Westerly 31 Sloop / Longbow / Berwick
Description
The Westerly Longbow 31 is a robust British cruiser designed by the esteemed Laurent Giles (often credited as Jack Laurent Giles) and built by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. from 1972 to 1980. With approximately 265 hulls produced, it's part of a versatile 31-foot family sharing the same hull mold, including the Berwick (twin-keel aft-cockpit), Pentland (center-cockpit ketch), and Renown (center-cockpit sloop). Optimized for family cruising with offshore capability, the Longbow features an aft cockpit, fin keel (or optional twin keels), and a choice of sloop or ketch rig for balanced sail handling in varied conditions. Known for its seaworthiness, solid GRP (fiberglass) construction, and practical layout, it offers a comfortable motion (comfort ratio 27.1) and stability for couples or families on coastal passages or Channel crossings. Owners commend its durability and value retention, though its dated aesthetics (bulky coach roof, knuckle bow) and moderate speed (hull speed ~6.8 knots) suit relaxed voyages over racing. LWL 25 Beam 9.5 Draft 4.5 (Fin Keel on Longbow) 3.58 (twin keel on Berwick) Disp. 4264 kg Ballast 1905 kg Produced from 1972-1980
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 38.25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 12 ft |
| p | 31.75 ft |
| e | 13 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38.25 ft | 12 ft | 31.75 ft | 13 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 31.75 ft - (9677 mm) |
| Foot | * 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.61 ft - (10244 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 33.89 ft - (10330 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 213.24 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 32.07 ft - (9775 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.84 ft - (4828 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.94 ft - (8516 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.8 ft - (4206 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.98 ° |
| Area | * 221.28 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 38.08 ft - (11607 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.34 ft - (5895 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.85 ft - (10927 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.04 ° |
| Area | * 342.7 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 38.08 ft - (11607 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 21.6 ft - (6584 mm) |
| Foot | * 21.6 ft - (6584 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 699 ft² |
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.