Westerly Griffon refit: Dream boat.......well it will be once it's done!

The Westerly Griffon has a very good reputation for being a comfortable cruising boat as well as having good handling and performance for a bilge keeler. Based upon my research and recommendations we looked at similar types of boats but found the Griffon to be all we wanted. I am 6ft and could stand upright with my hair just touching the ceiling (which was hanging down as do most old Griffon head-linings!) As a novice sailor having a bilge keel is welcome for those times when you don't quite make the tide! (click on a photo to see full size)

We found "Blue Oyster" locally at Morgan Marine Brightlingsea up for £9,995. She was well equipped with Depth, Wind and Speed logs, and a very nice Raymarine Chartplotter with Radar. The interior and indeed the whole boat was ok but very tired and in need of refurbishment, the nicest thing was that it was honest and had not been "tidied up" . The engine started ok and smoked a little (I was later to find out that it is a characteristic of the Volvo Md7) but if I were to enjoy taking this boat off-shore I would need to know in my own mind that all was well inside so it would be rebuild or replacement.
Some negotiation and a quick sale meant it was time to get her home. Driving to Brightlingsea from Colchester every time to work on it would be expensive on time and fuel, plus the cost of keeping it in Morgans yard made a trailer a "no brainer". I am handy with a Mig Welder, and about £1ks worth of steel and second hand axles from a Transit plus tow hitch had the trailer built.

So with a bundle of help from my friend Ian we towed the boat home and planted it in the front garden! The original idea was to bring it around the back of our house across the farmers fields, but after giving us the thumbs up before we bought it changed their minds! However, it was great to look out the lounge window and dream of sailing it!!

.......and from the feedback we had the locals enjoyed Christmas time..........

Typical of most Griffons the headlining had come unstuck and the other headlinings/sidelinings had also failed. Getting the old adhesive off was a real chore, I found the solvents to be nasty to use for both the smell and expense, so reverted to a good old wire brush. I machine I bought called an MBX was a life-saver. Its like an angle grinder but with a hooked wire wheel, this made short work of removing the old impact adhesive.