Konsort

 Westerly Konsort – ‘Cockle’

£27,000

THERE hasn’t been a new Konsort built for well over 30 years. But, with the benefit of a 12-month hardstanding renovation (2022/23), and over £15,000 spent on new equipment alone (engine inc, 240hrs, ie 10 days of running) Cockle, with her osmosis-free hull, may be the nearest to a new Konsort available.

Current owner: Richard Hare

Contact: richard.hare@suffolkonline.net

Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk

Former names: ‘Bungay Girl’; ‘Southern Cross’

Year of construction/delivery: 1992

Builder: Westerly Yachts Ltd, yard ref: D549

Sail number: 700 (704 built, the last one in 1993)

LOD: 28’ 10” (8.8m)

LWL: 25’6 (7.8m)

Beam: 10’8” (3.3m)

Draught: 3’3” (1.0m)

Hull configuration: Twin-keeler

Displacement: 3.86 tonnes

Sail area:53sq ft (53m2)

Designer: Laurent Giles

SSR 47011

Hull ID: SOU601990

Call sign MPYD8

MMSI: 235076918 (also in red folder, onboard).

General:

Having undergone a 12-month anchor locker to transom restoration Cockle has the robust GRP construction of a 35-odd year British-built boat combined with a very comprehensive inventory of new equipment. She benefits from a teak or afrormosia – faced plywood interior. She is, for practical purposes, renovated to a higher standard than when she was first exhibited at Earls Court (1992). Cockle is the fourth from last Konsort to be built.

Under current ownership, from 2022, Cockle has been sailed to the Channel Islands and Brittany where she was based in the Rance estuary for three years. She has been fitted out as a comfortable but compact liveaboard yacht as opposed to a holiday cruiser.

Restoration:

Restored during 2022/3, A review of this was published as 5-page feature in PBO’s April ’24 issue. Other PBO articles followed, one on the refurbishment of the fore-cabin (March ’25), and another on the galley re-build (August ’25). Copies of the features can be supplied. The restoration was also published in the Winter ’24 WOA newsletter.

As part of the restoration the complex portside saloon double berth was converted to a single berth. This massively improved access to storage. The plywood fold-over locker lid remains part of the ship’s inventory and will be supplied so that re-fitting is possible, if preferred.

Cockle is now a 5-berth yacht. In addition to re-varnishing and painting throughout, all of the damaged and dirty vinyl has been removed. Exposed plywood has either been varnished or painted to give a pleasing traditional yet contemporary feel to her interior. Some of the former vinyl panels have been replaced using closed cell insulation and maple strips.

New equipment include:

• A Nanni 21HP diesel engine + new prop shaft and propellor (2023).
• A stainless steel fuel tank, standard Konsort design, 65-70lt (2024). It has a sludge collector and easy draining facility.
• An Isotherm fridge compressor and element. Box insulated with 38mm of closed cell foam plus a plywood outer skin. (2023)
• New kitemarked high impact glass windows to saloon (2018)
• ‘All four ‘square‘ windows serviced and fitted new seals (2024)
• Plastimo headsail furler (2023)
• A Signal masthead light unit (2023)
• Navtex weather information (2023)
• Pressurised Whale water pump (2023)
• 15lt hot water calorifier (2023)
• New water hose throughout (2023)
• Jabsco toilet (2023)
• Shore power connection to battery charger, calorifier, AC circuit (2022).
• 10amp battery charger (2023)
• 2 x 12V (110amp/hr) batteries plus a separate 70amp/hr starter batter (2023)
• Engine seacock (2022)
• Toilet seacocks and new hose (2022)
• Heads shower unit (2023).
• Seago 4-man liferaft, unused (2023) – not included but possibly negotiable)
• Standard Horizon GX2400GPOS DSC VHF. Radio with integral AIS (2023).
• Sprayhood (2022)
• Weatherproof cockpit enclosure/tent (2022)
• Boom cockpit awning (2023)
• Boom sun filter cockpit awning (2023)
• Tiller cover (2022)
• Renovated forehatch with new smoked glass acrylic window and canvas cover (2024)
• Utile and oak tiller (2023)
• Gas regulator, hosing and internal gas isolator tap (2026)

Other kit

• Anchorman manual anchor windlass.
• Stak-pak mainsail
• Fitted bilge pump
• Tiller extension
• Double sink
• Twin hob and oven
• 100lt ss water tank
• Radar reflector, mast-fitted
• Curtains
• Jack stays
• Fenders x 6 + one large
• 5kg gas bottle
• Boathook
• Kedge anchor
• Dodgers, blue
• Forehatch interior blind
• Cockpit table, teak effect
• Companionway washboard storage cassette
• Stern-fitted bathing ladder
• Clock/barometer
• Kerosene cabin lantern

• Not included, but possibly negotiable:
• Rigid dinghy
• Snubber warps
• Assorted adapters
• Courtesy flags
• Unused life-raft
• Additional general inventory:
• Spars:
• Grey anodised. The boom is longer than standard to provide more headroom in cockpit. Slab reefing.
• Sails:
• 1 x white mainsail. Standard size, very good condition, 2 reefing points
• 1 large Geneka.
• Large furling Genoa. Very good condition UV sacrificial strip to leach and foot of sail
• Electronics:
• DC cigarette socket and a double USB socket unit. There are numerous AC USB sockets.
• Standard Horizon DSC VHF/AIS
• Garmin GPS/chartplotter
• BM1 Battery Monitor
• ST60 Log (needs re-calibrating)
• Clipper wind instrument
• Autohelm Depth echo sounder
• Autohelm tiller pilot
• Plastimo illuminated bulkhead compass
• Two 110amp/hr batteries, plus 1 x 75amp’hr starter battery, switched (2023)
• LED lights
• Radar reflector, mast fitted

Survey

Cockle was surveyed for insurance purposes in 2023. It was a glowing report and copies can be provided. The surveyor found no evidence of osmosis. Copies can be emailed on request.

Interior (from for’ard to aft):

Fore cabin:

Access to anchor warp stowage in forepeak. Divided to keep the Anchorplait (30m) separate and dry from wet chain, also 30m. This avoids bulkhead decay.

The cabin is fitted out using teak/afrormosia and maple with African mahogany main bulkheads

There are two wide 6ft 6in berths with infill to convert to double. Full length shelving and, above, 12mm closed cell foam insulation, covered in maple wood strip. The bulkheads are stripped of vinyl and now varnished. Each berth has a LED lamp, Below the berths are the 100lt water tank with a plywood clothing tray fitted above with additional clothes stowage each side of the tank (clean, painted and dry). Below each berth are large lockers.

Toilet/shower/ hanging locker.

The heads is connected to the calorifier to provide a shower option. There isn’t a

shower tray evacuation pump, so used shower water is baled into the toilet and

pumped manually.

When showering, the floor panel doubles as protection to the shelf and cabinet.

The hanging locker now includes considerable shelving.

Saloon

Large saloon table and two large single berths. There is also a large quarter berth. Extensive under-berth storage and full length shelves and berth-side cabinets. Berth backrest cushions are suspended so remain in place if lockers are being accessed. They can also be raised when berth is occupied for sleeping.

There’s a cutlery box and a vegetable box.

Galley.

Double sink with pressurised hot and cold water plus a cold water foot pump. Heavily insulated fridge. Oven with two hobs and grill. Considerable cabinet storage below the basins and the fridge. Food cupboard and crockery stowage. Additional stowage, not usually found on a Konsort is now opened up below the stove.

Navigation area

Konsorts usually have very poor access to the nav’ desk. Here, the obstructing support strut is removed and replaced by a book and chart storage plinth, the floor is lowered to improve space for longer legs, and a corner is removed from the desk to ease access. All electronics are controlled from this position. Adjacent to the desk is a unique washboard stowage cassette that doubles for nav’ books and charts when underway.

Quarter berth. Stowage beneath to include battery stowage. Full length shelf. At foot end, access to stern stowage and a diesel heater that probably needs replacing. It has not been used by the current owner, nor the previous owner.

Exterior:

Cockpit: There is one bilge pump, usable from the cockpit. Teak-effect cockpit table. Large organised cockpit locker with floor, shelving and a dedicated fender box. Life belt, Life Line and outboard bracket attached to pushpit.