If it is not otherwise apparent, the hull identification number indicates weather a particular boat was factory or home finished with the prefixes WSSF indicating factory finished and WSSK indicating kit boats. Displacement is 20,000 lbs. This is important when considering the size and cost of a slip to accommodate this boat. Westsail 32 hulls are solidly constructed of 24 alternating, hand-laid layers of fiberglass woven roving cloth and chopped strand mat set in polyester resin. This is the traditional method of fiberglass construction, however its considerably more substantial than the average 32' boat.
Structural bulkheads are plywood tabbed to the hull with fiberglass cloth and resin.
The result is a very strong structure at the penalty of extreme weight. The construction method remained essentially the same throughout production for both factory or owner finished boats however, ballasting methods did vary. Originally boats were ballasted with 2,000 lbs of lead pigs and 5,000 lbs of iron set in resin. Buyers had the option of replacing the steel with lead shot and some kit boats were ballasted by the purchaser. Around 1975 ballast was changed to encapsulated cast lead and it is very difficult to determine the method of ballasting without destructive means.