The Westwind 24 could be called a 'weekender' or a 'small pocket cruiser'. She's 24 feet overall, on an 18' waterline and an 8' beam, displacing 4630 lbs. They were marketed as "trailerable", but these dimensions might place her at the upper end of that range for a lot of people. The shoal draft and optional mast hinge make hauling and launching a practical possibility, though, and she has big advantages over smaller trailerables once she's afloat.
The Westwind draws only 2' 1" with the centreboard up, and 5'6" when it's down. The sailplan is a generous 304 square feet, in a masthead rig that reaches 34.5' above the waterline. Her hull form and displacement give her the power to carry this sail through a broad range of conditions. These are sweet sailers, very stable and seaworthy, but the very efficient hull helps them move right along in a light breeze, as well.
You're not likely to get a Westwind surfing, or win a tacking duel, but they willl scoot downwind once you raise the centreboard, and keep up a high average speed in most conditions. She has a favourable rating, and can do quite well in club racing .
It's not easy to pigeonhole the Westwind into any particular category, but it's a great all around boat for coastal weekending or vacation cruising. The roomy cockpit is very comfortable, and the cabin arrangements provide compact but pleasant accomodations, with plenty of room for sails and gear. Most owners report that it's the fun of sailing such a capable and well-balanced boat that stands out as the best thing about this classic Ted Hood design. |
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