Westerly 26 Centaur
Description
The Westerly Centaur 26 is widely regarded as one of the most successful and enduring small family cruisers ever built, with over 2,400 hulls produced between 1969 and 1984 by Westerly Marine Construction in the UK. Designed by Laurent Giles & Partners, it was groundbreaking for its time as the first mass-produced fiberglass yacht with twin bilge keels that allowed it to dry out upright on tidal flats or beaches while still offering respectable sailing performance and remarkable interior volume for its length. The boat is renowned for its forgiving nature, solid construction, and surprising seaworthiness—many have crossed the English Channel or undertaken longer coastal passages—making it a favorite for families, first-time owners, and those seeking an affordable, practical pocket cruiser that remains highly sought-after on the used market today.
Construction Details
| Designer | Laurent Giles & Partners |
|---|---|
| Builder | Westerly Marine (UK) |
| Length | 26.000 ft |
| LOA | 26.000 ft |
| LWL | 21.300 ft |
| Beam | 8.420 ft |
| Displacement | 6700 lb |
| Ballast | 2800 lb |
| Max Draft | 3.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1969 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 31 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 10.17 ft |
| p | 29 ft |
| e | 11.83 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 ft | 10.17 ft | 29 ft | 11.83 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Westerly 26 Centaur - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 29 ft - (8839 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.83 ft - (3606 mm) |
| Leech | * 30.69 ft - (9354 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 30.94 ft - (9431 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 176.96 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 26.1 ft - (7955 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.53 ft - (4124 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.57 ft - (6879 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.04 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11.7 ft - (3566 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 152.66 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 27.5 ft - (8382 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 12.25 ft - (3734 mm) |
| Leech | 25 ft - (7620 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 109.44 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11.13 ft - (3392 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.52 ° |
| Area | * 153.05 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - GENOA
| Luff | 29.75 ft - (9068 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 14.33 ft - (4368 mm) |
| Leech | 27.5 ft - (8382 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 129.6 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.18 ft - (4017 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.91 ° |
| Area | * 196.11 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - GENOA
| Luff | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 15.25 ft - (4648 mm) |
| Leech | 28.25 ft - (8611 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 139.53 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 14.19 ft - (4325 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.28 ° |
| Area | * 212.92 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - GENOA
| Luff | 31 ft - (9449 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Leech | 29.167 ft - (8890 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.44 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 15.3 ft - (4663 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.8 ° |
| Area | * 237.2 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Westerly 26 Centaur - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 31.5 ft - (9601 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Leech | 29 ft - (8839 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 402 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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