BoatsWesterly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 22

Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 22

Masthead Sloop · Twin keels · 1967–1969

A twin-keel masthead sloop designed by Denys Rayner as a refined evolution of the Westerly 22 for shoal-water cruising

Designed by Dennis Rayner & Denys A. Rayner.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Twin Keel

See her sail

The Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 22, on the water

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

Footage from The Mariner

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.26 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,429 kg of hull, so roughly 2,050 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 0.69 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 17 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 17
CoastalBluewater

2.03 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.03
LightHeavy

228 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 228
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 13.9
TenderStiff

33% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 33%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

  • Draws less than ~96% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 973 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 22, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. Nomad 22 is a 6.8-meter masthead sloop designed by Dennis Rayner and built by Westerly Marine Construction Ltd. from 1967 to 1969. It features a twin keel hull, a 2.3-meter beam, a 0.7-meter draft, and a displacement of 1428 kg. The Nomad 22 is a reworking of the earlier Westerly 22 design.21:21

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
33.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
13.9
Displacement / length
228.3
Comfort ratio
17.3
Capsize screening
2.03
Hull speed
5.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
486
Hull
Hull type
Twin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1967–1969
Units built
267
Designer
Dennis Rayner, Denys A. Rayner
Builder
Westerly Marine Construction 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.

Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA triple-keeled masthead sloop by Alan H. Buchanan, offering shallow-draft versatility based on the earlier Crystal 23
Free Boat Inspection - Deck Corefrom Practical Sailor
Westerly Marine Ltd. Cirrus 226.71 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA John Butler-designed fractional sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance in a compact 22-foot hull
This Tiny Boat Will BLOW YOUR MINDfrom Sailing Nahoa
Ranger Yachts 237.21 mSame hull family0.4 m longerDesigned to rate at the IOR 18-foot level, this masthead sloop offered an optional tall rig starting in 1974
Ask PYS - Should I Crimp or Solder Wire Connections on my Boat?0:06from Pacific Yacht Systems
Galion 226.71 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDesigned by Ian Hannay, this fractional sloop proved her mettle by winning both the Round the Island and JOG races in 1968
Why did I buy this boat?7:05from Sailing Gently
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Everything You Think About Sailing Is Wrong3:59from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA development of the Sirius 24, this fractional sloop features a fin keel with skeg-mounted rudder for balanced handling
Two Different Ways Sailing Changes Lives | #SAL #2510:15from Hashtag Sal

The family

Boats like this

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

Westerly 22The inaugural Westerly model, this Gunter-rigged twin-keeler evolved from the plywood West Coaster 20 for shoal cruisingWesterly 25A triple-keel masthead sloop with a shallow 0.76m draft, designed by company founder Denys Rayner for coastal cruisingWesterly Marine Ltd. Nimrod 18An Ian Proctor-designed fractional sloop with a swing keel, produced by multiple builders using the same toolingWesterly Marine Ltd. Windrush 25An evolution of the Westerly 25, this masthead sloop features a lengthened coachroof and revised interior layout

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