BoatsWesterly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33

Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33

Masthead Sloop · Fin w/rudder On Partial Skeg · 1979–1984

An aft-cockpit evolution of the Westerly 33, featuring a masthead rig and the choice of fin or twin keels

Designed by Laurent Giles & Jack Laurent Giles.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/rudder On Partial Skeg

See her sail

The Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Sea Dream of Clyde

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 31 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 31
CoastalBluewater

1.81 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.81
LightHeavy

292 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 292
EasygoingPowered-up

13.8 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 13.8
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Heavier than ~78% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2903 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33 is a 10.1-meter masthead sloop designed by Laurent Giles and built by Westerly Yachts Ltd. between 1979 and 1984, offered with either a fin or twin keel. It is an aft cockpit variant of the Westerly 33. Aboard *Sea Dream of Clyde*, the crew installed two additional 100-watt Renogy solar panels on the cockpit lifelines, bringing the total system to 400 watts, routing wiring through the aft cockpit combing to support increased power demands including Starlink and a freezer.6:50 The crew frequently uses a Hydrovane self-steering system for long passages, including a 2,000-mile journey from the Pacific Northwest to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and during a transit in the Gulf of California.1:44 They have sailed the boat in diverse conditions, from navigating variable winds and squalls in Icy Strait, Alaska, to managing thick fog and light winds in the Pacific Northwest, and encountering strong northerly winds in the Gulf of California.4:14 The crew practices sailing onto and off anchor without engine assistance, a maneuver they find essential for remote cruising.0:31 They have experienced severe motion sickness during offshore legs, emphasizing the need for preventative medication.9:33

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.

Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeThe crew of Sea Dream of Clyde documents their long-distance offshore passages and technical boat maintenance aboard a 33-foot Westerly Discus sailboat.

Seen 85 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33 on video

Sailing Into The Wilds Of Alaska - Starting The Inside Passage With A BANG! - Ep. 108Berg Bay's 27-foot minimum depth at high tide demands careful timing and a cruising guide sketch to enter safely.Sailing Sea Dream of Clyde24 Days Across The Pacific: From Tropics to GlaciersA 33-ft sailboat completes a 2,700-mile, 24-day Hawaii-to-Alaska passage through lightning, near-gale headwinds, and fog.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeThis Is What Sailing Hawaii Actually Looks Like | Hilo to HonoluluCruising Hawaii involves navigating strict anchoring regulations, limited transient moorage, and challenging, swell-prone coastal approaches.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeSailing 3,000 Miles Across the Pacific on a 33ft SailboatA 33-ft sailboat completes a 3,000-mile Pacific crossing from Mexico to Hawaii in 22 days.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeFinal Offshore Preparations | We're Ready To Sail To Hawaii! - Ep 104A crew prepares their 33-foot sailboat for a 3,000-mile Pacific crossing by finalizing repairs and provisioning.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeIN WATER Seacock Valve Replacement (No Haul-Out Needed!)Trevor replaces a broken seacock in La Paz using a bung, Rector Seal No. 5, and a spare valve from a neighbor.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeOur 8000 mile Journey Begins! | Leaving Baja Behind - Ep. 103A 230-mile passage from San Carlos to La Paz takes five days due to light, inconsistent winds.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeTrekking & Sleeping At Everest Base Camp | A Journey to the Top of the World - Ep.102Trevor and Kat of *Sea Dream of Clyde* trek to Mount Everest Base Camp at 17,500 feet elevation.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeTrekking The Langtang Valley - Nepal 🇳🇵- Ep. 101Trevor and Kat trek the Langtang Valley in Nepal, reaching Kyanjin Gompa at 12,700 feet elevation.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeLeaving Baja Behind: 200-Mile Sailing Journey & New Horizons - Ep. 100A Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33 navigates Baja coastal passages and a 78-mile Gulf of California crossing.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeSailing A 33 ft Boat in Mexico | Saying Goodbye To Baja - Ep. 99The crew of *Sea Dream of Clyde* navigates Baja California Sur while managing maintenance and unreliable depth charts.Sailing Sea Dream of ClydeRun For Cover! | Small Boat Realities In Baja - Ep. 98The crew of Sea Dream of Clyde retreats to Isla Coronados to avoid gale-force winds in Baja.Sailing Sea Dream of Clyde

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33 may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
13.8
Displacement / length
291.8
Comfort ratio
31.4
Capsize screening
1.81
Hull speed
7.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1136
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/rudder on partial skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Cast Iron
Production
Years built
1979–1984
Units built
300
Designer
Laurent Giles, Jack Laurent Giles
Builder
Westerly Yachts Ltd

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Westerly 3310.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA center-cockpit masthead sloop offered with fin or bilge keels, designed for stable cruising and long-range comfort
We're Almost at the End of this Sailing Adventure | Wildlings Sailing7:23from Wildling Sailing
Westerly Marine Ltd. Falcon 3410.26 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn Ed Dubois-designed aft-cabin cruiser that serves as the foundation for the later, extended-stern Falcon 35
Regina at the Portosanto shipyard17:58from Velero Regina
Catalina Yachts 31610.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2024 6 Series fractional sloop featuring a deep-draft fin keel and spade rudder for precise coastal handling
First Look at the Brand New Catalina 316from Practical Sailor
Mistral 3310.19 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA former IOR half-tonner that transitioned from the Hallberg brand to the Hallberg-Rassy line during its 1968-1976 run
[OFF MARKET] Windy 35 Mistral (ELESSAR) with Hugh Rayner - Yacht for Sale - Fresh for Her Age (2)from Berthon International
Dufour Yachts 3410.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1974 masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a balanced displacement-to-ballast ratio for offshore stability
Bryggelangs i Mandal før starten av Race to the Arcticfrom SEILmagasinet
Islander 3410.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop featuring a rudder profile inspired by the 1964 America's Cup defender Constellation
S1, Ep3 Bringing her Home!1:25from Sailing Into the Mystic

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Westerly 33A center-cockpit masthead sloop offered with fin or bilge keels, designed for stable cruising and long-range comfortWesterly Marine Ltd. Ocean 33The final model built by Westerly in the UK, this Ed Dubois-designed fractional sloop shares its molds with the GK35Westerly Marine Ltd. Gk 34An Ed Dubois-designed fractional sloop featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and rare Kevlar Grand Prix variants

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Westerly Yachts Ltd. Discus 33

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