Cornish Crabber Boats for Sale

View all NYB boats

Go Back

All Cornish Crabber Boats For Sale

Cornish Crabber History

The first Cornish Crabbers were built by Westerly Boats way back in 1973. It was entirely reasonable then to make boats using marine ply. Therefore all the first yachts were built in wood. Westerly Boat history must not be confused with the other great British boatbuilding company, Westerly Marine Construction, builders of such yachts as the Centaur, Conway and Berwick based in Waterlooville, Hampshire. However, Westerly Boats were Dinghy Specialists. They produced Wayfarers, Scorpions and Ospreys, with a base in Cornwall. It is said that the Rock company’s entry into the market overlapped that of Westerly Marine and did cause unrest in Waterlooville and so the introduction of a new trading name Cornish Crabbers Ltd in 1977. History will record it could be described as a result of pressure from that direction.

The Crabber history began over 40 years ago at the London Boat Show Earls Court. In January 1975, Westerly Boats exhibited for the first time. The Cornish Crabber was also shown for the first time and was an immediate success. This exhibition would take them in an entirely new yacht building direction. Roger Dongray first designed the Cornish Crabber as a 22ft (6.7m) gaff-rigged cutter. Roger wanted to build a Crabber for himself using plywood. However, Peter Keeling, of Westerly Boats who had raced Lasers against Roger, thought it should be two feet longer than the original drawing and that his firm should build it. This eventually led to four 24ft (7.3m) plywood boats. After this, a hull mould was made, and construction switched to GRP. Cornish Crabbers were received at London Earls Court Boat show with mixed emotion as even to this day. The Cornish Crabber is not for everyone. Some described her as a cult reproduction sailing craft relying on old boats' history.