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• By Michael Robertson
• Updated: August 1, 2012

Japan is rarely mentioned as a country where cruising sailboats were built, but in the decade beginning in 1973, Fuji Yacht Builders of Yokosuka turned out roughly 230 boats for sale in the United States. The models ranged from 32 to 45 feet.

The company’s Fuji 40 sprang from Sparkman & Stephens design number 2292. Unlike its full-keeled siblings, it has a long fin keel with a rudder hung on a full skeg. Yet despite the performance promised by its modern underbody, this is a very heavy boat and requires a fresh breeze to reach its 7.4-knot hull speed. But that’s an easy trade-off for a solidly built craft that offers a roomy interior and a seakindly motion.

Under sail, our Fuji 40, Del Viento , is rock steady and stable. It’s easy to trim to a course and then leave the helm for a minute without her veering off or heading up. Sailing in rougher weather, she plows through steep chop without being tossed around or grinding to a halt. She’s a dry boat while under way, and spray rarely reaches the crew, which I attribute to the Fuji 40’s distinctive high freeboard.

The mainsheet traveler is located just aft of the companionway, handy when the helmsman needs to adjust mainsail trim while the boat is sailing but often an obstacle for crew going below. When the boat is under power or at anchor, a port-side boom crutch keeps the companionway entry clear.

From the bow to the companionway, the layout is conventional: anchor locker, V-berth, head, closet, settees, pedestal table with fold-up leaves, galley, and nav station. It’s aft of the companionway where the interior design of this aft-cockpit boat shines: It has a large aft cabin with a generous double berth to port, a single to starboard, and drawers and a seat between them—and standing headroom.

Headroom everywhere is generous (up to 6 feet 10 inches), adding to the spaciousness below. However, my wife, who stands 5 feet 4 inches, can’t reach the support to prop open the center hatch.

Throughout the boat, cabinetry is constructed of teak and makore hardwoods. Fit and finish are exemplary. On our boat (hull number 4), doors and drawers still fit nicely and glide smoothly after 34 years.

The hull of the Fuji 40 is thick, hand-laid fiberglass up to the toerail, and the ballast is encapsulated iron. The decks are foam-cored. Fuji fitted 40-horsepower Westerbeke auxiliaries, but many will have been replaced. Engine access is excellent forward and aft but poor on either side. On our boat, we replaced the original eight plastic deadlights with stainless-steel opening ports, which brought a welcome increase in ventilation. We strengthened the bow pulpit by adding horizontal and vertical supports and stiffened the gate stanchions and stern pulpit with braces to the teak toerail. The deck lacks efficient scuppers. The toerail is continuous, and water can only escape through three half-inch drains on each side that discharge a few inches below the sheer.

Fuji built just over a dozen Fuji 40s, the last in 1979, and recent asking prices have ranged from $79,000 to $110,000. For a comfortable, roomy, well-constructed cruising boat with an S&S pedigree, it’s hard to go wrong at those prices.

New CW bloggers Michael Robertson and his wife, Windy, are cruising with their two daughters along the western coast of the Americas aboard their Fuji 40. Go to www.cruisingworld.com/blogs/log-of-del-viento to follow their travels.

• More: 31 - 40 ft , before 2000 , Bluewater Cruising , coastal , Coastal Cruising , domestic pacific northwest , fiberglass , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , sailboats classic plastic
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Timeline for Sailboats Built In Japan

Posted by Michael Robertson | Boat Reviews

This article is relating to an article in the January 2014 issue.

• International Marine building wooden boats based on Herreshoff 28-foot design.
• Okamoto Shipyard building 35- and 40-foot wooden ketches designed by Garden and commissioned by Hardin.
• Clair Oberly founds Far East Yachts, builds wooden versions of the Alden/Oberly-designed Mariner 31 and Garden-designed Mariner 40.
• Bill Hardin shuts down Okamoto Shipyard, moves operations to Taiwan.
• Kawasaki Dockyard Company, Ltd. (later to become Kawasaki Heavy Industries) purchases both International Marine (which became TOA Yachts) and Far East Yachts (which became Far East Boats).
• Yamaha parlays its FRP expertise to begin building a few small (<15 feet) open boats.
• Far East Boats adds two boats to lineup: Garden-designed Mariner 35 and S&S design #1738, a 40-foot full-keel sloop.
• Far East Yachts builds first hull molds to begin fiberglass construction.
• Far East Yachts ceases construction of wooden boats.
• Far East Yachts introduces Mariner 31.
• Far East Yachts introduces Mariner 32.
• Far East Yachts introduces Mariner 40.
• Far East Yachts introduces Mariner 36.
• Kawasaki Heavy Industries shuts down Far East Boats and TOA Yachts.
• Fuji Yacht Builders builds a couple of one-off boats using Mariner 36 hull mold.
• Fuji Yacht Builders introduces Fuji 35.
• Fuji Yacht Builders introduces Fuji 45.
• Fuji Yacht Builders introduces Fuji 32.
• Yamaha introduces Finot-designed Y29 for sale in Europe.
• Yamaha introduces Y33, Y24, Y25 for sale in North America.
• Fuji Yacht Builders introduces Fuji 40.
• Yamaha introduces Y36.
• Fuji Yacht Builders ceases operations.
• Yamaha introduces Y35.
• Yamaha introduces Y30.
• Yamaha introduces Y37.
• Yamaha ceases exports of recreational sailboats.

Mariner, Fuji, and Yamaha sailboats built for export

About the author.

Michael Robertson

Before he was editor of Good Old Boat magazine, Michael Robertson and his family lived aboard and sailed around on their 1978 Fuji 40. For seven years they explored from Mexico's Gold Coast to Alaska's Glacier Bay to Australia's west coast.

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The Fuji 35 Sailboat

The Fuji 35, a clipper-bowed staysail ketch, was designed by John Alden and built in Japan by Fuji Yacht Builders.

The Fuji 35 is a full-keel, heavy displacement, ocean cruising sailboat, and is known for its strong and sturdy construction, making it a reliable vessel for long-distance sailing. It has a fiberglass hull with a traditional design, a long overhang, and a wineglass transom.

Published Specification for the Fuji 35

Underwater Profile:  Full keel, with a cut-away forefoot;

Hull Material :  GRP;

Length Overall : 34'7" (10.5m);

Waterline Length : 26'00" (7.9m);

Beam : 10'00" (3.1m);

Draft : 5'0" (1.5m);

Rig Type : Staysail Ketch;

Displacement : 6,302lb (7,395kg);

Designer : John Alden;

Builder :  Fuji Yacht Builders (Japan);

Year First Built : 1973;

Year Last Built : 1982; 

Design Ratios

The Fuji 35’s design ratios are crucial to understanding its sailing performance.

• The Sail Area/Displacement Ratio (SA/D) is a measure of the sailboat's ability to move efficiently. For the Fuji 35, this ratio is 15.22, indicating a relatively moderate ability to accelerate and maintain speed, making it a balanced choice for both cruising and racing.
• The Ballast/Displacement Ratio (B/D) of the Fuji 35 is 40.73. This ratio reflects the boat's stability and resistance to capsizing. A higher ratio suggests a more stable boat, and the Fuji 35's ratio indicates a well-balanced vessel that can handle a variety of sea conditions.
• The Displacement/Length Ratio (D/L) is another critical measure. A higher D/L ratio generally suggests a slower but more comfortable ride. The Fuji 35 has a ratio of 327.11, indicating a boat designed for comfort and stability, rather than speed.
• The Fuji 35’s Comfort Ratio (CR) , which measures the motion comfort of the boat, is 35. This suggests a boat that provides a smoother ride in rough conditions, making it ideal for those long passages where comfort becomes paramount.
• The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) for the Fuji 35 is 1.72. A lower CSF is better, as it indicates a lower likelihood of capsizing. With a CSF of 1.72, the Fuji 35 offers a good level of safety for offshore sailing.

But how reliable are these design ratios and how are they derived?

The Fuji 35 was available in two versions: a staysail ketch and a cutter. The ketch version has a smaller mainmast, a mizzenmast and a staysail, while the cutter version has a single taller mast and a staysail. The ketch version has more sail area and more options for sail trimming, but the cutter version is simpler to handle and has less windage.

Above & Below Deck

The Fuji 35 is also praised for its beautiful craftsmanship, both on the exterior and the interior. The woodwork is typically made of high-quality teak, giving the boat a classic and elegant look.

The interior of the Fuji 35 is crafted from teak and offers a warm, traditional feel. The layout includes a forward V-berth, a main saloon with settees that can double as bunks, a navigation station, a galley, and a separate aft cabin.

The galley in the Fuji 35 is well-equipped for long voyages. It includes a stove, oven, and refrigerator, as well as ample storage for provisions. The layout allows for easy meal preparation even while underway.

The Fuji 35's cockpit is spacious and well-protected, offering a safe and comfortable space for the crew while sailing. The helm is responsive, and the cockpit layout provides easy access to all the necessary controls and instruments.

The deck layout of the Fuji 35 is practical and efficient, with all lines leading aft for easy handling. The wide side decks and high lifelines provide a safe and secure environment when moving around the boat at sea.

What the Sailing Press and Fuji Owners have said...

The sailing press generally praised the Fuji 35 for its classic design, solid construction, comfortable interior, and seaworthy performance. Some of the reviews are:

• "Both the Fuji 35 ketch and the cutter are John Alden-designed masterpieces with beautiful lines, seaworthy construction and the ability to safely transport a small crew offshore in style over long distances."
• "The Fuji 35 is a very heavy sailboat which is underpowered. It is stable/stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a heavy bluewater cruising boat."
• "The Fuji 35 is one of those boats that makes you stop and stare. She has graceful lines, a clipper bow, a wineglass transom, and a traditional rig. She looks like she belongs in another era, but she was built to modern standards of quality and safety."

Owners of the Fuji 35 tend to love their boats for their beauty, comfort, durability, and reliability. They also appreciate their boats' ability to handle rough seas and strong winds with ease. Some of the owners' comments are:

• "We have owned our Fuji 35 ketch for over 20 years and have sailed her extensively in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and US East Coast. She is a wonderful boat that always gets compliments wherever we go. She is well-built, spacious, and comfortable. She sails well in light airs and heavy weather. She is easy to maintain and repair. We have never regretted buying her."
• "Our Fuji 35 cutter is our dream boat. We bought her in 2010 and have since sailed her across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. She has proven to be a sturdy, safe, and fast boat that can handle anything we throw at her. She is also very beautiful and attracts attention everywhere we go. She has a cozy and functional interior that makes living aboard a pleasure. We are very happy with our boat."
• "I have owned my Fuji 35 ketch since 1985 and have sailed her around the world twice. She is an amazing boat that has never let me down. She is strong, stable, and seaworthy. She can sail well in all conditions and point high into the wind. She is also very elegant and charming. She has a lot of character and history. She is more than just a boat, she is my home."

The Secondhand Market

The Fuji 35 is not a common boat on the market, but it is not impossible to find one either. According to some online sources, there were about 200 Fuji 35s built, and some of them are still sailing today.

The asking prices vary depending on the condition and the equipment of the boat, but they range from $30,000 to $60,000 on average.

The Fuji 35's performance under sail is commendable. It is known for its steady course-keeping ability and its predictable handling characteristics.

This makes it a boat that is easy to sail, even for less experienced sailors, and one that can provide a challenge for those seeking to refine their sailing skills.

The Competition

In terms of comparable sailboats, the Fuji 35 often gets compared to other cruising sailboats of similar size and displacement. These include the Island Packet 35 , the Hallberg-Rassy 352 , and the Pacific Seacraft 34 .

Each of these boats offers similar performance and comfort levels but may differ in terms of layout, construction quality, and price.

In conclusion, the Fuji 35 is a robust and reliable sailboat that offers a unique blend of comfort, performance, and craftsmanship.

Its design ratios suggest a boat that is stable, comfortable, and reasonably quick, making it an excellent choice for those seeking to undertake long passages or live aboard.

I wrote this article using GPT-4, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model, as a research assistant to develop source material. I wrote the final draft in its entirety and believe it to be accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Dick McClary, creator and owner of sailboat-cruising.com

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• Sailboat Guide

Fuji 32 is a 31 ′ 5 ″ / 9.6 m monohull sailboat designed by C. Oberly and built by Fuji Yacht Builders Ltd. starting in 1976.

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)

Cutter or Ketch. From the same molds as the MARINER 31/32.

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This classic Alden-designed ketch is seaworthy and beautiful

Naval architect John G. Alden never got to see his traditional Fuji 35 ketch make the jump from drafting table to boat-building production line. Alden was born in 1884 and died in 1962, eleven years before the first Fuji 35 was completed in Japan. By then, the Alden Design firm was being overseen by Niels Helleberg, who went on to become the chief designer. Helleberg held fast to Alden’s balanced sense of form and function. Alden was known for designing beautiful offshore boats that were fast and seaworthy.

The Fuji 35 boat was offered as a standard ketch or optional cutter. The boat had a nine-year production run from 1973 to 1982. Simple and time proven, like most Alden designs it barely needs an introduction. 

Available records indicate 128 Fuji 35s were built. At least 57 with different hull numbers were sold on Yachtworld over the past 20 years, according to yacht broker Kevin McCann in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. 

First impressions

Cheryl Andrews first saw a Fuji 35 in Provincetown, Rhode Island. 

Andrews eventually bought a 1974 Fuji 35 and renamed it Sabbatical . She sailed it for 16 years and currently has the boat listed for sale with McCann’s brokerage.

“Once we bought the boat, we never wished we had bought something else. The boat is built like a tank. I cried when Kevin told me somebody is seriously looking at it,” she said.

Phillip Caputo, owner of the Fuji 35 See Life , summed up the emotions that surfaced upon seeing the boat under sail. In an online post, he wrote,  “John Alden sure knew how to design vessels that were so pleasing to the eye.”

The Fuji 35 certainly lives up to that description. Long, sleek and narrow, the traditionally designed boat exudes nautical charm, enhanced further by its bowsprit and portholes. Despite the boat’s relatively slim beam, the decks on both sides provide adequate space for crew to move forward.

Alden was raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts and family holidays were spent in Rhode Island on the Sakonnet River and on Narragansett Bay. Legend has it he sailed his sister’s flat-bottomed rowing boat, using an umbrella as a sail. Upon finishing basic schooling, he studied naval architecture, enrolling in courses at MIT and apprenticed with naval architects Starling Burgess and Bowdoin B. Crowninshield. 

Alden was drawn to the shape and seaworthiness of the Grand Banks-style schooners docked along the Boston waterfront. He was known to frequent the wharves, studying the New England fishing vessels. He was inspired by what he saw, a vision later carried over onto his drafting table when designing recreational sailboats. Interestingly enough, Alden was a compulsive doodler as a child and made countless sketches of boats.

Construction

The Fuji 35s were built by Fuji Yacht Builders in Yokosuka, Japan. The hull was hand laid-up fiberglass with polyurethane insulation. Below the waterline, its long keel was cut away slightly at the forward end to improve maneuverability. The carpentry below deck has been described as “a lost art” and “museum quality.” Some of the boats were outfitted with wooden masts and booms, while others were made with white painted aluminum masts and booms.

What to look for

The Fuji 35 can be susceptible to water infusion and deck delamination. Potential buyers should check for soft spots on deck. Boats with wooden masts and booms should be carefully inspected for cracks or weakness. Online forums note some owners rebuilt the cabin structure. 

The artistry of John Alden comes alive on deck. The boat’s traditional design is enhanced by a beautiful sheer that is extended with a bowsprit. On some of the boats, wooden masts and booms further complete the nautical look. The stainless steel bow pulpit, stern rail and stanchions with double lifelines add to the boat’s overall appearance as safe and seaworthy.

There are four portholes on each side of the cabin and the cockpit, with its teak sole and varnished teak coamings, can easily accommodate six sailors. Storage lockers are located under the teak cockpit benches and also under the helm seat. The grabrails on the coach room are also teak. All fittings are bronze or stainless steel. The companionway features a teak louvered door. 

The pedestal-mounted steering wheel takes up space in the cockpit, as does the mizzen mast on the ketch.  

Headroom in the saloon is 6 feet 3 inches and there’s plenty of space to stretch out on the settees. The boat sleeps six, with two in the V-berth, three on settees in the saloon and one on the aft quarter berth on the starboard side.

The dinette is a folding table between the two settees in the saloon.  The galley is located to port at the bottom of the companionway. It’s outfitted with a stainless steel sink, icebox and a kerosene-fuel stove with oven. The stove is gimbaled. 

The freshwater tank under the cabin sole holds 60 gallons, and a secondary freshwater tank on the port side under the V-berth holds another 26 gallons. 

Directly across from the galley is a pullout nav station. There’s a hanging locker on the port side, just aft of the V-berth. The head on the starboard side faces the hanging locker. The wastewater tank holds 30 gallons. 

There are storage lockers and drawers located throughout. Most of the cabinetry is varnished teak. The joinery was done to perfection.

Most of the boats were outfitted with a 36-horsepower Perkins 4107 diesel engine. A lesser number of boats had Westerbeke diesels. The original engines had a top speed of about seven knots under power. Many subsequent owners have replaced those engines with a Yanmar diesel. The boat was built to carry 40 gallons of fuel. 

The Fuji 35 has a reputation for being a dry boat, with a cockpit and coamings designed to keep seawater where it belongs. Owners say the boat tracks flawlessly in heavy air and commendably when the breeze slackens. 

“She holds her own off the wind in big seas and yet is nimble going upwind during a nice day sail,” said Andrews, who sails primarily in Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod and the Islands. “She has a great personality.”

Caputo offered a similar assessment. “I love my 1973 staysail ketch. Not the fastest boat out there, but it will take you anywhere in the world,” he said.

Some of the boats were fitted with a self-tending staysail, which can make single-handing or sailing with a short crew much less demanding.  

Both the Fuji 35 ketch and cutter are John Alden-designed masterpieces with beautiful lines, seaworthy construction and the ability to safely transport a small crew offshore in style over long distances.

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS: LOA 34’6”; LWL 26’; Beam 10’; Draft 5’; Displacement 16,302 lb.; Ballast 5,500 lb.; Sail area 538 sq. ft. 

SAILING's Value Guide (5 sailboat rating system)

PRICE:  The asking price of a used Fuji 35 ranges from $55,000 in Patagonia, Chile, to $34,900 in Florida. A Fuji 35 heavily damaged in Hurricane Irma was for sale in Florida for $9,000. (3 sailboats)

DESIGN QUALITY: The Fuji 35 is considered among the best designs by legendary naval architect John G. Alden, known for creating fast, seaworthy, offshore boats. The design was influenced by his appreciation for Grand Banks-style fishing schooners. The Fuji 35 was available as a ketch or cutter.  (3.5 sailboats)

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: With its solid fiberglass hull and, in some versions wooden masts and booms, it was built to impeccable standards by the highly regarded Fuji Yacht Builders in Yokosuka, Japan.  (3.5 sailboats)

USER-FRIENDLINESS:  Owners report the Fuji 35 is a joy to sail and the self-tending staysail makes it easier to handle when short-handed. The overall design results in a dry cockpit and pleasant sea motion. The boat is known for its seaworthiness and comfort in heavy weather. (3.5 sailboats)

SAFETY:  The boat is fitted out with double lifelines and stainless steel stanchions, bow pulpit and stern rail. There’s plenty of lead ballast in the keel to help keep the boat upright in a blow. The bridgedeck in the cockpit keeps water from entering the companionway.  (3.5 sailboats)

TYPICAL CONDITION: The condition of Fuji 35s varies from pristine to in need of attention. (2.5 sailboats)

REFITTING: The high quality of construction, particularly the woodworking and joinery is difficult to replicate. Many owners have upgraded the Westerbeke or Perkins diesel engines to a Yanmar diesel.  (2.5 sailboats)

SUPPORT: Specifications, owner manuals and original brochures are available at www.fujiyachts.net/owners/fuji35owners.html and information on John Alden designs can be found at www.aldendesigns.com . His designs are housed at the MIT Museum’s Hart Nautical Collection. (3 sailboats)

AVAILABILITY: The Fuji 35 owners’ registry said 128 boats were built. Only four Fuji 35s were available for sale during winter of 2020, and a fifth boat in Indiantown, Florida, was damaged by Hurricane Irma and for sale at $9,000. (2.5 sailboats)

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:  The Fuji 35 was originally priced at $28,900 for the most basic model. The price was increased in 1976 to a high of $41,035. A 1974 model completely overhauled was recently offered in Australia for $89,000. (3.5 sailboats)

OVERALL 'SVG' RATING: (3 sailboats)

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