1979 Westerly Griffon 26

Westerly Griffon 26: A Sea-Kindly Classic for Coastal Cruising

1. General Information

The Westerly Griffon 26 is a compact, sea-kindly cruising sailboat designed by Ed Dubois for Westerly Marine and built in Berkshire, England, between 1979 and 1989. Conceived as a successor to the enormously popular Westerly Centaur, the Griffon 26 carried forward Westerly's reputation for solid, practical family cruisers while introducing a more refined hull shape and improved sailing manners. Over its production run, 454 hulls were completed, making it one of the more prolific small cruisers to come out of the British boatbuilding industry of the era.

This fin-keel version suits sailors who want an easy-to-handle, forgiving monohull for coastal and estuary cruising rather than outright speed. With a single tiller, a closed aft cockpit, and a modest 20hp diesel inboard, the Griffon 26 is well suited to singlehanded sailing, couples, or small families taking their first steps into cruising ownership. Typical accommodation includes a forepeak double berth, a quarter berth beneath the cockpit, and convertible saloon berths, sleeping up to four to six aboard in a genuinely usable, if cosy, layout. Headroom of 1.81 metres allows most adults to stand comfortably below, while an enclosed heads compartment adds a touch of practicality rarely found on boats this size from the period.

At 7.93 metres (26 feet) length overall and displacing around 2,676 kg, the Griffon 26 is light enough to be easily driven in moderate winds yet reassuringly stable thanks to its 1,235 kg ballast and 46% ballast ratio. Owners typically use the boat for weekend and short coastal passages, estuary cruising, and gentle family sailing holidays rather than long offshore passages, though her solid GRP construction and sea-kindly motion have seen many examples cruise further afield in capable hands.

2. Construction and Design

The Griffon 26 was built with a hull and deck of GRP (glass-reinforced polyester), a material choice that has proven remarkably durable, with many hulls from the late 1970s and 1980s still sailing today. The fin keel version fitted here adopts a classical, bulb-free fin configuration, chosen specifically to keep the centre of gravity low and to give the boat a more responsive, easily driven underbody than the twin-keel alternative Westerly also offered.

Above deck, the Griffon 26 carries a masthead sloop rig on a deck-stepped aluminium mast, with a single set of spreaders and 1x19 strand wire standing rigging - a straightforward, low-maintenance rig typical of dependable cruising yachts of its generation. The rudder is a single transom-hung design, controlled by tiller, which keeps steering feel direct and mechanically simple, with little to go wrong offshore.

Below decks, the Griffon 26 was originally fitted with an all-wood interior, and later Mk II examples are noted for their superior teak joinery compared with the more basic early boats. Wide side decks, an uncluttered foredeck, and a working cockpit reflect a design brief focused on comfortable, unintimidating handling rather than racing pedigree - a boat built to be sailed and enjoyed rather than campaigned.

3. Key Features

Low-slung fin keel for easy handling. The bulb-free fin keel configuration keeps the centre of gravity low, giving the Griffon 26 a stable, predictable motion that inspires confidence in newer sailors while still rewarding a more experienced hand.

Simple, robust masthead sloop rig. A deck-stepped aluminium mast with a single spreader and 1x19 wire standing rigging keeps the sail plan easy to manage and inexpensive to maintain, ideal for shorthanded or singlehanded cruising.

Sea-kindly motion in a breeze. Reviewers note the Griffon holds a steady course and comfortable motion even when pushed in Force 4 to 5 winds, without excessive weather helm despite the transom-hung rudder.

Practical, liveable accommodation. A forepeak double, quarter berth, and convertible saloon berths, combined with 1.81 metres of headroom and an enclosed heads compartment, make the Griffon 26 genuinely usable for weekends and coastal cruises.

Proven GRP construction with a long production run. With 454 hulls built over a decade, the Griffon 26 benefits from a well-established owners' community, ready spares availability, and decades of real-world sailing experience to draw on.

4. Summary

The Westerly Griffon 26 is best suited to sailors seeking an affordable, easy-to-maintain, and forgiving cruising boat rather than a high-performance racer. Its combination of a simple sloop rig, stable fin keel, and practical accommodation makes it a natural choice for couples, small families, and singlehanded sailors who value economical ownership and unfussy coastal cruising over outright pace. Buyers drawn to classic British GRP cruisers of the late 1970s and 1980s, and to boats with a strong, active owners' association, will find the Griffon 26 a dependable and rewarding entry into small-boat cruising.