1969 26ft Westerly Centaur – Beta 20 – Bilge Keel – Ready to Cruise
£4750 ono (quick sale needed so open to offers)
An increasingly rare 1969 Westerly Centaur, one of the first year of production, fitted with a reliable Beta Marine 20hp diesel (2004). She is a well-equipped and capable cruising yacht that has been continually maintained and upgraded during my ownership. I have owned the boat for just over 3 years and I’m now looking to upgrade to a larger Westerly.
Most recently she completed a cruise to Ireland (June 2026), demonstrating that she is a dependable and capable cruising boat rather than a marina project.
The Centaur remains one of the UK’s most popular cruising yachts, offering excellent accommodation and twin bilge keels that allow her to safely take the ground.
Specification
- 1969 Westerly Centaur
- Twin bilge keel
- Beta Marine 20hp diesel (2004)
- Raymarine C80 colour chart plotter
- Bilge keels ideal for drying harbours and estuaries
- Good quality seat and berth cushions
- Keels reinforced
- Additional strengthening plates fitted to the coach roof to support the rigging
- Two Tony Puddle covers included
- Lots of paperwork history comes with the boat
Recent Improvements
- Beta engine serviced (Q3 2025)
- Approximately 50% of running rigging replaced (2025 /26)
- Main cabin windows refurbished and then refitted using Hadlow Marine rebuild kits (2026)
- New seals fitted to the opening portlights (2024)
- New marine toilet pump and discharge hose (2026)
- LED navigation lights fitted (2025)
- Interior re-carpeted (2024)
- Interior Repainted using high quality epoxy paint – Jotun Epoxy Marine paint (2024)
- Exterior repainted and anti-fouled – Jotun Epoxy Marine paint (2025)
- New 12Kg Anchor (2026)
- New Starter Battery Fitted –YUASA (3Q 2025)
- New Electric Sink Pump Installed (2024)
- 2 off Blakes Seacocks replaced with new (2025)- these bronze valves cost ~£500 for the pair
- All other seacock replaced throughout with Brass Marine Ball Valve Type ~£250
- Rudder Bushes replaced with nylon alternatives (2025)
- New SS vent cover on front cabin hatch (2025)
Equipment
- Raymarine C80 chart plotter and self-steer actuator
- Electric Windlass
- CD player
- VHF Radio
- Electric and Manual Bilge Pumps (Manual pump needs a service)
- Prop Rope Cutter
Known Issues
The boat is priced to reflect a few jobs that remain:
- Engine gauges require attention/replacement water got into them recently.
- Masthead wind speed and wind direction sensors don’t currently rotate. The mast has not been lowered during my ownership, so these have not been investigated.
- Raymarine radar dome fitted, but not connected to plotter.
This is a reliable Centaur with one of the most desirable upgrades available—a modern Beta diesel engine—and many of the expensive ownership jobs have already been completed.