Westerly Centaur from Lymington

The Reality of the “One Pound” Boat: Saying Goodbye to a Lymington Centaur

In the boat disposal business, we see a lot of legendary hulls come through our gates. Few are as iconic as the Westerly Centaur. Known for their rugged build and “go-anywhere” attitude, they are usually the darlings of the secondhand market. However, our recent trip to Lymington served as a stark reminder that even a legend has an expiration date.

Abandoned in Lymington

Boatbreakers were called in to recover a Centaur that had been left sitting in a local boatyard. The vessel had become an “abandoned” fixture, taking up valuable space while its condition slowly deteriorated. Before the yard reached out to us, there was one last-ditch effort to save her: an eBay listing for just £1.

We often see these “pound-shop” boats, and while they sound like a bargain, the market spoke loud and clear on this one. No serious buyers stepped up. Why? Because in the world of boat restoration, “free” can be the most expensive price tag of all.

Stripped to the Bone

When our Boatbreakers team arrived to haul her back to our yard, the lack of interest became immediately obvious. This wasn’t just a tired boat; she was a shell.

Usually, when we break a Centaur, we look forward to salvaging high-quality components that keep other Westerlys on the water. On this boat, however, the “vultures” had already circled:

• Deck Hardware: The stanchions and winches, items we usually save, were long gone.

• Interior Fittings: The cabin had been almost entirely gutted, leaving none of the classic woodwork or hardware.

• Bare Bones: Without these essential (and expensive) parts, the cost of a restoration would have been astronomical.

The Final Journey

By the time she arrived at our yard, she was fairly stripped out. It’s likely the previous owners or scavengers realised that the parts were worth more than the whole. Without the hardware to make her safe or the interior to make her liveable, she was no longer a “project”, she was a disposal job.

While we hate to see a Westerly go, we’re glad we could step in to handle the professional decommissioning. She may not be sailing anymore, but by clearing her out of Lymington, we’ve made room for a boat that still has a few miles left in her.