nicholson 35 yacht review

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

USED BOAT: Nicholson 35

• Chris Beeson
• February 24, 2017

Designed in the late 1960s by Peter Nicholson, the Nicholson 35 quickly earned a reputation as a steadfast ocean cruising yacht. Duncan Kent reports

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

Nicholson 35 review

See the Summer 2016 issue of Yachting Monthly for the full test

What’s she like to sail?

Like all long fin-keeled heavy displacement cruisers the Nicholson 35 is designed to take almost any adverse weather and sea conditions in her stride. Her overhanging, deep-vee bow section means she parts the waves resolutely, with little drama or spray, exuding only a gentle rocking motion as she goes. The very conservative sail plan of the early models versus her generous ballast ratio means she’s a very stiff yacht that only really starts to heel in a Force 5 and can keep full sail up until well over 20 knots of wind is blowing over her decks.

Her big genoa can make headsail sheeting hard work, but this is mitigated her leisurely tacking speed compared to a shorter fin keeled yacht. She makes good passage time due to her steadfast ability to drive through the rough stuff, and being so stable and sea kindly means you can live, sleep and cook aboard safely and comfortably, relaxing in the knowledge that these robust and resilient vessels have covered millions of sea miles in their lifetime.

What’s she like in port and at anchor?

Like all yachts of this era her accommodation is fairly rudimentary. Though 35ft overall, her interior is ideally suited to a couple, with occasional guests. The forecabin isn’t massive – I’m 6ft tall and in ours we used to sleep heads forward so my feet could hang over the end of the bunk through the door! The saloon is much roomier, but means you have to make up the beds every night, which is tedious long term. Later models offered a quarterberth, which, though useful on passage, nearly always gets used for stowage and you lose a deep cockpit locker.

Closing both forecabin and saloon sliding doors gives a good sized, ventilated heads compartment, which is easily fitted with a shower. Her galley is a good size too, so cooking for friends and crew presents few problems and her deep cool box is often converted to provide separate fridge and freezer compartments.

She has a roomy cockpit for living and eating al fresco, but her slightly retroussé transom can make access to the water for swimming a little awkward.

Would she suit you and your crew?

She comes with an excellent pedigree and is fondly loved by those for whom safety and comfort at sea is more important than speed and agility. That’s not to say she can’t make impressive passage times. Given enough wind she’ll still be battling to windward in sea conditions that would make many a more modern cruising yacht owner run for the nearest cover.

The original deck gear was made from top quality materials and substantially engineered, thereby making it all simple to maintain regularly. Obviously, it depends on how they’ve been worked over the years, but it’s not unusual to find them still going strong with 40 year-old winches, tracks and cars. Probably the only aspect of the boat that could put off a potential buyer is the original reverse-mount engine with its hydraulic drive system. It’s getting more difficult to gets spares for and the location of the prop, on the back of the keel, makes her very difficult to manoeuvre at close quarters, particularly when going astern.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Guide price £30-40,000

LOA 10.76m (35ft 3in)

LWL 8.15m (26ft 9in)

Beam 3.20m (10ft 5in)

Draught 1.70m (5ft 6in)

Displacement 8,013kg (17,628 lb)

Ballast 3,318kg (7,300 lb)

Ballast ratio 41.4%

D/LWL ratio 411

Sail area 65/70m2 (698/757ft2)

SA/D ratio 16.48

Diesel 160 lit (35 gal)

Water 275 lit (60 gal)

Engine 47hp Perkins 4108

Transmission Z-drive hydraulic

Designer Peter Nicholson

Builder Camper & Nicholson

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Nicholson 35

• By Jeremy McGeary
• Updated: April 26, 2011

Nicholson 35 drawings

It seems I’ve gone full circle here, but family is family. In my years at C&N, I saw a few Nicholson 35s being built, and I even got to sail on one or two. I also admire the work of Ray Wall, who designed this boat and several other classic Nicholsons, including the Nicholson 55, which was one of the best designs of its era, if not all time. You can see the lineage in the 35’s hull and feel it in its comfortable motion.

It packs all the components of basic yacht layout—forecabin, saloon, head, galley, chart table (yes—very important), and quarter berth—into 35 feet with enough room left over for a decent-sized cockpit that has wonderfully deep coamings that’ll help shield the crew from cold breezes.

The accommodations plan features a U-shaped galley, quarter berth (on later models), straight settee on the opposite side (two proper sea berths), and cozy dining area. The head occupies the whole width of the boat between the saloon and forward cabin, which gives it lots of elbow room and isn’t a logistical obstacle with just a couple on board.

Early boats had a fairly miserly sail plan to suit the sailing conditions in the English Channel and neighboring waters. An “American” version had a slightly taller rig for the lighter winds of the U.S. East Coast, and this rig was later adopted for all boats.

In some areas, the early boats, although sound, appear a little cheap, but C&N gradually steered back toward the “quality” end of the market, where it could leverage its 200-year history of building for the aristocracy. I could be very comfortable aboard a later Nic 35.

Nicholson 35 Price Range $46,000 (1976) to $77000 (1973) More Info:

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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

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

27 comments.

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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Nicholson 35

• Thread starter purplerobbie
• Start date 20 Jan 2010
• 20 Jan 2010

purplerobbie

Active member.

Nicholson 35 Are they any good? A friend is thinking of buying one for weekend use and a bit of round the cans. He is also talking about using it for an atlantic crossing in 2012. What should he look out for? I thought they where bolted keel but he says they are encapsulated? I said a vancouver 34 would be better? Rob  

Well-known member

Nic 35- lovely boat, fast, encapsulated keel . Gorgeous looking boats. Fin and skeg but with an encapsulated keel. Performance-wise very seaworthy ocean cruisers and (I think) faster than the Vancouver. Also likely to be considerably cheaper - you can pick up a Nic in good nick for £35,000 but you are likely to pay up to double that for a (newer) Vancouver. The vancouver has a better accommodation layout though and is a lovely boat as well. There is a Nic 35 near us that I will be after tomorrow if we win the lottery tonight. Specifications for the Nicholson 35 LOA 35.3 ft. LOD 35.3 ft. LWL 26.8 ft. Beam 10.4 ft. Draft 5.5 ft. Displaces 17,630 lbs. Ballast 7,390 lbs. Sail Area 550.0 sq. ft. Engine 40.0 Performance Indicators D/L 409 B/D 42 % SA/D 13.0 Comfort 39.1 Capsize 1.60 L/B 3.4 ------------------------------------------------ Specifications for the Vancouver 34 LOA 34.3 ft. LOD 34.3 ft. LWL 27.5 ft. Beam 10.5 ft. Draft 4.7 ft. Displaces 13,995 lbs. Ballast 5,999 lbs. Mast Height 46.5 ft. Sail Area 487.0 sq. ft. Performance Indicators D/L 300 B/D 43 % SA/D 13.4 Comfort 30.5 Capsize 1.74 L/B 3.3 - W  

Lord High Commander of Upper Broughton and Gunthor

I think if you want someting for "Round the Cans" and weekend pottering... then the Nich is gonna be a better choice...  

Like most Nics of that era they went through a number of changes in layout and specification. The early ones had a smaller rig and a plain interior, but later ones became more luxurious. Need to pay careful attention to the engine. Most had big Perkins and V drives which are very congested and potentially difficult to maintain as all the gear is obsolete. Although a better boat for pottering and club racing that a Vancouver, that is a waste. There are much better boats for that use, but if the real objective is long distance cruising and your friend prefers old fashioned boats then it is an excellent choice. It would have been near the top of my list until I discovered that the world of boat design has moved on a long way since the 1970's! Still attracts the eye though!  

• 21 Jan 2010

Nic 35s are really great sailing boats, but are a little cramped below for long term cruising. I sold mine two years ago - she had had a custom interior for bluewater cruising, together with a new engine/saildrive. With the standard power set up they are pretty tricky to manoeuvre in tight marinas and they do need the rudder extensions (standard after 1975 i think). Early models, like mine, had shorter masts, which meant i could keep full sail up to F6! Despite their non-guest friendly interiors I would have another one tomorrow if I had the money, because of their superb sailing characteristics. Watch out for spongy foredecks and shroud bases - not insurmountable, but tedious and messy repair job. Ask for, and check engine/transmission service history - although pretty reliable usually, if those V-drives aren't well maintained they can be a pain. I have some cracking pics, but have yet to work out how to put them up. Might waste a few hours trying today! D PS - Kings Easton (Beaulieu) are experts on Nicholsons - well worth a call. www.kingsyacht.com . No connection except that they sold me mine and seemed very knowledgable and helpful. PPS - have tried posting a pic but says 'server busy' all the time. Here's the link anyway http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy104/sailsail/OliviaNic35.jpg  

Nice Boat!  

Thanks photodog - was i doing something wrong? Duncan  

EuanMcKenzie

re Nic 35 There are a couple in our Boatyard at Tignabruaich, one especially good looking example called Orwell lass. No guessing where that came from? They have an old fashioned line and are especially pleasing to the eye. Spotted a really nice looking example for sale in yachting life last night. One owner from new and maintained by a paid hand. Its for sale via Ardfern brokerage but located in Thurso if your keen. No connection. I guess I'm just taken in by the lines  

• 22 Jan 2010

My brother has one, and he sailed his, with his young family, from here in the UK to New Zealand. I've emailed him a link to this thread, so I hope he'll contribute with some of his experiences of the boat! Doug  

Nic 35 - Awesome Boat We sailed ours (Clarabella, built '72, hull 36) from UK to NZ 2005 to 2007 with my wife and me and our 3 children. The boat is very solid, sails beautifully and is very comfortable indeed at sea. Before that we used her for weekends and summers etc, great for that too. Have a lookt at www.clarabella.net for more about our trip.  

• 23 Jan 2010

Lady Campanula

Bajansailor

whipper_snapper

For blue water, I would regard lots of solar power and shade over the wheel essential. I know it's criminal vandalism, but how would a big A frame/bimini with solar panels work on the nic35 ? I have seen lots with wind chargers, but none with all that gubbins at the back. It is easy on a modern boat with a wide flat stern, but on a nich35 it would be ugly and possibly difficult to arrange. Any thoughts ?  

Bajansailor said: And then I bumped into them again in the Tobago Cays (in the Grenadines) last year - They had crossed from the Canaries with 4 crew on board, and it all went well, apart from (I think) a problem with the gooseneck, which meant that they bypassed Barbados and went straight to Grenada to carry out repairs. I was over in England just before Christmas and we toddled off to Coburns for a drinkie - and who do we bump into...... our intrepid Nic crew had flown home for C'mas, and Coburns used to be their local..... Nic 35s do have a very comfortable motion at sea - they are very stiff, and really start truckin' along when the wind gets up. The wind was picking up steadily during our last 2 days out of Bermuda, and we were broad reaching with just the 150% genoa up, and absolutely stonking along, with Harry the Aries totally in control, often hitting 8 knots, despite being so heavily laden. Access to their engine installations has been described by some as diabolical though, and I would tend to agree with that.... many were fitted with a Perkins 4-108 and a hydraulic drive (rather than a vee drive) and these apparently have much less overall efficiency than the vee drive. The engine is literally under the cockpit, and on our boat it's home was affectionately (?) called 'the black hole'....... Click to expand...

I have the Nic 35 that Martin (BajanSailor) did the Bermuda trip in. It's the only Nic I've ever sailed. She's a great boat and I prefer her sailing motion to most other boats I've sailed in. We brought her back across the Atlantic with just 3 of us and accommodation below felt cramped but still comfortable. I've sailed her since the early 90's and have ran her for two lots of three years during that period. Lovely arrangement with the owners - when they want a break from ownership costs I get her and pay all the costs although pretty much the same group of people still sail her - I get first shout on where we go and who goes. On the last occassion I shipped her to Tortola, sailed down the caribbean chain, back up again, across the Atlantic and then along the South Coast last year. We've done may Round the Island races (winning the Nic 35 cup) and countless cross channel races - including one where we had 50+knot gusts. We had 56kts gusts (apparent - running downwind) whilst approaching Falmouth in 08 and hit over 10kts. She was fine throughout. I have never felt scared in heavy weather. I have felt frustrated in light winds though! Round the cans is not really my thing but she's regularly taken part in short races and has performed fairly well - rarely likely to win though! We also performed best at the longer races in stronger conditions. When we sailed her heavily (weekend and week long summer cruising) in the 90s we were all in our early 20s and being cramped really wasn't a problem. There is definitely not the comfort factor you get with bigger more modern yachts but I think it is worth the trade off. She is can be problematic in a marina - the fin skeg config means she has a very wide turning circle and she doesn't go backwards well. But again it is worth the trade off. And Martin is right about the Aries wind vane - Harry is fantastic - just the odd tweak here and there and she sails herself.  

• 25 Jan 2010

whipper_snapper said: For blue water, I would regard lots of solar power and shade over the wheel essential. I know it's criminal vandalism, but how would a big A frame/bimini with solar panels work on the nic35 ? I have seen lots with wind chargers, but none with all that gubbins at the back. It is easy on a modern boat with a wide flat stern, but on a nich35 it would be ugly and possibly difficult to arrange. Any thoughts ? Click to expand...

Nic 35 engine I once helped a fellow yachtie with his engine on a Nic 35. He was very enthusiastic about the boats sailing abilities and loved the boat. My first exclamation on seeing the engine layout was "what effing idiot designed that" It was a hydraulic drive jammed in with no room to get at anything. Make sure you have a good engine if you are buying one and be prepared for some heart ache if it ends up with problems. If you are a DIY guy then you need long arms, ten fingers on each hand a bloody good sense of humour!!!!!! http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif  

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Re-rigging a Nicholson 35 as a cutter

  May/June 2007   To the editor: My wife and I owned a Nicholson 35 from 1993 to 2003, during which time we sailed more than 50,000 miles, which included a cruise around the British Isles and a circumnavigation via Panama and South Africa. I have experience racing cutters and cutter-headed ketches from 1956 to 1992, so I get asked quite regularly for my opinions regarding re-rigging a Nicholson 35 as a cutter. The primary motivation for re-rigging is to improve the ease of handling the large foresail area. For some, there may also be an aesthetic dimension. The 35-foot Nic 35 is a typical 1970s single-spreader rig sloop, so these re-rigging thoughts could be applied to many similar sized and rigged yachts. Generally speaking I am discussing true cutters (i.e. non-bowsprit yachts that set and utilize a masthead yankee jib and a genoa staysail set on an inner forestay simultaneously). Note that staysails do not work effectively set inside genoa jibs. Multi-forestay/headsail sloops should not be confused with cutters. Historically, headsail size was determined by the characteristics of available materials. In the days of cotton sails, hempen halyards and sheets, and wooden spars, headsail shape (and therefore efficiency) could only be maintained by limiting the size of the sail. Whilst it is possible to name successful examples of cutter rigs in racing yachts of years gone by (e.g. John Illingworth’s Maid of Malham and Myth of Malham) the effective setting of staysails was always difficult on the modern form of yacht. With the development of synthetic materials in the 1950s – Dacron sails, Terylene sheets and halyards, and aluminum spars – it became possible to construct sail plans that utilized larger single sails efficiently. Utilizing these new materials the sloop rig would always outperform the cutter. You don’t find any cutters in the Americas Cup, Volvo or Vendee Globe these days. To make the cutter rig perform to the best advantage both the boat and the sail plan need to be designed specifically with the cutter rig in mind. In particular, the mast needs to be further aft (relative to a sloop-rigged yacht) and the mainsail correspondingly reduced in area. Suitable sheeting positions have to be determined, as does the location of the inner forestay on both mast and deck. The mast should best be a two-spreader design (when less than about 45 feet). Mind you, the early Nic 35 masts would probably be robust enough to take a conversion without going to two spreaders if one was to proceed with a conversion. To re-rig the Nic 35 as a cutter it would necessitate running backstays to compensate for the load on the inner forestay. The jib sheet track would have to move outboard, probably onto the top of the toe rail, and a track laid for the staysail sheet. There might well be a problem sheeting the staysail past the forward lower shroud. Unless a naval architect was used, the most favorable positions for these items would have to be determined by trial and error and may result in their being placed where the design is not suitable. Further problems to be resolved would be the organization of the sheet leads and winches, and the siting of the running backstay gear in the confined space outboard of the cockpit coaming. To carry out the job properly, new headsails designed to work together would be desirable. The whole project would inevitably be expensive in time and money for what would almost certainly be an unsatisfactory solution. A further problem is that the cutter rig could move the CE forward – an undesirable change given that the keel already starts abaft the mast resulting in a CLR that is well aft. (One of the consequences of this may be seen in the later comment on setting a sea anchor.) How then to resolve the issue, if indeed it is a problem? Given that it is commonly agreed that a roller-reefed headsail will only maintain its shape for a maximum 30-percent reduction and that twin roller headsails, one large and one small, would produce far too much windage on the Nic 35 in relation to the CLR, our solution on our boat, Moonlight of Down, was to change the rig to a multi-headsail sloop (the same broad principles as a Vendee Globe sloop). To make this change, an inner forestay was fitted, complete with its own halyard sheave 14 inches below the masthead. In this position running backstays are not required as the inner forestay load is in line with the permanent backstay attachment point. Its lower end terminated in a rigging screw/highfield lever device and attached just aft of the furling drum (parallel to the main forestay) on an extension strop. Its main attachment point was to a fitting at the aft end to the windlass pad. The deck structure was reinforced to take the loads of the inner forestay terminations. When stowed, the inner forestay attached to eyebolts by the forward lower chain plates. It needs to be well tensioned to prevent abrading the spreaders when underway. The forward position was used for 150-percent lightweight genoa hanked on; the aft position for a 90-percent heavy-weather working jib or the storm jib – both of which were hanked on. Depending on the expected weather, the particular sail to be used was hanked on, bagged with its sheets attached and carried on the foredeck. Tack strops were used so that the sail could be sheeted through an additional car at the forward end of the existing tracks. They also raised the tack sufficiently to avoid boarding waves from catching the foot of the sails. With this rig the 150-percent LW could be carried in light winds, then the 135-percent furling genoa was used, progressively rolled up until it became 100 percent. Then it was furled, and the 90-percent working jib used until it was time for the storm jib. A further advantage for our mode of operation was that when cruising on the coast in settled weather the inner forestay was stowed and the inflated dinghy could be carried inverted on the foredeck. You would not be able to do this with a true cutter rig. We found the rig very practical during our 41,000-mile circumnavigation aboard Moonlight of Down, and if we went back to a Nic 35 we would rig it in the same way. John Driscoll is a two-time circumnavigator, once with his wife Pat. The Driscolls live in Holywood in Northern Ireland and plan to cruise the Norwegian coast this summer aboard their current boat, a Moody 42.  

By Ocean Navigator

NICHOLSON 35-1 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 NICHOLSON 35-1. Built by Camper & Nicholsons and designed by Raymond Wall, the boat was first built in 1971. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 10.74. Its sail area/displacement ratio 17.92. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Perkins, runs on Diesel.

NICHOLSON 35-1 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 NICHOLSON 35-1 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 nicholson 35-1.

NICHOLSON 35-1 was designed by Raymond Wall.

Who builds NICHOLSON 35-1?

NICHOLSON 35-1 is built by Camper & Nicholsons.

When was NICHOLSON 35-1 first built?

NICHOLSON 35-1 was first built in 1971.

How long is NICHOLSON 35-1?

NICHOLSON 35-1 is 8.15 m in length.

What is mast height on NICHOLSON 35-1?

NICHOLSON 35-1 has a mast height of 10.97 m.

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• Sailboat Guide

Nicholson 35-1

Nicholson 35-1 is a 35 ′ 2 ″ / 10.7 m monohull sailboat designed by Raymond Wall and built by Camper & Nicholson between 1971 and 1985.

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)

Alternate engine: Watermota Sea Panther diesel. Taller rig after 1977.

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NEW LISTING – Nicholson 35 ‘LEVINGTON LASS’

Wednesday 7th July 2021

Mark Cameron Yachts are delighted to have been appointed to act in the sale of the 1971 Nicholson 35 ‘LEVINGTON LASS’.

The Camper and Nicholson built Nicholson 35 enjoyed a production run spanning some 20 years and with over 200 examples being produced in that time. Her traditional lines and a high quality finish create a design which it easy on the eye, rewarding to sail and pleasant to be aboard. With her deep well protected cockpit her crew are well protected on deck. Below decks the traditional layout to the accommodation provides comfortable living space wither at anchor or on passage. Now a much sought after modern classic the Nicholson 35 remains popular choice for those who like know they can depend on their yacht whatever the weather.

With only three owners since new, LEVINGTON LASS is an early example of the class with the more versatile Mk1 layout below decks providing 6 berths over the two cabins. In the previous ownership she has enjoyed many trips from the UK to Portugal and is set up for easy single handed sailing with all lines for the mainsail lead aft to the cockpit. She is offered for sale with a comprehensive inventory including:

• Perkins 4.107 marine diesel major engine re-built (cost over £3000) in Nov 2016
• Lewmar rod linkage steering system
• Vetus bow thruster
• Neco autopilot with remote
• Sailomat 3040 windvane self-steering gear
• Battery charger
• Solar panel
• Roller reefing genoa
• Single line slab reefing mainsail – all lines lead aft to cockpit
• 4 person liferaft
• Zodiac tender with 2.3 hp Honda outboard

Lying afloat and in commission on her private mooring in Inverclyde LEVINGTON LASS is available for viewing strictly by prior arrangement.

FIND FULL DETAILS OF ‘LEVINGTON LASS’ HERE

Nicholson 35 ‘LEVINGTON LASS’

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The Nicholson 35 was designed in-house by Camper & Nicholsons in 1970/71, and remained in production from 1971 to 1990, with various minor model changes from Mk I to Mk VII. Whilst the hull mouldings of some boats were contracted out, always to quality moulders, all Nicholsons 35s were finished by Camper & Nicholson themselves, to a very high standard.

About 230 were built over their long production run, and they have a superb reputation as a safe, fast passage-maker. it is is thus very rare now to find one that has not had the wear and tear of multiple extended ocean passages, or hard racing early in her life. various sources quote slightly different ballast and displacement figures for these boats: the figures here being taken from a nicholson-supplied manual for a mk vi boat, shown in most of the photos here. the later boats had a more conventional shaft drive to a p-bracket instead of the hydraulic drive to a prop mounted in the aft end of keel that was fitted to early boats, as shown in the small plan at left. later boats also have a slightly different internal layout with a quarter berth aft of the chart table. the last boats built had a taller rig, a feature probably introduced for the american market, where a significant number of nicholson 35s were sold by a dealer in annapolis..

Above: early boats had an aft-facing chart table with a small hanging space and seat squab aft of it, later boats had a forward facing chart table with a quarterberth aft - at the expense of a much smaller port cockpit locker - see lower photo.

Engine installations vary, the yacht in some of the photos here having a 29 hp Ford-based Watermota diesel driving a conventional sternshaft via a Z-drive gearbox, instead of the bigger 50 hp Perkins engine with hydraulic drive that was fitted to most early Nicholson 35s. This change in the later models was a definite improvement, as 29 hp is entirely adequate power, and the older boats engine compartments were very cramped with the bigger engine, and access was more awkward for the hydraulics to drive the keel-mounted prop. The photo below shows a Perkins engine with hydraulic drive.

The photos below show a much-travelled Nicholson 35 fitted out for extended cruising, with a fixed GRP doghouse instead of a canvas sprayhood.

Review of Nicholson 35

Basic specs..

The boat is typically equipped with an inboard Perkins 4.107 engine at 47.0 hp (35 kW), which gives a max speed about 6.7 knots.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Nicholson 35 is 1.68, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.9 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Nicholson 35 is about 173 kg/cm, alternatively 972 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 173 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 972 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 18.06

Maintenance

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Nicholson 35 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Nicholson 35 new listing Lefkas, Greece

Nicholson 35 – A classic C&N sloop which has been in the current British ownership since 1998, highly respected. Accom for 4/6 in forward double cabin and saloon berths. Nanni 4.195HE 40hp engine (2002) service history available. A well maintained and cared for yacht, equipped for long term cruising.  £29,995

The Nic 35 has always been a highly sought after cruiser, strong, reliable providing excellent performance whatever the conditions, attractive classic lines along with a traditional sailor friendly practical interior designed for serious sailing. C&N built over 200 35s over a period of 20 years and those we’ve seen and sold have certainly stood the test of time. The Nicholson 35 is a pedigree yacht for the discerning sailor. Respected test reporter and sailor Duncan Kent has a fantastic Yachting Monthly write up on the 35 (from 2016) and we have a copy if you’d like a read which by the end will highlight how good these yachts are.

Presented for sale with August 2021 survey.

Considerably more specific photos throughout the yacht on request.

Click here for full details

News posted August 2021

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