I was happy with mine, I found it spacious and liked the layout and teak below. My one reservation with Westerlies is the decision to have painted decks from new rather than a patterned gelcoat. I'd certainly consider another though. I found she could sail well in lighter winds with a 1st reef in. You are clearly enthusiasts to have kept so long. I look at the internet too much and spot something else.
@@mjcooke2sailingmostly I bought mine in 2001. Sh'e's the first one built. In fact she was at the London Boat Show in 1980. Amazing boat. She's very fast and incredibly seaworthy.
I've been watching Wildlings Sailing who are around your way at the moment, it looks fine there still. I've never sailed in the Med but hope to in future. Thanks for your encouragement.
Claire, Sorry for not replying earlier, I wasn't notified. I did enjoy your video too and hope to see more in future. Quite the contrast being in a fully crewed gaffer to my lone sailor trips.
Just watched, It's amazing how you just calmly cruise through waters people have nightmares about! I have so many questions but will just ask one! We came from Lundy to Padstow and the seas we're big! Bigger than the wife can take and I wouldn't like to be in anything bigger! What sort of conditions is the north Devon/Cornwall doable, without being (too) uncomfortable? We had only force 4 max, and the swells felt like they were towering above us at times, we'll be heading to St Ives next then the Scillys, all the best, Mark
To travel down the coast you will of course be using a favourable west going tide so any wind with west in it will oppose that and create nasty conditions especially a spring tide. My own ride down the coast from St Ives was very rough until past Cape Cornwall, I was motor sailing into a heaving sea disproportionate to wind strength. Wind was WNW 4 to 5. Many Scillies cruises have ended in Padstow but with time not limiting you then you can choose to go with the right conditions. The anchorage in St Ives is good to shelter from the S to W winds. If you have to, I'm sure they can make space for you in the harbour. Good fish and chips there!
Thanks for appreciating them, they don't get the wider promotion of some since the 1000 subs thing came out. I don't do fixing up videos which a lot like although I'll be doing one of copper epoxy of the Mirage soon
Hello Mike Another enjoyable video. I'm still none the wiser why you want this mast but you must have a good reason to make a journey of this kind! The Fulmar seemed to cope pretty well despite the extra displacement which was nice to see. Also, it never fails to amaze me how some parts of the UK have such clear water on their shores. Not sure I'll ever see that in the Conwy River! Thanks for sharing
My previous reply disappeared.. Hi Mark, I'd been interested in the rig for a while, since looking at a rig less project Oceanis. I didn't buy that but by then had done a deal for the rig. I still have it on the boat, quite some weight all together. The mainsail was too heavy to carry up a ladder and had to be hoisted up with the mainsheet tackle! Above all else, it was just another enjoyable sailing holiday. No problems on passage home but got a shaking going through the race at Carmel head when the mast dipped into the overfalls a few times. Yes, Bristol channel clear water compared to our area.
Hi Mike Strange that your original reply disappeared. I remember getting a notification but the message never appeared! All is clear now regarding the mast. Heck of a journey though! Shame about the overfalls around Carmel as I guess the boat doesn’t sail too well as a submarine! You got away with it though. Roll on the next spell of good weather. We all deserve it!
Hi, hope all is well hoping you have had some sailing. I never saw any this year, they must have all been in that area again. Just a brief sighting of a Minke off NI.
It was a good holiday plus the added challenge of the mast, the third time there for me, lucky with the weather too. Some work now on the Mirage epoxy coating and a video of that soon. I'm going poking around another boatyard next week for a more suitable mirage mast!
Hi Mike, James here, we met at ABC and you looked round my Westerly Griffon. I have just bought a book - Ireland From The Sea, by Andrew Phelan. Its about a circumnavigation around Ireland in a Fulmar called Sarakiniko! Thought, sure I have heard that name before, is she your Fulmar?
Hello James, You are right, Sarakiniko was owned by Andrew Phelan and continued in family ownership being taken on by his daughter. He also wrote another book on Irish sea cruising. I have both on the boat as they were kindly left on board for me. I hope you are getting on well preparing the Griffon for the season. Sarakiniko has her bottom scraped and sanded ready for Gelshield and Coppercoat in April painting weather I hope. She is paid up at Dinas till end April, come over to see around that time. FB message anytime.
Good stuff, Eirwen is slowly getting there, these storms have stopped me heading up last few weeks. Mast went up with new rigging end of January, still need to scrap hull and epoxy prime, fit new cutlass bearing and almost there! Just need this weather to settle down. Catch up soon 👍
I replied on my old account on iPad. I have a new account set up as SailingSomewhere James on my iPhone. Hopefully get some videos out myself this year, be plenty of errors in my sailing tho!
@@4george315 Most of my prep work done before end 2019, I wanted to do early to allow the hull to get dry with the north winds we usually get but not had them yet only these gales from west. The boatyard is also quiet then so the messy work not so antisocial to others! Good you plan to video, it's a great record for you to look back on in future and people like to see others mistakes!
How do you do it? Single handed. How when do you sleep? I've recently bought a 26 foot Griffon and next season would like to do a bit of coasting on the north east of England. I guess it's just day sailing but I need tips without doubt.
With other boats I've had, it's been possible to cat nap thrpugh the night either with wind vane self steering or electric tiller autopilot. The Sigma is the first boat I've had with wheel steering. The ST4000+ was unable to keep a course so I hand steered and if close hauled found locking the wheel held a course fairly well. I am looking into alterations/ modifications to have self steering as being at the wheel for 24hrs was very tiring (the leg from Newlyn to Milford Haven). Your Griffon will be fine with autopilot. A good spacious boat for it's size. Have fun with it.
Thank you, lovely to share your trip x
Good to hear you are still watching my efforts.
We have a fulmar too. Bought her in 2007. Absolutely fantastic yacht. Classic beauty.
I was happy with mine, I found it spacious and liked the layout and teak below. My one reservation with Westerlies is the decision to have painted decks from new rather than a patterned gelcoat. I'd certainly consider another though. I found she could sail well in lighter winds with a 1st reef in. You are clearly enthusiasts to have kept so long. I look at the internet too much and spot something else.
@@mjcooke2sailingmostly I bought mine in 2001. Sh'e's the first one built. In fact she was at the London Boat Show in 1980. Amazing boat. She's very fast and incredibly seaworthy.
@@nunosantiago2273 They are good boats, fast and spacious.
A Porthcawl sailor now living in Marseille.... We've more sunshine and less tide :). Keep up the videos!!!!
I've been watching Wildlings Sailing who are around your way at the moment, it looks fine there still. I've never sailed in the Med but hope to in future. Thanks for your encouragement.
Fantastic Video! I love Westerly's and The Scilly Isles so this is a joy :)
Claire, Sorry for not replying earlier, I wasn't notified. I did enjoy your video too and hope to see more in future. Quite the contrast being in a fully crewed gaffer to my lone sailor trips.
Just watched, It's amazing how you just calmly cruise through waters people have nightmares about! I have so many questions but will just ask one! We came from Lundy to Padstow and the seas we're big! Bigger than the wife can take and I wouldn't like to be in anything bigger! What sort of conditions is the north Devon/Cornwall doable, without being (too) uncomfortable? We had only force 4 max, and the swells felt like they were towering above us at times, we'll be heading to St Ives next then the Scillys, all the best, Mark
To travel down the coast you will of course be using a favourable west going tide so any wind with west in it will oppose that and create nasty conditions especially a spring tide. My own ride down the coast from St Ives was very rough until past Cape Cornwall, I was motor sailing into a heaving sea disproportionate to wind strength. Wind was WNW 4 to 5. Many Scillies cruises have ended in Padstow but with time not limiting you then you can choose to go with the right conditions. The anchorage in St Ives is good to shelter from the S to W winds. If you have to, I'm sure they can make space for you in the harbour. Good fish and chips there!
Always a pleasure watching your videos.
Thanks for appreciating them, they don't get the wider promotion of some since the 1000 subs thing came out. I don't do fixing up videos which a lot like although I'll be doing one of copper epoxy of the Mirage soon
That sunset at 5mins... wow
It's good to be out in those long evenings and experience nature, The boat the ideal way for me.
I really do like the fulmars. Beautiful looking boats
They are good, spacious boats that sail well, good speed. Some are 40 years old like this one but they don't look dated.
Hello Mike
Another enjoyable video. I'm still none the wiser why you want this mast but you must have a good reason to make a journey of this kind! The Fulmar seemed to cope pretty well despite the extra displacement which was nice to see. Also, it never fails to amaze me how some parts of the UK have such clear water on their shores. Not sure I'll ever see that in the Conwy River!
Thanks for sharing
My previous reply disappeared.. Hi Mark, I'd been interested in the rig for a while, since looking at a rig less project Oceanis. I didn't buy that but by then had done a deal for the rig. I still have it on the boat, quite some weight all together. The mainsail was too heavy to carry up a ladder and had to be hoisted up with the mainsheet tackle! Above all else, it was just another enjoyable sailing holiday. No problems on passage home but got a shaking going through the race at Carmel head when the mast dipped into the overfalls a few times. Yes, Bristol channel clear water compared to our area.
Hi Mike
Strange that your original reply disappeared. I remember getting a notification but the message never appeared!
All is clear now regarding the mast. Heck of a journey though! Shame about the overfalls around Carmel as I guess the boat doesn’t sail too well as a submarine! You got away with it though. Roll on the next spell of good weather. We all deserve it!
My compliments to your dolphins
Hi, hope all is well hoping you have had some sailing. I never saw any this year, they must have all been in that area again. Just a brief sighting of a Minke off NI.
Very nice trip. A 50ft mast on a Mirage 28 - now that would be interesting;)
It was a good holiday plus the added challenge of the mast, the third time there for me, lucky with the weather too. Some work now on the Mirage epoxy coating and a video of that soon. I'm going poking around another boatyard next week for a more suitable mirage mast!
Hi Mike,
James here, we met at ABC and you looked round my Westerly Griffon. I have just bought a book - Ireland From The Sea, by Andrew Phelan. Its about a circumnavigation around Ireland in a Fulmar called Sarakiniko! Thought, sure I have heard that name before, is she your Fulmar?
Hello James, You are right, Sarakiniko was owned by Andrew Phelan and continued in family ownership being taken on by his daughter. He also wrote another book on Irish sea cruising. I have both on the boat as they were kindly left on board for me. I hope you are getting on well preparing the Griffon for the season. Sarakiniko has her bottom scraped and sanded ready for Gelshield and Coppercoat in April painting weather I hope. She is paid up at Dinas till end April, come over to see around that time. FB message anytime.
Good stuff, Eirwen is slowly getting there, these storms have stopped me heading up last few weeks. Mast went up with new rigging end of January, still need to scrap hull and epoxy prime, fit new cutlass bearing and almost there! Just need this weather to settle down. Catch up soon 👍
I replied on my old account on iPad. I have a new account set up as SailingSomewhere James on my iPhone. Hopefully get some videos out myself this year, be plenty of errors in my sailing tho!
@@4george315 Most of my prep work done before end 2019, I wanted to do early to allow the hull to get dry with the north winds we usually get but not had them yet only these gales from west. The boatyard is also quiet then so the messy work not so antisocial to others! Good you plan to video, it's a great record for you to look back on in future and people like to see others mistakes!
How do you do it? Single handed. How when do you sleep? I've recently bought a 26 foot Griffon and next season would like to do a bit of coasting on the north east of England. I guess it's just day sailing but I need tips without doubt.
With other boats I've had, it's been possible to cat nap thrpugh the night either with wind vane self steering or electric tiller autopilot. The Sigma is the first boat I've had with wheel steering. The ST4000+ was unable to keep a course so I hand steered and if close hauled found locking the wheel held a course fairly well. I am looking into alterations/ modifications to have self steering as being at the wheel for 24hrs was very tiring (the leg from Newlyn to Milford Haven). Your Griffon will be fine with autopilot. A good spacious boat for it's size. Have fun with it.