Hull and Construction
The Nicholson 35 is a true medium-displacement cruiser: heavy by the standards of any racer/cruiser but entirely reasonable for an offshore passage-maker with a waterline approaching 27 feet. Her overhanging, deep-vee bow section parts waves resolutely with little drama or spray, giving only a gentle rocking motion even in a hard sea. The hull shape is uncompromised by any rating rule, and a ballast/displacement ratio of 42%, with the lead concentrated low in a molded keel, produces a boat that is genuinely stiff — one that only begins to heel in a Force 5 and can carry full sail well past 20 knots of wind.
Construction quality is first-rate throughout. Camper & Nicholsons was an early user of isophthalic polyester resin for gelcoat, giving early examples better blister resistance than most contemporaries. Structural glasswork is neater than the production norm of the period, bulkheads are properly tabbed, and the lead casting is dropped into a molded keel cavity and heavily glassed over. Shroud chainplates are heavy stainless steel hairpins bolted through the beam shelf — an arrangement that looks unusual but that Lloyd's approved, and that survived a rollover and dismasting on a similarly built Nicholson 40 without damage. Some hulls carry a Lloyd's Hull Moulding Note; a full 100 A-1 certificate is rarer and commands premium attention.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The rig is a masthead sloop of deliberate simplicity: a tapered, foam-filled Proctor spar, anodized finish, with double lower shrouds and single airfoil spreaders. Working sail area is divided nearly evenly between foretriangle and mainsail. The arrangement changed in detail across the production run — early boats have roller-reefing booms while later ones have slab reefing — but the overall sailplan never changed. Its PHRF rating of around 156 puts her roughly six seconds per mile behind an Ericson 35-2 but twenty seconds faster than a dedicated cruiser such as a Tayana 37, a fair summary of where she sits: no slug, no racer, genuinely capable.
The big genoa can make headsail sheeting hard work, though her leisurely tacking speed compared to a shorter fin-keeled yacht provides some compensation. Standard jib-sheet winches were Lewmar 40s or 43s, and most boats are under-winched by modern shorthanded standards — fitting the largest self-tailing genoa sheet winches that will mount on the coamings is a sensible early upgrade. Halyard winches on the mast are similarly modest; the standard Lewmar 8C is too small to hoist a person aloft safely.
The mainsheet arrangement is the rig's one genuine ergonomic flaw: the traveler bisects the cockpit just forward of the wheel, requiring the helmsman to step over it to reach the foredeck, and the sheet secures to a cleat on the traveler support rather than a cam cleat on the car. Replacing the entire assembly with a modern traveler is straightforward and worthwhile.
Cockpit and Deck
The cockpit is deep, well-protected, and enormous in volume. A molded-in dodger coaming — similar to what S&S used on the Tartan 37 — keeps the forward half of the cockpit bone-dry in nearly any conditions once a proper dodger is fitted. The companionway is built out slightly and stands vertical despite the aft-sloping deckhouse, so the top dropboard can be removed in light rain even without the dodger. Tufnol runners on the hatch slides are a small but characteristic piece of good engineering.
The cockpit seats are short and not comfortable for long watches, with a nearly vertical fiberglass coaming. Cushions help. A bridgedeck protects the companionway, but the large cockpit volume means a major pooping could fill it close to the hatch top; later boats added large flapper-protected pipe scuppers through the transom, and retrofitting these to early examples is advisable for offshore use. Side decks are wide, bulwarks low but present, and the cabin-top grab rails effective if unconventionally shaped.
Accommodations
The interior is functional rather than glamorous. Padded vinyl liners cover the hull sides on early boats, replaced by teak-veneered bulkheads on later examples; the teak used is fairly light, so the cabin remains bright. Headroom exceeds six feet throughout, and the long main cabin windows make for a well-lit saloon. The full-width head — accessed by walking through from the saloon — is a larger compartment than any American 35-footer of the period could offer, with a grab rail at the sink and a cleverly angled mirror. Ventilation is its weakness: a single Tannoy vent was standard, and adding two cowl vents in Dorade boxes on deck would improve both the head and the whole boat.
The U-shaped dinette to starboard seats five comfortably with a permanently mounted dropleaf table on a heavy aluminum base — one of the sturdiest tables found on any production boat of the era. A molded fiberglass water tank holding about 70 gallons sits under the sole amidships, correctly positioned on the longitudinal center of flotation. It is marginal for extended offshore work; adding auxiliary tanks under the dinette and settee is the standard solution. All berths are fitted with lee cloths as standard — something not found on most American boats even when sold as serious cruisers. The quarterberth, where fitted, makes an excellent sea berth.
The galley is generous for a 35-footer: a gimbaled Flavel two-burner propane stove with oven and broiler, good locker space, a five-cubic-foot icebox adequate for temperate climates, and a large pantry locker. The stove well is narrow, so finding a replacement unit requires care; a Force 10 narrow-profile model is the usual answer. Propane capacity is only ten pounds, which is worth expanding early.
Known Issues and Engine Particulars
The engine installation is the boat's most divisive characteristic. Early boats use a hydraulic drive rather than a conventional transmission, with the engine mounted facing aft under the cockpit bridgedeck and the prop shaft emerging from the aft end of the keel. Heavy-equipment mechanics worldwide can service hydraulic systems, but most marine yards cannot, and sourcing spares for the original units is becoming progressively more difficult. The prop's position at the keel's aft end also makes the boat very difficult to maneuver astern. Later boats use a V-drive with a more conventional shaft and strut; prop wash over the rudder is better in this configuration, and the arrangement is far more serviceable.
Access to the engine in either installation is poor. V-drive boats with a quarterberth allow access to the front of the engine through the berth; without a quarterberth it means a crawl through a cockpit locker. A variety of diesels were fitted — Perkins 4-107 or 4-108, Westerbeke L-25, and a marinized Volkswagen Rabbit among them. The Perkins units are generally preferred for parts availability and durability.
Fuel capacity of 33 to 40 gallons is on the lean side for genuine offshore independence. Battery capacity was modest on early boats — two 90 amp-hour units with a 35-amp alternator — and upgrading to larger banks requires a bigger alternator simultaneously.
Forward cabin ventilation is poor across the entire production run; the low-profile Tannoy in the forward hatch moves insufficient air, and the cowl vents specified in the original design were rarely fitted.
The Verdict
The Nicholson 35 is exactly what its builders intended: a real offshore cruiser, built without compromise, gimmick, or superfluous teak. It will not win races or impress at the dock, and the cockpit comfort and ventilation demand attention. But the construction integrity is genuine, the seakeeping is outstanding, and the boat's ability to drive through conditions that send modern cruisers running for cover is a quality that cannot be bought from any current production builder.
Pros
- Outstanding offshore seakeeping; stiff, sea-kindly, and capable in heavy weather
- First-rate construction with Lloyd's-approvable scantlings and proper structural detailing
- Generous saloon, full-width head, and well-organized galley for a 35-footer
- Lee cloths standard on all berths; watch seat on some layouts; genuine blue-water fitout
Cons
- Early hydraulic drive is difficult to service, limits maneuverability astern, and parts are scarce
- Engine access poor in both installation variants
- Cockpit seats short and uncomfortable; cockpit volume creates pooping risk on early examples without transom scuppers
- Forward cabin and head ventilation inadequate for tropical use without upgrades
- Water and fuel capacity marginal for extended offshore passages
