1982 Westerly Griffon 2

Westerly Griffon 26 Mk II: A Sea-Kindly British Pocket Cruiser

1. General Information

The Westerly Griffon 26 Mk II is a compact, sea-kindly bilge-keel cruising yacht designed by the celebrated naval architect Ed Dubois and built by Westerly Marine in Hampshire, England, between 1982 and 1984. Conceived as the more refined successor within the Griffon range, the Mk II upgraded the interior joinery and finish over the earlier Griffon 26 while retaining the same proven hull, masthead sloop rig and twin-keel (bilge keel) configuration that made the model a favourite among British coastal sailors. With 98 examples built, the Griffon 26 Mk II remains a well-regarded, affordable classic on today's used-boat market.

At 7.92 metres (26 feet) overall with a lightship displacement of 2,722 kg, the Griffon 26 Mk II suits a couple, a small family, or a confident singlehanded sailor seeking an easily managed pocket cruiser. Below decks, the layout is compact but genuinely usable for weekending and short cruises: a double berth forward in the forepeak, convertible saloon berths for two more, and a double quarter berth tucked beneath the cockpit, giving comfortable accommodation for four. An enclosed heads compartment and a simple galley complete a layout built for economical coastal cruising rather than long-distance liveaboard use. Its bilge keels let it dry out safely on a falling tide or take the mud in a tidal harbour, extending its cruising grounds well beyond deep-water marinas.

2. Construction and Design

Westerly built the Griffon 26 in solid, hand-laid fibreglass (GRP), a construction method the yard was renowned for and one that has given the hull a lasting reputation for durability and low maintenance, helping many examples survive in good condition more than four decades on. The standard twin-keel (bilge keel) configuration draws just 0.99 m, though the same hull was also offered with a deeper fin keel (1.45 m draught) or, less commonly, a lifting keel (0.99–1.67 m) for owners wanting sharper windward performance or greater versatility on drying moorings.

On deck, Ed Dubois's design gives the Griffon wide sidedecks with good non-slip moulding and a full-height guardrail, making moving about the boat secure underway. The cockpit is spacious for a 26-footer, with wide, flat-topped coamings for comfortable seating, two effective drains, and a manually operated bilge pump built into the cockpit sole. A masthead sloop rig with single spreaders and aft lower shrouds keeps the sail plan simple and easy for shorthanded crews to manage, while a Rotostay furling headsail and cockpit-led reefing lines were fitted as standard, allowing sail to be shortened without leaving the cockpit. Down below, the interior favours simple, functional teak-trimmed joinery, upgraded over the original Mk I, with standing headroom of 1.83 m (6 ft) in the saloon.

3. Key Features

Twin bilge keels: the standard keel configuration allows the Griffon 26 Mk II to take the ground safely, opening up drying harbours and tidal moorings that deeper-draught yachts cannot use.

Masthead sloop rig with furling headsail: a simple, well-mannered sail plan with a Rotostay furling headsail and cockpit-led reefing lines as standard, making the boat easy to handle shorthanded.

Solid GRP hull construction: Westerly's reputation for robust, hand-laid fibreglass hulls gives the Griffon 26 Mk II a lasting reputation for durability on the used-boat market.

Secure, spacious cockpit: wide flat-topped coamings, effective drains and a manual bilge pump make the cockpit both comfortable and safe in a seaway.

Practical four-berth interior: a forepeak double, convertible saloon berths and a double quarter berth provide genuine weekending accommodation in a compact footprint.

4. Summary

The Westerly Griffon 26 Mk II suits sailors looking for a small, forgiving and affordable cruising yacht rather than outright speed: singlehanded sailors, couples and small families cruising the coasts and estuaries of the UK and northern Europe will find it a sea-kindly, easily managed boat that rewards a relaxed, unhurried style of sailing over short to medium passages. Its twin-keel option makes it especially well suited to sailors based in tidal harbours or drying moorings, while the availability of fin-keel and lifting-keel versions of the same hull gives buyers some flexibility to match the boat to their home waters. Overall, it is a practical entry point into classic British bilge-keel cruising: an economical, well-built pocket cruiser for those who value comfort and ease of handling over racing pedigree.