English
FABULOUS VALUE FOR MONEY
Launched first week of May after many improvements over the winter.
'Morning Star'. A very well-maintained, lightly used 'little big yacht'.
Significant improvements over the last six months include: new sprayhood to match the colour of the recent lazy-jacks bag, matching dodgers.
New Harken main sheet system.
Cockpit and fore-deck re-painted.
Recent regular maintenance work such as:
new anodes
new anti-foul
checking and replacing some of the jib-sheet track car rollers, etc.
Re-painting the anchor and marking the chain every 5 metres
Pressure washed, hull polished, bootstrap re-painted.
A comfortable cruiser with twin bilge keels - ideal for a family's first start into cruising.
These recent improvements commissioned by the current Owner who is a highly-qualified Cruising Instructor on larger yachts.
The Owner, who travelled around the UK to find a good example, promptly bought this yacht on the East Coast just before Covid and has improved it further after transportation to the West Country. Thus, 'Morning Star' benefits from recent new rigging and the installation of lazy-jacks so single-handed sailing is even easier.
The previous owners - on the East Coast - enjoyed this Westerly Merlin for 15 years when benefitted from much expenditure such as: a new diesel engine in 2007 with only about 900 hours to date; some new Jekyll sails in 2010, and much more.
All are listed in 'Chronology'.
Westerly yachts introduced the Merlin class in1984 and was their first with an aft double berth quarter cabin. Strongly built (Lloyd's Certified) with spacious and attractive accommodation due to the interior joinery including a lovely holly and ash cabin sole. In addition there is excellent velour upholstery so the boat's interior seems much younger than the age of the hull.
This proven Westerly Merlin yacht has good sailing performance so 'Morning Star' makes an ideal family cruiser which benefits from twin bilge keels.
Interestingly, Morning Star was fitted in the build with the optional wooden laminates to the head/ceiling of the main saloon thus eliminating any possible 'Westerly droop' - there is no conventional head-lining in the main saloon.
Only for sale as the Vendor, being a Cruising Instructor, receives regular invitations to sail in sunny climes on larger yachts belonging to others. Hard to refuse such invitations which is why 'Morning Star' needs a new custodian.
Broker's Comments. With only three owners from new Morning Star has benefitted from regular equipment updates and/or replacements and engine servicing (still less than 1,000 hours on this engine).
This Westerly Merlin presents well with a delightful interior - there is much charm and character aboard this neat and tidy yacht.
Ready to use, complete with warps and fenders. Sail away and enjoy.
Chronology: Care, Maintenance, Improvements
The following gives an appreciation of the well-cared-for nature of this 1985 Westerly Merlin Special Edition over the years:
- 2007 New Nanni 3.75HE 21HP marine engine (freshwater closed-circuit cooling)
- 2007 New 3 bladed propeller
- 2010 New Standing Rigging (Invoice available)
- 2010 New Jeckell's mainsail in premium Marblehead woven Dacron and lightly used since. (Slab reefing with 3 reefing points and 2 reefing lines running to cockpit jammers with ram’s horn at mast)
- 2010 New Jeckells furling genoa in premium Marblehead woven Dacron with UV strip and lightly used since
- 2010 New mainsail cover in burgundy
- 2010 New sprayhood with clear panels and grab rail
- 2016 New vision panels to spray hood
- 2017 New acetal cutlass bearing
- 2018 New engine battery
- 2020 The cast iron bilge ballast keels grit blasted and re-primed by Larkmans of Woodbridge
- 2020 Running rigging replaced (Cruising Dyneema)
- 2021 Stanchions checked and guard rail wires renewed
- 2021 Thorough standing and running rigging inspection.
All approved in Plymouth after road transport from the East Coast.
New runners at top of mast. New halyard and new furler.
New, mast head VHF/Windex unit.
New Haarken furling system
New mainsail bag and lazy-jacks
New Stackpack Weathermax.
All before re-rigging in Plymouth.
New fender and mooring lines. - 2021 Polished hull
- 2022 Two new 110Amp/hr batteries installed
END.
More sailing information
The following is additional sailing-related data about Morning Star,a well cared-for Westerly Merlin Special Edition:
- Deck and superstructure in white with grey non-slip panels to deck, coach-roof, cockpit coamings and lockers
- Transom hung rudder with tiller steering
- Self-draining cockpit
- Silver anodised aluminium alloy mast: Boom and spinnaker pole by Kemp
- Deck stepped mast
- Headsail furling system
- Control lines lead aft to cockpit via Spinlock jammers
- Two Barlow 23 two speed genoa sheet winches
- Two Barlow 20 halyard winches.
END
Features
- Battened mainsail
- Cd player
- Oven
- Tiller
- Spray hood
- Mainsail cover
- Depthsounder
- Spinnaker pole
- Genoa
- Spinnaker
- Swimming ladder
- Autopilot
- Cockpit cushions
- Compass
- Log speedometer
- Marine head
- Vhf
- Gps
- Manual bilge pump
- Outboard engine brackets
- Lazyjacks
- Repeater
Nicolle Associates offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
- This vessel is VAT paid,.
- As always photographs do not do justice so a viewing is highly recommended.
- This boat is ashore near Dartmouth, Devon, England.
- © 2024 Nicolle Associates