Welcome to the site of "Niniwahuni", the Crockers' 1976 Westsail 43' cutter rigged sloop. (Note: Click on images for full screen view.)   After over three years of searching, it was determined that nothing but a Westsail 43 would do. She became ours in September 2001. Our intent is to circumnavigate with our two children whenever my schedule allows me to finish the boat. The Westsail 43 is a rugged vessel originally designed for offshore use by well known naval architect Bill Crealock, designer of the popular Pacific Seacraft line of offshore yachts.   It should be noted that this website has been set up to aid others with getting to know the Westsail 43 as well as to share our refit.  When we were in the search process, very little information was available on this particular design of Westsail.  Most people have only heard of the venerable Westsail 32 and perhaps of the center cockpit version of our boat, the Westsail 42, made famous by Walter Cronkite.  But not a lot is known about the 43's.  I have noticed that the 43's tend to stay with the same owners for many, many years.  That should tell you something.  And, I might add, the 43's are NOT "wetsnails".  They are powerful boats to sail and we have had ours up to 9.5 knots.   I hope you find this site informative, especially if you are new to these ocean cruisers.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions, or if you already own a Westsail 43, we'd love to hear from you.  We love pictures.

W43 #39 "Truelove" looking "yare"	There were 65 Westsail 43's built by Westsail Corporation of Costa Mesa, CA between 1976 and 1979. After that, an additional 5-6 43's were built by JoMarCo using the Westsail molds. Niniwahuni is hull number 26, laid up in 10/76, but not commissioned until the spring of '78. We purchased this low use, factory built boat, originally named Starshine, from the original owner. This site will change as she undergoes the various stages of a complete refit. Her topsides now sport a beautiful new Sterling paint job by Nelson's Marine of Alameda, CA. HIN Breakdown: WSSF3###MMYY (WSS=Westsail, F=Factory or K=Kit, 3=43',###=Hull Number, MMYY=Month and Year of hull layup).
W43 #19 Yawl "Iona" Under Sail	A Westsail 43 ketch sailed, totally intact, through the 1994 Queen's Birthday Storm between New Zealand and Tonga, surviving 90 mph winds and 40-50 foot seas. See: http://www.setsail.com/products/sts/sts_motorsail.html Another Westsail 43 survived a "squash zone" between Fiji and New Zealand in November 1998, falling off 25 foot breaking waves caused by sustained 40 knot winds. See: http://www.latitude38.com/features/nzstorm.htm
Can you find our bow?	The Westsail 43 hull is laid up in two halves, then glassed together along the centerline. All had internal ballast, some lead and some steel. Niniwahuni has 11,000 lbs of lead ballast and a total empty displacement of 31,500 lbs. The hull is solid glass: 1/2" in the sides, up to 3/4" at the turn of the bilge, 1" in the keel and over 2" thick (confirmed) in the bow where the hull halves are joined. The deck is 1-1/8" thick, not including 3/4" thick teak side decks, cored with 1/2" marine plywood throughout. The interior woods are solid teak (sole, doors), ash (headliner, sole strips, work bench), and phillipine ribbon mahogany marine plywood (bulkheads, cabinet boxes) and fir marine plywood (stringers and other structures).

Worldcruiser Yacht Company - Bud Taplin

Westsail Owners Association