Design Brief & Intent
The Redwing 35 was engineered to serve as a genuine dual-purpose vessel: a competitive club racer capable of holding its own in offshore events, and a comfortable, reliable family cruiser for coastal passages. It directly challenged the prevailing American designs of the era by emphasizing structural stiffness, lighter displacement, and a more aggressive sail plan. Under the waterline, Cuthbertson and Cassian rejected the traditional long, full-keel profile in favor of a modern fin keel and a spade rudder—a layout that significantly reduced wetted surface area and dramatically improved maneuverability.
Inside, the boat reflected George Hinterhoeller’s uncompromising standards of joinery and woodworking. The interior layout was highly functional for its era, finished with rich teak trim, mahogany veneers, and high-quality cabinet work. Importantly, Hinterhoeller eschewed the massive, molded full-fiberglass interior pans and full headliners that would define later mass-production boats. Instead, the cabin sole and berth foundations were supported by a partial fiberglass grid, allowing the marine plywood bulkheads to be tabbed and glassed directly to both the hull sides and deck. This direct structural tabbing gave the interior a rigid, structural integration with the hull, contributing to the overall stiffness of the monohull when sailing in heavy conditions. The layout featured a private V-berth forward, an enclosed marine head with a sink, a main salon with a convertible U-shaped settee to port and a straight settee to starboard, a compact galley, and a starboard quarterberth.
Variations & Configurations
Over its production run, the Redwing 35 platform was divided into two distinct iterations that reflected evolving hull-shaping theories and rating systems. The Mark I models, built from 1969 to 1973, represent the purest expression of the original Redwing 35 design. These boats feature a length overall of 34 feet, 7 inches, a waterline of 27 feet, 6 inches, and a beam of 10 feet, 7 inches 5. The underbody of the Mark I showcases a swept-back fin keel drawing 5 feet, 3 inches, paired with an elegant, scimitar-shaped spade rudder that was swept aft.
In late 1973, under the direction of chief designer Rob Ball, C&C Yachts overhauled the design to create the Mark II. To adapt to the newly dominant International Offshore Rule and increase interior volume, the sheerline was raised by several inches, extending the length overall to 35 feet, 6 inches. Below the waterline, the scimitar rudder was replaced with a deeper, constant-chord spade rudder, and the keel profile was optimized with a thicker section moved further forward to delay stalling. The sail area was increased by roughly 50 square feet to power the higher-volume hull, and an additional 620 pounds of lead ballast was added to the keel to preserve the righting moment. Propulsion across both generations remained fairly uniform, relying primarily on the dependable, 30-horsepower Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine driving a traditional shaft and propeller, although a handful of late-production models were delivered with small diesel alternatives 7.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The Redwing 35 is widely celebrated for its balanced, responsive, and highly rewarding handling characteristics. With a displacement of 10,500 pounds and a lead ballast weight of 5,000 pounds, the Mark I boasts an exceptionally high ballast-to-displacement ratio of 47.62%. This high ratio translates to an incredibly stiff boat that can carry its full, generous masthead sail plan well into the upper teens before requiring a reef.
With a displacement-to-length ratio of 225.39, the hull is firmly classified as a moderate-displacement cruiser-racer. In a seaway, this design displays an elegant, sliding motion. It slides through the chop cleanly, maintaining speed and directional stability rather than pounding or hobbyhorsing over waves. At the same time, a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.22 indicates a highly powered rig that excels in light-to-moderate air, a crucial asset for summer sailing on the Great Lakes or Long Island Sound 5. Under sail, the boat has a comfort ratio of 23.66 and a capsize screening ratio of 1.93. The capsize screening number indicates a seaworthy hull form that meets traditional ocean racing safety parameters. The steering is light and balanced, though the original, small-diameter steering wheels made the helm physically demanding when sailing hard on a breeze. Consequently, many owners have retrofitted larger wheels to gain mechanical leverage.
Known Issues & Triage
As with any classic fiberglass vessel approaching or exceeding five decades of service, the Redwing 35 has several well-documented weak points that prospective buyers must triage. The most prevalent issue relates to the composite deck construction, which utilizes an end-grain balsa core sandwiched between layers of hand-laid fiberglass. While this construction technique provided a lightweight, rigid structure in 1969, neglected deck hardware, chainplates, stanchions, and jib tracks can allow water to seep into the core. Over time, this moisture leads to widespread delamination and core rot 7. Comprehensive moisture testing and physical sounding with a surveyor's hammer are critical to identifying these soft spots.
Another area requiring inspection is the hull-to-deck joint. Cuthbertson and Cassian utilized an inward-facing hull flange with a vinyl rubrail sandwiched in the joint, secured with chemical adhesive and mechanical fasteners. As the sealant dries out and the hull flexes, leaks can develop along this seam, leading to dampness behind the cabin cabinetry. On hard-raced boats, surveyors often check the structural bulkheads for secondary bonding failures, looking for signs that the fiberglass tabbing has separated from the hull or deck under high rigging loads.
In the bilge, the steel backing washers originally used on the stainless steel keel bolts should be inspected; if they have rusted, they must be replaced with stainless steel backing plates to prevent structural degradation. Finally, while the Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine is a robust, simple power plant, its raw-water cooling design is prone to internal scaling and localized overheating, and its fuel source demands rigorous bilge-ventilation discipline to eliminate gasoline fume hazards 9.
Modernization & Upgrades
The enduring appeal of the Redwing 35 hull has prompted veteran owners to invest in comprehensive modernization programs. Foremost among these is repowering. Replacing the original gasoline-powered Atomic 4 with a fresh-water-cooled diesel engine, such as a 20- to 30-horsepower Beta Marine or Yanmar unit, is the single most significant upgrade an owner can make. This transition vastly improves fuel safety, increases cruising range, and provides superior charging capacity through high-output alternators.
Beyond mechanical systems, owners frequently update the boat’s 12-volt electrical system. The original wiring, glass fuses, and low-output batteries are routinely replaced with modern marine-grade tinned wire, custom breaker panels, and lithium-ion battery banks. These battery conversions, paired with high-efficiency solar arrays mounted on custom biminis or dodgers, allow the boat to support modern refrigeration and electronics while cruising off-grid. On deck, systematic re-bedding of deck hardware using the epoxy-potting method—where the balsa core is cleared out around bolt holes and backfilled with solid epoxy before drilling—prevents future deck rot. Many owners also convert the main and jib sheet arrangements to modern, high-load self-tailing winches and install larger-diameter steering wheels to make short-handed cruising easier.
Market Snapshot & Economics
On the brokerage market, the Redwing 35 represents a high-value entry point into classic performance cruising. It is generally regarded as an affordable classic, trading at a relative value compared to modern cruiser-racers while commanding a minor premium over more lightly built production boats of its own era. Because of its sturdy construction and exceptional sailing pedigree, well-maintained examples are highly sought after by traditionalists, though they are relatively scarce due to the limited production run and their owners' tendency to keep them long-term.
When considering a purchase, buyers must evaluate the refit economics. Because many of these boats are still equipped with original systems, the cost of standard modernization—such as repowering with a diesel engine, upgrading sails, and correcting deck core dampness—can easily equal or exceed the purchase price of the vessel. For an owner looking to execute a long-term refit, however, the Redwing 35 is a structurally sound canvas that rewards the investment, holding its appeal far better than contemporary mass-market designs 3.
The Verdict
The C&C Redwing 35 remains a testament to the golden era of Canadian yacht design, proving that a boat engineered to sail well—rather than to simply satisfy a racing handicap formula—will never go out of style. With its striking lines, remarkably balanced handling, and robust build quality, it continues to offer a rewarding and capable platform for both spirited club racing and comfortable coastal cruising. While its age demands careful pre-purchase vetting of the balsa core and mechanical systems, a modernized Redwing 35 represents one of the most cost-effective ways to enjoy classic, high-performance sailing on a budget 7.
Pros:
- Striking classic aesthetics with long overhangs and a graceful sheerline.
- Exceptionally balanced and light helm response under sail.
- High ballast ratio provides excellent stiffness and stability in heavy air.
- High-quality interior joinery with direct-tabbed structural bulkheads.
- Strong, active owner community and enduring builder pedigree.
Cons:
- High susceptibility to deck rot due to aging balsa core and neglected hardware bedding.
- Original gasoline-powered Atomic 4 engine requires meticulous safety protocols and maintenance.
- Modest interior headroom and narrower beam compared to modern 35-footers.
- Inward-facing hull-to-deck joint is prone to developing leaks.
- Original scimitar rudder and swept keel can make windward performance slightly less efficient than modern foils.
