Bristol kept the 35.5 in production for nearly two decades, until the line quietly ended with the builder’s closure. At 35 feet 6 inches overall, with a 10 foot 10 inch beam and 15,000 pounds of displacement, she is a medium-displacement cruiser. She carries slightly less beam than many 35-footers of her era and is conservative in design and traditional in construction.
Design and Construction
Bristol built the 35.5 with a solid-laminate fiberglass hull formed in two halves and joined along the centerline. The hull is flanged inward where the balsa-cored deck is secured with bolts, nuts, washers, and a through-bolted teak toerail.
Rather than relying on molded fiberglass liners for structure, Bristol used wood members. Full and partial bulkheads, along with longitudinal stringers, are bonded to the hull with fiberglass and resin. Period surveys found the secondary bonding almost always flawless, and significant structural problems were rare among these boats.
The deck is a first-rate work platform, while the joinery below shows the same care. Wood sheathes the main and forward cabins. The hand-laid teak sole has an ash inlay and is screwed, glued, and bunged. Depending on the individual boat, the interior wood could be mahogany, cherry, or teak.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Under sail, the 35.5 is lively and quick without demanding constant attention at the helm. She points well and, in light air, is considerably faster than most boats of similar displacement and length. She is initially tender and quick to heel, however—a trait she shares with most centerboarders.
Practical Sailor’s polar data shows the centerboard version making 3.9 knots close-hauled in 6 knots of true wind while heeled only 5 degrees. In 20 knots, she makes slightly more than eight knots on a broad reach. The boat reaches her performance optimum with a single 120% or 130% genoa; anything larger simply overpowers her.
A low-geared horizontal winch on the coachroof controls the centerboard. Its cable is fully enclosed, and the board is tucked away so it doesn’t intrude into the cabin sole. The centerboard version carries 500 pounds more ballast than the keel model and rates faster under IMS numbers. Both draw from a respectable calculated static stability of 115.
Accommodations
The interior avoids the tight spots, awkward corners, and head- or hip-knockers found on many boats of this size. The forward stateroom has a V-berth large enough for two adults without cramping their feet. Just aft is an adequately sized head with an integral shower and standing headroom for someone up to 6 foot 2.
Opposing settees occupy the main saloon, along with pull-out extension berths. A well-engineered fold-down table can be rigged in five seconds. Aft to starboard, the galley offers more counter space than many larger boats and a truly huge, well-insulated ice chest. The navigation station and a large quarter berth are aft to port.
Only a few boats were built with pilot berths. The notable omission on a boat of this size is an aft wet locker.
The cockpit seats run its full length, so getting to the steering station behind the large wheel requires climbing up and over. Even so, the cockpit itself is the equal of any 35-footer.
Known Issues and Maintenance
The centerboard installation is quite loose. With the board fully extended, its tip may move three inches or more to either side of the centerline, and it’s common for the board to twist about three degrees within the trunk. Failures other than broken pennants are rare, and only two Practical Sailor readers who owned the boat reported centerboard problems. Bristol nevertheless modified the board after building only a few boats.
Engine access is the more universal complaint. The engine sits in a narrow compartment beneath the cockpit deck, behind the companionway steps. Front access requires removing drawers and a heavy step panel; a panel in the quarter berth provides access from the port side. For routine work such as changing the oil filter or adjusting the packing gland, access is at best mediocre.
Equipment and Refit Considerations
Bristol specified topflight components throughout, including Racor filters, Brunzeel bulkheads, Nicro vents, Schaefer hardware, Almag 35 ports, Bomar hatches, Edson steering, and Lewmar winches. A well-kept example therefore comes with durable bones.
The fully enclosed centerboard cable protects a wear point that can become a maintenance sink on lesser boats. Because the hull is solid fiberglass and the secondary bonding is sound, refit effort is better directed toward the mechanical systems and centerboard trunk than structural restoration.
The Verdict
The Bristol 35.5 combines quick, balanced sailing with careful traditional construction and a thoughtfully arranged interior. Its light-air performance stands out for a boat of its displacement, and it doesn’t demand constant correction at the helm. The main compromises are poor engine access, play in the centerboard installation, and somewhat less beam—and therefore less stowage and elbow room—than later 35-footers.
Pros
- Quick, balanced helm that doesn’t demand constant correction
- Light-air speed well above the class average for her displacement
- Thoughtful, knock-free interior with exceptional galley and head volume
- Traditional wood-structured hull with rare structural problems
Cons
- Poor engine access for routine maintenance
- Loose centerboard trunk, with both side-to-side and twisting play
- Slightly narrow beam limits stowage and elbow room compared with later 35-footers
- No aft wet locker in a cruising-size boat
