BoatsWesterly Marine Ltd. Ocean 43

Westerly Marine Ltd. Ocean 43

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1997

A Ron Holland-designed masthead sloop built for offshore comfort with a stable, skeg-mounted rudder configuration

Designed by Ron Holland.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Westerly Marine Ltd. Ocean 43, on the water

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

Footage from Sailing Gently

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 37 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 37
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.78
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 287
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

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

  • Heavier than ~88% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~75% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2535 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Westerly Marine Ltd. Ocean 43, 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 Ltd. Ocean 43 is a 13.3-meter masthead sloop designed by Ron Holland and built by Westerly Marine Ltd. since 1997, featuring a fin keel with a rudder on skeg. With a displacement of 13,499 kg and a comfort ratio of 36.7, it is considered a capable and comfortable cruiser for long-distance sailing. Aboard *Sailing Gently*, the Ocean 43 is identified as one of the most capable and comfortable cruisers for long-distance sailing, offering superior handling and interior space compared to similarly sized catamarans.17:45 The owner, who has sailed eight different vessels, transitioned to the 43-foot Westerly after experiencing the maintenance burden of steel hulls and the performance limitations of smaller boats.13:01 The Ocean 43 represents a modern production boat offering better reliability and comfort than older, cheaper projects.25:52

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

On the water

The Westerly Marine Ltd. Ocean 43 on video

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
Displacement / length
286.7
Comfort ratio
36.7
Capsize screening
1.78
Hull speed
8.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1765
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1997
Units built
10
Designer
Ron Holland
Builder
Westerly Marine Ltd

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More boats like her, on the water

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Hallberg-Rassy 42 (Frers)13.22 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for blue-water cruising, featuring a stable fin keel and a 181-unit production run.
TEST: Pure 424:05from SEILmagasinet
Jeanneau Sun Magic 4413.34 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-volume charter veteran also marketed as the Atlantic 44, built for stable cruising with a 2.12-metre fin keel
We found our next houseboat in Newport, USA | Episode 82 - Chez Team5:25from Chez Team
Nicholson 4413.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn extended Nicholson 42 featuring a modified deck molding that creates a convenient walk-through to the aft cabin
Camper and Nicholson 44 - A Yacht Delivery from Falmouth to Gosport0:34from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Sweden Yachts 4213.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.25-metre fractional sloop featuring a 2.1-metre bulb keel and a 40% ballast ratio for balanced offshore performance
Sweden Yachts 42 - An Atlantic crossing from Sint Maarten to UK as part of the ARC Europe 2025.9:00from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Tartan Marine 430013.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13-metre masthead sloop featuring a deep 2.51-metre fin keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Tartan Yachts and the Catalina Fallout: How One Brand Survived5:35from Practical Sailor
Beneteau Oceanis 42 CC13.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA center-cockpit cutter designed by Groupe Finot, featuring a wing keel for shoal draft and a stable, comfortable motion
Sailing Solo to San Clemente Island and buddy boating (June 2024)from keeldragger

The family

Boats like this

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

Westsail 43An aft-cockpit cruiser featuring a long keel and versatile rig options, including cutter, ketch, and yawl configurationsWesterly Marine Ltd. Ocean 33The final model built by Westerly in the UK, this Ed Dubois-designed fractional sloop shares its molds with the GK35Oyster Marine 43A fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, optimized for performance in the IOR 1-ton class

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