a Kestrel racing dinghy.
Having never sailed a Westerly before though, my curiosity was piqued. The British boat builder left an indelible mark on the cruising sailor’s psyche and my lack of experience was an omission I was particularly keen to remedy. The name Westerly evokes a strong reaction from some. The Marmite of the boat world, their distinctive lines are unapologetically practical and uniquely British. For many, the name is synonymous with some of the most successful yacht designs of the 20th century. To others, they’re an acquired taste and, like the flared jeans or cheese and pineapple sticks of the same decade,
