Category: News
Association News
Bukh dv20 engine mounts
Hi. Newbie questions with regards engine maintenance. Is it possible to change the engine mounts without removing the engine, thanks in advance .
New member
Like to introduce myself , pat Oconnell new owner with my wife Maria of glow worm , westerly pentland , based on Hayling island .
would a member push me in right direction to forum with steering issues please , thankyou in advance , Pat
Sailing (mostly) singlehanded around Britain – now in 2021
Another Year!
8 months since my last post at: voyagesofthalmia.org and there is still so much uncertainty about the future. I am determined, however, that when we have beaten this virus into retreat my circumnavigation will happen in 2021.
On 2nd November Thalmia was lifted out onto Topsham Quay by Trout’s Boatyard with their usual slick operations. I delayed the lift out until as late as possible in the hope that, being close to the front of the Quay, Thalmia might be one of the first boats lifted back in, at the start of April. Fingers crossed!
But for now there are the usual winter jobs to look after & to improve this fine 40 year old lady. The only major project planned for this winter is the fitting of a motorised windlass to manage the anchor, which will play an important part in my circumnavigation. My wife Ruth was keen for me to get one to save my back from strain. Before the launch next year I will hit 70 and Thalmia and I both need a bit of TLC to keep us running smoothly!
The early hot spell in Spring was a blessing while we were in lockdown … but we couldn’t get to or use our boats! We eventually launched in late May, however, and in July I sailed via Portland and Studland Bay to the Solent. There, a circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight instead of Britain had to suffice. Ideal tides, fair winds and weather allowed me to sail ‘Round the Island’ (well very nearly – from Yarmouth anticlockwise and back to Newtown River) in just over 8 hours. Not the official race which didn’t happen this year! You can watch an abridged version at https://youtu.be/DBRZ5620-MI
Then in late August I sailed via Salcombe & Plymouth to Falmouth and was joined by Ruth for a pleasant week on calm inland waters.





Overall I covered 1071 nautical miles this year. That’s close to half the distance around Britain. At least it has kept me and Thalmia from getting rusty!
For now, stay safe, stay optimistic, and stay focused on a better year next year!
Previous posts:
The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men…..
When I quoted Robert Burns in my last post I never anticipated a storm quite like Covid19! Thalmia will not now be launching on the 8th April and I will not be starting my circumnavigation any time soon! Recreational boating is in lockdown and I am staying at home. The bikes have been cleaned, degreased and fine tuned and we will be cycling, walking, gardening etc. and keeping in touch with family and friends through the variety of technologies we have. Thank you all those keeping working in the NHS and helping in other ways during these difficult times. We will look at ways we can help as well.
With everyone else I am yearning for the time when we see the light at the end of this tunnel and ‘normal service’ is resumed. Speculation on dates is futile. I would like to hope I can start the voyage later this year but nothing is certain.
The Final Countdown!
I’m probably not the most patient man – as people close to me will attest – so waiting for the start of my voyage has not been easy. There has been a lot work over the winter months, on and off the boat, preparing for this singlehanded circumnavigation. Do I have any worries? Happily yes. Worries make you to anticipate and plan and prepare more thoroughly. I’m not taking this challenge too lightly and I think I have mitigated as many of the risks as possible. Also of course there is some excitement at the idea of this mega (for me!) voyage. Of course, with my professional background, I had to have a ‘programme of work’ (AKA a to-do list!) leading up to departure day. However, as Robert Burns said: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.” I’m hoping this is just a bit of Scottish pessimism not a prediction of what’s to come!

The programme was to move from this:

to this:
Progress so far seems good! In recent weeks I have painted the boat’s bottom with anti-fouling (not an easy or pleasant job on a twin keel boat but positive because it’s a significant task leading up to re-launch!). Soon to come is some really positive stuff such as refitting running rigging and sails, loading cushions, carpets and curtains (what a posh boat!), galley and safety gear and umpteen little tweaks and safety checks. Boat owners will know that the list of possible jobs is endless but usually not everything gets done! The weather in March can be very unpredictable so I am trying to stay well ahead of schedule.
You will see from my previous posts that I would like to use this personal challenge to raise some money for Rainbow Living – a charity that provides accommodation to enable young adults with learning difficulties gain independence. Below is a link to a VirginGiving page and I would really appreciate any donation you can make however large or small in support of my solo circumnavigation:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/voyagesofthalmia
So when does preparing for the circumnavigation become doing it?
Thalmia will dip her bottom in the (currently very muddy) Exe on 8th/9th April. A short trip is then called for – a “shakedown” cruise for a couple of days to make sure everything is properly secured and working well. The departure will then happen as soon after the 20th April as the weather allows. And if all is well we’ll head East towards Ramsgate via the Solent before heading north to Scotland, hoping to give the lie to Robbie Burns’ forebodings!
Next blog update at launch!
Voyages of Thalmia – Sailing around Britain in 2020
A Westerly Fulmar built in 1980 Thalmia is based in the Exe estuary. 2019 was a good year with trips East to several creeks in the Solent including Keyhaven, Newtown, Wooton and Beaulieu and our usual summer cruise from Exeter to the Isles of Scilly, visiting many of the islands and enjoying a very relaxed sojourn in Green Bay on Bryher.
Thalmia has now been lifted out onto Topsham Quay for storage over winter and preparations for our voyage next year. I have made many modifications over the last 3 winters since I bought her, and sailed her back from Hayling Island in November 2016. I think she is well set up for my most ambitious trip so far around the coast of Britain – but she will get more attention between now and launch date in April 2020. She will then be 40 years old and me – a mere 69!
I shall be sailing mostly solo on this trip although I am hoping to have some company on at least a couple of short stages.
Laid-up but not laid back!
It’s Autumn and it’s lovely to see a murmuration of starlings …. except when they choose to roost en masse on a forest of masts with consequent droppings all over the decks! A yacht like mine is not intended to have poop deck!

On 17th October Thalmia was lifted out onto Topsham Quay by Trout’s Boatyard. Carefully handled by them and jet washed she was then stripped of sails, halyards, cushions and almost all loose items. She’s now ready for routine servicing and fettling. Last week for example I poured white vinegar into the pump that works the heads to break down the build up of limescale and prevent a blockage! Not something I want to have to sort out in a tranquil anchorage in a Scottish loch! Also been curing rust (nothing serious!) cleaning, waxing and varnishing. Topsham Quay has again become a regular weekly destination – my winter man shed!

Preparations for next year include fitting an AIS transponder (Automatic Identification System) which will broadcast my position to other vessels and anyone else who wants to know where I am (via an app). Also a diesel heater to warm my toes and dry my clothes! Thanks to Trout’s Boatyard who tackle the jobs beyond my DIY competence!
At home my planning for the trip proceeds with numerous charts and pilot books which currently cover the dining table. It takes some imagination to keep positive with the recent cold wet weather but my levels of enthusiasm grow as I anticipate cruising some of the superb coastline we are blessed with. I’ll post again in the new year to keep you informed of my progress – thank you for following Thalmia and me!
Anne Plummer Picture.

Like us I am sure there are many Westerly owners who would like a picture of their yacht.
the artist has a Facebook page “Anne Plummer Artist and I’m sure she would be happy if you contacted her from there
Servicing a winch – photos
1. Ready to start. The towel could usefully be a lot bigger. Code flags optional. 2. Inside the hole 3. The screw removed. Mine came out easily; yours might not. 4. Levering off the retaining ring. Be gentle. 5. Winch handle in place for wiggling while you lever up the barrel. This may not be necessary. 6. The innards after removing the barrel 7. Removing one of the pawls and its spring. They are intertwined and should come out together. 8. The handle can be lifted off with its pawl. 9. All the nice clean components 10. All the bits regreased and reassembled, ready for the barrel to go back on. I used too much grease here, including on the pawls where oil is preferred.
Westerly Nimrod tabernacle/ mast foot
I have recently purchased a Westerly Nimrod and would really appreciate any advice about the firmer of the mast in the tabernacle. There is a gap either side of the mast foot as well as beneath it.
The mast is silver which I thought meant it wasn’t original but I would have thought there should be some spacers to ensure a snug fit which I imagine should be wooden. I have also wondered whether there should be a wedge under the mast foot itself.
Does anybody what the original setup would have been and what should I do to minimise any stresses whilst keeping the mast easy to raise and lower?
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Max
Navigators & General Insurance
Westerly owners’ Association “WOA” is an Introducer Appointed Representative “IAR” of Navigators & General, a trading name of Zurich Insurance plc, and registered as an Appointed Representative – Introducer with the FCA under reference number: 456246.
Navigators & General are a specialist marine insurer, based in Brighton, with nearly 100 years of experience insuring a wide variety of vessels and commercial marine businesses. Navigators & General have been working with the Westerly Owners’ Association for over 15 years and now insure over 1,000 members’ boats.
Please note, as an Appointed Representative, WOA can introduce members to Navigators & General, and in return they give us an annual introducer fee which benefits our members by reducing some of the Association’s annual administration costs. Please note that WOA is not able to offer any technical insurance advice and does not promote any other insurer. Members should be aware that there are other insurance companies that could offer them cover and members should themselves obtain alternative quotes to compare the cost and cover.
As a WOA member, when you purchase boat insurance from Navigators & General you benefit from:
- 10% discount on your policy
- Free legal expenses cover
- Westerly Emergency Assistance. N&G will reimburse you for the reasonable costs you incur if help is not available and you must obtain commercial assistance by towing to the nearest place where necessary repairs can be made or freeing of a fouled anchor or emergency delivery of fuel. The maximum amount payable for any one incident is £1,000
- No Fault Collision Excess Waiver. In the event of a collision with another vessel where N&G agree it wasn’t your fault, no excess will apply to any resulting claim provided you can supply N&G with contact details of the responsible party.
- Westerly Racing. Whilst the vessel is taking part in Rallies or Races organised by any club where you are participating as a guest (maximum 2 races in any 7-day period), your own club or the Westerly Owners Association, racing cover as printed in the policy will apply.
- Furling Headsail Cover. You are covered for tearing and fraying of furled headsails whilst the Vessel is moored or at anchor, where the damage results from recorded wind speeds of 48 knots or above.
Surveys
Depending on the size of your boat, Navigators & General may require you to have a survey for the purpose of your insurance cover:
- .
Modifications to your vessel
The Navigators & General policy assumes that the vessel has not been modified in any material way such as changes to the cabin or hull, changes to the rig or additions such as an oven stove, generator, mains power and include installing a different engine to that supplied or extending the superstructure. Modifications from manufacturers specifications can have a big impact on a vessel and can change your insurance risk.
An element of common sense is required in interpretation. For example, if you were to undertake modifications as part of replacement of worn or tired rigging /sails with something similar then this would not be deemed to be an issue, however if modifications were performance changing such as enhancing engines then Navigators & General would need to be made aware of this. Like with all forms of insurance if a risk changes then the insured has a duty to notify the insurer.
The Navigators & General policy wording which covers these points is there to remind the Insured that they have a responsibility to provide Navigators & General with full and valid risk information so an accurate underwriting assessment of the risk can be made, and the policy can be accurately priced for the risk.
Protecting your vessel with Navigators & General
The following section covers some general guidance provided by Navigators & General and is not a summary of specific policy conditions
Winter weather guidance
During the winter months, you should take steps to protect your vessel from storm damage.
- Drain down water and heating systems.
- Have engines professionally winterised or ensure that you carefully follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to avoid frost damage.
- Remove berth cushions to a dry environment.
- Remove furled headsails, mainsails, covers, dodgers and spray hoods.
- Take out halyards leaving a mouse line and thoroughly wash and check for wear.
- Check all backstays for wear at top batten point.
- Check all standing rigging for broken strands and rigging screws for wear.
- Ensure the yard use cross bracing if using wooden shores, for extra safety.
- Ensure that whilst ashore the trim of the craft is correct, to allow cockpit drains to be effective and avoid rainwater building up on decks or within the craft.
- Do not tie covers or tarpaulins to wooden shores or cross bracing.
- Preferably use only close fitting covers to avoid additional windage.
- Place tie-on labels on the wheel and engine controls to remind you to check all skin fittings, impellers, seacocks and transducers prior to launching/starting the engine.
- Disconnect batteries and leave them fully charged.
- Avoid running fuel tanks too low due to the risks of sucking dirt into filters or condensation in the tank.
Claims Statistics
Navigators & General claims data from 2008 to 2018, revealed the most common claims they handled were as follows:
- A boat colliding with another vessel (31% of claims handled)
- Storm damage (21%)
- Grounding or collision with underwater obstacle (20%)
- Ingress of water (15%)
- Theft of equipment, fittings and personal effects (13%)
The costliest type of claim was storm damage, with an average cost per claim of £17,600. Ingress of water, including sinking, leads to typical claims worth £11,200; grounding or collision with underwater obstacle, £10,000; collision with another vessel, £3,000; and theft, £1,800.
CR1 The Firstborn Centaur Janina II
“We turned and twisted her all ways and she was a delight” ……”it is very hard to fault a cruiser of this calibre”…….”Westerly have not produced a dud boat yet and they certainly won’t spoil their record with Centaur” yachting monthly, July 1969.
Little did the author of those words 51 yrs ago know how true they would turn out to be! And no doubt little did the designer realise how great a boat he designed when at the drawing board, yes a drawing board! No Apple macs or Intel laptops with number crunching algorithms in those days, pure intelligence, skill, a sharp pencil and sliding rule! Genius!
I can tell you something else the designer knew little about too, whilst he was at his drawing board designing Centaur in 1967-68 a baby boy born in Cardiff would one day be writing about his boat 53yrs later; on a device with a glass screen called a tablet during a lock down of UK society during the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic! How life has twists and turns that are unforeseen hey!
For me one of those twists came about when after being caretaker of Centaur CR1 for 2yrs I was offered the proposition of buying her? But here is an ironic twist, I didn’t know until after I bought her she was the first Centaur built! The previous owner had bought her and due to illness never ever set foot on her in the water!
For me I’ve never been that familiar with the Centaur, I’ve always loved the LM27 and Nauticat 33 but although the Centaur had been below my radar I must say I’ve fallen in love with her and one reason is because I have a technical background in that I spent over 12yrs as a North Sea Saturation Diver and being very used to small confined spaces I can see how well designed she is, and designed to not only be spacious and extremely versatile but easily affordable and adaptable for thousands of owners. The accommodation and storage, the feeling of space despite many features, a deck easy to walk around, a dry deep cockpit, standing headroom, and once you spend a few hours in one to get a feel you cannot help but be very impressed that this vessel capable of crossing an Ocean only has a waterline of 21ft!!!! They are a masterclass in design!
So where has CR1 been all these years? Well among the documents I received after the previous owner deceased was a ‘Brief history of Janina II’ to paraphrase:
She was the pre production prototype boat show model and originally equipped with the Volvo MD1 and later upgraded to the MDII. The original owner was a BOAC pilot who sold her in 1977 to the Burns family. She was moored for a further 6yrs at Hythe Yacht Club and cruised the Solent, South West England, the Scillies, France and the Channel Islands. ‘She was a family sailing boat used by two generations from ages 1 to 60 yrs of age’. ‘She proved to be a capable sailing vessel sailing in wind strengths F1 to F8 and her shallow draught and bilge keels allowed access to many harbours and creeks with hours spent dried out with children digging sand castles around her’.
In 1983 she was brought around from Southampton in “a 3 week epic journey to Swansea”. Based out of South Wales she spent the next 15yrs there and cruised the Bristol Channel, West Coat of Devon, Cornwall and Ireland. (An experienced international sailor once said to me ‘if you can sail around Wales, Bristol Channel, Irish Sea, Lands End, The Scillies; with their variation of tidal heights, weather and strong currents ….you can sail anywhere in the world!!).
In the 1980s she was “stripped back and epoxied as a preventative measure”. In the mid 1990s Janina II featured in an article in the Practical Boat Owner (as anyone got a copy?). 1999 she was sold ‘to purchase a sail training vessel’.
In 2011 (maybe before) she went to Ilfracombe and had various electronic upgrades, new upholstery and in 2014 a new set of sails. Her keels were ‘professionally rebedded’ in 2015.
In 2017 she was bought by John Clarke and transported from Ilfracombe to Lower Town Harbour, Fishguard West Wales. She was moored up and occasionally motored during summer months and winter stored in the boat yard.
In 2019 current owners Ray and Sarah Loveless bought her and she is currently undergoing a full refit, comprising of Engine rebuild, new cutless bearing and stern gear overhaul, electrical rewire, rudder rebuild/protection modification. New upholstery and more. She will remain based out of Lower Town Fishguard for the foreseeable future and after the current refit she will embark on her next chapter of adventure, future destinations planned are the Islands off West Wales, The Scillies, West Coast of Ireland, St Kilda, Rockall and the Faroe Isles. In 2011 it was estimated she had done around 20,000 miles and now in 2020 she is 51 yrs and still going strong! ‘Jack’ Laurent Giles? well done that man! Thank you!