c&c 34 sailboat review

C&C 34 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of C&C 34. Built by C&C Yachts and designed by Robert Ball, the boat was first built in 1977. It has a hull type of Fin w/spade rudder and LOA is 10.21. Its sail area/displacement ratio 17.76. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Universal, runs on Gas.

C&C 34 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about C&C 34 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the c&c 34.

C&C 34 was designed by Robert Ball.

Who builds C&C 34?

C&C 34 is built by C&C Yachts.

When was C&C 34 first built?

C&C 34 was first built in 1977.

How long is C&C 34?

C&C 34 is 7.9 m in length.

What is mast height on C&C 34?

C&C 34 has a mast height of 11.66 m.

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The C&C 34+ Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The C&C 34+, a cruiser/racer sailboat, was designed by Robert Ball and built in Canada by C&C (Cuthbertson & Cassian ) Yachts.

Published Specification for the  C&C 34+

Underwater Configuration:  Wing keel and spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall:  35'6" (10.8m)

Waterline Length:  30'10" (9.4m)

Beam:  11'7" (3.5m)

Draft:  5'0" (1.5m)

Rig Type:  Masthead sloop

Displacement:  12,000lb (5,443kg)

Ballast:  Lead

Designer:  Robert Ball

Builder:  C&C Yachts

First Built:  1989

Published Design Ratios for the  C&C 34+

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  20.5

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  43.5

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  183

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio:  22.0

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the  C&C 34+

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 20.5 suggests that, in the right hands, the C&C 34+ will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length in her wake. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 43.5 means that the C&C 34+ will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 183, tells us the C&C 34+ is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 22.0 suggests that crew comfort of a C&C 34+ in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.0 tells us that a C&C 34+ would not be the better choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas, when compared to a similar sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

The C&C 34+: A Fast and Fun Cruiser/Racer

Designed by Robert Ball and built by C&C Yachts in Canada, the C&C 34+ is a versatile and attractive performer that can satisfy a wide range of sailing needs. But the C&C 34+ is not just a regular 34-footer. It's actually a modified version of the C&C 34/36, which was introduced in 1989 as a replacement for the older C&C 34. The 34/36 came in two versions: the R (racer) and the DK (deep keel). The R had a lighter displacement, a taller mast, and a deeper fin keel, while the DK had a heavier displacement, a shorter mast, and a shoal draft wing keel.

The 34+ was created by combining the best features of both versions. It has the same hull shape and rig as the R, but with a wing keel that reduces the draft to 5.5 feet. It also has a more spacious and comfortable interior than the R, with more headroom, storage, and amenities. The result is a boat that can sail fast and point high in light to moderate winds, but also offer stability and comfort in heavier conditions.

What are the pros and cons of the C&C 34+?

Like any boat, the C&C 34+ has its strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of the main ones:

• Performance: The C&C 34+ is a lively and responsive boat that can reach speeds of over 7 knots in favorable winds. It has a well-balanced helm, a powerful sail plan, and a low wetted surface area that make it easy to handle and fun to sail. It can also perform well in club races and regattas, especially in PHRF ratings.
• Versatility: The C&C 34+ can adapt to different sailing scenarios, from day sailing to coastal cruising to offshore passages. It has enough space and equipment to accommodate up to six people for overnight or longer trips, but it's also not too big or complex to manage single-handedly or with a small crew. It can sail in shallow waters thanks to its wing keel, but it can also handle rough seas thanks to its sturdy construction and seakindly motion.
• Style: The C&C 34+ has a sleek and elegant appearance that reflects its heritage and quality. It has a low-profile cabin trunk, a reverse transom, and a graceful sheerline that give it a modern and sporty look. It also has a spacious and bright cockpit, with an ergonomic layout and ample seating. The interior is warm and inviting, with teak woodwork, white bulkheads, and blue cushions.
• Maintenance: The C&C 34+ is not a low-maintenance boat. It requires regular care and attention to keep it in good shape and prevent problems. Some of the common issues that owners have reported include blistering on the hull, corrosion on the keel bolts, leaks around the ports and hatches, cracks on the deck hardware, and wear on the rigging. Some of these issues may be due to age or neglect, but some may also be due to design flaws or poor quality control.
• Cost: The C&C 34+ is not a cheap boat. It was originally sold for around $100,000 in the early 1990s, which was quite expensive for its size and category at the time. Today, it can still fetch between $50,000 and $80,000 on the used market, depending on its condition and equipment. This may be beyond the budget of some sailors who are looking for a similar boat.
• Availability: The C&C 34+ is not a common boat. It was only produced for about four years, from 1989 to 1993¹, and only about 100 units were built. This means that finding one for sale may not be easy, especially in some regions or countries. It also means that finding spare parts or service may be challenging or costly.

What are the main features of the C&C 34+?

The C&C 34+ has many features that make it an attractive sailboat for cruising and racing enthusiasts. Here are some of the most notable ones:

Hull and Deck: The C&C 34+ has a fiberglass hull and deck, with a balsa core for stiffness and insulation. The hull is molded in one piece, with a vinylester resin barrier coat to prevent osmosis. The deck is attached to the hull with bolts and adhesive, and has an aluminum toe rail for safety and durability.

The hull has a fine entry, a flat run aft, and a moderate beam, which give it a low drag and a high lift-to-drag ratio. The deck has a flush foredeck, a large anchor locker, and a molded bow sprit for an asymmetric spinnaker. The cockpit has a bridgedeck, a pedestal wheel steering, and a walk-through transom with a swim ladder.

Keel and Rudder: The C&C 34+ has a cast lead wing keel, which provides a low center of gravity and a high righting moment. The keel is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts, which are accessible from the bilge.

The rudder is a balanced spade type, which is mounted on a stainless steel stock and supported by two bearings. The rudder has a high aspect ratio and a low wetted surface area, which give it a good control and maneuverability.

Rig and Sails: The C&C 34+ has a masthead sloop rig, which consists of an aluminum mast and boom, stainless steel wire standing rigging, and dacron running rigging. The mast is deck-stepped, with two sets of spreaders and an internal conduit for wiring.

The boom has an internal outhaul and reefing lines, and a rigid vang. The sail inventory includes a fully battened mainsail with two reef points, a 150% genoa with roller furling, and an asymmetric spinnaker with a snuffer. The sail area is 517 square feet for the main and genoa, and 900 square feet for the spinnaker.

Engine and Propulsion: The C&C 34+ has a Yanmar 3GM30F diesel engine, which delivers 27 horsepower at 3600 rpm. The engine is located under the companionway steps, with easy access from three sides. The engine drives a two-blade folding propeller through a saildrive unit. The fuel tank has a capacity of 20 gallons, which gives the boat a range of about 150 nautical miles at 6 knots.

Electrical and Plumbing: The C&C 34+ has a 12-volt DC electrical system, with two batteries, a selector switch, and a breaker panel. The boat also has shore power capability, with an AC outlet, a battery charger, and an inverter. The boat has two water tanks, with a total capacity of 40 gallons. The boat also has a manual bilge pump, an electric bilge pump, and a pressure water system with hot and cold water.

Accommodation and Layout: The C&C 34+ has an open and spacious interior layout, with six berths in three cabins. The forward cabin has a V-berth with storage underneath, a hanging locker, and an overhead hatch. The main cabin has two settees that convert to single berths, a folding table that can seat six people, and several lockers and shelves.

The galley is located on the port side of the main cabin, and has a two-burner stove with oven, a double sink with hot and cold water, a top-loading refrigerator/freezer, and ample counter space and storage.

The navigation station is located on the starboard side of the main cabin, opposite the galley, and has a large chart table with drawers, an instrument panel, and an electrical panel.

The head is located aft of the navigation station, on the starboard side of the companionway steps, and has a marine toilet, a sink with hot and cold water, a shower head with sump pump, and storage cabinets.

The aft cabin is located on the port side of the companionway steps,and has a double berth that extends under the cockpit sole, a hanging locker and an opening port.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

Other sailboats in the C&C range include:

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C&c 34 + and 34r.

I'm not sure why I chose that cold and wet Friday to go for a sail, but I did and in retrospect I had a nice sail. The afternoon was punctuated by a run-in with a boat that simply looked great from every angle. It was the new C&C 34R or plus under power and on its way back to the marina. Credit C&C's designer Rob Ball or having the confidence to give this boat strong and distinctive lines. As the boat slipped away and I admired it one last time from the quarter, all I could think of was I wish I hade designed it.

Let's dissect this design and see just what makes it so successful, I don't have any meaningful race results at this time, so I am not going to comment on the comparative speed of this boat. Initial indications are that the boat has plenty of speed, but keep in mind that it is in a very competitive size range and will go head to head against some of the newest and hottest IMS boats. Our discussion will focus on the design as seen on paper, being cognizant of the many variables, such as skipper, crew, sails, etc., that go into making a race winner.

Rob Ball has had but one job and that has been as a yacht designer for C&C. Rob started here in high school and has stayed with the company through various changes in management to the point where he has been chief designer for several years. So while the brochures give no individual credit for design, you can assume that you are looking at the work of Rob Ball when you see a new C&C. Of course Rob owes some of his skill to the very long list of talented designers that have also worked at C&C, not the least of which were the two Cs, George Cuthbertson and George Cassian. Ball has been well trained.

To begin with, the 34 is not 34 feet LOA. It is 35 feet 6 inches LOA. "Boy, this sure feels like a big 34-footer." It is. Second, this boat comes in an R version for racing and a plus version for cruising. Twenty-five have been built; 50 are on order.

In overall design, this new C&C follows the style set by the C&C 37R. The 37R was really a 39-footer and was quite successful on the race course. The 34 is relatively light for a C&C; in fact, it has the lowest D/L ratio of any C&C at 177. The new 34 also has the highest length-to-beam ratio of any previous C&C. The midsection shows a shape derived from IOR shapes but smoothed out and without any flat section at the centerline. The keel has a curved trailing edge to help reduce root chord then fills in this joint with a long fillet radius. The sweep angle of the leading edge is 25 degrees. Utilizing a bulb on the keel obviously dramatically lowers the VCG and allows the 34 to carry a very tall rig.

Just for fun I pulled out some old IOR certificates and began comparing righting moments at one degree with the 854 foot pounds of the new 34. This was one of those quick little looks that turned up some surprising data. Consider this: Ted Hood's 1972 One Tonner Robin had a righting moment of 1,003 foot pounds; a 34-foot Mull three-quarter-tonner had a RM of 607 foot pounds; Bruce King's Terrorist at 35 feet had a RM of 929 foot pounds; Peterson's Ganbare model had a RM of 780 foot pounds; and the venerable Pearson 36 had a RM of 894 foot pounds. Of course we are talking about a wide range of diverse boats.

While we are studying the hull, take the time to admire the sheerline of this design. There is nothing timid in this sheer. With the high bow the look is one of plenty of sheer spring, but in reality the sheerline itself is quite subtle. The transom features a splayed cutout that extends the cockpit and adds a very shapely look to the transom. Note the extreme aft location of the elliptical rudder.

The C&C tradition of excellence in deck design goes back a long way. A long way. Back to the days of the two Cs. C&C decks have always been the best. The result is a deck that enhances the lines of the hull and blends a high degree of art with a good dose of functionalism. The new 34 is indeed a handsome yacht.

One of the more interesting aspects of this deck design is the way the rudder post has been brought up through the cockpit sole with the steering quadrant mounted on top. A removable panel in the cockpit sole covers the quadrant until servicing is required. This feature provides excellent support for the rudder stock.

The rig of the new 34R gives the boat a strong power plant with a SA/D ratio of 22.9. Note the end boom sheeting on the main allowed by the long E. This puts the traveler right at the corner of the cockpit and frees up a lot of working area forward. The plus version has the traveler moved to the housetop and too far forward for my eye. The spar is a special section to accommodate triple spreaders. It is controlled with runners, checkstays and a babystay. The combination of large rig and large planform keel give the 34 quick acceleration out of the tack.

The accommodations of the two versions differ considerably. I know I could cruise very comfortably in either but it is clear that the cruising version was design oriented and not simply function oriented. This version has an amazing layout for a small yacht.

C&C has targeted two groups with the new 34. The R version is well refined for the owner who wants to race and the plus version certainly maximizes the cruising comfort. I think you could have a lot of fun in the C&C 34.

"Bob Perry's design reviews are available in book form. Five volumes of his work, going back over twenty years, have been assembled. Information on ordering these books is available from Sailing Magazine , www.sailingonline.com or by e-mail at [email protected]."

The C&C 34 is a 33.5ft masthead sloop designed by Rob Ball and built in fiberglass by C&C Yachts since 1977.

The C&C 34 is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

C&C 34 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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C&C 34+ reviews and more

Robert Perry Yacht Design Sailing Magazine C&C 34 + and 34R

I’m not sure why I chose that cold and wet Friday to go for a sail, but I did and in retrospect I had a nice sail. The afternoon was punctuated by a run-in with a boat that simply looked great from every angle. It was the new C&C 34R or plus under power and on its way back to the marina. Credit C&C’s designer Rob Ball or having the confidence to give this boat strong and distinctive lines. As the boat slipped away and I admired it one last time from the quarter, all I could think of was I wish I hade designed it. Let’s dissect this design and see just what makes it so successful, I don’t have any meaningful race results at this time, so I am not going to comment on the comparative speed of this boat. Initial indications are that the boat has plenty of speed, but keep in mind that it is in a very competitive size range and will go head to head against some of the newest and hottest IMS boats. Our discussion will focus on the design as seen on paper, being cognizant of the many variables, such as skipper, crew, sails, etc., that go into making a race winner. Rob Ball has had but one job and that has been as a yacht designer for C&C. Rob started here in high school and has stayed with the company through various changes in management to the point where he has been chief designer for several years. So while the brochures give no individual credit for design, you can assume that you are looking at the work of Rob Ball when you see a new C&C. Of course Rob owes some of his skill to the very long list of talented designers that have also worked at C&C, not the least of which were the two Cs, George Cuthbertson and George Cassian. Ball has been well trained.   READ REVIEW http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/reviews/perry/c&c34.htm ————————————————————————————————-

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• Sailboat Guide

C&C 34+R

C&C 34+R is a 34 ′ 1 ″ / 10.4 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Ball and built by C&C Yachts starting in 1989.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Rig and keel dimensions were changed a number of times during the production run of this boat. Thanks to C&C 34-R owner, Craig Montague.

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Need advice/input 1991 C&C 34+

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My wife and I are looking for a sailboat and came across a 1991 C&C34+. I've looked on-line but can't find many reviews/information. She's priced at $55,000 and is pretty well equipped. We are looking to mainly day-sail around LI Sound. Any thoughts on the boat are greatly appreciated. Kevin  

Have you looked at this website: C&C Yachts - C&C Photo Album & Resource Center ? Pretty good resource for C&C owners/prosepective buyers. Here's a review: Perry Design Review: C&C 34 + and 34R I love everything about the C&C brand; quality, performance, comfort. $55,000 sounds like a steal, the cheapest I've seen is around $75k or so.  

Kevin I don't know what the difference between the 34 and 34+ are. I have a 1980 34 and really love it. With a nice clean bottom my boat will move in the smallest puff of wind. They are a well built boat that will hold its value pretty well and give you lots of pleasure. Mitch  

If I remember correctly, the 34+ is actually 37 feet. (Don't ask me who came up with this idea.) I race against a 37+ (40 ft), which is a very nice boat. The 34 is a much older design, I believe. If I remember correctly, the 34+ was a good boat built during a difficult time for C&C. I would expect that it would be a very nice performance cruiser. If you are interested in racing it, you might want to go on SailingAnarchy, prepare yourself for abuse, and ask if it has a fair PHRF rating, as my perception is that some of the more recent C&C's can be a bit tough to sail to their ratings.  

I have owned a 34+ since 1994 and honestly I would not trade it for any new boat. It responds nicely, is great in light air and is low maintenance. If you can get one under $75,000 I would grab it. Mine has the deep 7' keel and I regularly take it from the San Juan Islands to Desolation Sound (Canada). Have it thoroughly surveyed because that does sound awfully inexpensive.  

We own a C&C 34 + This is an great cruising boat. It is much more than a day sailer. You may prefer a boat with simpler systems that requires less maintance if you are only going to day sail. The boat was actually designed after the 37+, and is essentially a smaller version of this successful design. I delivered our boat from Stamford, CT to Annapolis, MD in 25 to 30 kt winds and 8 + ft seas. It was a solid stable ride. We made the trip in 37 hours. Top speed was 13.9 kts (sliding down big waves with a reefed main and storm jib). The boat can be exhillerating to sail. We cruise our boat for extended periods and have been very happy with it for several reasons: 1.) The boat is fast for 35 ft cruising boat (it's not 37 ft as previously stated above). 2.) The boat is well built and well equiped. Ours came with rod rigging, large Barient winches, and top-of-the line hardware, sails, and electronics. 3.) The shoal draft version we own draws less than 5 ft which is great for the Chesapeake. 4.) The boat is easily single handled. Our main traveller was moverd to the cockpit so I can reach the mainsheet, traveller, jib winches and helm without moving. 5.) The interior layout is very spacious for this size boat. King-size berth in aft stateroom, nice port-side galley with a lp stove/oven, refrigerator, double sink, starboard nav station, large saloon with stetees that can be used as three berths (they are a bit short if you're over 6ft tall) and a nice v-berth for two young kids or one adult (again less than 6 ft tall). 6.) The transom is cleverly designed to open using part of the stern pulpit as a swim ladder. It is rare to find these accomodations and performance in a production boat of this size. We paid $69K so at $55K you're doing well. In this market I'd offer 20% less to start negotiating. You should also budget for maintenace & upgrades depending on how well the survey goes. Spend the money for a out-of-water survey and a survey of the engine by a diesel mechanic.  

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can't go wrong at the price for such a great sailing boat... survey for sure...but if that is good, she'll be a keeper  

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Cruiser-racer

You can choose from three different rigs for the new 36. The difference among them is horsepower.

The hulls share some numbers in addition to similar LOAs. Both boats weigh 12,000 pounds and have beams within an inch of each other at 11 feet, 6 inches and 11 feet, 7 inches. The biggest difference in basic dimensions is at the DWL. The old 36 had a DWL of 27 feet, 9 inches and the new 36 has a DWL of 30 feet for an additional 2.25 feet. This extra DWL brings the D/L down from 251 to 198.4. The plan view shows that while the beams are similar, the distribution of beam is distinctly different. The old 36 was still trying to keep its measured IOR length down with what we came to call "pinched ends." The new 36, on the other hand, has an extremely broad stern.

Looking at the rest of the hull shape, I can see a strange little kick to the counter profile aft. Generally, you like to keep the run/counter as flat as possible. Both hulls show small skegs in front of the rudders, but the newer 36 has a vertical rudder stock and a rudder that cuts off at the DWL and doesn't meet the counter.

The keel of the new 36 shows that we have come to fins with bulbs from the days of the old 36 when keels were bladelike fins. People want horsepower and you need stability to carry a big rig and the best way to increase stability is to put some type of bulb on the keel. Interestingly, the older fin-keeled 36 had 400 pounds more ballast than the newer fin-keeled model. There is also a wing keel, shoal draft model with 4 feet, 11 inches of draft and 5,225 pounds of ballast. Note, also, the difference in sweep angles of the keels.

Going below we see dramatic differences between the two boats. The arrangement plan differences are as marked, if not more marked, than are the hull shape differences. The old 36 is very typical of the layouts of the day, very boxlike with lots of 90 degree angles. The quarter berth of the old 36 is a double in the new 36, hinting at things to come.

The new 36 has a layout developed from the years of influence the European designs have had on us, such as the queen-sized quarter berth in its own separate stateroom. This puts pressure on the galley, so the new 36 has less counterspace. The head on the new boat is aft and includes a shower stall. The nav station is coupled to the starboard settee. Forward V-berths are history and the new 36 has a large double berth forward. Progress is wonderful. I would also like to know how much the layout had to do with the width of the stem on the newer design. I'm partial to the older layouts, but that's just me trying to hold on to the things I loved about boats as a boy. Interiors are so subjective.

You can choose from three different rigs for the new 36: the 36+ for cruising,, and the 36XL or 36R for racing. The difference among them is horsepower, with an SA/D of the hottest model-the 36R 20.94, compared to the 18.31 of the older model, which was considered relatively high at the time. The new rigs have triple spreaders and running backs. The old chopped-off E dimension so typical of the IOR has been replaced with a boom that can sheet to the aft end of the cockpit. The sailplans show this to be an exceptionally handsome design in every respect.

Also in Perry on Design

• Dragonfly 40
• Wallyrocket 51
• Clubswan 28
• Beneteau Oceanis 37.1
• M.A.T. 12.2

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• Sailboat Reviews

Affordable Cruising Sailboats

Practical sailor reviews nine used boats over 35 feet and under $75,000..

In a search for a budget cruiser, Practical Sailor examined a field of used sailboats costing less than $75K and built between 1978 and 1984. We narrowed the field to boats with sufficient accommodations for four people and a draft of less than 6 feet. One way to approach a used-boat search is to look for sailboats with informed, active owners associations and high resale values. Practical Sailor’s quest for recession-proof cruisers led us to the Allied Princess 36, Bristol 35.5C, Endeavour 37, S2 11.0, Freedom 36, ODay 37, Niagara 35, C&C Landfall 38, and the Tartan 37. The report takes a more in-depth look at the Tartan, C&C Landfall, and Niagara.

Let’s say you’re looking to buy a boat for summer cruising along the coastal U.S. or on the Great Lakes, one that, when the time is right, is also capable of taking you safely and efficiently to Baja or the Bahamas, and perhaps even island-hopping from Miami to the West Indies. Like most of us, your budget is limited, so a new boat is out of the question. Let’s set more specifics:

• Passes a thorough survey by a respected surveyor and has been upgraded to meet current equipment and safety standards. (These are old boats, after all, prone to all sorts of potentially serious problems.)
• Fun to sail inshore (which means not too heavy and not too big).
• Sufficient accommodations and stowage to cruise four people for two weeks.
• Popular model (active owners support group for help and camaraderie) with decent resale value
• Under $75,000.
• Monohull (multihulls violate the price cap, anyway).
• Draft of less than 6 feet (for the islands, mon).

In the February 2008 issue, we examined 30-footers from the 1970s , which is just above the minimum length for the Big Three: standing headroom, enclosed head, and inboard engine. Too small, however, to satisfy our new criteria. So we need to jump up in size. As we culled through the possibilities, we found a fairly narrow range of boat lengths and vintages that satisfy the criteria. Of course, there always are exceptions, but basically it is this: 35- to 38-footers built between 1978 and 1984. Bigger or newer boats that meet our criteria cost more than $75,000.

Heres the list of nine models we came up with: Allied Princess 36, Bristol 35.5C, C&C Landfall 38, Endeavour 37, Freedom 36, Niagara 35, ODay 37, S2 11.0, and the Tartan 37. All were built by reputable companies in the U.S. or Canada, with underwater configurations ranging from full keels with attached rudders to fin keels and spade rudders. Displacements are mostly moderate.

Below we present notes on six of the finalists. Details of our 3 favorites are linked to the right of this page.

ALLIED PRINCESS 36

Allied Yachts developed an excellent line of cruising sailboats in the 1960s, including the first fiberglass boat to circumnavigate, the Seawind 30 ketch, which later was expanded to the 32-foot Seawind II. The handsome Luders 33 was the boat in which teenager Robin Lee Graham completed his historic circumnavigation. Arthur Edmunds designed the full-keel Princess 36 aft-cockpit ketch and the larger Mistress 39 center-cockpit ketch. None of these boats are fancily finished, but the fiberglass work is solid and well executed. They’re ocean-worthy, and affordable. The Princess 36 was in production from roughly 1972 to 1982. Wed look for a later model year; prices are under $50,000.

BRISTOL 35.5C

Bristol Yachts was founded by Clint Pearson, after he left Pearson Yachts in 1964. His early boats were Ford and Chevy quality, good but plainly finished, like the Allieds. Over the years this changed, so that by the late 1970s and early 1980s, his boats were between Buicks and Cadillacs in overall quality. This includes the Ted Hood-designed 35.5C. Its a centerboarder with a draft from 3 feet, 9 inches board up to 9 feet, 6 inches board down; a keel version also was available (named without the “C”).The solid fiberglass hull was laid up in two halves and then joined on centerline. It had an inward-turning flange on the hull, superior to the more common shoebox hull-to-deck joint. The 35.5C is very good in light air, but tender in a breeze. Pick one up for around $60,000.

ENDEAVOUR 37

The Endeavour Yacht Corp. was founded in 1974, and its first model was a 32-footer, built in molds given to it by Ted Irwin. Yup, the Endeavour 32 has the same hull as the Irwin 32. Its second model was the Endeavour 37, based on a smaller, little known Lee Creekmore hull that was cut in half and extended. Its not the prettiest boat in the world, and not very fast, but heavily built. Owners report no structural problems with the single-skin laminate hull. It has a long, shoal-draft keel and spade rudder. What helped popularize the Endeavour 37 was the choice of layouts: an aft cabin with a quarter berth, a V-berth and quarterberth, and a (rare) two aft-cabin model. Production ended after 1983. Prices are around $50,000.

After the Halsey Herreshoff-designed Freedom 40 that reintroduced the idea of unstayed spars, several other designers were commissioned to develop the model line-up. These included David Pedrick and Gary Mull; the latter drew the Freedom 36, in production from about 1986 to 1989. While the early and larger Freedoms were ketch rigged, models like the 36 were sloops, which were less costly to build and easier to handle. To improve upwind performance, a vestigial, self-tacking jib was added. Thats the main appeal of these boats: tacking is as easy as turning the wheel. The 36s hull is balsa-cored, as is the deck. Balsa adds tremendous stiffness, and reduces weight, which improves performance. The downside: Core rot near the partners on this boat could lead to a dismasting and costly hull damage. Interior finishing is above average. These boats sell right at our price break: low to mid-$70s.

This low-profile family sloop was second only to the ODay 40 in size of boats built by ODay under its various owners. Founded by Olympic gold-medalist George ODay to build one-designs and family daysailers, subsequent ownership expanded into trailer sailers and small- to medium-size coastal cruisers. Like the others, the 37 was designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates. The center-cockpit is a bit unusual but some prefer it. The cruising fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder are well suited to shallow-water cruising, and the generous beam provides good form stability. The hull is solid fiberglass, and the deck is cored with balsa. Owners report it is well balanced and forgiving. Early 1980s models are on the market for less than $40,000.

Built in Holland, Mich., the S2 sailboat line emerged in 1973 when owner Leon Slikkers sold his powerboat company, Slickcraft, to AMF and had to sign a no-compete agreement. The 11.0 was the largest model, introduced in 1977. The designer was Arthur Edmunds, who also drew the Allied Princess 36, though the two are very different. Edmunds resisted some of the bumps and bulges indicative of the International Offshore Rule (IOR), but still gave the 11.0 fine ends, and a large foretriangle. Two accommodation plans were offered: an aft cockpit with conventional layout of V-berth, saloon, and quarter berth and galley flanking the companionway; and an unusual center-cockpit layout with V-berth forward immediately followed by opposing settees, and then galley and head more or less under the cockpit. The master suite is in the aft cabin, of course. The hull is solid fiberglass and includes the molded keel cavity for internal ballast; the deck is balsa-cored. Overall construction quality is rated above average. Prices range from about $30,000 to $50,000.

NIAGARA 35: a handsome cruiser with Hinterhoeller quality.

Austria-born George Hinterhoeller emigrated to Canada in the 1950s and began doing what he did all his life: build boats, first out of wood, then fiberglass composites. He was one of four partners who formed C&C Yachts in 1969. He left in 1975 to again form his own company, Hinterhoeller Yachts. The company built two distinct model lines: the better known Nonsuch line of cruising boats with unstayed catboat rigs, and the Niagara line. About 300 Niagara 35s were built between 1978 and 1995.

Canadian naval architect Mark Ellis designed the Niagara 35 as well as all of the Nonsuch models. He gave the 35 a beautiful, classic sheer with generous freeboard in the bow, swooping aft to a low point roughly at the forward end of the cockpit, and then rising slightly to the stern. The classic influence also is seen in the relatively long overhangs; todays trend is to lengthen the waterline as much as possible, with near plumb bows, discounting the old belief that overhangs were necessary for reserve buoyancy. So the Niagara 35 has a somewhat shorter waterline than the others in our group of nine, but as the hull heels, the overhangs immerse and sailing length increases. The short waterline also accounts for the 35s moderately high displacement/length ratio of 329. There is a direct correlation between the D/L and volume in the hull, and for a cruising boat, there must be sufficient space for tanks and provisions. Unfortunately, tankage in the 35 isn’t that much: 80 gallons water, 30 gallons diesel fuel, and 25 gallons holding tank.

The cruising fin keel is long enough for the boat to dry out on its own bottom should the need arise, like drying out against a seawall in Bali to paint the bottom. (Sorry-just dreaming!) The spade rudder seems a little unusual for a cruiser. When asked about it, Ellis said that it provides superior control to a skeg-mounted rudder, and that skegs, which are supposed to protect the rudder, often aren’t built strong enough to do the job. Circumnavigator and designer/builder/developer Steve Dashew agrees that offshore, in nasty conditions, spade rudders are the way to go.

Construction

George Hinterhoeller and his associates at C&C Yachts were early advocates of balsa-cored hull construction, because it reduces weight, increases panel stiffness, and lowers costs. The worry, of course, is delamination of the core to the inner and outer skins should water penetrate through to the core. This is why quality builders remove balsa coring wherever through-hulls or bolts pass through the hull or deck, and fill the area with a mix of resin and reinforcements. Hinterhoeller was such a builder, but core integrity still deserves close inspection during a pre-purchase survey.

All bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and deck with strips of fiberglass, and this is an important detail for an offshore boat. Many mass-produced boats have molded fiberglass headliners that prevent tabbing bulkheads to the deck; rather, the bulkheads simply fit into molded channels in the headliner, which do not prevent them from moving slightly as the boat flexes in waves.

Hardware quality is good. One owner described the chocks and cleats on his Niagara as “massive.” Hatches are Atkins & Hoyle cast aluminum, which are about as good as you can buy. And the original rigging was Navtec rod. Owners report no structural problems.

Performance

With its moderately heavy displacement, conservative sailplan, and relatively large keel, the Niagara 35 is not a speed demon, and does not point as high as a boat with a deep, narrow fin keel. But thats not what were after here. The 35s specs are just about what we want for a versatile cruising boat. Owners say performance picks up quickly as the breeze fills in. If the sailplan were larger, for improved light-air performance, youd have to reef sooner, and reefing is work.

The long keel has another advantage, and that is improved directional stability over shorter keels, which means less effort at the helm. We tend to think that a powerful below-deck autopilot can steer any boat, but autopilots struggle, too. A boat thats easy for the crew to hand steer also is easy for the autopilot to maintain course.

A lot of Niagara 35s were equipped with Volvo saildrives rather than conventional inboard diesel engines. Advantages of the saildrive: improved handling in reverse and lower cost. Disadvantages: potential corrosion of aluminum housing and not as much power. Various inboard diesels were fitted: Westerbeke 27-, 33-, and 40-horsepower models, and a Universal M35D, all with V-drives. Owners rate access somewhat difficult.

Accommodations

Two interior layouts were offered: the Classic, in which the forepeak has a workbench, shelves, seat, and stowage instead of the usual V-berth; and the Encore, which has an offset double berth forward, and quarter berth and U-shaped galley aft. The saloon in the Classic, with settees and dining table, is farther forward than usual; the head and owners stateroom, with single and double berths, is aft. Both plans have their fans.

Headroom is 6 feet, 4 inches in the main cabin and 6 feet, 2 inches in the aft cabin. Berths are 6 feet, 7 inches long; a few owners say berth widths are a bit tight. A couple of thoughts on the double berths offered in these two plans: V-berths are subject to a lot of motion underway and so do not make great sea berths, but at anchor, ventilation via the forward hatch makes them far more comfortable than a stuffy aft cabin, where its much more difficult to introduce air flow. Offset double berths do not waste outboard space like V-berths do, but the person sleeping outboard must crawl over his/her partner to get out of bed.

Thirty-year-old boats should be surveyed thoroughly. Nothing lasts forever, but boats well maintained last a lot longer. Pay particular attention to the balsa-cored hull and deck. If either has large areas of delamination, give the boat a pass, because the cost to repair could exceed the value of the boat.

A few owners expressed concern about the boats handling off the wind, which surprises us somewhat. A test sail in lively conditions should answer that question.

We much prefer the inboard. If you prefer the saildrive, look for signs of corrosion and get a repair estimate.

Niagara 35 Conclusion

The Niagara 35 is a handsome, classically proportioned cruising sloop from one of the best builders of production boats in North America. It is not considered big enough these days to be a circumnavigator, but certainly large enough for a couple to leisurely cruise the Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, and South Pacific. We found asking prices ranging from around $54,000 to $89,000, with most in the $60,000 range.

C&C LANDFALL 38

As noted, George Hinterhoeller was one of four partners who formed C&C Yachts in 1969, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The others were Belleville Marine, Bruckmann Manufacturing, and the design firm of George Cuthbertson and George Cassian. From the beginning, the emphasis was on performance. Indeed, the 40-foot Red Jacket won the 1968 Southern Ocean Racing Circuit (SORC).

In 1973, Cuthbertson retired to his Ontario farm, citing burn-out. Eight months later, he was back as president of C&C Yachts, telling staff that they ought to pursue more multi-purpose racer/cruiser models. C&C became the dominant boatbuilder in North America, with models ranging from the C&C 24 to the C&C 46, with models just about every 2 feet in between. The Landfall cruiser series was introduced in 1977, with the Landfall 42. It was followed by the Landfall 35, 38, and 48. Production of the 38 ran from 1977 to 1985, with about 180 built.

The C&C Landfall 38 is directly related to the earlier C&C 38. We wrote in our original 1983 review that the older hull design was “…modified with slightly fuller sections forward, a slightly raked transom rather than an IOR reversed transom, a longer, shoaler keel, and a longer deckhouse for increased interior volume.” The spade rudder is not everyones first choice on a serious cruising boat, but it does provide superior control. And the Landfalls have a higher degree of finish inside, along with layouts more suited to family cruising.

The Landfalls perform very well, thanks to lightweight construction and speedy hull forms. The Landfall 38s displacement/length ratio of 272 is the lowest of the three compared in this review.

Notable drawbacks: a V-berth that becomes quite narrow forward, and as noted in the 1983 review, “a hull that rises so quickly aft that C&Cs normal gas bottle stowage at the end of the cockpit is eliminated.” This on a cruising boat no less, where a hot meal is often the highlight.

Like nearly all the C&C designs, the Landfall 38 is attractively proportioned with sleek lines and a modern look, even several decades later. It appears most dated in the raked bow, but this better suits the anchoring duties on a cruising boat anyway.

Materials and building processes used in C&C Yachts are very similar to those of the Niagara 35, namely because of Hinterhoeller. Practices he established at C&C continued after he left, at least for the short-term. So what we said about the Niagara 35s balsa-core construction also applies to the Landfall 38, where it is found in the hull, deck, and cabintop.

The hull-deck joint is through-bolted on 6-inch centers, through the teak toerail, which gaves the Landfall series a more traditional look than the distinctive L-shaped anodized aluminum toerail Cuthbertson designed and employed on the rest of the C&C models. The joint is bedded with a butyl tape, which does a good job of keeping out water, but doesn’t have the adhesive properties of, say, 3M 5200. On the other hand, if you ever had to remove the deck-heaven forbid!-it would be a lot easier.

Deck hardware is through-bolted with backing plates or large washers, although some of the fasteners come through on the underside, where the core transitions into the core-less flange. We also saw this on our old 1975 C&C 33 test boat. It means two things: water migrating down the fastener after the bedding fails can contact a little bit of balsa, and uneven stresses are placed on the fastener, which above deck can cause gelcoat cracks.

Proper bronze seacocks protect the through-hulls, and hoses are double-clamped for added security. The mast butt is not deep in the bilge where it can corrode in bilge water, but rests on two floor timbers in the sump, above any water that would typically collect.

The external lead-ballast keel is bolted through the keel sump in the hull. Its run is flat, and the boat can sit on its keel, allowing it be careened against a seawall for bottom painting, prop repairs, or other work in locales where boatyards are rare.

In our earlier review, we noted that the engine compartment has no sound insulation, despite its proximity to the owners berth, but gluing in some lead-lined foam is within the capability of most owners.

Despite being 2,000 pounds heavier than the C&C 38, the Landfall 38 is still a quick boat. Its old PHRF rating of 120 is just a little higher than the Cal 39 at 114, and less than the Tartan 37 we’ll look at next.

The mast is a little shorter than that of the C&C 38, but as with most boats of the IOR era, the Landfall 38 has a large foretriangle of 385 square feet. A 150-percent genoa measures 580 square feet, which is a handful for older crew. Roller furling with maybe a 135 percent genoa would be a logical way to minimize the effort required to tack this boat.

Strangely, the Landfall 38 did not come standard with self-tailing winches; a highly recommended upgrade. The main halyard, Cunningham, and reefing lines are led aft to the cockpit, while the headsail halyards run to winches on deck near the mast.

The boat is stiff and well balanced. Owners like the way it handles and appreciate its speed.

The standard engine was a 30-hp Yanmar diesel. The early Yanmar Q series had a reputation for being noisy and vibrating a lot. At some point, C&C began installing the Yanmar 3HM which replaced the 3QM. Power is adequate. The standard prop was a solid two-blade. Engine access leaves a lot to be desired.

The interior is pushed well into the ends of the boat to achieve a legitimate three-cabin accommodation plan. The standard layout was a V-berth forward with cedar-lined hanging locker. The berth narrows quickly forward so that tall people might not find enough foot room. Moving aft, there is a dinette and settees in the saloon, U-shaped galley and large head with shower amidships, and a double berth in the port quarter, opposite a navigation station. In rainy or wild weather, youll want to close the companionway hatch and keep weather boards in place so that water doesn’t spill into the nav station. Installing Plexiglas screens on either side of the ladder will help.

Oddly, there is no place to install fixed-mount instruments outboard of the nav table; that space is given to a hanging locker, but could be modified. Other than this, about the only other shortcoming is that the toilet is positioned so far under the side deck that persons of average size cannot sit upright. And, the head door is louvered, which compromises privacy.

There is not a lot to complain about with the Landfall 38 that we havent already said: the V-berth forward is tight, theres no sitting upright on the toilet, theres no place to install electronics at the nav station, and the nav station and aft berth invite a good soaking through the companionway.

Construction is above average, but have a surveyor sound the hull and decks for signs that the fiberglass skins have delaminated from the balsa core. Small areas can be repaired, but our advice is not to buy a boat with widespread delamination.

Landfall 38 Conclusion

The Landfall 38 is an excellent family boat and coastal cruiser. Its popularity in the Great Lakes region is not surprising. Island hopping to the Caribbean is also within reach, but any longer cruises will likely require more tank capacity and stowage. Standard tankage is 104 gallons water and 32 gallons of fuel. Prices range from around $55,000 to $65,000.

TARTAN 37: shoal draft and S&S styling.

In the early years of fiberglass boat construction, the major builders-Columbia, Cal, Morgan, Tartan, and others-commissioned well-known naval architects to design their models. Today, this work is more often done by a no-name in-house team over which the company has more control. Tartan Yachts of Grand River, Ohio, relied almost exclusively on the prestigious New York firm of Sparkman & Stephens; they’d drawn the Tartan 27 for the company’s antecedent, Douglass & McLeod, and were called on again to design the Tartan 37, which had a very successful production run from 1976 to 1988.

The Tartan 37 has the modern, clean, strong lines that typified S&S designs. The bow is raked, and the angle of the reverse transom is in line with the backstay-an easily missed detail that nevertheless affects the viewers impression of the boat. Freeboard is moderate and the sheer is gentle. In an early review, we wrote: “Underwater, the boat has a fairly long, low-aspect ratio fin keel, and a high-aspect ratio rudder faired into the hull with a substantial skeg.” In addition to the deep fin keel, a keel/centerboard also was offered. A distinctive feature is how the cockpit coamings fair into the cabin trunk. Its displacement/length ratio of 299 and sail area/displacement ratio of 16.1 rank it in the middle of the 9-model group (see table, page 9), so while it looks racy, its not going to smoke the other nine.

From its beginning, Tartan Yachts set out to build boats of above average quality, and this can be seen in both the finish and fiberglass work. Some unidirectional rovings were incorporated in the hull laminate to better carry loads; like the vast majority of boats of this era, the resin was polyester. Vinylester skin coats, which better prevent osmotic blistering, had yet to appear. Some printthrough is noticeable, more on dark-color hulls. The hull and deck are cored with end-grain balsa, which brings with it our usual warnings about possible delamination. The hull-deck joint is bolted through the toerail and bedded in butyl and polysulfide. Taping of bulkheads to the hull is neatly executed with no raw fiberglass edges visible anywhere in the interior. Seacocks have proper bronze ball valves. One owner advises checking the complex stainless-steel chainplate/tie rod assembly, especially if its a saltwater boat.

Shortcomings: Pulpit fasteners lack backing plates. Scuppers and bilge pump outlets have no shutoffs.

Under sail, the Tartan 37 balances and tracks well. As noted earlier, its not a fireburner, but not a slug either. Its no longer widely raced, but the few participating in PHRF races around the country have handicaps ranging from 135-177 seconds per mile. The Niagara 35 now rates 150-165, and the C&C 38 126-138.

The deep fin-keel version points a little higher than the keel/centerboard because it has more lift, however, the deep draft of 6 feet, 7 inches is a liability for coastal cruising.

Because of the large foretriangle and relatively small mainsail, tacking a genoa requires larger winches and more muscle than if the relative areas of the two were reversed. For relaxed sailing, jiffy reefing of the main and a roller-furling headsail take the pain out of sail handling.

The 41-horsepower Westerbeke 50 diesel provides ample power. Standard prop was a 16-inch two blade. A folding or feathering propeller reduces drag, thereby improving speed. Access to the front of the engine, behind the companionway ladder, is good. Unfortunately, the oil dipstick is aft, requiring one to climb into the starboard cockpit locker-after you’ve removed all the gear stowed there.

The layout below is straightforward with few innovations: large V-berth forward with hanging locker and drawers; head with sink and shower; saloon with drop-down table, settee, and pilot berth; U-shaped galley to starboard; and to port, a quarterberth that can be set up as a double. To work at the navigation station one sits on the end of the quarterberth. This plan will sleep more crew than most owners will want on board, but its nice to have the option. Pilot berths make good sea berths but often fill with gear that can’t easily be stowed elsewhere.

The fold-down table, like most of its ilk, is flimsy. Underway, tables should be strong enough to grab and hold on to without fear of damaging it or falling-thats not the case here. And the cabin sole is easily marred trying to get the pins in the legs to fit into holes in the sole.

Finish work in teak is excellent, though this traditional choice of wood makes for a somewhat dark interior. Today, builders have worked up the nerve to select lighter species such as ash and maple.

Eight opening portlights, four ventilators, and three hatches provide very good ventilation.

The standard stove was alcohol, which few people want anymore, owing to low BTU content (which means it takes longer to boil water), the difficulty in lighting, and almost invisible flame. Propane is a better choice, but there is no built-in stowage on deck for the tank, which must be in a locker sealed off from the interior and vented overboard. (You could mount the tank exposed on deck, but that would not complement the boats handsome lines.)

Theres not much to pick at here, but we’ll try. Centerboards come with their own peculiar set of problems: slapping in the trunk while at anchor, broken pendants and pivot pins, and fouling in the trunk that inhibits operation.

Often what sets apart higher-quality boats from the rest of the fleet is the cost of materials and labor in making up the wood interior. They look better than bare fiberglass, work better because they have more drawers and stowage options, and are warmer and quieter. The unnoticed flip side is that the joinerwork tends to hide problems, like the source of a leak. When all the fasteners are neatly bunged and varnished, it takes courage to start pulling apart the interior!

Checking engine oil is unnecessarily difficult, and to operate emergency steering gear (a tiller) the lazarette hatch must be held open, which could be dangerous. Lastly, the companionway sill is low for offshore sailing; stronger drop boards would help compensate.

Tartan 37 Conclusion

The enthusiasm for this boat is strong. In fact, theres a whole book written about it, put together with the help of the Tartan 37 Sailing Association (link below). You’ll pay in the mid- to high-$60s, which ranks it with the Niagara 35 and Freedom 36 as the most expensive of our nine. While Tartan 37s have made impressive voyages, and are as capable as the Niagara 35 and C&C Landfall 38, like them, its not really a blue-water design. We view it rather as a smart coastal cruiser and club racer. Good design and above-average construction give it extra long life on the used-boat market.

Classic Cruisers For Less Than $75,000

Niagara 35 Sailnet Forum

C&C Photo Album

Tartan Owners

Tartan 37 Sailing Association

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Great article, but why did you leave out your namesake build – Camper Nicholsons Nicholson 35. Very similar to the Niagara 35, except that it trades the (less than useful – my opinion) quarter berths for two GIGANTIC cockpit lockers. And I find the transverse head on the Nic a civilized alternative to telephone booth head/shower combinations.

While the Nic claims 6 berths, you’ll never find that many on ours. Cocktails for 6, dinner for 4, sleeps 2 is our mantra

This is great information and a good guideline to go by. Thanks for the heads up on theses vessels.

Every time Practical Sailor does a review of boats in the 35- to 38-footers built between 1978 and 1984, they always leave out the Perry designed Islander Freeport 36 and 38. Many people are still cruising in these great boats, and among Islander Yachts designs this one is a wonderful cruiser.

I was also sad to see that. We sail a ’79 I-36, and it is stiff, fast, forgiving, and a very comfortable cruising platform. While many of the 800+ built are ready for the wrecking ball, there are some excellent, well cared for boats available. They are lovely sailors.

Couldn’t agree more, with Islander Freeport 36 & 38 raised coachroof that opens up all sort of possibilities and transom based swim ladder, her utility is unmatched.

These are all nice boats. I have sailed most of them. I owned a Tartan 37 for 4 yrs. As A US Sailing Cruising instructor, I have sailed and cruised hundreds of boat. This is one of the best balanced and behaved boats that I have sailed. She will sail on jib alone with no lee helm and sail main alone with minimal weather helm. Few boats will do this. She tracks quite well in a seaway. There are only 2 instances that you need to put the centerboard down: clawing off a lee shore or racing upwind. Otherwise she is just fine with board up. I have not had problems with the board slapping in a rolley anchorage. I keep the board up tight all the way and no problem. And my boat a 1983 had a built in propane vented locker. Also my dipstick was forward port and easy to reach, but not so for the filter so I remote mounted it forward. S & S did a great job on this design. And a 4 foot draft is wonderful and special feature for a boat that sails so well.

Surprising that the author did not address the obvious question, “if you had to pick one of these for a bluewater cruise, which one would it be?”

I too would appreciate the author’s response to this question.

Every time I star liking one of these I see the word ‘balsa’

Why did you not look at the Catalina 36. They are sea kindly; easy to repair and get parts; there’s a lot of them; and newer ones are in the price range you are talking about.i.e. my 2002, well fitted, is $72500.

Good article, thanks.

Pearson 365 conspicuously missing from this list.

Excellent article with factors that almost all of us who own vintage older cruising sailboats have considered at one time or another. However, when making my choice and before putting my money down, I also included PHRF as a factor. Without degenerating into a large discussion of pros and cons of PHRF (or any other indexes of performance), I think that you should consider performance in the equation. While livability is important (and I am a comfort creature), the ability to run away from a storm or handle tough conditions, is also important, you don even mention it. Paraphrasing Bill Lee, “faster is fun”. After weighing all of the factors discussed above, and adding considerations for performance, I purchased a 1984 Doug Peterson designed Islander 40 for $65,000 and am still in love with the boat 15 yrs later. It still is a “better boat than I am a sailor” and is also very comfortable. The only drawback is that it draws 7’6″ which in SF Bay, is not a problem. On the “right coast” that might be a problem, but on the “correct coast” it has not been.

Hate to be picky but you left out of this old list a high quality design and blue water capable cruiser designed and made by quality Canadian company–Canadian Sailcraft, namely CS 36 T. A Sailboat 36.5 feet with all the necessary design and sailing numbers needed to be attractive , safe, and fast.

No one likes to see their favorite boat left off a list like this, but it must be done. But my Ericson 38 has almost none of the cons of the boats in this article, and most of the desireable pros. After 13 years of ownership, it hasn’t even hinted at breaking my heart. Great design pedigree, glassed hull/deck joint, ahead of its time structural grid, points high, extremely liveable interior, and the list goes on…so much so that I’m glad I didn’t buy ANY of the boats in the article instead.

Missing are the CSY 37 and 44. Ernest M Kraus sv Magic Kingdom CSY 44 walkover cutter

Very useful article. Thanks! I’d love to see the same framework for a selection of length 40′-50’ft coastal cruisers.

I know that it is hard to include all boats, but you missed a boat that fills all the requirements. I’m speaking about the Bob Perry designed and Mirage built 35. It has all the capabilities and handling characteristics that you would want in a capable cruiser and the speed of a steady over-performing racer-cruiser. It has 6’5″ headroom and all the standard features that are a must in a strong well built beauty with 5 foot draft, light but rigid and strong. Great for the Chesapeake bay or other depth challenging bodies of water.

Great publication through the year’s. Still miss my print version to read on rainy day. Owned a Cal 27 T-2 and Irwin Citation over the years. Sailed on the Chesapeake. The Irwin ended up in Canada. JA

We have a Swallow Craft Swift 33. The boat was made in Pusan Korea in 1980. For a 33′ boat it is cavernous. We live aboard 1/2 the year. I thought it might be a boat you would be interested in looking at. I call it a mini super cruiser.

How about the Pearson 367?

Surely this is a joke. I’ll put the Nonsuch 30 Ultra against anyone.

Good article, but another vote for the CS36T. No better value for an offshore capable, fast cruiser and built to last.

Great article

The list looks familiar to the list I was working with back around 2004. Back then the prices were even higher of course. To fit my budget, I got a great boat… Freedom 32. That is a Hoyt design from TCI. All I really gave up was some waterline. Below deck, the boat is as roomy as many 35-36 footers due to the beam. I find it to be a great boat for me. I do not see a move up to the sizes on this list to improve my lot. I could be tempted by a Freedom sloop over 44′ but that is retirement noise.

which edition of month/year of the PS Magazine is this covered in please, it would be great to know?

A great article, but what about the Young Sun 35 Cutter! a great offshore boat that I have sailed single handed from Canada to Hawaii and back, single handed, in rough conditions, but which was an incredible 30 days each way. Overall 40 ft. and 11 ft. beam. I believe also built by Bob Perry!

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